During the First World War, fishing was made even more hazardous by the laying of Minefields in the North Sea; they were laid as part of the outer defences for the protection of Scapa Flow and a large Minefield was laid around the Sarclet Head, Clythness area. These mines could be laid by most Submarines, as they had the capability for laying moored mines through standard Torpedo tubes. In March 1916 H.M.S. E 24, was Britain’s first dedicated Minelaying Submarine.
Prior to 1916, mines depended on clumsy mechanical detonators, which were not very reliable in preventing enemy shipping entering restricted zones but in 1916 mines were fitted with sensitive Herz horns, which were linked by an electrical circuit to 225kilo (500lb) of explosive, which dramatically increased the menace to enemy shipping. To give some perspective to the amount of mines laid, one minefield in the North Atlantic consisted of over 70,000 mines and in order to protect allied shipping, designated safety zones were set up into which no ship could stray.
One of many such fishing boats in September 1917 was the Margaret, WK 574. She was a 12-ton motor boat built in Wick by William Jack and Donald Bremner, for William Parker, a confectioner in Bank Row. She was originally named the Margaret Parker and being about 46ft long she was a small but very modern boat when she was launched in September 1912.
In October 1914 she was sold to Messers Allan Brothers of Thurso, who shortened her name to Margaret and fished her out of Wick. Her crew in 1917, were Skipper William Gunn 63, from Barrogill St, his brother, James Gunn 57, from Sarclet, John Miller senior 68, from Macrae St, Wick, John Miller junior 40, from Vansittart St, Wick and James Oag, 36, from Huddart St, Wick. All of the crew were originally from the village of Sarclet.
Her final voyage began at 6pm on the fifth of September 1917, (coincidentally nearly five years to the day on which she was launched). It would be much like any other evenings fishing, two hours travelling to the fishing grounds, about ten hours fishing, then two hours steaming back to Wick harbour, about a fourteen hour day. Unknown to the crew of the Margaret her fate was probably sealed thirty-six hours before she left harbour.
On the morning of the fourth of September, the fishing boat Crystal River came into contact with, and got entangled in a minefield two miles off Sarclet Head. On the fifth of September ten hours before the Margaret sailed, the fishing boat Volunteer, was two miles off Clythness when she came into contact with mines. Undoubtedly some of these mines would breakaway from their moorings through the nets having been tangled with them. At 8pm on the evening of the fifth, two hours after the Margaret had left Wick harbour, she was seen by the fishing boat Pentland, Wk 576, who had just shot its nets. This was four miles off the Old Man of Wick and the Margaret went about a mile farther south where she too began to fish. Darkness began to fall and the Pentland lost sight of the Margaret.
At 4am the following morning, the Pentland was about two miles off Bruan Head hauling her nets when the crew heard a violent explosion a short distance to the south of them and a large column of smoke and water was seen to rise high up into the air. They at once headed for the general vicinity of the explosion and remained there until 6am. All that was visible to them were some nets half a mile to the south and there was no sign of the Margaret which they had expected to see in the general area. The Pentland then hauled their nets and headed back to Wick harbour. On their arrival they learned that the Margaret had not arrived so they reported what they had seen to the Harbour Master.
Around 6am on the same morning, HM patrol boat Rosehearty was patrolling about three miles off Sarclet Head when one of the crew observed part of the bow of a boat, which bore the number, Wk 574. Shortly afterwards the patrol boat hailed the fishing boat Volunteer, and related to the crew what they had seen. The Skipper of the Volunteer replied “that is the number of the Margaret”. Shortly afterwards a jacket was picked up in the vicinity of Sarclet Head and was identified as belonging to James Gunn a crew member of the Margaret.
The loss of the Margaret and her crew was attributed to a breakaway mine coming into contact with her. As with all fishermen of the time, the crew of the Margaret must have been aware of the danger from floating mines as they were all very experienced fishermen. William Gunn, had been the Skipper of the fishing boat Treasure, James Oag had been on the Elsay, John Miller senior. had been on the Volunteer and John Miller junior had been on Admiralty service, up until five days before the fateful voyage. Between them they left twenty three dependants, including nineteen young children.
A disaster fund was started by the town’s folk and by the end of October, the considerable sum of £500 had been raised, to be distributed to the dependants.
The men who tragically lost their lives were:
James Gunn, age 57, Fisherman, Son of the late Peter And Catherine Gunn. Born at Sarclet, Wick.
William Gunn, age 63, Skipper, Son of the late Peter And Catherine Gunn. Born at Sarclet, Wick.
John Miller jun., age 40, Fisherman, Son of the late John And Elizabeth Miller; Husband Of Alexina Miller (nee Reid), of 41, Vansittant St., Wick. Born At Sarclet, Wick.
John Miller sen. age 68, Fisherman, Husband of the late Elizabeth Miller.
James Oag, age 36, Fisherman, Son of the late George And Elizabeth Oag; Husband Of Elizabeth Jane Oag (nee McCaskill) of 47, Kinnaird St., Wick, Caithness. Born At Wick.
Lizzie Oag the wife of James Oag put the following poem in the local newspaper:
"In health and strength he left his home,
Not thinking death so near,
It pleased the lord to bid him come,
And in his sight appear,
I cannot stand beside his grave,
For he sleeps in the secret sea,
And not one gentle, whispering wave,
Will tell the place to me,
But although unseen by human eye,
And mortals know it not,
His maker knoweth where he lies,
And angels guard the spot".
