I recently bought this postcard on ebay as I have a family connection to the ship. Its one of only three wartime photographs of the ship that I've seen.

Can anybody identify the photo? It doesn't look like South America to me where she spent the majority of the war, more like North America - and the records show that the Otranto had two refits at Esquimalt, Canada, and also at the floating Drydock at Prince Rupert. Then again it could be South America...

Any thoughts of what's going on here or where it is?

cheers

ian.

Thanks for the post. Some years ago a friend went diving on the wreck of the above and brought me back the leather remains of a bayonet scabbard from the area around the wreck.

I take it you have the wreck details?

Stuart

Ian, I have a photo of the Otranto on which I sailed to Egypt in 1946, but it must be a replacement if the original was sunk. Will put picture up if you think it may help. Vic.

Stuart & Vic, Thanks for the replies. I have amassed quite a pile of information about the Otranto (1909).

Stuart, I guess by 'wreck details' you mean where she currently lies and how she got there? then yes I do have that info. But I am also open to any information or images that come my way, as one day I'll be putting all my research online somewhere. Stuart, If it's easy to take a photograph of the scabbard I'd love to see it.

Vic, your Otranto was launched in 1921 as a replacement for the 1909 ship which as you guessed sunk in dramatic and tragic circumstances in the last month of the war. The 1921 ship had a long and illustrious career on the Australia run and saw service during WW2 as a troopship ferrying Australians to the Northern Hemisphere theatres of war. She also ferried a few Australian Cricket teams to the old country as well. I think from memory she was finally paid off in the mid 1960s. She had a far longer career than her namesake.

In the beginning of my research I could barely tell the two ships apart, but not anymore. 90% of the Otranto items on ebay relate to the later ship, it's rare to find anything relating to the 1909 ship.

cheers

Ian.

Will do.

Stuart

I have the 1914~15 Star trio of Engineer Commander David Montgomery RNR,who was serving aboard the 1909;ss.Otranto in 1914 @ Coronel

As requested.

Stuart

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..

hey Stuart, thanks for taking the time to photograph and upload the images. Fantastic! Knowing the tragic circumstances of the wreck, I wonder how the owner of that particular piece fared on the 6th Oct 1918?

Harry, That would be a nice Trio to own. I search ebay weekly for Otranto items, and I've never seen any medals to men from the Otranto, or at least ones where the seller has known enough to advertise the fact.

Ian.

Hello all,
I'm sure I have a small photographic booklet about this ship. It shows photo's of the funeral service, for the bodies that they found after the sinking. I'm sure she was carrying US troops.
I will dig it out, if it's of interest ?
Regards,
Stewart

Ian,

Whilst I have no idea where this pic was taken, from observation I would say that there is a chance that this was the floating drydock.

First off, the ship is not tied up alongside, but secured in the middle of the dock, and it looks as if the rowing boats are there making inspection.
After ensuring the ship is secured they would pump out the dock.

The dock has similar structures either side - some form of deck housing looking a bit like old time railway vans, and the ends of the dock also appear similar. The starboard side of the ship is is not moored to the wooden jetty but to the starboard dock structure.

Presumably she has not long berthed in the floating drydock (in this view submerged) - the floating dry dock being an open-ended oblong.
The vessel appears to still have steam up. But of course it could also be preparing to leave after the work was done....

OK, it is all guess work. To add to the gut feeling, I agree it does not seem South American - it has more of a colonial feel to it.

Ian

Can any of you tell me a little more of the circumstances of her loss?
I had heard of her role at Coronel but not her subsequent fate.

Adrian

She Sank After breaking up on 6th October 1918,after a colliision with P&O SS Kashmir off Islay,& breaking up in heavy seas when it was attempted to Beach her,380 Men lost their lives[The Two ships were both carrying US Troops]Though HMS Mounsey managed to save around 600 souls..............The Fate Of SS Otranto.

Harry
Thanks for your quick reply - I was about to go to bed when the email notification came up so I'll read the link tomorrow!

