The Vaila was a fishery protection cruiser, built in 1940 at Ardrossan, west of Glasgow. She started life as HMS Acacia, a minesweeper. In 1944, she took part in the Normandy landings, as a unit of the 15 MS Flotilla off Sword Beach. After the war, in 1948, she became the Scottish Fisheries Protection cruiser Vaila. Vaila is an island in Shetland.
At 5.30 on the morning of 6th January 1957, Vaila was in waters off Lewis when she ran aground on Eilean Iubhard, a small island just south of the village of Lemreway. By road this is 32 miles from Stornoway; by sea it's about 15 miles. As she became stuck fast on rocks, the captain ordered abandon ship. Three lifeboats were launched, but one became fouled and sank, leaving its occupants in the water. Of these, only the captain was saved. Five men drowned in Loch Shell. A mayday call had been sent out, picked up by the Coastguard in Stornoway, and a lifeboat and "l.s.a." (sic) were sent to the scene.
The authorities were unaware of the mishap with the lifeboat, assuming at 8 am, when the Vaila sank, that all were safe and well, as they were in fairly calm waters.
Survivors were brought to Stornoway and clothed and fed. They later left for home on the ferry, together with their comrades who had drowned. Mrs B takes up the story, as she was travelling down to Glasgow a few days after the incident. At the time, the mast of the Vaila was the only thing left visible above water, looking like a cross over a grave. The crew looked dejected and demoralized, small wonder when you remember that five of their crewmates were down below in coffins. They were all wearing the same type of boilersuits. The weather was foul that day, and you have to remember that until 1975, the Stornoway ferry sailed to Kyle of Lochalsh and Mallaig. Normally, the crossing would take about 8 hours to Mallaig, but that day it took 12 hours. On arrival at Mallaig, the train had long gone. Another train was organised, which transported the ferry passengers and their mournful cargo to Fort William, 45 miles to the east. A bevvy of reporters mobbed the poor sailors, eager for the shot and the quote. The photographers showed more concern over the quality of their pictures, and whether they had survived radiographing to their office in Glasgow.
As a result of this accident, an inquest was held at Stornoway Sheriff Court. None of the crew were found to have been at fault. Questions were asked in the House of Commons about the provision of inflatable rubber liferaft on board Royal Navy ships, which were
later introduced on board all vessels.
Acknowledgements:
Top image courtesy clydesite.co.uk, image taken by John Bell
Facsimile of notes: National Archives of Scotland
Technorati Tags: vaila, ship, lewis, 1957
Very interesting...I know that even in my area there have been hundreds of ships that have gone down...they say the mouth of the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon is a regular ship graveyard. The call of the sea can be a very dangerous call....Thanks for a very interesting entry. Linda in Washington state
ReplyDeleteThat was so interesting. I was ten years old when this tragedy occurred. The water must have been absolutely freezing in January of that year for them to have drowned in such calm waters.. God Rest their souls. Thank you for this story.
ReplyDeleteLooking at your picture and imagining that cross just visible above the water is quite somber.That is such a shame.They were in a lifeboat,presumably safe from the sinking ship-then they perrish,so sad...
ReplyDeleteThanks to you for keeping these poor souls memories alive.
Gone But Not Forgotten.....
This is very interesting. So sad they died. Must have been very cold water, as your previous commenter mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this.
Pam
What a great bit of history although so sad...
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the time you take providing us the story and pics!
be well,
Dawn
For a small(ish) place, Stornaway has seen a lot of tragedy in its history, hasn't it?
ReplyDeleteLori
http://journals.aol.com/helmswondermom/DustyPages
Hi
ReplyDeleteMy Father James Henderson ( now passed away) was on the Vaila when it went down, but I have next to no details on the tragedy. I was about Four and a half years old and remember an aunt calling that the ship had gone down and men were missing. And then there was the long wait for my Mum to hear if he was OK. My Dad never talked about past tragedies or his experience in WW2, but I vaguely remember a newspaper report that said, all but two of the crew were lost and my Dad survived after two hours in the water. Only surviving because he was a very strong swimmer. This was my childhood understanding, but it looks as if things were different especially as in January there would be little chance of surviving after two hours. I do recall lots of reporters outside our Glasgow tenement and my mother drawing the curtains of our ground floor flat in daylight to stop the prying photographers.
David
Hi David, My relative was one of those who perished that morning; it must have been a cold, savage sea which took him and his comrades. Alistair
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