McClure, The

DESCRIPTION: McClure sails for Naples with cargo of fish. They are boarded by sailors from a submarine who sink McClure with bombs. The crew are allowed to leave and are rescued by an Italian destroyer who take the Captain and crew of six to Cadiz
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1977 (Lehr/Best-ComeAndIWillSingYou)
KEYWORDS: war sea ship ordeal
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
May 22/24, 1917 - McClure, out of St John's, captured and bombed by a German submarine off Cape Carbonara, Sardinia (Lehr/Best-ComeAndIWillSingYou, Northern Shipwrecks Database)
FOUND IN: Canada(Newf)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Lehr/Best-ComeAndIWillSingYou 76, "The McClure" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #28974
NOTES [97 words]: Lehr/Best-ComeAndIWillSingYou note that there is uncertainty about how the McClure was destroyed in 1917. The song claims the Germans captured and scuttled it, but others report it was sunk by gunfire or torpedoes. I haven't found proof one way or the other, but it's nearly certain that it wasn't a torpedo -- submarines had guns because some boats (such as schooners with crews of just six) weren't worth a torpedo; subs only had a limited supply of "fish." Putting a bomb aboard was possible, but it took a lot of time. So I'd guess the McClure was actually sunk by gunfire. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.1
File: LeBe076

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