Vessels Lost in WW1

W. A. Massey was a 84 GRT steam drifter completed in 1907 in Grimsby for The Lowestoft Steam Herring Drifters Co. Ltd. and registered at Lowestoft as LT.1090. She sank on 11 March 1918 after an explosion at position 58° 22' N, 05° 20' W - approximately 5 nautical miles West of Creag a Mhail, Handa Island in The Minch. The loss was reported by the crew of drifter Rose that was fishing nearby.

There were no survivors

W. M. Barkley was a 569 GRT compound-engined cargo ship completed in 1898 by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. for W.M.Barkley & Sons. At the time of her loss she was owned by A. Guiness, Son & Co. Ltd. She was sunk on 12 October 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine UC-75 approximately 7 nautical miles East of the Kish Light Vessel. She was en route from Dublin to Liverpool with a cargo of stout.

W. M. L. was a 145 GRT three-masted schooner completed in 1908 by R. Cock & Sons for L. Lawday and registed at Bideford. She was stopped on 30 June 1918 by German submarine U-53 approximately 400 nautical miles North-North-West of Cape Finisterre and sunk - presumably by explosive charges. She was en route from Ferrol to Liverpool.

Wabasha was a 5,864 GRT steam tanker completed in 1903 by Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd. Laid down as Beaumont, she was launched for British Maritime Trust Ltd. as Gloriana. At the time of her loss she was owned by Standard Transportation Co. Ltd. and named Wabasha. She was damaged on 6 July 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine UB-32 approximately 10 nautical miles South-South-East of The Lizard. She was en route from Port Arthur to Devonport with an Admiralty cargo.

Wallace was a 3,930 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1905 by Short Bros. Ltd. for Taylor & Sanderson Steam Shipping Co. Ltd. From 1917 she was owned by English Steamship Co. Ltd. She was damaged on 7 February 1917 by gunfire from German submarine U-54 at position 50° 30' N, 15° 05' W. The crew abandoned ship but the situation was recovered by the arrival of a British warship. She was en route from New York to Le Havre with a general cargo.

Walter Ulric was a 98 GRT schooner completed in 1875 at Nefyn (Nevin) for Rees Evans of Cwmorthin Wharf, Portmadoc. In 1915 she was owned by Evan Williams of Portmadoc.

There were no survivors

Wanderer was a 47 GRT dandy-rigged sailing trawler completed in 1907 in Porthleven for Jeremiah H. Crews and registered in Lowestoft. She was stopped on 17 May 1916 by German submarine UB-29 off Southwold and then scuttled. The crew were reported as having boarded a lifeboat but they were never seen again.

There were no survivors

Waneta was a 1,683 GRT steam tanker completed in 1910 by Greenock & Grangemouth Dockyard Co. Ltd. for Anglo-American Oil Co. Ltd. as Impoco. From 1916 she was owned by Standard Transportation Co. Ltd. She was sunk on 30 May 1918 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-101 approximately 42 nautical miles South-South-East of Kinsale Head. She was en route from Halifax to Queenstown with a cargo of fuel oil.

Wapello was a 5,593 GRT steam tanker completed in 1912 by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd. for Deutsch-Amerikanische Petroleum Ges. as Clio. From 1916 she was owned by Standard Transportation Co. Ltd. She was sunk on 15 June 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine UC-71 at position 50° 30' N, 00° 57' W - approximately 14 nautical miles West-South-West of the Owers Light Vessel. She was en route from Philadelphia to Thames Haven with a cargo of benzine.

War Baron was a 6,240 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1917 by Northwest Steel Co. of Portland, Oregon for The British Government Shipping Controller and managed by Cunard Steamship Co. Ltd. She was sunk on 5 January 1918 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-55 at position 50° 18' N, 05° 35' W - approximately 8 nautical miles North-East of the Godrevy Light Vessel, St. Ives. She was en route from Southampton to Barry in ballast.