1917
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
January
- 19th
The worst snowstorm for over 30 years with freezing temperatures hits Shetland. The wind was from the south-east and snow-drifts in Sandness were over 12 feet deep.
February
- 19th
The Sigrid, a steamship, of Riga, Russia (now Latvia), was attacked and sunk by the German submarine U 49, at 60.50N, 00.10E, approx 30 miles E of the north of Unst. All of the crew are believed to have been saved. - 24th
Cargoship Glen Isla sunk near Bressay
March
- 1st
Norwegian barque Norma (KDSF), of Lillesand, sunk by gunfire from the German submarine UC 76, 4 miles miles east by north of Shetland.
Norwegian steamer D/S Gurre, (MKHV), of Bergen, on tour Bergen- Lerwick with a cargo of steel, was torpedoed with no warning, by the German submarine U 66, near Lerwick. 19 men were lost. - 8th or 9th
Norwegian steamer D/S Dana (MBPV), of Bergen, torpedoed by German submarine UC 76, at Sumburgh Head. - 10th
- Norwegian steamer D/S Skreien, (JSQC), of Trondheim, was stopped and scuttled by the German submarine U 81, 60 miles east of Lerwick. 5 men lost their lives when gunfire was opened at the lifeboats.
- The Algol, a steamship laden with a cargo of coal, of and for Bergen, Norway, from Newcastle, England was sunk by the German submarine U 81, at a position approx 55 miles E of Whalsay. All aboard are believed to have been saved.
- 12th
The British E class submarine HMS/M E49 struck a mine, or mines, and sank between the isles of Balta and Huney after leaving Baltasound, Unst, with the loss of all on board.
The british steamship Lucy Anderson, laden with a cargo of coal, (4073GRT), from Hartlepool, England, for Gothenburg, Sweden, was sunk by the German submarine UC 44, 55 miles east - southeast from Noss Bressay. - 14th
The Aquilia, an iron hulled sail barque in ballast, of Christiansand, Norway, from Aberdeen, Scotland, for Savannah, Georgia, U.S.A. was stopped and sunk by the German submarine U 53, at a position approx 40 miles WNW of Foula. - 21st
The Norwegian ship S/S Najade, (KFRV), of Kristiania, a large steel full - rigged sailship laden with a cargo of oilcake, from Galveston, Texas, U.S.A. for Norresundby, Denmark, was sunk by the German submarine U 59, at an unspecified position "off" Fair Isle. The whole crew of 21 lost their lives - 25th
- The Norwegian steamer, D/S Laly, (MKPQ), of Kristiania (now Oslo), laden with a cargo of timber, from Fredrikstad, Norway, for London, England, was stopped and sunk by the German submarine U 81, at an unspecified position east of Shetland. 19 men lost.
- Norwegian steamer D/S Garant, (MBVG), of Kragerø, laden with a cargo of wood pulp, from Christiana (now Oslo), Norway, for Aberdeen, Scotland, was sunk by German submarine U 81, at an unspecified position east of Shetland. The whole crew of 14 men lost.
- The C. Sundt, a steamship laden with a general cargo, of Bergen, Norway, from Gothenburg, Sweden, for Hull, England, was stopped and sunk by the German submarine U 81, at an unspecified position E of Shetland. The whole crew of fifteen souls were lost.
April
- 2nd
Norwegian barque S/S Sagitta, (WJKM), of Kristiansand was sunk by the German submarine U 78 east of Shetland. - 4th
The Wladimir Reitz, a steel hulled steamship, of Copenhagen, Denmark, laden with a cargo of oilcake, from Galveston, Texas, U.S.A. for Aarhus, Denmark, was sunk by the German submarine U 78 at a position approx 40 miles NW by N of Foula. Two souls were lost. - 6th
The Lord Kitchener, a steam fishing trawler, of Hartlepool, England was captured by a German submarine and sunk using explosives. The location of capture and/or sinking is disputed, but a wreck located generally SW of Foula has been suggested as an, albeit unlikely, possibility. - 13th
- The Gama, a steel hulled steamship of Tønsberg, Norway, in passage from Bergen, Norway, for Lerwick, sunk by German Submarine U 30 at a position approx 60-65 miles E of Out Skerries.
