SS Nerissa Torpedoed
This Addendum, “The Atlantic Northwesterlies” is not meant to be a stand-alone document. The book, S.S. Nerissa: The Final Crossing, provides the historical context and details of the sinking and the tragic loss of life. Thank you to author William Dziadyk for sharing this.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Atlantic Northwesterlies
During the five and a half years of the Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945) and after northwesterly gales, lifeboats, cargo and other valuable flotsam would often wash ashore upon the rugged coast of Ireland. Over prior centuries, coastal dwellers had always monitored the winds and watched the coast for rescue or salvage opportunities. These northwesterly winds also often resulted in human remains being washed ashore. At least 350 dead were washed up onto the coast of Ireland during the Second World War.
The Republic of Ireland was a neutral party during the Second World War. The Irish authorities (mainly the national police service “the Gardaí”) inspected the remains in situ where found. The Gardai recorded details such as sex, estimated age, height, state of decomposition and condition of the body, physical attributes of note, any unique dental features, clothing attire, any naval or military insignia, estimated time that the body had been in the ocean and any identifying material found on the body. The Gardai did attempt to identify the bodies which washed ashore. However, because of war-time secrecy, they usually had no knowledge of any of the ships which were sunk off their coast nor any details related to any persons who were killed in these belligerent actions.
Identification of any remains was normally based solely on any evidence which washed ashore with the body. Such evidence might include a combination of clothing labels and military insignia; letters; diaries; and engraved items such as watches, rings, and pens. The great majority of the remains were not identified.
The matter would then be referred to the regional Coroners for post-mortems. However, because of the numbers of bodies washing ashore and that the deaths appeared to be caused by belligerent actions at sea, no post-mortems or inquests were performed after late 1940. Remains of both the identified and the unknowns were normally buried in church cemeteries nearest to where the body washed ashore.
On 30 April 1941, the Canadian troopship S.S. Nerissa was sunk during its thirteenth crossing by a German submarine about 80 nautical miles off the coast of Ireland. 207 lives were lost (81 merchant navy, 10 Royal Canadian Navy, 73 Canadian Army, 4 Royal Navy, 8 Royal Air Force, 11 Air Transport Auxiliary – American pilots, 3 Royal Norwegian Air Force and 17 civilian passengers). The majority of the Nerissa casualties were adult males. However, the merchant navy casualties included two adult females, and the civilian passenger casualties included two adult females and three young siblings (male age 6, female age 4 and female age 3). Only eight bodies, which had washed ashore onto the Irish coast after the sinking, were identified by authorities during the war. (Three bodies which washed ashore in Scotland and one body which washed ashore in Northern Ireland, were also identified during the war.)
Sig Robert Rowan (left) and Tel Stuart Kitching. Tel died in the sinking; Robert did not. (Credit: Ken Rowan via ForPosteritysSake.ca)
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Lifeboat No. 7
On 14 August 1941, a letter was sent by the Irish Department of External Affairs to the Acting High Commissioner for Canada, in Dublin, Ireland:
“On the 24th May last a lifeboat which bore no identification markings and which contained a Canadian soldier’s tunic and some blankets was washed at Bofin Island, Co. Galway. A list of articles found in a pocket of the tunic is enclosed. The identity card found in the pocket book would appear to indicate that the owner of the tunic was D56323 Private Nadeau, J., presumably of the Canadian Forces.
We can hand over the articles …”
The tunic and personal items belonged to Private J.I. Nadeau of the Le Régiment de Maisonneuve (a Montreal regiment). He was on the upper deck of the S.S. Nerissa when the first torpedo struck. Luckily, he had his lifebelt with him and was wearing a greatcoat over his tunic. Nadeau immediately went to his assigned Lifeboat Station No. 7 on the aft starboard side. The No. 7 boat was launched and manned by Nerissa’s six Royal Artillery DEMS gunners. The ropes had to be cut; however, No. 7 was the only lifeboat which was launched successfully.
