Page 51 - Greystones Archaeological Historical Society

GREYSTONES ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL VOLUME 8

and 100 tons of water or approximately 22,000 gallons of water
which took 1½ hours to drain through the scuppers while on the
return voyage to Stranraer.

Acting-Chief Officer Hey also discovered that the sea had
buckled the stern doors and that the starboard one was open to
the sea but fortunately only the bolts and stays had been
damaged, and not the door itself, which was eventually closed
by crew members using crowbars. Little priority was attached to
providing new locking bolts and stays for the stern doors with the
vessel making two further complete crossing before these were
installed.

But Acting-Captain Duckels was concerned about this
incident and the following day submitted a report on it by letter to
Captain Harry Perry, Marine Superintendent of British Railways
and also sent a copy to solicitors Messrs. Foster and Ferguson
in Stranraer. The letter read:

‘The stern door of this ship [MV Princess Victoria] was
buckled and some pins bent on Sunday 25 November at
approx. 01.50 off the entrance to Lough Larne. The damage
occurred in the second of two attempts to enter the harbour
in storm weather.

Some water was shipped into the car deck and subsequently
cleared through scuppers while the ship proceeded at slow
speed.

The Princess Victoria left Stranraer at 23.31 on 24/11/51 in
calm weather. A freshening NE wind at 01.20 25/11/51
quickly became a NE gale with fierce squalls and a very
rough sea.

The ship returned to Loch Ryan and brought to anchor at

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