The steel steam trawler Othonna was launched from the Aberdeen yard of J Duthie (Yard No 200) on 21st September 1898. She measured 110.8′ x 20.8′ x 11.1′ and her tonnage was 180 gross tons, 34 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by Whyte and Mair of Dundee delivering 61 nominal horse power. Initially owned by Morley and Gough of Milford and registered there as M24, in 1900 ownership transferred to Cornelius Morley of Waterford before being purchased by the Southern Steam Trawling Co Ltd. When war broke out in 1914 the Othonna was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper.
GA drawing Othonna – Lloyd’s Register Foundation
The Forth estuary remained a major target for German minelaying operations either by air or by U-boat throughout the First World War and dozens of local fishing vessels were requisitioned to keep the access to this important fleet anchorage safe. The steam trawler Othonna was one of these vessels. On the evening of 19th April, 1917 her skipper, Alex McLeod, dropped anchor off the picturesque little Fife fishing village of Anstruther. The next morning they were due to move out with two other trawlers, HMT Brecon Castle and HMT Izaak Walton, to sweep the channel near the North Carr Lightship.
As Othonna’s anchor chain rattled noisily into the anchor locker McLeod discovered a problem with his engines and he signalled to the Izaak Walton to let the unit commander aboard the Brecon Castle know he would need about two hours to make the necessary repairs. No sooner was the signal out when the problem cleared up and Othonna headed off in hot pursuit of the other vessels. McLeod’s course was east by north. As he reached the area where the others were operating he could see that a signal was raised showing “Mines in sight.” The Brecon Castle signalled by semaphore for the Othonna to take up a station to the windward of the others and engage the mines by gunfire.
As the ship circled to take up position and the crew got out their Winchester rifles to shoot at the floating mines, she was rocked by a large explosion – she had run into another unseen mine lying in her path. Her skipper later reported from his hospital bed at Granton that the next thing he knew he was struggling in the cold water. As he turned back toward his ship he was just in time to see the bow of the Othonna rising into the air and the ship sinking by the stern. The boat from the Isaak Walton was quickly on the scene and picked him up safely.
Mines laid in barrage 72a probably sank Othonna
The mine laying chart from UC-41 KTB indicates that the mines that sank Othonna were laid north east of Fifeness in approximate position 56° 18N, 02° 25W which positions her very close to the unknown wreck at 56° 17.785’N, 02° 24.196’W which is described as a degraded wreck 28 x 8 x 4 metres lying oriented 105/295 degrees with a heavy list to port in 49-50 metres. It is highly likely that this wreck is the Othonna.
We would like to thank Lloyd’s Register Foundation – Heritage & Education Centre for allowing us to reproduce documents from their archive in this article.
