THOMAS MCCARTHY 1888 - 1917 and SS NARRAGANSET

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Timothy McCarthy 1888 – 1917 and SS NARRAGANSETT

McCarthy was an able seaman during the Endurance Expedition and due to his skills and resilience was one of the five men who accompanied Shackleton on the rescue mission to South Georgia.
Immediately on return to England, he signed up to the war effort as part of the Royal Navy Reserve and was deployed as a leading seaman on SS NARRAGANSETT. On transit between the south-west coast of Ireland and the Scilly Isles the vessel was torpedoed and he, along with all other 45 hands-on board were killed. He was the first of the Endurance crew members to die in the war, just three weeks after returning from the expedition.

https://www.gov.gs/duty-and-sacrifice-s ... ng-heroes/

Built as a tanker under yard no 376 by Scott & Co. on the Cartsdyke East, Greenock for the Anglo-American Oil Co. Ltd, Greenock.
12 February 1903 launched as the NARRAGANSETT.
Tonnage 9,196 grt, 5,776 nrt, 12,000 dwt, dim. 150.1 x 19.3 x 9.94m.
Powered by a triple 3-cyl steam engine manufactured by Scott & Co., Greenock, 790 nhp, one shaft, speed 14 knots.
May 1903 completed.

NARRAGANSETT was one of the ships answering the distress calls from the VOLTURNO (3,602 gt) when she caught fire in the Atlantic on 9/10/13 and played an important role in the rescuing of the 523 survivors by pumping some of her oil cargo onto the rough sea which stopped the breaking waves smashing the lifeboats.

She was later involved in the LUSITANIA sinking in that she heard the distress calls and went to assist only to be fired on by U20, her torpedo missing NARRAGANSETT by less than 10 feet, whereupon she beat a hasty retreat and continued her journey.

16 March 1917 on a voyage from New York to London, loaded with lubrication oil, was she torpedoed in position 50 12N 17 34W by the German U-boat U-44 under command of Captain Paul Wagenfürh. She was lost with all her crew of 46 men.

Source: https://www.miramarshipindex.nz and internet.
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