I was originally not aware of any shipping casualties at Penarth Dock or The Ely Tidal Harbour until a member of the forum, "Captain" Ben Salter, made a post about a steamer lost in the estuary of the river Ely in 1941. Thank you Ben. [069]

The S.S. 'Lunan' was built at the Montrose Shipbuilding Company of Scotland in 1909 for the Grangemouth Steamship Company. She was a small freighter of 363 gross registered tons, 42.2 m long x 7.3 m beam and had a three cylinder triple expansion engine which made her capable of 9.2 knots. In 1927 she was sold to R. Taylor & Sons Limited at Dundee and she worked the coal route from Newport and the Ely Tidal Harbour to the Portishead power stations when in 1941, she was lost and only one of her crew survived. One source suggests that it was a German IX Air Corps aerial mine and other sources suggest German bombing was the cause of the loss.

See the section in Chapter Four for further detail on the loss of the s.s. 'Lunan'.

Home Guard Volunteer - T. E. O'LEARY - UNIDENTIFIED GLAMORGANSHIRE (CARDIFF) BATTALION - For bravery and devotion to duty in helping to rescue a survivor after S. S. Lunan hit a mine and sank on 4th July 1941.

"At about 1.20 a.m. on 4th July 1941 a loud explosion was heard by personnel on duty at Victoria Wharf, Cardiff. A cloud of black smoke began to form some two hundred yards from the dockside and it was clear that a mine or delayed-action bomb had exploded. A small coaling vessel, S. S. Lunan (379 tons), had in fact been sunk with the loss of six of her seven crew. The single survivor could be heard shouting for help. "Volunteer O'Leary and Police Constable 9B Everett of Cardiff City Police at once went in search of a boat.

They found a dilapidated rowing boat and set out with Volunteer O'Leary rowing and Police Constable Everett baling out water. The rowing boat was directed to the wreck by means of flash lights and the survivor, who was in poor condition, covered with coal dust and oil and suffering from shock, was brought to the shore and taken to hospital. Shortly after landing the survivor Volunteer O'Leary collapsed, suffering from shock and lacerated hands, and was taken to hospital. "Volunteer O'Leary and Police Constable Everett were instrumental in saving the life of the only survivor in difficult and dangerous conditions." L.G. 21.x.1941 Note: Police Constable W. J. Everett received a civilian King's Commendation for Brave Conduct (L.G. 26.ix.1941). - [883]