Adrian

Thankyou to all who participated in this thread. Work and family committments have stopped me from replying sooner. Interesting to read Ian T's ideas on the floating drydock. That's probably close to the mark I feel.

I possess a number of interesting resources on the Otranto disaster including a 30 page self published booklet by an American survivor written in 1941 for other surviors, and the National Otranto-Kashmir Association in particular. I also possess the entire Royal Navy archive on the survivors and casualties of the event, which I had copies at the PRO and came to some 100 plus A3 pages!

Let me know if I can be of help to anyone in their own research.

Cheers Ian.

Dear Ian

My paternal grandfather was a crew member (Linen keeper?) on the Otranto and survived, but we have not been able to find much information about him / it. Sadly he died in 1945, when still in the Merchant Navy. His name was Stanley John Terry and he would have been 19 at the time. Our family, especially my father, would be most grateful to learn more, and I would willingly pay for any copies of documents you might be able to let me have. Or, if you could point me in the right direction for finding out further info that would be great.

Looking forward to hearing from you

Tracy Oakley

I am trying to locate a pic of the SS Otranto, built 1909 and later used as a troop ship before her tragic loss with many lives, in 1919. Otranto 12,124 gross ton ship, length 535.3ft x beam 64ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 280-1st, 130-2nd and 900-3rd class and she carried a crew of 350. Built by Workman, Clark, Belfast in 1909 for the Orient Steam Navigation Co, she sailed from London on 1st Oct.1909 on her maiden voyage to Suez, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
My Great Uncle came to Australia on her in 1913, prior to her Wartime Naval use. From your comment, Ian, I presume the pic is of the later Otranto.
Does anyone have a pic of the WW1 Otranto?
Sandra

Sandra,

I have a printed colour postcard of O.L.S.S. Otranto at Port Said. The postcard was published by Ephtimios Freres, Port Said. The card is postally unused but bears a pencilled inscription on the reverse "No 14 Otranto I 1909". My guess is that the postcard must have been produced for her maiden voyage. You can see the postcard on my web site here.

Tracy

Navy records for a Stanley John Terry are at the NA in Kew, the date of birth is 1897 Modbury, Devon. You can download them for £3-50p

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=4

Regards

Phil

Hi Ian,
Attached is a photo of the Otranto in 1913 when she was undergoing speed trials in Scotland. As my relative emigrated to Ausdtralia on her on 17th Jan 1913, I'm not going to get much closer than that.
Photo courtesy of The National Maritime Museum.
Cheers
Sandra

I have a printed colour postcard of O.L.S.S. Otranto at Port Said.


Thank you very much. In colour as well! Very enticing, well it would have been in 1909.
Cheers
Sandra

I believe there is a memorial to Otranto and Tuscania on the Mull of Oa, Kintyre. The dead are buried nearby.

The American Monument "Sacred to the Immortal Memory of those American Soldiers and Sailors Who Gave Their Lives for Their Country in the Wrecks of the Transports 'Tuscania' and 'Otranto' February 5th 1918 - October 6th 1918. This Monument was erected by the American National Red Cross near the spot where so many of The Victims of The Disasters Sleep in Everlasting Peace. Of Fame's Eternal camping ground, Their silent tents are spread, While Glory keeps the solemn round, The bivouac of the dead."

Mull of Oa, Isle of IslayClick to view attachment

Hi Ian

I'd be obliged if you could check from your records if my grand father, Cpl James P. Brennan, SN 580176, was a survivor of the Otranto sinking. On 2 September 1918 he was transferred from the 8th Co, CAC, Massachusetts National Guard to Unit 2 of the September Automatic Replacement Draft and sent to France. My grand father apparently always insisted that he was in a ship which sank and that he only survived because he and a black cook clung to a donkey which could swim until they were rescued. The story always sounded weird enough to be to be true and the only ship sinking that is in the right time frame seems to be that of the Otranto. thanks in anticipation.

John Brennan