Baron Gautsch ~ 13 August 1914

Found at www.fransreef.com

Two years after the sinking of Titanic, the Baron Gautsch shared a less known, but equally tragic story of human negligence and a sequence of unfortunate coincidences. 

At the beginning of 20th century Trieste was the most important seaport of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the Austrian Lloyd its most important and powerful shipping company. As the economic and military importance of Adriatic ports was increasing, there was a growing need for fast steam ships. Therefore, the Lloyd ordered 3 new steamships. Baron Gautsch is the first of three sister ships to be launched (in 1908), later followed by Prinz Hohenlohe and Baron Bruck. Baron Gautsch was equipped with three steam engines driving its bronze propellers, amounting to 4.600 HP. It had an overall length of 84,5 m and width of 12 m. The ship was named after Baron Paul Gautsch von Frankenthurn, who at the end of the 19th century was minister of education, later Prime Minister and minister of internal affairs of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was built by Gourlay Brothers & Co. Ltd., a shipyard at Dundee, Scotland. Gourlay’s were late in delivery, and the engines‘ output was too low, so the shipyard had to make modifications and repairs at the ship’s home port, Trieste. The expenses for these repairs and modifications were so big, that Gourlay Bros. & Co., Ltd. had to declare bankruptcy.

Upon outbreak of World War I Baron Gautsch was rented by the Austro-Hungarian Navy on July 17, 1914 and used to transport reinforcement troops to Kotor. After the reinforcement had been completed, the ship was returned to the Lloyd at Kotor on August 11, 1914. But, before returning, the ship was in Trieste, where an officer of the ship attended a meeting at the naval district headquarters, during which he was notified that mine fields were to be laid for protection of the port of Pula and he was given instructions about the route to take to avoid the mine fields. Captain Paul Winter, the commanding officer of the Baron Gautsch, sent his 2nd officer, Tenze, to this briefing, upon which the 1st officer, Luppis, set the course. Written evidence about the mine fields was forbidden by the military authorities for secrecy reasons. Later on during the voyage the ship’s officers received more orders about the route to take at Zadar, which did not differ very much from the orders received in Trieste. On her way back to the Northern Adriatic civilians were evacuated from the regions endangered by the upcoming war. On her way back from Kotor to Trieste Baron Gautsch transported not only refugees and civilians who were evacuated from the regions endangered by the upcoming war, but also holidaymakers who went back from the Dalmatian islands.

At about 1100 hrs on August 13, 1914, Baron Gautsch departed from the port of Veli Losinj. She was bound for Trieste, estimated time of arrival was 1800 hrs. Her course was northbound, but much closer to the coast than was ordered by the military authorities. Her sister ship Prinz Hohenlohe was seen 3 nautical miles more off the coast, southbound for Dalmatia. Rumors among the passengers had it that the ship was to keep clear of minefields that were to protect the harbor entrance of Pola (Pula), but even when pointed to this fact, Tenze, the officer in command, did not make any changes of the ship’s course. Then, at approximately 14:50, Baron Gautsch struck a mine. 7 nautical miles north of the island of Brioni the ship had run full speed into the Austro-Hungarian minefield laid just a few minutes before. The mine laying ship Basilisk emitted emergency signals, but they were not noticed. Just a moment prior to the collision with the mine the commanding officer gave orders to turn to the West, out of the region of danger. 

The ship took on water very fast and tilted to her port side so quickly that the starboard lifeboats could not be launched. Within six minutes she sunk. The most reported casualties are 177 people who were killed in the burning heavy oil that spilled from the tanks. Other sources state 120-150 lost and 190 saved out of 310-350 people (245-285 passengers and 65 crew) plus children who were not registered. 159 persons were rescued by Austro-Hungarian destroyers Csepel, Triglav and Balaton that hurried to help from Pula. 

Contemporary reports relate that the ship’s crew tried to save themselves, not caring the least for women and children among the passengers. The term “human incompetence” best describes that the captain was sleeping in his cabin, the 1st officer lunched with the 1st class passengers and the 2nd officer panicked when he discovered what had happened. Baron Gautsch is often referred to as the “Titanic of the Adriatic”.

Falaba ~ 28 March 1915

The British steamer Falaba was sunk in the Irish sea by a German mine on March 28, 1915. 112 lives were lost, including Leon Thrasher, who is said to be the first American killed during WWI. 

Germany placed responsibility for the destruction of the Falaba upon her captain, contending that his effort to escape rendered his vessel liable to attack under the rules of international law. On the other hand, it was said that while the rules of international law permitted the destruction of merchant craft that resisted search by belligerent war vessels, it appeared that the Falaba had only attempted to escape and did not resist.

It was pointed out in official circles that, according to reports, the ship's boats were over her side with her passengers and crew attempting to abandon ship when the torpedo that destroyed her was discharged.

DEATH OF AMERICAN IN FALABA TRAGEDY STIRS WASHINGTON
Leon Chester Thrasher, Mining Engineer, on Liner Sunk by Submaring

The Oregon Daily Journal / 31 Mar 1915

   Washington, March 31. Administration circles today are waiting for a report from Ambassador Page in London regarding the American mining engineer, Leon Chester Thrasher, who was drowned when the British steamer Falaba was torpedoed by a German submarine. If the incident is verified, it is believed complication with Germany will result.
   Diplomats here are of the opinion that the case would come within the scope of the recent American note to Germany, in which it was declared that that country would be held to strict accountability for the American lives lost through the acts of naval commanders in the war zone.
   It is believed that the administration will be compelled to raise the issue with Germany if Thrasher's drowning is officially confirmed.
   Thrasher carried an American passport. (International News Service)

Was Mining Engineer

   London, March 31. That one of the passengers on the British steamship Falaba to go down with that vessel after she was torpedoed by a German diver was Leon Chester Thrasher, a citizen of the United States, was an official announcement made here today. A strong protest of Thrasher's drowning without having been given opportunity to prove his nationality, is expected from the American government.
   Thrasher was a mining engineer, and had been located on the Gold Coast, British West Africa, for the last year. He had his American passport when drowned. (International News Service)

Thrasher Known on Coast

   San Francisco, March 31. Leon Chester Thrasher, American citizen, who drowned when the British steamship Falaba was torpedoed by a German submarine, is a cousin of Dr. Marion Thrasher of San Francisco and was well known in California, Oregon and Washington. His home was at Paris, Ky., where is family is prominent both in a business and social way. Thrasher was well known to mining men of the Pacific coast. (Pacific News Service)

Merkuriy ~ 20 June 1916

While on a voyage from Otchalkov to Odessa, the Merkuriy struck a mine layed by the UC-15 and sank in the Black Sea off Odessa with a loss of 272 lives.

Chaouia ~ 15 January 1919

The SS Chaouia was built by Koninklijke Maatschappij 'De Schelde', Vlissingen in 1896 and owned at the time of her loss by Cie. de Navigation Paquet N., Marseille. She was a French passenger steamer of 4,334 tons.

On January 15, 1919, on a voyage from Marseille to Batoum with passengers and general cargo, she was sunk in the Straits of Messina by a mine from the UC-53 (Erich Gerth). The ship sank at night and went down in only 3-4 minutes.

The Chaouia was carrying 660 passengers, of which 401 were military (primarily Greek troops). 476 people were lost. Of the 184 survivors, 53 were crew and 131 were passengers. Most of the survivors were saved by the British steamer Daghestan.