The wreck identified as the ADELA lies in two pieces in 84m of water. The eastern, stern part (UKHO 7341), is orientated 230/050 degrees. It has a surveyed length of 40m, and a width of 9m. The bow section (UKHO 58968) lies 104m to the west on a similar orientation, and is 19m in length.
This wreck was originally located and examined by the UKHO in 1976, when both parts were located. It was subject to a detailed survey by Bangor University in June 2018. Associated research was undertaken by Dr Innes McCartney (2022) for the Echoes from the Deep project, which corroborated the existing identification of the wreck as the ADELA.
Event and Historical Information:
The ADELA was a steel-hulled screw-steamer built in 1878 by H Murray & Co at Port Glasgow (Official No. 77398, Yard No. 91). Technical and configuration specifications are given as 685gt, 303nt; 199ft 8in x 32ft 2in x 14ft 5in; 2 decks, 5 bulkheads, passenger deck 23ft, forecastle 16ft; machinery aft by Kincaid, Donald & Co, Greenock, 150 hp, screw propulsion. The ship also carried a 3-masted schooner rig when launched. At time of loss the vessel was owned by Tedcastle, McCormick & Co Ltd and registered at Dublin. It was first registered in January 1879 (3 in 1879), the Mercantile Navy list in 1880 give Robert Tedcastle as the owner.
The ADELA had left Dublin and on 27 December 1917 was steering as passage to Livepool that would take it on a bearing 1 degree N of Kish to the Skerries, then to 2 degrees off Point Lynas, then to buoy off Great Orme Head, thence to Bar light vessel at the entrance to the Mersey. It was carrying 40 head of cattle and about 200 sheep, as well as about 150 tons of general cargo. The master was Michael Tyrrell. The ship was at position 12 degrees NW (mag) of Skerries when it was attacked by U-100 at 11.02pm. The ship was torpedoed between no 1 and 2 holds and the vessel broke in two very shortly afterwards. The intelligence reports collated by the Admiralty note that one lifeboat was launched with 5 crewmembers and the master. This boat picked up 2 more of crew after the vessel foundered.
Twenty-three crewmembers and one passenger lost their lives. The names commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial for the Mercantile Marine and on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial are as follows: William Barry, age 35, Fireman ; Samuel James Burrowes, age 52 , Chief Engineer; Peter Bryne, age 32, Winchman ; William Henderson Caldwell, age 33, Second Engineer; Patrick Connolly, age 30, Carpenter; Patrick Corcoran, age 48, Cattleman; Frederick Davey, age 28, Seaman; Alexander Donaldson, age 47, Steward; James Farrell, age 28, Cattleman ; John Fisher, age38, able seaman; James Fortune, age 55, Second Mate ; Patrick Halpin, age 28, Able Seaman ; George Jones, age 56 , Able Seaman and Lamps; Thomas Jones, age 55, Fireman; Laurence Keegan, age 42, Cattleman; John Mackey, age 45, Fireman ; Frank Mangan, age 55, Fireman; Joseph Michael Manning, age 26, Able Seaman; Patrick McCallum, age 38, Able Seaman; Charles Pescod, age 63, First Mate ; Henry James Pitt, Acting Bombardier, service number RMA/4200; Andrew Walsh, age 4, Donkeyman; and Christopher Wolfe, age 32, Winchman
Sources include:
Appropriation Books, Official Numbers 77351 - 77400 (77398)
ADM137/4007 Home Waters Ships Attacked 16 -31 1917, The National Archives, Kew
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyd's Register Casualty Returns, 1 October - 31 December 1917, p.9 (i)
Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping, 1 July 1916 - 30 June 1917, number 160 in A
Lloyds Register Documentation, LRF-PUN-GLS261-0165-P: https://hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/archive-library/ships/adela-1878/
McCartney, I., 2022. Echoes from the Deep. Leiden: Sidestone Press. https://www.sidestone.com/books/echoes-from-the-deep
Mercantile Navy List, 1880, p.2
Mercantile Navy List, 1890, p.3
Mercantile Navy List, 1900, p.4
Mercantile Navy List, 1910, p.5
Mercantile Navy List, 1915, p.5
U-Boat Project: Commemorating the War at Sea
UKHO ID 7341: Contains public sector information, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, from UK Hydrographic Office.
UKHO ID 58968: Contains public sector information, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, from UK Hydrographic Office.
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?12755
J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, November 2024.
This record was enhanced in 2020 with funding from Lloyd's Register Foundation as part of the project ‘Making the Link: Lloyd's Register and the National Monuments Record of Wales’. Visit Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre for more resources.