Nora McGourty - SS Transylvania 1925

 

My great grandmother, NORA McGOURTY returned to Westchester, PA from Glasgow in 1925. She boarded the SS Transylvania on her maiden voyage on the 12th September 1925 aged 29. Her last address had been 964 Argyle Street, Glasgow and she was a Clerkess. This steamer was to become HMS Transylvania in 1939 and was sunk by U-Boat U-56 on 10th August 1940, with the loss of 36 men. Her wreck lies intact off the Irish coast, 40 miles north-west of Malin Head, Co. Donegal. Captained by Francis Nigel Miles,RN she was hit aft of the stack by one G7e torpedo from U-56. The Germans then left her behind having run out of torpedoes. As she was towed back she foundered and local trawlers rescued 300 officers and ratings. Here are a selection of photos of the Transylvania from her days as a cruise liner, and of U-96.

 

 

 

 

These photos are reproduced here courtesy of Leigh Bishop and Wikipedia as well as from sites such as http://www.gjenvick.com/HistoricalBrochures/AnchorLine/1926-NewAnchorLineFleet.html#axzz2GSzDmZgj and the wonderfully detailed story of the dives here : http://www.divernet.com/Wrecks/408322/the_subterranean_world_of_transylvania.html