Site Record

The remains of the wreck are now upside down and buried, but are occasionally uncovered (see UNNAMED WRECK (UPSIDE DOWN WRECK) NPRN 420445)

Event and Historical Information:
The WILLEMOES was a wooden schooner built by J Ringanderson at Svenbourg in 1911. Technical and configuration specifications are given as 186gt, 157nt; 108ft lnegth x 26ft 5in breadth x 10ft 8in depth. At time of loss on 27 December 1924 (or the 24th, Christmas Day, Gordon Smith, pers. com.), the vessel was owned by J A Anderson and was registered at Hodby Havn, Denmark. The schooner was on passage from Caernarfon to Erquy under the command of L B Hansen was it went onshore in West Freshwater Bay. Local resident, Gordon Smith, has confirmed that the 'Upside-Down' wreck exposed by the winter storms of 2013-4 are the WILLIEMOES of Thuro. The wreck was attended by the Castlemartin Coastguard Rocket Crew. Five of the six-man crew made it ashore to safety.

Sources include:
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyds Register Casualty Return 1924 pg12 (g)
Lloyds Register of British and Foreign Shipping 1 July 1920 - 30 June 1921, number 46052 in W
Pers. Com. Gordon Smith, whose Grandfather was a member of the Castlemartin Coastguard Rocket Crew, 8 January 2015.

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, January 2015.