- The Bokn, a steamship laden with a cargo of fish oil,of Norway, from Bergen, Norway, for Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 30, at either 60.04N, 00.45E, approximately 60 miles E of Noss, Bressay, or approx 95 miles E of Unst, and on or very close to the the median between Shetland and Norwegian waters. All of the crew are believed to have been saved.
- 14th
The Andromache, a steam fishing trawler of Grimsby, England, returning to her home port from the Iceland fishing grounds, was stopped and scuttled at an unspecified position W of Shetland by the German submarine U 78. The skipper was taken prisoner, and the remaining eleven souls of the crew presumed lost at sea. - 15th or 17th
The Paris, a passenger and cargo steamship laden with a cargo of timber and woodpulp, or Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, from Fredrikstad, Norway, for Garston, Liverpool, England, was sunk by torpedo and gunfire from the German submarine U 30, at a position approx 90 miles E by N of Out Skerries. - 17th
The Robert, a steamship, of Copenhagen, Denmark, from Gothenburg, Sweden for Hull, England with 2050 tons of general cargo, was topedoed without warning by the German submarine UC-76 and sank approx 14 miles E of Fair Isle. - 18th
- The Troldfos, a steamship laden with a cargo of agricultural equipment, of and for Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, from New York, U.S.A. was sunk by gunfire from the German submarine U 93, at either 50 miles WNW or Shetland, 85 miles WNW of Foula, or 105 miles NW of Foula, and in Faroese waters. All of the crew were saved, landing themselves in the ship's boats at North Roe.
- The West Lothian, an iron hulled, four-masted sail barque laden with a cargo of maize and oilcake, of Norway, from Buenos Aries, Argentina, for Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, was stopped by, and sunk by a torpedo from the German submarine U 93, at either 50 miles WNW or Shetland, 18 miles W of Esha Ness, or 70 miles WNW of Esha Ness . All of the crew are believed to have been saved.
- 21st
- Norwegian steamer D/S Gerda, (JRDP), of Bergen, laden with a mixed cargo of coke and carbonate of soda, from either Nantes, France or North Shields, England, (the available records are in dispute), for Skien, Norway, was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine UC-55, 5 miles SW of Sumburgh Head. All aboard believed to have been saved.
- The British fishing vessel Jedburgh (GY451), (165GRT), was sunk by the German submarine UC 33, 35 miles north - northwest from Foula.
- The Yeovil (GY575), a steam fishing trawler, of Grimsby, England was sunk by the German submarine UC 33, at a position approx 35 miles NNW of Foula.
- 22nd
The Norwegian steamer D/S Giskø, (HKFD), of Ålesund, sunk by the German submarine U 21 east - north - east of Out Skerries.
Norwegian steamer D/S Godø, (MBWS), of Ålesund, laden with a cargo of timber from either Bergen or Levanger, Norway, for London, England, was stopped by the German submarine U 41 either 16 miles of "about 30 miles" E of Out Skerries. Her crew were forced to abandon ship, and she was burned until she foundered.
Both ships were owned by P. A. Musæus, Ålesund.
The Theodore William, a steamship laden with a cargo of iron ore, of Haugesund, Norway, from Narvik, Norway, for Middlesbrough, England, was stopped and scuttled by the German submarine U 21, at 60.45N, 00.13E, approx 40 miles E of Nor Wick, Unst. All of the crew are believed to have been saved. - 23rd
- Norwegian steamer D/S Stegg, (HPMT), of Kristiania (now Oslo), laden with a cargo of timber, from Arendal, Norway, for the River Tyne, England, was sunk by German submarine U 41, east of Shetland.
- The Svanen, a sailing vessel laden with a cargo of maize, of Denmark, was sunk by sgunfire from the German submarine U 60 at a position approx 30 miles WNW of Muckle Flugga, Unst. Two souls were lost, when the small boat they were in capsized approaching shore.
May
- 2nd
The Natuna, an iron hulled sail barque laden with a cargo of oilcake, of Grimstand, Norway, was sunk by the German submarine U 44, approx 65 miles W of Shetland, most probably on this date, but some records state February 5th. - 7th
Norwegian steamer D/S Tore Jarl, (MGRT), torpedoed by the German submarine UC 49 south of Sumburgh Head. - 17th
- The Sceptre (LK1062), a wooden hulled fishing vessel of Quendale, Dunrossness was destroyed by fire while lying at anchor in the Bay of Quendale, while the crew were ashore.
