SMS Freya rammt und versenkt Schooner Maggie and May 1908

[Deichkind]

Hallo,
dieses Foto stammt von einem Besatzungsmitglied der SMS Freya. Das Schiff, ein (großer) Kreuzer wurde 1897 gebaut und 1900 in Dienst gestellt. Es war aber schon bald nicht mehr konkurrenzfähig und wurde daher bereits 1906 zu einem Schulkreuzer umgebaut. Auf seiner 2. großen Reise ab Mai 1908, die es in amerikanische und karibische Gewässer führte, passierte am 8. August 1908 ein Unfall, bei dem die SMS Freya in dichtem Nebel den Fischfänger MAGGIE AND MAY, einen Schooner, rammte und versenkte. Nur vier Besatzungsmitglieder konnten lebend geborgen werden und sind auf dem Foto unten zu sehen.
Es sind Robert Years, 28, aus Belloram, New Foundland (NF) John Muise, 32, aus Nova Scotia (NS), Sylvian White, 32, aus Yarmouth, N.S., William Muise, 31, aus Eel Brook, N.S. (wer wer ist weiß ich aber nicht).
Das Deutsche Reich erkannte das schuldhafte Verhalten des Kapitäns der Freya an und zahlte 36.000$ Schadensersatz. Nach fast zehnmonatiger Fahrt erreichte das Schiff am 8. März 1909 seinen Heimathafen Kiel. Interessanterweise wird der Unfall bei Wikipedia nicht erwähnt. Allerdings gibt es im Netz genügend Hinweise und Infos zum tragischen Ereignis, die ich hier anschließe.
Vielleicht ja für den einen oder die andere interessant. Weiß jemand was für Konsequenzen dem Kapitän Leberecht Maaß ins Haus standen? Er scheint trotz anscheinend schuldhaftem Verhalten keinen Karriereknick erlitten zu haben. Er fiel im 1. WK als Konteradmiral im Seegefecht bei Helgoland am 28. August 1914 auf SMS Köln als Führer der II. Aufklärungsgruppe.
Deichkind
Schooner MAGGIE AND MAY was an American fishing schooner operating from the Port of Gloucester. On the 8th August in thick fog the MAGGIE AND MAY was sunk by the German warship Freya whilst fishing on the Lehave Bank. 8 of the 12 crew were lost including the Captain Alexander Mceachern.
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?215019

Bericht:
August 8, 1908 The saddest news that has come to this city for a long time flashed over the wires late last evening telling of the loss of Capt. Alexander McEachern of this city, and eight of his crew, by the sinking of schooner Maggie and May of this port, on Le Have bank, Saturday night, by the German schoolship Freya. According to Robert Years, one of the four survivors of the disaster, the vessel sailed from Gloucester the previous week, bound for Arichat to take on their hired men. Off Cape Sable they struck the fog and light wind and ruddered along until Saturday night just before the accident, they were about 30 miles to the southeast of Halifax. The accident happened at 10.30 o'clock by the schooner's clock and 11.30 by that on the Freya, a German schoolship. Yearn was in the watch, with Walter Fiander and Fred English, the latter being at the wheel. The schooner was practically becalmed and did not have steerage way. It was so dark and thick of fog that he could not see the length of the vessel ahead.The men heard the whistle of the steamer and called the captain, who quickly called all hands as soon as he struck the deck. The vessel's horn was going properly and the captain of the Freya afterward said that he heard it all right, but could not locate the direction of the sound.As the steamer drew nearer, Capt. McEachern waved the flare torch, but all to no purpose, for within a minute after they saw the Freya's light she was into them, striking on the starboard side, just at the nose of the nest of dories. Capt. McEachern shouted to clear the dories and the gripes were quickly cut, but they could not seem to clear the boats. It was thought that the starboard dories were smashed by the impact.After the attempts to float the dories was abandoned, it became desperate, as the vessel then was practically under water and sinking fast. All hands were aft, and Yearn was alongside the skipper, who still held the torch in his hand. He turned to him and said, "Leo, we will every one of us be drowned." As he said it, both he and Yearn slipped and went overboard together.Yearn never saw the skipper after that, nor any of the crew, until he met the other three rescued ones on the deck of the the Freya. Yearn says that the schooner sank in two minutes after she was struck and that the other three survivors were rescued by boats from the Freya. According to Captain Vincent Nelson, of the schooner Senator Gardner of Gloucester, Alex McEachern told him in Gloucester that he intended retiring from the sea at the conclusion of this trip. In 1912 the German government turned over $36,000 to the American and British ambassadors, to be paid to the claimants. Lost on the Maggie and May Alexander McEachern, of Gloucester, leaves a widow and three children Alister Wentzell, steward, 36, native of Lunenburg, N.S. Walter Fiander, 24, single of Codroy, N.F. Edward P. English, 35, single, of Conception Bay, N.F. Reuben Porter, 45, of Eel Brook, N.S., leaves a widow and family Dillon Porter, 20, son of Reuben Porter, of Eel Brook, N.S. Alfred Muise, 36, of Eel Brook, N.S. Augustus Loegold, 26, of Cape Breton Thomas R. Muise, 36, single, of Cape Bretonhttps.
www.downtosea.com/1901-1925/maggie.htm

[halina]

Moin Deichkind ,  vielen Dank für das Einstellen des sehr ausführlichen Berichts vom Schulkreuzer SMS "FREYA" , ein Schiff der Victoria-Louise-Klasse , hier noch ein Foto dazu .

                                                                                                                     Grüsse  halina

[Deichkind]

Hallo Halina,
danke für die Ergänzung mit dem Foto des Schul-Kreuzers.
Deichkind

[smutje505]

Hier noch ein Bild der SMS Freya

[Deichkind]

Moin Smutje,
ebenso willkommen!
Schönes Wochenende,
Deichklind