Grenada 1910 ~ 1916

Capt Griffith Jones and his wife Ellen, left the Langdale and joined the Grenada in Newcastle NSW, December 24^th 1910 and sailed for Guayaquil, Ecuador on December 31^st. Arrived March 4^th 1911 and sailed 19^th April, detained at Puma?, till May 10^th with sickness. Arrived Newcastle NSW July 10^th and sailed for Valparaiso, Chile on September 20^th, arrived October 30^th. Left December 2^nd for Hamburg direct 103 days. He stayed on her till November 1916, when she was attacked by a German U boat in the English Channel, whilst on passage from London to New York via Le Havre.

Grenada at Newcastle NSW August ~ September 1912.

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Report Into Her Loss

S.V. Grenada, 2268 Gross Tons.

Casualty. Attacked by submarine, abandoned. Probably sunk by Gunfire.

Owners. Roberts, Owen & Co.

Left Havre. Roads on 21. 11. 1916 for Plymouth.

Cargo. Ballast. No. of Crew. 22 Passengers. 0

Attacked. 22. 11. 1916 Time. 4.20pm Position. 32 miles S.W. by S from Beachy Head.

Abandoned. Time. At once.

Sank. Time. Not known.

Summary of Evidence.

While the Barque was making 5 or 6 knots, a submarine appeared about 150 yards distant. The submarine opened fire at once, a shot striking the mizzen mast. The crew abandoned their vessel which continued to sail on, pursued by the submarine. The Master did not see his barque sunk.

The crew consisted of;

9 British,

3 Norwegians,

1 Swede,

1 Dutchman,

3 Finns,

2 Chileans,

2 Americans,

1 Dane.

No lives were lost, and crew arrived at Eastbourne pier at 1.30am 23. 11. 1916.

(Footnote) According to Capt Griffith Jones’s daughter Moraned, the Grenada was not sunk in the channel at all, but was boarded by some of the U boats crew, and sailed to Hamburg as a war prize. Her father was not taken prisoner, because he wasn’t wearing an uniform, this was common practice during wartime, for that same reason.

Grenada at Hamburg 1912?

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Many thanks to Capt Ifor Owen, Wellington, New Zealand, for the additional information about the Grenada.

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Extracts from Ellen's notebook, of their voyages on the Grenada.

1910

Joined Grenada in Newcastle NSW, December 24^th 1910 and sailed for Guayaquil December 31^st. Arrived March 4^th 1911 and sailed 19^th April, detained in Puma till May 10^th with sickness. Arrived Newcastle NSW July 10^th and sailed for Valparaiso September 20^th, arrived October 30^th Left December 2^nd for Hamburg direct 103 days.

1912

Sailed from Hamburg 12^th May for Newcastle NSW and arrived August to load and sail for Valparaiso September 10^th. Arrived October 30^th and sailed from Valparaiso for Newcastle NSW December 2^nd. Arrived Newcastle January 31^st. Sailed for Guaycan February 13^th arrived 28^th March 1913.

Reported by wireless Terrado Nononka per RM boat, February 16^th, 1914

March 10^th in Lat 31. 33 N Long 42.10.

Got boat manned with second mate (Mr Owen) and four app. To get stores from 4 masted Barque Olympia (German ship) Capt Peters.

Arrived Frisco from Antwerp 130 days on October 18^th, 1915. Sailed from Frisco December 10^th for Channel. Arrived Falmouth April 22^nd 1915, left 27^th arrived Bristol May 1^st

Galgate July 8^th

Grenada 15^th

Owenee 22^nd

William died on board ‘Torrisdale’ June 7th 1912.

Lat 4.2N

Long 23.29W.

William Griffith, was her brother, and was Master of the Torrisdale a 2312 ton, bark.

Left Bristol July 15^th put back 19^th, Barry roads, left July 26^th Arrived New York September 11^th 1915 (47 days)

Arrived Sydney February 2^nd 1916 (110days)

Sailed from Sydney for Havre direct May 24. Discovered an island on passage from Hongay to San Francisco in China Seas. Reported to English and American authorities,latter claimed it and presented Griffith with new charts. He named it Langdale Island after the ship.