The men in boat No. 7 rowed all night to stay warm and alive. They stayed within the floating debris field of wreckage and bodies, some wearing lifejackets with little fairy-like flickering lights. Other survivors were baling their flooded boats or clinging to rafts or capsized boats. About ten hours after the sinking and approximately 32 nautical miles north of the location of the sinking, 84 survivors (including Private Nadeau) remained alive to be rescued by HMS Veteran. Lifeboat No. 7, with Nadeau’s tunic, was left in the expanding debris field. On or about 24 May 1941, Nerissa Lifeboat No.7 washed ashore onto Bofin Island (Inisbofin) after some northwesterly winds.
S.S. Nerissa at approximately 1030 GMT, 30April1941 (12 hours before being sunk by U-552). (Credit: Deryck McCusker/SSNerissa.com via Mayo.me)
The Army Major’s Wife
The Saturday 31 May 1941 edition of the weekly Western People newspaper in County Mayo reported the following under “BODIES WASHED ASHORE”.
“On Saturday last [24 May] the body of a woman was washed ashore at Grangehill, about twelve miles from Belmullet. Although the face was decomposed the body was in good condition. There was a tuft of grey hair on her head, indicating that the woman was old. There was nothing to identify the body … Two other bodies were seen with the aid of glasses far out to sea.”
The Belmullet police report by Garda Superintendent “W. Burns”, dated “19/5/41” and entitled “Re: Dead Body of an Unknown Woman washed ashore at Granghill, Barnatra, Ballina, Co. Mayo, on 23rd May 1941” provided an official summary for Garda headquarters in Dublin:
“… the deceased was 5ft. 4inc. in height, about 9 ½ st. [133 pounds] and had brown hair turning grey. She was about 45 years of age, but owing to disfiguration it is difficult to give age with any degree of accuracy.
The body appeared to be in the sea for about 3 weeks and the face, scalp, shoulders and arms were badly damaged as the result of coming in contact with the rocks.
The ring found on the body is a plain one, and material is either silver or platinum. The following markings are on the inside of the ring:- W.M – Crown – 18 – Anchor – (H)”
A second police report by “W. Burns, dated “19/6/41” with the same title provides further details to headquarters:
“… an unknown woman, aged between 35 and 45 years …
… the only articles of clothing on the body was a pink bodice (Twilfit make) and a pair of brown stockings. There was a ring on the woman’s finger, same was removed and retained by the Gardai. The body was not badly decomposed and did not appear to have been long in the water. A lifebelt was found near the body.
The matter was reported to the Coroner – Dr. McNulty, Killala – but as it appeared that the death had been caused by belligerent operations at sea no inquest was held.
The remains were buried in Termoncara graveyard by the Relieving Officer – Mr. Martin Gallagher – on the 24th May, 1941, and the grave is marked and can be identified if necessary.”
The remains of the adult female, which washed ashore at Granghill, Barnatra, Ballina, Co. Mayo, on or about 23 May 1941, are now believed to be the body of Joy Stuart-French (age 35). Her husband was Robert Stuart- French (Major, 11th Hussars – former aide-de-camp to 14th Governor- General of Canada), who survived the sinking. Joy was the older of the two adult female passengers.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
These seven Telegraphists were all from the same course of 12 that boarded NERISSA – some of who lost their lives in the sinking. (1) Stinchcomb, Author Roland (MPK), (2) Craig, Gordon Robert (MPK), (3) Kent, Charles Jules (survivor), (4) Craig, Wilson Henry (MPK), (5) McCrindle, Robert R. (MPK), (6) not identified, (7) Newhouse, John Stanley (Survivor), (8) Rowan, Robert Rowan, O/Sig (did not sail on Nerissa). (Credit: Ken Rowan via ForPosteritysSake.ca)
To read the entire addendum, please click here or click the link to purchase: S.S. Nerissa, the Final Crossing: The Amazing True Story of the Loss of a Canadian Troopship in the North Atlantic.
Main photo: S.S. Nerissa in its pre-war configuration. (Credit: Memorial University of Newfoundland via Uboat.net)