Centenary of Torpedo Attacks on S.S. Hare and S.S. Adela

admin May 22, 2017

David Cotter and Hilary Wallner talk to Noel McGuinness about the centenary of torpedo attacks on the S.S. Hare and the S.S. Adela. David Cotter is a local historian assisting the relatives in organising commemoration events to mark the attacks and Hilary Wallner is the grand-daughter of Joseph Hopkins who was an Able Seaman on the S.S. Hare. They explain that during the First World War Germany had declared that the waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland were “within the seat of war and that all enemy vessels found in these waters … would be destroyed”. David and Hilary would like to track down relatives of those who were on board the S.S. Adela and the S.S. Hare during their final journeys. If you are a relative or have any more information please contact: adelahare1917@gmail.com.

The S.S. Hare was targeted on 14th December 1917. This was the ship which famously brought food parcels from English Trade Unionists to the Dublin workers during the great Lockout of 1913. The S.S. Adela was torpedoed on 27th December 1917. Seven of the 24 casualties were from the North Dock area of Dublin and seven from the South. Both ships were sunk in the Irish Sea by German U-boats within a week of one another with the loss of a number of lives. Some of those who lost their lives were originally from the Docklands area of Dublin. A number of the relatives have been tracked down so far and David hopes that more will contact them.