- The Vesterland, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of oilcake, of Gothenburg, Sweden, from Savannah, Georgia, U.S.A. for Gothenburg, Sweden, was sunk by the German submarine U 19 at a position approx 30 miles E of Lerwick.
- 25th
- Norwegian steamer D/S Glyg, (JMNS), of Haugesund,laden with a cargo of salt and emply barrels, from Fraserburgh, Scotland, for Siglufjord, Iceland, was sunk by the German submarine UC 33 approx 15 miles north-north west of Muckle Flugga.
- The Whinlatter, a steel hulled barque laden with a cargo of timber, of Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, from New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. for Copenhagen, Denmark, was sunk by the German submarine UC 33 at a position very approximately 70 miles WNW of Muckle Flugga.
- The Hilary, a cargo and passenger steamship converted in to a Royal Navy armed cruiser, of Liverpool, England, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 88, at 60.33N, 03.00W, approx 45 miles W of Esha Ness. Two souls on board were lost.
- 29th
- Norwegian three masted sail schooner S/S Kodan, (KFTC), of Skien, laden with a cargo of timber, from Rönneby, Sweden, for Sandakrog, Iceland, was stopped and sunk by the German submarine U 28, 50 miles east of Out Skerries.
- Norwegian sailing vessel S/S Karna, (KFTB), of Skien, laden with a cargo of timber, from Rönneby, Seweden, for Akureyri, Iceland, was also sunk by U28, 50 miles east of Out Skerries. Both ships were owned by T. Realfsen, Skien, and were en route for Lerwick for war contraband inspection.
- The Fridtjof Nansen, a steamship laden with a cargo of coal, of Sandefjord, Norway, from the River Tyne, England, for Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, was sunk by the German submarine U 28 at a position very approx 80 miles ENE of Out Skerries. All aboard are believed to have been saved.
June
- 2nd
- The Glasgow, Scotland registered steam fishing trawler Shamrock was stopped and sunk by the German submarine U 96, either east of Sumburgh Head or very approx 55 miles WNW of Foula. (The available records are in dispute).
- The St Bernard, a fishing trawler of Grimsby, England, was stopped and sunk by the German submarine U 96, at a position very approximately 45 miles WNW of Foula.
- 4th
- The Norwegian barque S/S Clara, (KBTH), of Larvik, laden with a cargo of grain, from either from either Buenos Aires, Argentina, or Montevideo, Uraguay, (the available records are in dispute), for Copenhagen, Denmark was stopped and scuttled by the German submarine UC 55, 28 nautical miles north of Foula.
- The Norwegian barque Juno of Larvik, carrying a cargo of either oilcake or cotton seed from either Savannah or Jacksonville U.S.A. to Odense, Denmark, was torpedoed or stopped and sunk by gunfire by the German submarine U 43. The location given equates to approx 4 miles N or Out Skerries.
- The Norwegian barque S/S Clara, (KBTH), of Larvik, laden with a cargo of grain, from either from either Buenos Aires, Argentina, or Montevideo, Uraguay, (the available records are in dispute), for Copenhagen, Denmark was stopped and scuttled by the German submarine UC 55, 28 nautical miles north of Foula.
- 6th
The Eemdijk, a steamship laden with a cargo of rye, oats and maize, of and for Rotterdam, The Netherlands, from "Boston and Halifax" (presume Massachusetts, U.S.A. and Nova Scotia, Canada), was sunk by the German submarine U 88, at a position given as 61.40N, 01.40W, which falls approx 65 miles NNW of Muckle Flugga, Unst. All of the crew are believed to have been saved. - 7th
Norwegian steamer D/S John Bakke, (MJSG), of Haugesund, sunk by the German submarine U 88, approx 65 nautical miles to the east of Shetland. - 9th
The Dana, a steel hulled steamship in ballast, of Copenhagen, Denmark, from Copenhagen, Denmark for Blyth, Northumberland, England, via Lerwick was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 61, at a position aprox 20 miles ESE of Fair Isle. Four souls were lost. - 10th
- The Clan Alpine, (3587GRT), a steel hulled steamship of Gasgow, Scotland, was torpedoed with no warning and sunk by a German Submarine 40 miles NE or N by E of Muckle Flugga. 8 men lost their lives.