Prior to 1916, mines depended on clumsy mechanical detonators, which were not very reliable in preventing enemy shipping entering restricted zones but in 1916 mines were fitted with sensitive Herz horns, which were linked by an electrical circuit to 225kilo (500lb) of explosive, which dramatically increased the menace to enemy shipping. To give some perspective to the amount of mines laid, one minefield in the North Atlantic consisted of over 70,000 mines and in order to protect allied shipping, designated safety zones were set up into which no ship could stray.
One of many such fishing boats in September 1917 was the Margaret, WK 574. She was a 12-ton motor boat built in Wick by William Jack and Donald Bremner, for William Parker, a confectioner in Bank Row. She was originally named the Margaret Parker and being about 46ft long she was a small but very modern boat when she was launched in September 1912.
In October 1914 she was sold to Messers Allan Brothers of Thurso, who shortened her name to Margaret and fished her out of Wick. Her crew in 1917, were Skipper William Gunn 63, from Barrogill St, his brother, James Gunn 57, from Sarclet, John Miller senior 68, from Macrae St, Wick, John Miller junior 40, from Vansittart St, Wick and James Oag, 36, from Huddart St, Wick. All of the crew were originally from the village of Sarclet.
Her final voyage began at 6pm on the fifth of September 1917, (coincidentally nearly five years to the day on which she was launched). It would be much like any other evenings fishing, two hours travelling to the fishing grounds, about ten hours fishing, then two hours steaming back to Wick harbour, about a fourteen hour day. Unknown to the crew of the Margaret her fate was probably sealed thirty-six hours before she left harbour.
On the morning of the fourth of September, the fishing boat Crystal River came into contact with, and got entangled in a minefield two miles off Sarclet Head. On the fifth of September ten hours before the Margaret sailed, the fishing boat Volunteer, was two miles off Clythness when she came into contact with mines. Undoubtedly some of these mines would breakaway from their moorings through the nets having been tangled with them. At 8pm on the evening of the fifth, two hours after the Margaret had left Wick harbour, she was seen by the fishing boat Pentland, Wk 576, who had just shot its nets. This was four miles off the Old Man of Wick and the Margaret went about a mile farther south where she too began to fish. Darkness began to fall and the Pentland lost sight of the Margaret.
At 4am the following morning, the Pentland was about two miles off Bruan Head hauling her nets when the crew heard a violent explosion a short distance to the south of them and a large column of smoke and water was seen to rise high up into the air. They at once headed for the general vicinity of the explosion and remained there until 6am. All that was visible to them were some nets half a mile to the south and there was no sign of the Margaret which they had expected to see in the general area. The Pentland then hauled their nets and headed back to Wick harbour. On their arrival they learned that the Margaret had not arrived so they reported what they had seen to the Harbour Master.
Around 6am on the same morning, HM patrol boat Rosehearty was patrolling about three miles off Sarclet Head when one of the crew observed part of the bow of a boat, which bore the number, Wk 574. Shortly afterwards the patrol boat hailed the fishing boat Volunteer, and related to the crew what they had seen. The Skipper of the Volunteer replied “that is the number of the Margaret”. Shortly afterwards a jacket was picked up in the vicinity of Sarclet Head and was identified as belonging to James Gunn a crew member of the Margaret.
The loss of the Margaret and her crew was attributed to a breakaway mine coming into contact with her. As with all fishermen of the time, the crew of the Margaret must have been aware of the danger from floating mines as they were all very experienced fishermen. William Gunn, had been the Skipper of the fishing boat Treasure, James Oag had been on the Elsay, John Miller senior. had been on the Volunteer and John Miller junior had been on Admiralty service, up until five days before the fateful voyage. Between them they left twenty three dependants, including nineteen young children.
A disaster fund was started by the town’s folk and by the end of October, the considerable sum of £500 had been raised, to be distributed to the dependants.
The men who tragically lost their lives were:
James Gunn, age 57, Fisherman, Son of the late Peter And Catherine Gunn. Born at Sarclet, Wick.
William Gunn, age 63, Skipper, Son of the late Peter And Catherine Gunn. Born at Sarclet, Wick.
John Miller jun., age 40, Fisherman, Son of the late John And Elizabeth Miller; Husband Of Alexina Miller (nee Reid), of 41, Vansittant St., Wick. Born At Sarclet, Wick.
John Miller sen. age 68, Fisherman, Husband of the late Elizabeth Miller.
James Oag, age 36, Fisherman, Son of the late George And Elizabeth Oag; Husband Of Elizabeth Jane Oag (nee McCaskill) of 47, Kinnaird St., Wick, Caithness. Born At Wick.
Lizzie Oag the wife of James Oag put the following poem in the local newspaper:
"In health and strength he left his home,
Not thinking death so near,
It pleased the lord to bid him come,
And in his sight appear,
I cannot stand beside his grave,
For he sleeps in the secret sea,
And not one gentle, whispering wave,
Will tell the place to me,
But although unseen by human eye,
And mortals know it not,
His maker knoweth where he lies,
And angels guard the spot".