Clan Macpherson

Masters: 1908 S Beer: 1909 Peter Thompson: 1909 JA McPherson: 1915-17 C Shapland.

Crew May 1909:

Andersen, J, able seaman, 28, Sweden; Auld, JD, apprentice, 15, Glasgow; Baardsen, F, able seaman, 33, Sweden; Burio, Antonio, able seaman, 28, Furne; Cameron, R, boatswain, 53, Leith; Cowan, PD, apprentice, 18, Edinburgh; Franklin, RE, apprentice, 19, Manchester; Forrest, William, cook, 20, Peterhead; Highlander, M, able seaman, 23, Sweden; Jacobsen, YM, steward, 26, Norway; Jardine, G, apprentice, 19, Carlisle; Johansen, J, able seaman, 55, Sweden; John, TM, 1^st mate, 33, Swansea; Larsen, W, able seaman, 22, Norway; Max, RG, apprentice, 21, St Ives; McInnes, R, able seaman, 56, Southmist; McKennar, A, able seaman, 28, Tobermorey; McKenzie, A, able seaman, 28, Stornaway; McLean, D, able seaman, 48, Oban; Miller, William, sails, 34, Govan; Parkin, LJ, 3^rd mate, 20, Hull; Simpson, John, apprentice, 18, Ayr; Thompson, Peter, master, Liverpool; Williamson, J, able seaman, 22, Shetland.

Voyages: Sailed from Glasgow arriving at Sydney on 19 May 1909:

On a voyage from Malta for Colon with a cargo of government stores on 4 March 1918 Clan Macpherson left Bizerta in convoy. At about 10pm she was torpedoed by German submarine (U-27 Otto Gerke) & sank 24 miles north of Cape Serrat. The master ordered the boats to be lowered but the seas were very heavy. One boat was smashed by the fall of the foremast & 18 men were killed. The master was picked up after swimming around for nearly two hours. 18 lives lost.

Lives lost March 1918:

Cunningham, William, 5^th engineer, 26, Mansewood, Glasgow; Marshall, James Currie, 2^nd engineer (King’s commendation for bravery) aged 39, Glasgow; Nash, Frederick Barrett, 4^th officer, 18, b. South Africa; Rasidullah Qayimullah, donkeyman; Simpson, John, 3^rd engineer, 27, b. Orkney; Stevens, Henry, bombardier (Royal Marine Artillery) aged 40, Sussex.

This section will, in time, contain the stories of more than 450 merchant ships built or owned in the Hartlepools, and which were lost during the First World War. As an illustration of the truly global nature of shipbuilding, these ships were owned by companies from 22 different countries, including more than 30 sailing under the German flag at the outbreak of war.