ZEBRINA - 1917
By Andy Hagerty
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In 1873, a three masted Schooner rigged barge of 189 tons, was built in Whitstable, UK. She was about 100 foot in length. She was originally designed for river trade in South America. We was Rigged in such an advanced way, there was only a crew of 5 to operate her. Not much is in the record about her until World War One. She was pressed into service moving supplies between England and France. In October of 1917 she left Falmouth with a cargo of coal. Her destination was for Saint-Brieuc, France. She never made it. |
Two days after she left port, she was discovered south of Cherbourg run aground. The only damage to her was some disarrangement of her rigging. There was no trace of her crew, nor were any life boats or other emergency gear missing. Her ships log was still on the bridge, with no indication anything was wrong.
Due to the war, a theory was the crew was forced off the ship by a U-Boat, but the U-boat was in turn chased off prior to completing the sinking. If this were true, the ship’s log would have been taken by the crew or the U-Boat, to confirm the kill.
There was never an official explanation as to what happened to her five man crew. The Zebrina was abandoned to rot in Velder Creek near Portsmouth, UK. Her crew all but forgotten in the aftermath of the Great War.
Due to the war, a theory was the crew was forced off the ship by a U-Boat, but the U-boat was in turn chased off prior to completing the sinking. If this were true, the ship’s log would have been taken by the crew or the U-Boat, to confirm the kill.
There was never an official explanation as to what happened to her five man crew. The Zebrina was abandoned to rot in Velder Creek near Portsmouth, UK. Her crew all but forgotten in the aftermath of the Great War.
