RFA Lady Cory-Wright

RFA Lady Cory-Wright was a cargo steamship that had been built as a civilian collier in 1906, became a mine carrier in 1914 and was torpedoed and sunk with significant loss of life in 1918.

History
United Kingdom
NameLady Cory-Wright
Namesakeeither Lady Mima Cory-Wright or Lady Elizabeth Cory-Wright
Owner
Operator
Port of registryUnited Kingdom London[1]
BuilderSP Austin & Son Ltd[2][3]
Yard number237[3][4]
Launched4 August 1906[4]
CompletedSeptember 1906[4]
Maiden voyage1906
Fatetorpedoed 26 March 1918[2]
General characteristics
Type
Tonnage2,516 GRT, 1,523 NRT[1]
Length310.0 ft (94.5 m)[1]
Beam44.1 ft (13.4 m)[1]
Depth20.3 ft (6.2 m)[1]
Decks1[1]
Installed power251 NHP[1]
Propulsion3-cylinder triple expansion steam engine, single screw[1]
Crew40

History

SP Austin & Son Ltd of Sunderland built her in 1906 for William Cory and Son.[2][3] She was named Lady Cory-Wright after either Lady Mima, wife of Sir Cory Cory-Wright, 1st Baronet or Lady Elizabeth, wife of Sir Arthur Cory-Wright, 2nd Baronet.

In August 1914 the War Department requisitioned Lady Cory-Wright who used her as a mine carrier.[3] On 26 March 1918 she was in the English Channel steaming from Plymouth to Malta laden with a cargo that included 2,762 mines, 370 depth charges, 2,100 torpedo detonators and 1,000 primers B.E.[3] when the German submarine UC-17 torpedoed her about 14 miles off The Lizard.[2][3] Lady Cory-Wright's Master and all but one of her crew were killed.[3]

After Lady Cory-Wright sank many of her mines were left floating in the area, and her one survivor reportedly was found clinging to a floating mine. In 2009 her wreck still contained many unexploded mines and detonators.[3]

References
  1. "Steamers". Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. I. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1914. LAC–LAD.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Lady Cory-Wright". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  3. Lettens, Jan; Racey, Carl (9 February 2011). "SS Lady Cory-Wright [+1918]". WreckSite. wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  4. Searle, Peter. "Ships Built by Peter Austin & by later names thru Austin & Pickersgill Limited (1954>)". The Sunderland Site. Retrieved 28 June 2011.

49°45′N 05°20′W


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