The s.s. 'Larchwood' was a coaster, built at the yard of William Harkess & Son Limited of Middlesbrough on the Tees. She was of 689 gross and 291 net register tons being 180.0 ft. long x 29.8 ft. breath x 10.9 ft. depth. Her owners were the Meteor Steamship Company Limited (Constantine & Donking) also of Middlesbrough.

On the 14th January 1916 she sank, in a matter of minutes, as a result of a collision with s.s. 'Argus' off Bull Point, Ilfracombe, Devon, whilst on a voyage from Penarth bound for xxxxx with a cargo of coal. [833]

From August 1914 she was requisitioned as an Admiralty chartered collier. [918]

8 crew drowned as she went down. Survivors included the captain and mate. Two crew were picked up by the severely damaged 'Argus' and landed at Newport next morning. [263]

Channel Traders Collide - Several of the Larchwood's Crew Perish - 'The steamships Argus and Larchwood have been in collision in the Bristol Channel. The Argus has landed some survivors of the Larchwood at Newport today. Several others are drowned.

The Larchwood was a steamer of 689 tons gross register, owned by the Meteor Steamship Co., Ltd., of Middlesbro'. There are four steamers bearing the name Argus, a Belfast boat of 1,238 tons, a Goole steamer of 704 tons, the little Trinity House boat, and a still smaller Norwegian ship.

Swansea Traders. The Larchwood was a regular Swansea trader and her master, Capt. A. E. Clarke, a well-known figure at the docks. She was here as recently as two months ago. The Argus of Barrow is also a Swansea trader.' - The Cambrian Daily Leader [191] [361] 15th January 1916.

Found Drowned - Body Washed up at Marcross - I Believed To Be Member of Ill-fated Channel Vessel - 'Mr. David Rees, coroner, held an inquest at Marcross on Tuesday on the body of an unknown man who was found drowned on the beach between St. Donat's Castle and the Nash Lighthouse on Sunday morning.

Sergeant G. T. Punier said, the body was lying face downwards between two large boulders on the beach, with a properly adjusted lifebelt around it. There was a large cut on the head from which bright red blood was even then flowing. The clothing consisted of a light navy blue waistcoat, dark grey flannel shirt, and a light singlet, but the body was nude from the waist. The body was perfectly fresh, and could not have been in the water very long. It was that of a sturdily-built man, about 5ft. 7in., and apparently about 30. On the right forearm were tattooed the letters M. T. and crossed hands, and on the left arm two lifebuoys, a rose, and an anchor. There had been a collision in the Channel on Friday night off Bull Point, between the s.s. Larchwood and the s.s. Argus, and the Larchwood was sunk with loss of life. Among the drowned was a young engineer from Llantwit Major. Witness knew this young man, and could testify that this was not his body. Information as to the finding of this body and of the fixing of the inquest had been sent to the officers of the Larchwood.

The Coroner said that there was no evidence of identity. The very minute description given by Sergeant Punter would enable anyone to identify the man if they had known him, and possibly before the burial took place someone would come forward for that purpose. He would ask the police to keep the matter open as long as possible to give anyone a chance of identifying the body, but all that the jury could do now was to return an open verdict.

The jury returned a verdict of "Found drowned."

The Llantwit Major victim referred to by Sergeant Punter is Mr. Newby Wyndham, son of Mr. Thomas Wyndham, Cowbridge-road, Llantwit Major. He was second engineer of the Larchwood, and this was only his third voyage.' - The Glamorgan Gazette [862] [361] 21st January 1916.

Cast Up By The Sea - Bodies Found at Porthcawl, Southerndown and Marcross - 'A number of bodies have been found along the Welsh coast during the past week, and apparently had been in the water some time. On Saturday one of the Port Eynon lifeboat-men was washed up at Porthcawl; one was found at Southerndown on Sunday, and one at Marcross on Sunday morning. During the recent gale many vessels were in difficulty in the Bristol Channel, and one went down in a collision.

On Saturday evening Mrs. Wyndham (Klondyke, Llantwit Major) received a message by telephone that her son, Newby Wyndham, engineer on the Larchwood, had been drowned in the Bristol Channel. The steamer sank in a few minutes after colliding with the s.s. Angus. Young Wyndham and the majority of the crew were drowned, only the captain, chief and second mates, and two other members of the crew being saved. The deceased had served his apprenticeship as a fitter at the Barry Railway engineering sheds, and was 23 years of age. He had passed his examination for engineer's certificate, and joined the Larchwood about two months ago. He only left home on Friday to sail with his boat on Saturday morning. Great sympathy is felt with the parents and his brother and sisters.

On Sunday morning a man named Leyshon Kemp found the body of a man between the High Light and St. Donat's seawall. He informed Mr. Watkin Richards, farmer, St. Donat's, who informed the postmaster of Llantwit by telephone. Sergt. Punter, P.C. Turner, and Mr. Andrews, postmaster, cycled to the spot, and aided by Mr. Richards, Mr. Kemp, and the lighthouse keepers, with difficulty because of the running tide and the high rocks at that spot, succeeded in securing the body and carrying it to Marcross Cwm. It had evidently not been in the water long, and probably was the body of one of the crew of the ill-fated Larchwood. It was that of a man about 28 to 30 years of age. He was wearing a pair of pants, socks, shirt, and a waistcoat, with a life-belt over the waistcoat. He was evidently hastily and only partly dressed. On the right arm below the elbow was tattooed a heart, with two hands underneath clasped, and beneath that the initials T.M.

On the left arm beneath the elbow was tattooed an anchor with life buoy between the claws of the anchor and above the elbow was a mass of tattooing, but as the flesh had been torn by continual contact with the rocks it could not be clearly described.'

Inquest at Southerndown - 'The inquest on the body of an unknown man washed up on the beach at Southern- down on Sunday was held on Monday. The body was not identified, and a verdict of "Found drowned" was returned. It is thought that possibly it may be one of the crew of a Spanish ship which was wrecked in the Channel a few weeks ago, and a description of the clothing will be sent to the owners of the ship.' - The Glamorgan Gazette [862] [361] 21st January 1916.