Thread: Shipwrecks
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Old 24-11-2018, 06:00 PM
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Originally Posted by CHobbs View Post
I remember the wreck on Marsden Rocks between Alnmouth and Boulmer.

The bow section made of steel was visible at all states of tide in the 1950s onwards until its removal in late 20th century when I believe it was removed by a scrap metal merchant.
I have heard stories that the cargo was cement and the wreck happened in the 1930s with the crew being rescued by Boulmer Coast Guard using breaches boy.
Can anyone confirm, correct or add to the storey I was given.
Looks like it was the SS Monaleen

this from the Berwickshire News and General Advertiser 28 August 1928:

BERWICK BOUND STEAMER ASHORE.

LIKELY TO BECOME A TOTAL WRECK.

After a trying ordeal Captain Pirrie, master of the Middlesborough steamer Monaleen, and the nine men forming his crew were safely brought ashore at Amble on Tuesday morning following the stranding of their vessel on the Marden rocks near Boulmer.

Bound with a cargo of salt and cement from Hamburg to Newcastle and Berwick, the Monaleen ran onto these dangerous rocks at about 1.30 the morning.

She was badly holed and immediately began to fill with water. The engine room soon became flooded and all on board were in peril of their lives. Flares were shown and, in order to attract notice on shore some of the crew burned their bedding as distress signals.

Not until the decks were awash, however, did Captain Perrie give orders to lower the two boats, and when the two parties left her the ship appeared to be imminent danger of foundering.
It was then only about an hour after the vessel struck, and in the black darkness of the night, the small craft were taken seaward, where the cruised about waiting for break of day.
About 4.30 their plight was observed by those on board the Amble tug Ayr, some distance from the mouth of the Coquet. No time was lost and picking up the shipwrecked seamen and taking them to Amble, where, housed at the Harbour, they were made as comfortable as possible.
Meanwhile the Holy Island lifeboat and the Alnmouth lifeboat containing the Boulmer lifeboat crew had drawn alongside the stranded ship, but by that time she had been abandoned. After putting in at the Tyne, the “Monaleen” was proceeded to Berwick. A Middlesbrough ship owned by R.Chester and Co., it was built in 1923 and is registered 450 tons.

The Coxswain’s Story.
Mr Robert Stephenson, coxswain of the Boulmer lifeboat who also acted as coxswain in the Alnmouth boat, give a “News” representative a graphic version of the part played by the lifeboats at the wreck. ‘The maroon was fired at Boulmer just before 2 o’clock,’ he said, ‘and we all quickly tumbled out. It was very dark and it was raining. Mr Hugh Stephenson our secretary who lives at Alnmouth, had his car ready for us, and took us to Alnmouth. Floodtide had been running about an hour when we launched. The launch was made at 3:20 a.m. was satisfactory. As a lifeboat was launched we noticed a bright light out to sea selling off in that direction we showed him our white lights but got no answer. We weren’t sure whether it was the boat we were after or not, but drawing nearer we give hail and there was no reply. A good bit swell was running but we managed to get alongside; there was no one on board. Our craft was only a rowing boat — we had no sails, but we pulled about knowing that the crew must be somewhere near.
As it was breaking daylight the Amble tug boat came on the scene. I hailed the tug and asked the crew if they had seen anything of the men we were searching for — the answer was ‘no’. I then told them that I thought they’d gone south and I asked them to keep a sharp lookout. We were still looking for the crew when the Holy Island lifeboat came up to us. I let them know what had happened and instructed them to look around near the Coquet. Afterwards we learned the crew had been picked up by the tug somewhere near Amble. Stephenson gave a grim smile as he added — ‘it was lucky for the crew that the ship struck where she did. Had it been any of the surrounding rocks it would have been a bad job.

The Crew Interviewed.
The crew were lounging in the bar of the ‘Harbour Inn’ Amble, where they had been conveyed on being brought ashore, when discovered by our reporter. They were wonderfully cheery despite the ordeal through which they had just passed and while some smoked or chatted others were enjoying a quiet snooze. One survivor was missing however, he was ‘Mickey’the cat and his feline soul craving for further adventure he had gone in search of pastures new for despite a chorus of ‘Mickers!’ no’ Mick.’ All spoke of the terrific shock when the vessel struck the rock and the thrills experienced in getting away in the two boats. One man who was below at the time the ‘Monaleen’ struck said that when he came up the water had completely flooded the engine room. The crew spoke in grateful terms of the kindness meted out to them by Pearson the licensee of the Inn.
Both Boulmer and Alnmouth seethed with excitement on Tuesday morning, and for holiday makers especially the thrills experienced overnight were doubly interesting. The ship was an object of much curiosity throughout the day. With her bows pointing due north she is wedged hopelessly on the rock and is expected to become a total wreck.
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