The steel cargo steamship Thala was launched from the South Shields yard of John Readhead and Sons (Yard No 494) on 14th November 1928. She measured 370.0′ x 52.3′ x 25.9′ and her tonnage was 4399 gross, 2736 net. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine developing 341 nominal horse power by Readhead. Her official number was 160623. The Thala was built to the order of Cory & Stick (Steamers) Limited of Leadenhall Street in London who retained ownership until the date of her loss.
Extract Lloyd’s Register 1940
Steamship Thala in port
On the 8th February 1941 the Thala was on the final leg of a long voyage from Pepel in Sierra Leone to Middlesbrough with an unspecified general cargo. Thala had joined convoy SL.62S at Freetown then left this convoy in the Western Approaches to join the coastal convoy WN.81 at Oban to then head north round Scotland and south to Methil then on to the Tees. She arrived in Oban on 3rd February and departed with the thirty four other vessels of the convoy on 7th February While heading up the lower Minch in bad weather she strayed off course and ran aground off the east side of the Isle of Eriskay in the early hours of the morning. Word of the grounding reached the Coastguard who alerted the Barra lifeboat which launched around 06:00 hrs and headed out to the general area off Eriskay. In the gloom they found the Thala hard aground to the south of a small islet called Hartamul. The crew of the Thala were already in the process of abandoning ship, and the lifeboat was able to rescue her 37 crew as well as three lifeboats, and convey all back to Castlebay.
Service record for Barra lifeboat – Feb 1941
We are not clear what happened next but the the registry on the Thala was closed in 1941. We can assume she was written off as a constructive total loss. Some salvage work may have taken place soon after as there was a salvage team already on the islands attending the SS Politician which had gone ashore on 5th February in the Sound of Eriskay. The Barra lifeboat had been busy in early February 1941, the crew rescuing 87 persons from the two ships and saving three lifeboats which, during war time, would be put back into service.
The remains of the Thala are reported to lie on the south side of Hartamul in position 57° 04.932’N, 007° 13.708’W. The remains lie between 2-15 metres of water, with the remains of her engine and two boilers around 10 metres.
It is likely the wreck will have been commercially worked post war and there are also reports of further salvage operations during the early 1970’s. It is likely the site will be levelled and covered in dense kelp during summer months.
