HMY Kethailes

HMY Kethailes was a ship of the British Royal Navy. It was designed by St Clare John Byrne and built in 1903 as a steam yacht for William Johnston of Liverpool by Richardson, Duck & Co., Thornaby-on-Tees in Durham, England. Johnston named the Yacht combining letters from the names of his four daughters; Kathleen, ETHel, AILeen, EStele. From 1903–1914 it was used as a pleasure craft.

History
UK
Name: Kethailes
Owner: William Johnston
Builder: Richardson, Duck & Co.
Laid down: Thornaby-on-Tees, Durham, England - Yard Number #535
Launched: 11 April 1903
Commissioned: May 1903
Status: Sunk
United Kingdom
Name: HMY Kethailes
Acquired: 24 September 1914
Out of service: 11 October 1917
Fate: Sunk
General characteristics
Type: Yacht
Displacement: 625 tons
Propulsion: Steam

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Royal Navy suddenly found itself in need of additional ships. As a result, on 24 September 1914 Johnston voluntarily handed over the yacht (later receiving financial compensation) to the Royal Navy, for use as an Armed Naval Auxiliary. It became Admiralty Armed Yacht No#118032 in the Yacht Patrol. It patrolled in the North Sea, then transferred to the Irish Sea.[1]

On the 28th September 1917 it was first-on-scene and rendered aid to SS William Middleton, a cargo ship carrying hay from Dublin to Falmouth. It had hit a mine laid by UC-75. Two ratings were lost [2]. The Commanding Officer, Lt-Comdr Lane RNR and crew were commended for their work which prevented the ship from sinking.[3]

On 11 October 1917 Kethailes was sunk in the Irish Sea in a collision[4] with SS Leicestershire near the Blackwater Lightship,[5] off Wexford on the south-easternmost tip of Ireland. A total of 17 persons were killed.[6] Survivors, including the commanding officer were rescued by the patrol boat P44 and Leicestershire, and subsequently landed at Liverpool.[7][8] The casualties were lost at sea; several bodies were subsequently washed ashore on the Welsh coast and were buried in local churches.[9]

References
  1. Ship Kethailes , official number: 118032. When built: 1903. Registry closed: 1917. The National Archives (United Kingdom). 1911–1920.CS1 maint: date format (link)
  2. https://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hill/WW1%20Whorlton%20to%20Wimmera.html
  3. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C4112342
  4. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/dfc1de4a-5ce2-4eae-a853-df544fe7bd41
  5. http://www.sailcork.com/blog/full-story/lightships-off-the-irish-coast
  6. Jan Lettens 28/07/2010 Wrecksite
  7. "Sidney Reginald Lane - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  8. PATROL BOAT No. 44. The National Archives (United Kingdom). 1917.
  9. HMY Kethailes [+1917 ] Jan Lettens 28/07/2010 Wrecksite
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