Losses in WW1

Benlarig was a 3,921 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1904 by Bartram & Sons for Ben Line Steamers Ltd. - Thomson Wm. & Co.Leith. She set sail from Fremantle on 2 April 1917 bound for Columbo with a cargo of bagged wheat but was not seen again.

There were no survivors

Benlawers was a 3,949 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1905 by Bartram & Sons for W.Thomson & Co. She was damaged on 12 May 1918 by a mine laid by German submarine UC-75 at position 52° 54' N, 04° 44' W. She was en route from Liverpool to Barry Roads. The mine was apparently laid on 24 August 1917.

Benledi was a 3,931 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1904 by Bartram & Sons for W.Thomson & Co. She was damaged on 8 November 1917 by artillery fire from German submarine U-63 at position 35° 24' N, 09° 11' W - West of Gibraltar. She was en route from Huelva to Savanna with a cargo of iron pyrites.

Berbera was a 4,241 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1905 by Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd. for British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. She was sunk on 25 March 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-64 at position 37° 32' N, 15° 08' E - approximately 60 nautical miles East of Catania. She was en route from Bombay to Marseille with a cargo of grain, cotton and managanese ore.

Bernicia was a 175 GRT iron steam fishing vessel (trawler) with a 55 HP engine completed in 1901 by Cook, Welton & Gemmell for The East Anglia Steam Fishing Co. Ltd. of Grimsby, managed by Alfred Bannister, West Street, Cleethorpes, Lincs. and registered in Grimsby as GY.1215. She sailed from Grimsby on 1 February 1915 and was not seen thereafter.

There were no survivors

Berrima was a 11,137 GRT steam passenger/cargo ship (ref) completed in 1913 by Caird & Co. for Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. She was in use as a troopship by the Royal Australian Navy as HMAS Berrima when damaged on 18 February 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-84 at position 50° 22' N, 02° 44' W. She was beached and repaired later. She had been en route from Freemantle to London with a cargo of Australian produce.

Bethlehem was a 379 GRT wooden sailing vessel with an auxiliary engine completed in 1896 by J. Rasuke of Gutmansbach for Theodor Shipping Co. Ltd and managed by A.Tate & Co. She sank on 19 April 1917 after striking a mine laid by German submarine UC-55 approximately 0.5 nautical miles East of the South Holm buoy. She was en route from Calais to Grimsby in ballast.

Birchgrove was a 2,821 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1894 by Ropner & Son for Lucas & Co. as Dovedale. From 1913 she was renamed Birchgrove and owned by SS Mary Co. Ltd. and managed by Alexander & Mair. She was sunk on 2 December 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-84 at position 47° 38' N, 03° 45' W - approximately 10 nautical miles West by North of Groix. She was en route from Penarth to Bordeaux with a cargo of coal.

Birchleaf was a 5,873 GRT steam tanker completed in 1916 by Short Bros. for the British Government and managed for the Shipping Controller by Lane & MacAndrew. She was extensively damaged on 23 February 1918 by torpedo and shellfire from German submarine U-91 approximately 20 miles West by North of The Skerries. She was en route from Milford Haven to Oran in ballast. She was later salvaged and repaired and remained in service until 1931.

Birkhall was a 4,202 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1900 by Robert Craggs & Sons. for West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. and from 1917 owned by Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. managed by J Currie & Co. She was sunk on 23 January 1918 by torpedo fired by German submarine UC-23 approximately 4 nautical miles South-East of Cape Doro, Greece. She was en route from Salonica to Alexandria carrying government cargo.