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DECEMBER2011HistoryGAIRSOPPAMANTOLAlISSREPORTERwww.iss-shipping.com15TheGairsoppax19sfinalvoyagebeganinCalcuttainDecember1940loadedwithnearly7000tonsofdiversemediumandhigh-valuecargoincludingpigironteageneralcargoandalargequantityofsilver.ShejoinedconvoySL64inFreetownSierraLeonewhichdepartedforLiverpoolUKonJanuary311941withoutamilitaryescort.Manyofthemerchantshipsintheconvoywereinsuchapoorstateofrepairthattheycouldonlyachieveamaximumspeedof8knots.TheGairsoppaandconvoySL-64sailedthedangerouswatersoftheAtlanticintendingtorendezvouswithconvoyHG-63whichwasescortedbytwowarships.BeforetheycouldjoinitsranksHG63wasattackedbyU-boatU-37andlostsevenships.AsconvoySL-64reachedthenorthernlatitudestheGairsoppaloadeddownwithaheavycargowasforcedtofurtherreducespeedduetohighwindsandoceanswells.AstheweatherworsenedonFebruary141941theGairsopparunninglowoncoalandwithinsufficientfueltokeepupwiththeconvoywasforcedtosailonalonewithouttheprotectionoftheconvoyandheadedforGalwayinwesternIreland.On17February1941CaptainErnstMengersensubmergedhis66.5meter-longU-boatU-101whichcarried14torpedoesand26minesandmovedinfortheattack.BytheendofthewarMengersenhadsunkover70000tonsofshippingmostofitBritishmerchantmen.Fourtorpedoeswerefiredonehittingitsmark.Around22.30hoursanexplosionoccurredintheGairsoppax19sno.2hold.Theimpactofjustonetorpedocausedtheforemasttocrashontothedecksnappingthewirelessantennaeandcuttingtheshipofffromtheoutsideworldsonodistresscallcouldbesent.Waterbegantowashoverherbowandtheforecastlewasquicklysubmerged.Thebowcontinuedtosinkpropellingthesternclearoutofthewater.ShortlyaftertheattacktheGairsoppaslippeddeepintotheicywatersoftheNorthAtlanticSea.AccordingtoLloydsWarlosses83crewmembersandtwgunnerswereaboardtheGairsoppawhenshewashitbyatorpedo.ThecrewofBritishandEastIndiansailorsabandonedshipunderU-boatmachinegunfirebutonlyonepersonSecondOfficerMr.R.H.Ayressurvivedthelongjourneytoshoreafterthirteendaysinalifeboat.TheMantolaTheSSMantolawasa450footBritish-flaggedsteamerwhichwasdeliveredtotheBritishIndiaSteamNavigationCompanyinJune1916atacostof146700.Shecouldhold66first-classpassengersand61second-classpassengersandwasintendedforLondonBombayservice.JustfourmonthslatershestruckamineoffAldeburghUK.AlthoughalargeholewasblownintheNo1holdtheshipmadeitsafelytoport.OnFebruary41917theSSMantolaleftLondonforCalcuttawith165crewmembers18passengersandcargowhichincludedashipmentofsilver.HercaptainwasDavidJamesChivasthegreat-nephewoftheChivasBrothersfamouslyknownfortheirChivasRegalScotchWhisky.OnFebruary81917whilesailingunderfullsteaminazig-zagpatternshewasstruckbyatorpedofromGermansubmarineU-81underthecommandofCaptainRaimundWeisbach.WiththeNo.2holdtakingonwaterinhighseasandcloudsofsteambillowingfrombrokensteampipespassengersandcrewabandonedtheshiptolifeboats.BeforetheCaptainandofficerslefttheMantolatheU-boatresurfacedandbeganshellingtheship.TheU-boatlatermovedclosetotheCaptainx19slifeboatbutsuddenlysubmergedandvanishedjustbeforetheHMSLaburnumarrivedinresponsetotheMantolax19sdistresscall.AllbutsevencrewmemberswhodrownedwhenalifeboatoverturnedwererescuedbytheLaburnum.AnunsuccessfulattemptwasmadetotowtheMantolabeforeshesankonFebruary91917x13lessthanayearaftershewaslaunched.In1917theBritishMinistryofWarTransportpaidaWarRiskInsuranceClaimfor110000in1917valueforsilverthatwasonboardtheMantolawhenshesank.Thissumwouldequatetomorethan600000ouncesofsilverbasedonsilverpricesin1917.InSeptember2011theUKGovernmentDepartmentforTransportawardedOdysseyasalvagecontractforthecargooftheSSMantola.UndertheagreementOdysseywillretain80ofthenetsalvedsilvervaluerecovered.WithkindpermissionofOdysseyMarineExplorationwww.shipwreck.netSSMantolaTheMantolax19sskylight