Trawlers Zarina and Vanilla

[Terence Munson]

Hello.

S.T. ZARINA GY 573 (O.N. 104174)

S.T. VANILLA GY 202 (O.N. 108441)

The fate of these two Grimsby trawlers is recorded (BVLAS) as follows:

Zarina, 154grt, 7 April 1915, 72 miles E by N from Spurn LV, torpedoed without warning by submarine and sunk, 9 lives lost including Skipper

Vanilla, 158grt, 18 April 1915, 53 miles E by S from Inner Dowsing LV, Torpedoed without warning by submarine and sunk, 9 lives lost including Skipper,

I have the vessel and casuality details for both but cannot find the identity of the U-Boat/s responsible. Any clues would be appreciated.

Cheers, Terry.

[Michael Lowrey]

Terry,

Not U-boats but rather these two trawlers were lost on mines.

Best wishes,

Michael

[Terence Munson]

Thanks Michael,

I suspected that would be the case but because the description in both cases seemed to be a statement of fact, I wondered if there was any evidence out there that supported them.

Is it known when and who laid the mines at those locations?

Cheers, Terry

[Michael Lowrey]

Terry,

Well, the usual sources listed torpedoed (British Vessels Lost at Sea 1914-18, Lloyd's War Losses: The First World War), but that's really just suggestive, as the mine vs torpedo attribution can be off.

Zarina is the easier of the two to attibute out: SMS Straßburg's minefield of January 14, 1915. The trawler Recolo was lost on this same minefield on April 26, 1915.

SMS Stralsund and SMS Straßburg laid mines near the Swarte Bank on April 17, 1915. It's not an exact match, but I'm guessing that either the exact location of the minefield or where Vanilla was mined is a little off (or a drifting mine was involved).

Best wishes,

Michael

[Terence Munson]

Michael,

Thanks again, and also for the added detail for Recolo any extra information for the record is better than the often used:

"Left Grimsby for the North Sea fishing grounds and not heard of again".

Cheers, Terry