Built in 1905 for the Aberdeen Lime Co Ltd, the steel steamship Ballochbuie was launched on 3rd June, 1905. She measured 200.0′ x 31.3′ x 12.7′ and her tonnage was 921 gross tons, 395 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by James Abernethy and Co Ltd., Aberdeen delivering 153 nominal horse power.
Ballochbuie launch ceremony
On 20th April, 1917 the Ballochbuie was en route from Aberdeen to Sunderland in ballast under the command of Captain A Mitchell, a resident of Stonehaven. The men aboard had no idea that they were steaming into the path of the German U-boat UC-41 under the command of Kapitanlieutnant Kurt Bernis. Bernis was a very successful and highly decorated member of the German U-boat elite. In fact he had been awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class only three months earlier. On his current sortie Bernis’ boat had been responsible for the sinking of six British fishing vessels and laying minefields off Aberdeen, in the Firth of Forth and off St Abbs Head.
Ballochbuie (Aberdeen Museums)
In the early hours of the morning of the 20th Bernis struck again when the U-boat sank the steamship Ringholm off St Abbs Head before heading north towards May Island. When in a position 7 miles east of May Island Bernis spotted Ballochbuie steaming south. He fired a single torpedo which struck the Ballochbuie without warning causing catastrophic damage sinking the ship within a few minutes. Three men aboard Ballochbuie, including her master, were lost as she sank.
UC-41 left the scene immediately and continued on her sortie sinking tow more vessels before heading back to base. The mines laid on the sortie were later responsible for the loss of two more British vessels, the trawlers Othonna and Repro. However, Bernis and his submarine were to pay for their successes when, on 21st August 1917, she was to become the victim of an onboard accident as they were laying mines off the Firth of Tay. The explosion sank the submarine with the loss of all hands.
