The steel barque Hoche was launched from the Nantes shipyard of Ateliers at Chantiers de la Loire in 1901. She measured 276.7′ x 40.3′ x 22.5′ and her tonnage was 2211 gross tons, 1941 net tons.
Extract Lloyd’s Register 1915.
She had been ordered by Companie Maritime de Francaise of Nantes and operated for them until she was sold to Societe Nouvelle Armement also of Nantes in 1913.
The barque Hoche at anchor
On 29th October 1915 she was under tow by the tug Homer heading for Leith in ballast. The vastly experienced skipper Captain Harry Gibson was in command of the tug. Aboard the Hoche, Captain Ledru had a crew of 25 and had been joined at Ipswich by his wife and infant child. The voyage from Ipswich, departing on 25th October, had been difficult from the beginning. As they struggled north passing the Humber estuary they were forced to take shelter in Bridlingon Bay continuing their voyage on 27th but almost immediately the weather turned again and the two vessels were battered by strong winds and a large swell. Finally, on the 28th, the strain on the tow rope became too much and it snapped casting the Hoche adrift. For hours the two crews tried to re-establish the tow but were unsuccessful. The incessant gale swept them north as they struggled but finally the Homer was forced to give up and headed for the safety of Broughty Ferry. The Hoche continued to drift and there was a vague report of a sighting from Arbroath but then the barque disappeared with no trace with everyone on board lost.
Yorkshire Post 2nd November
The wreck of the Hoche now lies where she finally foundered some three miles east of Carnoustie in position 56° 30.247’N, 002° 36.590’W. Survey reports in 2004 described her as substantially in tact lying on her side oriented 030/210 degrees in 20 metres with a least clearance of 16 metres.
We would like to thank Lloyd’s Register Foundation – Heritage & Education Centre for allowing us to reproduce documents from their archive in this article.