- The Swedish ship "Ada" was torpeoed by the German Submarine U 61 near Fair Isle. 3 men lost.
- 11th
The Norwegian steamer D/S Breid, (HPRQ), of Porsgrund was torpedoed with no warning by the German submarine UC 41, 10 nautical miles east or E by S of Noss Head. - 18th
The Bega, a steel hulled steam fishing trawler hired and armed by the Royal Navy for use as a patrol vessel, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 58, approx 40 miles N of Muckle Flugga. Seven souls were lost, but at least one was saved. - 19th
The Bertie, a wooden hulled sail ketch in ballast, of Lerwick, from Scalloway, for either Aberdeen, Scotland or Lerwick (the available records are in dispute), wrecked on Fugla Ness, Hamna Voe, Burra. All aboard were saved. - 21st
- The British steamship Black Head, (1898GRT), laden with a cargo of timber, of Belfast, Northern Ireland, from Christiania (now Oslo) and Drammen, Norway, for Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, via Lerwick, was torpedoed by the German submarine U 19 and sunk 52 miles east - southeast of Out Skerries.
- Norwegian steamer D/S Laatefos, (MJSB), of Kristiania (now Oslo) was torpedoed with no warning by the German submarine U 19 east of Lerwick.
- 23rd
- The Star, a wooden or steel hulled (the available records are in dispute) three masted sail schooner with a general cargo, of Denmark, from either Copenhagen, Denmark, for Reykjavík, Iceland, or from Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland, for possibly Denmark (the available records are in dispute), was stopped by the German submarine U 55, who forced her crew to abandon ship before sinking her with gunfire, at a position approx 15 miles N by W of Muckle Flugga.
- The Sophie, a wooden hulled (the available records are in dispute) sail schooner with a cargo of fish (salt herring), of Denmark, from possibly Iceland, for Wick, Scotland, was stopped by the German submarine U 55, who forced her crew to abandon ship before sinking her, at a position approx 15 miles N by W of Muckle Flugga.
- 26th
The Taurus (A655), an iron hulled steam fishing trawler, of Aberdeen, Scotland, from Balta Sound, Unst, for Aberdeen, Scotland, presumed to have hit a mine and sunk, most likely with the loss of all hands, at an unknown location, probably generally to the E of Shetland. - 28th
The Corona, a fishing vessel, registered in Britain, was sunk by the German submarine UC 33, at a position approx 65 miles E of Sumburgh Head. - 30th
- British 'C' Class Destroyer HMS Cheerful sunk by mine 2 miles East of Helli Ness, Cunningsburgh while engaged on convoy duty. 41 of the crew were saved, 25 were lost.
- The Eclipse (PD364), a steel hulled steam fishing trawler, of Peterhead, Scotland, was sunk by the German submarine U 45 at a position very approximately 70 miles NW of Foula.
- The Broderna, a fishing vessel, of Sweden, was sunk by the German submarine U 79 at an unspecified location NE of Shetland.
- The Lancaster, a fishing vessel, of Sweden, was sunk by the German submarine U 79 at an unspecified location NE of Shetland.
- The Preceptor, a fishing vessel, of Sweden, was sunk by the German submarine U 79 at 61.42N, 01.17E, which falls very approximately at 95 miles NE of Muckle Flugga, Unst.
July
- 1st
The Don Emilio, a steamship laden with a cargo of coal, (3651GRT), of London, England, from Barry, Wales, for Yukanski (Archangel), Russia, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 80, 10 miles northwest by west from Eshaness. One soul was lost. - 2nd
- British fishing trawler or drifter General Buller (LT150), (72GRT), was stopped by the German submarine UC 33, and sunk by gunfire, 26 miles east - southeast from Sumburgh Head. All of the crew are believed to have been saved.
- British fishing trawler or drifter Hamnavoe (LK400), (57GRT), was stopped by the German submarine UC 33, and sunk by gunfire, 26 miles east - southeast from Sumburgh Head. All of the crew are believed to have been saved.
- The May Flower, a sail fishing vessel, of Sweden, was stopped by the German submarine U 57 and sunk by gunfire, at a position given as 61.40N, 01.20E, approx 95 NE of Muckle Flugga. All of the crew are believed to have been saved.
