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Clan Macleod - sinking

Masters: 1904 R K Cowie: 1907-09 HG Fishenden: 1915 HS Southward.

On a voyage from Chittagong for London when Clan Macleod was 100 miles ESE of Malta on 1 December 1915 she was attacked by gunfire from German submarine (U-33 Lt Cdr Ganser). The U-boat was first seen at 7.45am & after trying unsuccessfully to escape Captain Southward stopped his engines & sent a wireless message of surrender. He waited on the bridge for a reply & was astonished when the shells kept coming. One hit the bridge & the master was wounded. The boats were got out but they were machine-gunned with nine men killed & six wounded, of whom three later died. All the boats on the starboard side were smashed. The lifeboat & cutter managed to get away & the master was summoned aboard the U-boat. Ganser was in a state of fury but eventually allowed the lifeboat, carrying 51 persons, to leave. They were picked up the following morning. The cutter, with the 1st officer & 19 men, was picked up on 4 December. After about 4 months in hospital the master returned safely to England. 12 lives were lost & many were injured.

Lives lost December 1915: Abdul, Bakhshu, lascar, India; Abdur Razzaq, lascar, India; Mughaljan Ali, servant, India; Muhammad Husain Ilahi Bakhsh, donkeyman, India; Panchu Indu, cook, India; Qadir Muhammad Qudratullah; Siraj Miyan Babru Miyan, oilman, India. 

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