Scotia

The Scotia leaves Holyhead. © Nigel Thornton Collection

On 27 November 1920 the City of Dublin Steam Packet's Ulster sailed from Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) with the mail for the last time, and the Munster from Holyhead. For seventy years the Irish company had the honour of holding the mail contract but now, having suffered badly through losses sustained during the war, the contract passed to the London & North Western Railway and on the following day the first of their four new mail steamers, the Anglia, sailed from Holyhead with the mail. A speed of 25 knots put them among some of the fastest cross-Channel steamers in the world at that time and indeed the Scotia, which achieved a speed of 25.12 knots on trials, was said to be the fastest commercial steamer ever built by Denny Bros. They were superb looking ships, so much thought going into them that the fore funnel was slightly small in girth than the aft funnel; this giving the impression of funnels of equal size when viewed head on.

Scotia and Hibernia at Holyhead. © Charles Brinsley Sheridan

On 1 January 1923 the LNWR was absorbed by the London Midland & Scottish Railway.  With traffic down, due in no small part to the political situation in Ireland, cutbacks were quickly made. The Day Express ceased and with no justification for four front line ships the Anglia was withdrawn.

The Scotia arriving at Holyhead. © Nigel Thornton Collection

The three remaining steamers received major refits during the 1930's. Most notably the forward end of their Promenade decks were enclosed and the cowls were removed from their funnels.

Just after the outbreak of war, the Scotia was requisitioned by the Admiralty and she left Holyhead in December 1939. Under the command of Capt W.H. Hughes the ship was ordered to Dover on 27 May 1940 on a two hour standby for the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk. On her first run over she berthed on the East pier at 0130hrs on 29 May, where she took on over 3000 exhausted British troops and brought them home safely to Dover. Her second run began early on 1 June.  She was attacked by the German air force on passage to Dunkirk and during her run in she was struck by what was believed to be a torpedo. Fortunately it failed to explode and no damage was done. Subsequently, the skills of Captain Hughes, Chief Officer Evan R. Pritchard (Father of two future Holyhead Masters, Idwal and Glynne Pritchard) and crew enabled a successful navigation through several wrecks and she was able to berth at the West Mole at about 1100hrs. Here, she took on board over 2700 French troops.

On departure she was attacked by twelve German aircraft and was hit by three bombs, one of which destroyed the wireless cabin. Then came a fourth and fatal bomb which plunged down the after funnel before exploding in the engine room.

Thirty four members of the ship’s crew died as a result of the attack, several more were injured, and up to 300 of the French troops she was carrying also lost their lives.