- The Bessie, a fishing trawler, of Sweden, was stopped by the German submarine U 86 and sunk by gunfire, at a position given as 61.55N, 01.10E, approx 105 NE of Muckle Flugga. All of the crew are believed to have been saved
- 4th
The Hurstside, a steamship laden with a cargo of coal, of Newcastle, England, from Barry, Wales, and for Archangel, Russia was stopped by the German submarine UC 54, and sunk by gunfire at 60.25N, 04.38W, very approx 90 miles WNW of Foula. All of the crew are believed to have been saved. - 6th
The Norwegian passenger and cargo ship, BDS's D/S Flora, (MDJS), of Bergen, was torpedoed by the German submarine U 52, 10 nautical miles north east of Lamba Ness, Unst. The ship was in route Seidisfjordur (Iceland) - Bergen, but was directed to Lerwick for British inspection. - 9th
The Prince Abbas, (2030GRT), a steamship, of London, England, from the Tyne, England for Lerwick with a cargo of coal, was torpedoed with no warning by the German submarine U-52 and sunk 29 miles east of Fair Isle. Two lives lost. - 11th
The Vanda, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of coal, of Norrköping, Sweden, from Seaham, County Durham, England, for Gothenburg, Sweden, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 52, at 60.15N, 01.20E, approx 70 miles ESE of Out Skerries. - 12th
Norwegian steamer D/S Balzac, (MJRH), laden with a cargo of coal, of and for Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, from the River Tyne, England, while in convoy, was torpedoed with no warning by the German submarine UC 55 at a position either very approximately 55 or 70 miles south east of Fair Isle (the available records are in dispute). - 13th
Author William Porteous, serving in the RNR, dies of meningitis at Queyfirth, Northmavine - 20th
The Sirra, a sail schooner, or The Netherlands, on a voyage out of Rotterdam, The Netherlands was attacked and sunk by the German submarine U71, at a position approx 70 miles NE of Muckle Flugga, Unst. - 25th
The Dea, a steel hulled sail barque or schooner in ballast, of Farsund, Norway, from Stavanger, Norway, for Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. was stopped and scuttled by the German submarine UC 49 at 60.20N, 04.01W, approx 55 miles WNW of Foula. All of the crew are believed to have been saved. - 26th
The Flore, a steel hulled steamship laden with a general cargo and carrying an unspecified number of passengers, of Rouen, France, from Archangel, Russia, for Brest, France, sank following an explosion at a position approx 8 miles E of Fetlar. The explosion is believed to have been as a result of striking a mine, part of a barrage laid in the area on May 31st by the German submarine U 71. - 29th
- The Adalia, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of timber and an unspecified number of passengers, (3847GRT), of Liverpool, England, from Archangel, Russia, for London, England, was sunk by gunfire from the German submarine U 94, 53 miles northeast of Muckle Flugga. One man lost.
- The Ingeborg, a steel hulled steamship laden with a general cargo, of Esbjerg, Denmark, from Gothenburg, Sweden, for Rouen, France via Bergen, Norway, in convoy, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 94, at 60.16N, 01.25E, approx 75 miles E by S of Out Skerries. All of the crew were saved by convoy escorts.
- The Cesarewitsch Alexej, a steel hulled steamship laden with a general cargo, of Riga, Russia (now Latvia), from Archangel, Russia, for Liverpool, England, was torpedoed by the German submarine U 60, at 60.09N 00.50W, approx 8-10 miles E of Lerwick. All of the crew are believed to have been saved.
- 30th
- The British ship Manchester Inventor, (4112GRT), a steamship laden with a cargo of flax, of Manchester, England, from Archangel, Russia, for Belfast, Northern Ireland, was sunk by gunfire from the german submarine U 94, at either 40 or 80 miles northeast of Muckle Flugga. All of the crew are believed to have been saved.
- The Souma, a steel hulled steamship, of and from Archangel, Russia, for Lerwick was torpedoed and sunk by a submarine at an unspecified location off the east coast of Shetland.
- The Kildin, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of timber, of and from Archangel, Russia, for Lerwick, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-94 at 61.47N, 00.35W, approx 6 miles E of Lamba Ness, Unst.
August
- 6th
The British steamship Rosemount, (3044GRT), laden with a cargo of timber, from Archangel, Russia, and for Sharpness, Gloucestershire, England, was torpedoed by the German submarine U101 and sunk 45 miles norteast by north from Muckle Flugga. One man lost. - 9th
- The Export,a steel hulled steamship, of Taganrog, Russia, from Murmansk, Russia, for Lerwick sunk by a German submarine at an unidentified location to the E of Shetland.
