DEVON MEN WHO DIED IN THE SINKING OF HMS LAURENTIC
By 1915, RMS Laurentic (formerly SS Laurentic) had become an Armed Merchant Cruiser known as HMS Laurentic. On her final, and fatal, voyage, she is said by some sources to have carried a complement of 475 officers and crew - other sources give a far higher figure. The Admiralty's official figure for the number of men lost is 347. However, none of the figures corresponds to those given in the New York Times account of the incident dated February 1st 1917. This account is well worth reading because it explains why so many men died, not on the stricken vessel itself but in the lifeboats.
On R238 from Derry to Buncrana at Tooban, Burnfoot
Fahan, Via Lifford, Co. Donegal
Republic of Ireland EIRCode F93 XY65
ROI Registered Charity Number (RCN): 20205867