Elisabeth of Marstal

There have been a series of vessels by this name, built in Marstal on the Danish island of Ærø in the Baltic Sea. The most likely candidate was probably originally built in 1916 by H.C. Nielsen (see Technical Data).

Click here for more about Marstal.

Elisabeth had a chequered career. During WW1 she was attacked by German submarines on two separate occasions. 0n 25th April 1917 she was stopped by U53 about seventy five miles southwest of Ireland and, although the attempt to scuttle her failed, she was left derelict. On 30th April 1917 Elisabeth suffered another attack, this time by U81. She was again damaged but did not sink, apparently because the cargo of pitch pine kept her afloat. She was declared a constructive total loss, but was later repaired. This may be the same Elisabeth which was recorded as built in Marstal in 1919 as a three masted topsail schooner.

The U81 was torpedoed just one day later on 1st May 1917 by British Submarine E54, with the loss of most of her crew. There were five survivors. (source U.Boat.net).

Technical Data

Back

Elisabeth of Marstal was shown in a sequence of Littlehampton postcards around 1930, some of which are reproduced here. By this date, visits by larger sailing vessels had become rare so her progression into the mooring was carefully recorded, presumably because such pictures would be popular with enthusiastic collectors.

In this John White view from the west bank, near the harbour entrance, most of the sails of the Danish ship have been furled. There is no sign of a towing craft so either she is using her auxiliary engine or possibly has sailed into the harbour using the westerly wind. The anchor is being kept partially lowered ready to drop in an emergency, or to use as an aid to berthing.

This Frank Spry picture, taken from the east bank, shows the three masted barquentine partially furling the last of the sails as the crew prepare for mooring, with lines leading out from the bow along the vessel. The small craft alongside is the pilot boat marked with ‘P1’ on its bow. The white hulled dinghy towing astern is the ship's boat, and the empty falls can be seen hanging down from the davits on the starboard side aft. There is a deck cargo of timber supported by upright struts.

In another Spry postcard, the vessel has turned around and is now facing the wind and possibly the last of an incoming flood tide. Note how the towed dinghy is now sideways to port of the stern, indicating the anti-clockwise direction of the turn, which may have been aided slightly by a push on the bow from the pilot boat which is probably still on the far side, hidden from view.

This later White view shows Elisabeth moored at the Baltic Wharf, with some of the foresails still not yet fully stowed, possibly to dry them out before doing so.

The tide has ebbed and she is probably on the bottom with more of the hull out of the water. Some of the cargo may have already been unloaded.

In another view by White, all sails are neatly stowed. The crew was perhaps only six or seven individuals, and sail handling was a slow business. The final ‘harbour stow’ would have been left until all else was secured.

The mooring process of preparing ropes and fenders, securing the anchor, coming alongside and finally setting the mooring lines it would have kept everyone well occupied given the deck cluttered with cargo.