- The British steamship Blagdon, (1996GRT), laden with a cargo of fish (herring), from Lerwick and for Archangel, Russia, was first attacked by the German submarine U78 causing damage which led to her crew abandoning her, and later the same day she was sunk by the German submarine U100 75 miles east by south from Muckle Flugga. 12 lives lost.
- 10th
The Solglimt, a sailing vessel laden with a cargo of maize, of and for Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway, was sunk by the German submarine U 75, at 61.44N, 03.05W, approx 100 miles NW of Muckle Flugga. All of the crew are believed to have been saved. - 16th
The Svanholm, a steamship laden with a cargo of timber, of Denmark, from Gothenburg, Sweden, for the River Tyne, England, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 94, either at 60.16N, 02.25E, (in Norwegian waters), approx 85 miles W of Sotra, Bergen, Norway, or at 60.10N, 01.53E, (in Shetland waters), approx 90 miles ESE of Out Skerries. All of the crew are believed to have been saved. - 18th
The Benjamin Stevenson, a Royal Navy trawler, was sunk by gunfire from the German submarine U 55, 40 miles E of Fetlar. All of the crew are believed to have been saved. - 20th
The Kirkland (LO 282), a steam fishing trawler, of London, England, on Naval service escorting a vessel to Lerwick, sank after striking a mine laid by the German submarine U 80, near Fogla Skerry, Papa Stour. Eleven souls of from crew were lost, only one was saved. - 21st
The Oslo, (2296GRT), a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of copper ore and carrying seventy passengers, of Hull, England, from either Trondheim or Bergen, Norway, for Liverpool, England was torpedoed with no warning by the German submarine U-87 and sunk 15 miles east by north from Out Skerries. 3 lives lost. - 27th
The Anna, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of coal, of Esbjerg, Denmark, from Methil, Fife, Scotland, was stopped by the German submarine U-87, her crew forced to abandon ship, and torpedoed "25 miles off Lerwick" (direction not recorded). - The Aurora, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of coal, of Copenhagen, Denmark, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne & Wear, England, for Nakskov, Denmark was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-87 at a position approx 25 miles ESE of Lerwick.
September
- 10th
The Parkmill, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of coal, (1316GRT), of Swansea, Wales, from either Blyth, Northumberland, or the River Tyne, England, for either Harstad or Hustad, Norway via Lerwick went on a mine laid by the German submarine UC 40, and sank 1 1/4 mile S by E of Kirkabister Lighthouse, Bressay while entering Lerwick Harbour. - 12th
The Asia (H829), a steel hulled fishing trawler, of Hull, England, struck a mine laid by the German submarine German submarine UC 40, approx 1 mile off Bressay Lighthouse. Seven of the crew were lost. - 15th
The Santaren, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of coke, (4256GRT), of London, England, from the River Tyne, England, for Archangel, Russia, was torpeded without warning and sunk by the German submarine UB 63, 40 miles northeast of Muckle Flugga. Captain and Chief Officer were taken prisoners.
The Rollesby, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of coal, (3955GRT), of West Hartlepool, England, from Cardiff, Wales, for a White Sea, Russia port, believed to have been Archangel, was chased and shelled forcing her to stop, before being torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 48, 80 miles east - northeast of Muckle Flugga. - 17th
The Queen Amelie, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of flax, (4278GRT), of Glasgow, Scotland, from Archangel, Russia, for Dundee, Scotland, was torpedoed by the German submarine UB62 and sunk 19 miles north-northeast of Muckle Flugga, after having been previously attacked and disabled by the German submarine U95. - The Australia, a steel hulled steamship, of Kertsch (Kerch), Russia (today the Ukraine) was sunk by the German submarine UB-62 at a position given as 35 miles NW of Muckle Flugga.
