The steel steamship Raylight was launched from the yard of J S White and Co Ltd., Cowes (Yard No 1559) on 15th March 1921. She measured 181.0′ x 29.4′ x 11.4′ and her tonnage was 723 gross tons., 291 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by J S White delivering 98 registered horse power.
Extract Lloyd’s register 1941
Builders GA drawing
Built for the Light Shipping Company (Ross and Marshall) of Greenock she operated from that port until she was purchased by John Kelly Ltd of Belfast in 1934 who renamed her Dromara and continued to operate her mainly on the west coast routes.
Steamship Dromara under way
On 14th February 1941 she was en route from Londonderry to London with a cargo of bog ore and a crew of thirteen men aboard. They were taking the northerly route to avoid attempting the dangerous passage through the U-boat patrolled English Channel. As she passed Duncansby Head she encountered a south easterly gale and extremely heavy swell and, in the rough seas, her cargo began to shift. Her distress call was answered by the Wick Lifeboat City of Edinburgh which soon arrived on the scene and escorted the wallowing vessel in her attempt to reach shelter or a safe haven. However, somewhere off Helman Head, the cargo shifted again resulting in a more serious list and, with the engine now stopped, it became obvious that she was in grave danger and could capsize at anytime. The lifeboat initially deployed the breeches buoy successfully transferring two of the crew but, with the Dromara listing further with every passing minute, the lifeboat skipper took the risky decision to pull alongside the steamship and, despite sustaining some damage to the lifeboat, succeeded in taking off the rest of the crew and taking them safely back to Wick. In fact, the Dromara did not sink but the abandoned vessel drifted ashore one mile south of South Head, Wick at a location called Brig of Trams near the Old Man of Wick. She finally sank in shallow water close to shore at this point.
Lloyd’s casualty report
The exact position of the wreck is well known to local divers. For the purposes of our map we have charted an approximate position of 58° 25.361′ N, 04° 04.743′ W. The broken wreckage, with her two large boilers the most recognisable features, lie scattered in 15 metres close to the shore.
