S.S. Craignair/The Chile

The Chile was a square rigged, four-masted barque of 2182 tons which was captured from the Germans at the outbreak of war in 1914.  Under the new ownership of A. Shute & Co. of  Liverpool, she was en route from Greenock to Halifax, Nova Scotia with a ballast cargo of 1150 tons of sand in her holds when she went ashore during a west north westerly gale on 28th November 1915. The incident was reported in The Galloway Gazette of 4th December 1915.

“Ship ashore at Glasserton shore. On Sunday night the barque ‘Chile’ got ashore near the Lady’s Steps, Glasserton shore.  The captain Sherwood Forrest, Miss Forrest and twenty-seven of a crew managed to land in the ship’s boats which got smashed.  Mr and Mrs Melvennan Claymoddie sheltered them and Mr McLarty, special coastguard came to the Isle for Mr McWilliam, honorary agent of the S. M. Society who took them food and got them lodgings in the Isle.  The crew are chiefly Russian Finns and Scandinavians. The ‘Chile’ is over two thousand tons register and carries about four thousand tons.  She had come to Greenock and was bound for Halifax, America, in ballast about one thousand one hundred and fifty tons sand.  Two Liverpool tugs have arrived and are trying to get her off.”

A Photo of The Chile

A Photo of a similar ship to the S.S. Craignair (The Abeille 2)

The following week it was reported:

“The barque ‘Chile’ is now abandoned after several tugs, divers etc. doing their best.  The salvage steamer ‘Sealight’ is now saving sails, ropes and stores and bringing them to the Isle.  Captain Sherwood Forrest and crew, who are helping to salve, are lodging at the Isle.”

The vessel was then abandoned until salvage recommenced in 1918, when the remains were cut up for scrap.  This ceased when the small salvage steamer Craignair, 105 tons, of the Craignair Steamship Co., Liverpool, sank on top of the Chile on 12th August 1918.  Captain Williams, the four crew and the three workmen on board all managed to get ashore, which is not surprising given the proximity of the beach.  The reason for the sinking of the Craignair is undetermined and was not reported in the local papers