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Re: FIGARO, EMILY MILLINGTON - 1918
Posted by:
Mark Bougourd
()
Date: January 05, 2008 12:53AM
Yves,
I would be interested in any information you may have on the SS Figaro, regarding either the internal boiler or UB-35 blamed for the sinking.
ANY INFORMATION IS WELCOME. including complete crew list etc, I would like to get an accurate report?
I have dived her once over 10 years ago, (near Boue Baker 46+mtrs approx. 49 25 0N, 2 40 0W), but my questions today are WW1 Historical related. to add an article to our website
htpp://www.greatwarci.net
The information I have from a local press report so ar are as follows:
On January 26th, 1918, the Captain and 16 of the crew of the “SS. FIGARO†182 tons, belonging to the “Societe d’Importation Nord et Est,†9, Place Lafayette, Rouen, were landed at Rocquaine, Guernsey, in two boats. Mined or torpedoed?
Captain Yves Martin, the master said: “We left Brest at 3:30 p.m. on January 25, with a cargo of coal for Rouen, at 3:5 pm the 26th when about 3 ½ miles S.W. of the Hanois Lighthouse, there was a violent explosion on the port side near No. 1 hatch. No submarine or mine was seen, only a small quatity of blackish yellow smoke came up. The steamer at once began to heel over to the port side. I immediately stopped the engines and got out two life-boats, but the boat on the starboard side got full of water and sank, the two men in it were saved. I then got out the third boat, , which is not a life-boat and we got away. I saw the Figaro sink about 10 minutes after the explosion.
Ange Vettier, 1st Officer, said “at about 3:55 I was on the bridge when the explosion took place which very much disturbed the water and caused a big splash. There was not rock there. I am sure it was a mine or torpedo, but I saw no submarine or anything. The Figaro began to heel over to the port side and went down 10 minutes after.
Jean Rofars, the Chief engineer, said he was in the engine room and the force of the explosion threw him down. He stopped the engines but the Figaro had already begun to list to port and he ran on deck, but all there was to see was the ripple of the water. He was convinced it was either a mine or a submarine.
Extracts above are from cuttings of the Guernsey Press
I would be interested in any information you may have on the SS Figaro, regarding either the internal boiler or UB-35 blamed for the sinking.
ANY INFORMATION IS WELCOME. including complete crew list etc, I would like to get an accurate report?
I have dived her once over 10 years ago, (near Boue Baker 46+mtrs approx. 49 25 0N, 2 40 0W), but my questions today are WW1 Historical related. to add an article to our website
htpp://www.greatwarci.net
The information I have from a local press report so ar are as follows:
On January 26th, 1918, the Captain and 16 of the crew of the “SS. FIGARO†182 tons, belonging to the “Societe d’Importation Nord et Est,†9, Place Lafayette, Rouen, were landed at Rocquaine, Guernsey, in two boats. Mined or torpedoed?
Captain Yves Martin, the master said: “We left Brest at 3:30 p.m. on January 25, with a cargo of coal for Rouen, at 3:5 pm the 26th when about 3 ½ miles S.W. of the Hanois Lighthouse, there was a violent explosion on the port side near No. 1 hatch. No submarine or mine was seen, only a small quatity of blackish yellow smoke came up. The steamer at once began to heel over to the port side. I immediately stopped the engines and got out two life-boats, but the boat on the starboard side got full of water and sank, the two men in it were saved. I then got out the third boat, , which is not a life-boat and we got away. I saw the Figaro sink about 10 minutes after the explosion.
Ange Vettier, 1st Officer, said “at about 3:55 I was on the bridge when the explosion took place which very much disturbed the water and caused a big splash. There was not rock there. I am sure it was a mine or torpedo, but I saw no submarine or anything. The Figaro began to heel over to the port side and went down 10 minutes after.
Jean Rofars, the Chief engineer, said he was in the engine room and the force of the explosion threw him down. He stopped the engines but the Figaro had already begun to list to port and he ran on deck, but all there was to see was the ripple of the water. He was convinced it was either a mine or a submarine.
Extracts above are from cuttings of the Guernsey Press