The History of the SS Laurentic
The SS Laurentic
was laid down in 1907 as The Dominion Line's Alberta and was transferred to the ownership
of the prestigious White Star Line in 1908. She was completed in Belfast by Harland and Wolff as the White Star Line's, SS Laurentic. A few months later the
same shipyard workers would begin building her more famous cousin Titanic.
SS Laurentic's maiden voyage was on 29th April 1909 from Liverpool to Quebec
and Montréal. Over the next five years she would carry many thousands of emigrants
from Britain to Canada and the New World.
The great cruise liner was 550 feet long (169mm) and 67 feet (21m) in beam.
Laurentic had three propellers powered by two four-cylinder triple expansion engines
exhausting steam into a low-pressure turbine that was to become a standard feature
in many of the White Star Liners. SS Laurentic was fast enough to outrun any submarine
and was one of the reasons it was later converted to an armed naval ship. An early
example of her speed was shown to the world in 1910, when Laurentic was involved
in th capture of the famous 20th century murderer, Doctor Hawley Crippen.
SS Laurentic
was selected by the Admiralty in 1914 to fulfil the role of transport and later
as an auxiliary cruiser. In the first role she transported German prisoners and
nationals from West Africa and later fulfilled the duties of an auxiliary cruiser
in the Indian Ocean and Far East prior to returning to home waters where she was
selected to carry a large consignment of gold bullion from Liverpool to Halifax,
Nova Scotia to pay for munitions that Britain urgently needed in their efforts to
defeat the Kaiser. The value of the 3,211 gold ingots was then worth over £5
Million. Today the value of the bullion would be more than the reserves of most
small countries.
Shortly after sailing from the Royal Navy's base in Lough Swilly in County Donegal
on 25th January 1917, SS Laurentic struck a mine laid off Fanad Head by U-80 and
sank within an hour taking with her 354 men out of a crew of almost 470, and 43
tons of gold bullion.
To date, 20 gold ingots with an estimated value at today's prices of £10
million remain missing.......
Ownership of the Wreck of SS LAURENTIC
Since 1917 the ownership of wreck was with the Ministry of Defence until
Ray Cossum, his son Des and his brother Eric, all Deep Sea Divers, gained salvage
rights in 1969. Since then they have dived regularly on the wreck and recovered
many artifacts including the heavy guns used to convert the ship into an auxiliary
cruiser for WW1. The wreck site is now protected by law and all diving is only permitted
under strict licensing legislation. Laurentic Limited are committed to preservation
of the wreck site and the quest for finding the gold.
There remain 20 gold ingots in the wreck lying Lough Swilly in County Donegal worth an estimated £10m