The steel steamship Glen Tanar was launched from the Footdee yard of Hall Russell on 4th June1909 (Yard No.465) for John Cook and Son, Aberdeen. She measured 195.2′ x 32.1′ x 11.4′ and her tonnage was 817 gross tons, 448 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by Hall Russell delivering 121 nominal horse power. Her uneventful career was interrupted by the outbreak of Word War One but she continued to operate on her normal east coast routes delivering essential cargoes between the ports of east Scotland and the north of England. The vessels official number was 127170.
Glen Tanar entering harbour
Builders drawings – Lloyd’s Register Foundation
It was on one of these voyages, from Seaham to Aberdeen on 3rd May 1917 with a cargo of coal for the engines of the Scottish fishing fleet that she was to become the victim of the German submarines’ mine laying tactics off the Aberdeenshire coast. The minelayer U-boat UC-77 under the command of Kapitanleutnant Reinhard von Rabneau had earlier the same day laid two barrages of four and five contact mines close to the entrance of the port of Aberdeen. The area was regularly swept by minesweeping trawlers based in Aberdeen but the timing of UC-77’s deposit of the mines and the arrival of the Glen Tanar in the area was extremely unlucky for Captain Stephen and his crew. Within a few hours of UC-77 placing the mines and escaping from the scene, the Glen Tanar hit one of the mines and sank quickly. Thankfully the crew managed to escape safely in the ship’s boats before she went down and there was no loss of life. UC-77 continued south placing more mines off Red Head the following day which resulted in the sinking of SS Herrington and carrying out successful torpedo attacks on the SS Vale and SS Kaparika and a further attack on SS Odense using gunfire which also resulted in the loss of that ship.
Barrage 80 claimed the Glen Tanar
The wreck of the Glen Tanar lies in the position 57° 09.738’N, 002° 01.738’W oriented 005/185 degrees. She lies in 25 metres with a least clearance of 19 metres. The wreckage is well broken and flattened but many features are still recognisible
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