The Strath Class steel steam trawler Arthur Harwin was launched from the Paisley yard of Fleming and Ferguson Ltd (Yard No 455) on 9th December 1919. She measured 115.5′ x 22.1′ x 12.1′ and her tonnage was 201 gross tons, 88 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by Fleming and Ferguson delivering 57 registered horse power. Her official number was 144163. Ordered by the Admiralty and first registered on 31st January 1920 she was immediately sold to the Montrose Fishing Co Ltd, and registered in Montrose ME121. She was renamed River Lossie. Three years alter she was sold to the Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice Co. Ltd, Grimsby and registered GY279. In 1935 she was sold again, this time to Mr George Cormack, Aberdeen and registered A332. She was requisitioned for war service at the beginning to World War Two but survived these duties and was sold to John Johnstone of Aberdeen soon after the end of the conflict.
River Lossie leaving Aberdeen harbour
Lloyd’s register 1953
On Friday 27th March 1953 River Lossie was steaming south east towards Lerwick harbour when she ran onto Robbie Ramsey’s Baa, a reef close to the shoreline north of the harbour entrance. She ran onto the rocks at full speed around 8pm in the evening, apparently having veered towards the Shetland shoreline from the fairway when approaching the harbour . The crew fired distress flares and soon the Lerwick lifeboat arrived at the wreck while the rocket brigade approached the wreck site from land. The lifeboat quickly got a line aboard and the first attempt was made to pull her off but, although the River Lossie swung round, she was clearly well aground midships. The tide was rising and that this point the vessel was still watertight giving additional hope that she could be pulled off but multiple attempts to do so were unsuccessful. Eventually the tide turned and the efforts to refloat her were abandoned for the night. The crew remained aboard with the lifeboat standing by and in the morning the salvage vessel Curzon arrived to try to pull her off. Two further attempts to do so failed and eventually seven of the crew were taken off by the lifeboat. The skipper and one of the crew remained aboard initially still hoping she could be saved. However, by now the trawler was listing heavily and by midday the lifeboat returned and took off the remaining two crewmen. On Saturday afternoon she was reported to be half full of water with three and a half fathoms of water at her stern and six fathoms at her bow but was resting heavily on the rocks midships.
River Lossie on Robbie Ramsey’s Baa
River Lossie was to become a total wreck and gradually disappeared beneath the surface as the sea worked the wreck on the rocks. The wreck was finally dispersed by explosives on 11th October 1958. Presumably some wreckage would survive at the site which is in approximate position 60° 11.134’N, 01° 08.749’W although we have no reports of any exploratio0n of the site by recreational divers.