- 18th
The Aigwen, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of timber, (3709GRT), of West Hartlepool, England, from Archangel, Russia, for Dieppe, France, was torpedoed with no warning by the German submarine UB62 50 miles north by west from Muckle Flugga. 18 lives were lost, and the Captain and one gunner were taken prisoners. - 29th
The UC-55, a costal minelaying submarine of the German Navy, while engaged in minelaying operations in the southern approach to Lerwick Harbour experienced mechanical failures which forced her to surface. While attempts to scuttle the vessel were ongoing, she was engaged on the surface by the Royal Naval vessels Moravia, HMS Sylvia and HMS Tirade, and sunk a few miles to the east of Sandwick/Cunningsburgh by the combined efforts of the former two. Seventeen crew were saved and taken prisoner, but ten souls perished.
October
- 9th - 12th
The Nervier, a steamship laden with a cargo of timber (planks), of Antwerp, Belgium, from Bergen, Norway, for Lerwick, was torpedoed and attecked by gunfire from the German submarine U 101, at 60.11N, 00.42W, approx 10 miles ENE of Noss, on the 9th. The vessel then caught fire, and drifted for three days before foundering at 59.50N, 01.09E, approx 80 miles E of Sumburgh Head, on the 12th. All of the crew perished. - 19th
- The Slavonic, a steamship, laden with a cargo of timber, for Lerwick en route to Newcastle, England, either struck a mine laid by, or was torpedoed by a German submarine UC 40, 6 cables SSW of the Bard of Bressay, and sank within 30 minutes while under tow. All of the crew were saved.
- The Martha, a sailing vessel laden with a cargo of maize, of Sønderho, Denmark, from Kingston, Jamacia, for Aarhus, Denmark was sunk by gunfire from the German submarine UB 66, at 61.12N, 02.10W, approx 50 miles NW of Muckle Flugga. All of the crew are believed to have been lost at sea.
- 21st
- The Flynderborg, a steamship, in ballast, of Copenhagen, Denmark, from either Bergen, Norway, or Copenhagen, Denmark, for Leith, Scotland, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UC 40, at a position approx 3 miles SE of Bressay Lighthouse. All of the crew were saved.
- The Anglo Dane, a steamship, laden with a cargo of coal, of Copenhagen, Denmark, from South Shields, England, for Helsingør, Denmark, struck a mine, believed laid by the German submarine UC 40, at approx 0.75 miles SSW of Bressay Lighthouse, and sank. One soul was lost.
- The Frisia, a steamship, laden with a cargo of red wine (claret), of Copenhagen, Denmark, from Methil, Fife, Scotland for Odense, Denmark sank at an unrecorded location "off" Shetland after being involved in a collison with another unrecorded vessel.
- 24th
- The Woron, a steamship, of St Petersburg, Russia, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UC-40, either at an unspecified location off the south entrance to Lerwick Harbour, or approx 25 miles NE of Lerwick.
- The Novington, a steamship laden with a cargo of timber, of London, England, from Archangel, Russia, via Lerwick for the Tyne, England, or Nantes, France, was attacked and damaged by the German submarine UC 40 approx 25 miles E of the Bard of Bressay. It would appear that she was subsequently taken in tow, but the tow parted, and she was purposely beached at Cullingsburgh, Bressay. Later she was brought around to Lerwick Harbour, but sank off Scarfa Skerry, Ness of Sound, sometime before the end of 1917. All of the crew are believed to have been saved.
November
- 26th
The Waterville, a steamship laden with a cargo of flax, of North Shields, England, from Archangel, Russia via Bergen, Norway for Lerwick to await orders, drove from her anchors and wrecked at the Sletts, Brei Wick. All aboard were saved.
December
- 12th
- The Leonatus, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of coal, (2099GRT), of Glasgow, Scotland, from Swansea, Wales, for Odde, Norway via Lerwick, either struck a mine or was torpedoed by the German submarine UC 40, (the available records are in dispute), and sank 2 miles east by south of Bressay Lighthouse. All of the crew were saved.
- The Plymouth, Devon, England or Aberdeen Scotland (the records are in dispute) iron and steel steam fishing trawler Amadavat, (171GRT), went missing, presumed to have gone on a mine and sunk to the east of Shetland, possibly off Bressay and sunk with the loss of all nine crew, on or around this date. The source of the mine, if that was the cause of the loss, is believed most likely to have been one laid by the German submarine U 71.
- 19th
The Arno, a steel hulled steamship laden with a cargo of coal, of Copenhagen, Denmark, from the Tyne, England, for Kolding, Denmark either struck a mine or was torpedoed and sank at an unrecorded location "off" Shetland.
