The steel steamship Oswin was launched from the from the Whitby yard of Thomas Turnbull and Sons Ltd (Yard no 113) on 23rd December 1889. She measured 258.8′ x 37.1′ x 16.7′ and her tonnage was 1737 gross tons, 1027 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by Blair and Co Ltd of Stockton-on-Tees delivering 172 registered horse power. For the first thirteen years of her working career she operated for Turnbull’s own shipping company, Turnbull Brothers Ltd of Cardiff. In 1903 she was purchased by Rederi A/B Walhall (C W Winck) of Helsingborg Sweden moving her operating base to this city and the majority of her operations to the Baltic sea ports.
Steamship Oswin in harbour
Lloyd’s register 1893 (under Turnbull ownership)
On March 12th 1918 Oswin, loaded with a cargo of coal, joined the small convoy OZ16 departing Methil heading for Malmo where the convoy was due to disperse leaving Oswin to continue to her final destination of Gothenburg. Shortly after leaving the shelter of the Firth of Forth Oswin lost contact with the other ships in the convoy when they altered course. Meanwhile the German U-boat UB-62 under the command of Kapitanlieutnant Bernard Putzier was patrolling off the Angus coast. Putzier spotted the lone, unprotected vessel and surfaced to bring her to a halt with shots from her deck gun. After ordering the crew into the ships’ boats Putzier scuttled the Swedish steamship and set off to continue his patrol. One week later, still in the same area UB-62 also sank the British steamship Burnstone.
The wreck believed to be Oswin lies in position 56° 25.342’N, 001° 41.659’W. The Hydrographic Department has the wreck at 56 20.377’N, 01 21.670’W as Oswin but our research, which included a dive on the wreck, leads us to believe that this information is incorrect and our wreck is indeed Oswin. The wreck which was surveyed in 2007 as 52 x 16 x 7 metres oriented 060/240 degrees. The dive revealed a well broken steamship with a similar layout and approximate age as Oswin with a cargo of coal. The position of the wreck also approximates the vague position of the attack reported by UB-62 some 40 miles ENE of St Abbs Head.
