The steel steamship Ring was launched from the shipyard of Nylands Verksted, Christiana (Yard No 105) in 1897. She measured 227.0′ x 32.3′ x 14.3′ and her tonnage was 998 gross tons, 589 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by Nylands Verksted delivering 125 nominal horse power. She was owned by Anders Jacobsen and registered in Christiana operating mainly on North Sea and Baltic routes.
Extract Lloyd’s Register 1915
On Tuesday 27th February 1917, commanded by Captain Ole N Stangeby, she departed Bergen around 5 pm with a cargo of ammonium nitrate fertiliser for Tonnay Charente, France. The ship was fully equipped and manned for the voyage and the rescue equipment was particularly well prepared. By 9:30 pm the pilot disembarked and the ship headed out to sea. At the time there was a gentle breeze from the south. Their heading was from Bergen across the North Sea towards Lerwick where they would alter course to head south. The Ring reached Lerwick around 11 am on the 1st March and lay there till around 5 pm that day. The captain went ashore and obtained the required permission to depart on the next stage of the voyage south with the necessary instructions on the route to be steered. The weather on departure was clear with a southerly breeze. However, as the voyage progressed the wind gradually increased until they were steaming though a southerly gale. Around 8 pm on 2nd March the Ring passed Peterhead and at 0:45 am Girdle Ness was on their starboard bow. With this sighting the course was adjusted in line with the route instructions provided in Lerwick and the journey continued on a route planned to take them close to the Farne Islands. At 1140 am on 3rd March, St Abbs Head was sighted on the starboard side and the course was adjusted again to head directly towards the Farne Islands.
Suddenly at 12:45 pm their was a huge explosion and the ship rolled violently in the water. The ship had either hit a mine or had been torpedoed. The explosion severely damaged the Ring midships and it was quickly obvious that she was going to sink. The Captain ordered the lifeboats launched and the crew to disembark into them. Due to the rapidly listing ship the boats had to be lowered on the windward side making this operation more difficult. It was therefore important that it was carried out quickly before the ship listed further which could make the launch of the boats impossible. Thankfully all went well and the crew reached the boats safely and were able to pull away from the side of the ship. After five minutes rowing they spotted the periscope of a U-boat confirming they had been hit by a torpedo and not hit a mine. Later German reports confirmed the attack had been carried out by UC-41 under the command of Kapitanleutnant Kurt Bernis. After another fifteen minutes rowing two armed trawlers appeared who had clearly heard or seen the explosion and rushed to the scene. One of them, the Rigoletto of Grimsby, took the captain and crew aboard and transported them safely to the Tyne.
The wreck of the Ring lies in position 55° 49.402’N, 001° 54.760’W (WGS84) and sits upright and in tact in 54 metres oriented 125/305 degrees. The identity of the wreck has been confirmed by the recovery of the ship’s bell.
