| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ben Doran |
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |  United Kingdom (Aberdeen) |
| Builder | Hall, Russell & Company,Aberdeen |
| Yard number | 331 |
| Launched | 3 March 1900 |
| In service | 1900 – 1930 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Wrecked onVe Skerries 29 March 1930 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Fishing trawler |
| Tonnage | 155 GRT |
| Length | 34 m (111 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 6.1 m (20 ft 0 in) |
| Depth | 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion | Steam |
| Crew | ~9 |
SSBen Doran was asteamfishing trawler that operated out ofAberdeen, Scotland. It was launched in 1900[1] and operated until its wrecking on theVe Skerries,Shetland, on 29 March 1930, which claimed the lives of the full crew, believed to number nine crew members. Its wrecking has been called "the most tragic wreck in all Shetland's history".[2]
Ben Doran was built by shipbuildersHall, Russell & Company ofAberdeen, and it was launched on 3 March 1900. The steel vessel was built to a length of 34 metres (112 ft), a beam of 6.1 metres (20 ft), and a depth of 3.7 metres (12 ft). The gross tonnage was 155 GRT, and it was fitted with asteam engine.[1]
On 29 March 1930, theAberdeensteamtrawlerBen Doran ran aground on the north end of Heligoblo,Ve Skerries, northwest of the island ofPapa Stour,Shetland,[3] in bad weather and rough sea conditions, due in part to poor coverage in nautical charts of the area, and lack of knowledge of the tides around the shallow reef surrounding the Ve Skerries which were considered unpredictable even to experienced Shetland fishermen. Another passing trawler brought news of the accident toLerwick by 5pm,[4] after which theStromness Lifeboat Station inOrkney was notified, andBoard of Trade's life-saving apparatus - a rocket propelled rope to shoot to another vessel, to allow for it to be towed to safety[5] - was arranged and taken by lorry toRonas Voe. The apparatus was taken aboard the steam trawlerArora and it departed towards the Ve Skerries at 2am on 30 March.[4]
Honorary Secretary of theRNLI's Lerwick branch, George Theodore Kay,[6] who was aware of the geography of the Ve Skerries, thought that a ship the size ofArora would struggle to come close enough toBen Doran to effect a rescue attempt. He learned that a smaller motor boat namedSmiling Morn was berthed inVoe, Delting, and suggested that this vessel accompanied by a four-oared rowing boat would have a better chance at success. He, with John Falconer, master of the trawlerBoscobell, and W. H. Dougall fromThe Missions to Seamen proceeded to Voe and enrolled the assistance ofSmiling Morn.[7] They headed for Housa Voe,Papa Stour to procure the expertise of someone there with experience of the seabed around the Ve Skerries. By entering Housa Voe in rough conditions and during the night, they themselves nearly collided with a sunken rock. Upon landfall in Housa Voe they enlisted the assistance of John Henderson, and headed towards the Ve Skerries.[8]
Smiling Morn arrived before 5am at the Ve Skerries, whichArora had reached first. Heavy seas and high winds continued and proved to make a very difficult rescue attempt. Five ofBen Doran's crew were seen clinging to the ship'srigging whilesea spray hit them.Arora made an approach, however they only reached in far enough that their crew thought that they would not be able to return to safety, and stillBen Doran was out of reach. Retreating, they relayed that an additional two crewmembers were spotted in the rigging.Ben Doran's position in the middle of the skerries (being 600 yards (550 m) west from the nearest skerry) meant there was no plausible means of rescue, owing to the shallow reef surrounding it. Kay, who examined the area 2 months later, commented that it was "abundantly clear that rescue would have been hopeless".[8]
At one point a "tide lump" (Shetland dialect: a rapid escalation of tidal activity)[9] fell into the 20-foot (6.1 m) rowing boat whichSmiling Morn had in tow, and it sank.Smiling Morn's skipper, John Jamieson, was adamant in attempting a rescue despite the danger to his own crew, and due to this a fight nearly broke out upon the ship, leading the rest of the crew to tie him up to keep him from doing so. Despite the effort put in by the crew of each of the would-be rescue vessels, they resolved that nothing more could be done and so they abandoned the rescue.[8]
The Stromness Lifeboat Station was alerted to the unsuccessful attempt by 4pm 30 March. By 4:45pm the Stromness Lifeboat departed, reaching Scalloway by 7:30am on 31 March. By the time the lifeboat arrived at the Ve Skerries, only the gallows for supporting the ship's anchor could be seen.[10] All of the nine crew members believed to have been on board were killed.[1] The wrecking ofBen Doran and the deaths of the crew validated the need for a lifeboat to be stationed in Shetland. In 1933 theAith Lifeboat Station was opened.[11]
The wreck of theBen Doran is used as a dive site for sport divers and underwater photographers.[12]
