Captain Vincent was
the Master while the GILBERT THOMPSON was completing a long voyage
from Calcutta to her home port and was being towed by a tug, probably
because of adverse wind conditions. Her crew of twenty two were
looking forward to reaching her home port of Liverpool after a long
spell at sea. But it was not to be. Having negotiated the North West
corner of Anglesey, they were passing inshore of the Skerries with the
West Mouse on the starboard bow when the ship suddenly swung to
starboard, having struck and underwater reef just to the west of the
tiny island. The ship began to sink, her iron hull seriously damaged,
and the order was given to abandon ship.
All but one of the crew managed
to scramble onto the island. Not so lucky was a cabin boy who was
disabled with a broken leg. Not able to leave his bunk quickly enough,
he was still in his cabin when the ship disappeared beneath the waves. |