Premier (1915)

The Premier, a steel hulled steam fishing trawler, 32 L x 6 B metres, 169 GRT, built 1901, registered in North Shields, England, owner W. H. Dodds.

This vessel was sunk by the German submarine U 22, Captain Bruno Hoppe, on June 20th 1915. The various records contain contradictory information as to where the incident occured, and consequently as to whether or not it occured in Shetland waters, although in the author's opinion, on the balance of probability Orkney, Scotland, waters would seem most likely.

The majority view within available U.K. records is that the incident occured at a position approx 75 miles N by E of "Noup Head", which is understood to be Noup Head, Westray, Orkney, which places the location of the incident at very approximately 50 miles WNW of Foula. However one portion of the record claims it occured at a position approx 70 miles NNE of Cape Wrath, Scotland, which would place it at a position very approximately 10 miles or less SW of Westray, Orkney.

Avaiable German records also state it occured at a position approx 70 miles NNE of Cape Wrath, Scotland, placing it at a position very approximately 10 miles or less SW of Westray, Orkney, and also claim that that position equates to being 75 miles N by W of Troup Head, N.E. Scotland. As these positions fall within a few miles of each other, they would seem the most reliable, and place the incident within under 10 miles off the W coast of Orkney, Scotland.