Master Mariner
James Fortune ANDERSON
Mercantile Marine
Died: 19th October 1917 - Age: 37

Commemorated:

    

Awards & Titles:

 

Early Life :

The majority of this legend is courtesy of Geoff Cuthill of the Province of West Lancashire, to whom the project is grateful.

James was born on 12th December, 1880 at Arniston, Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland, to John and Helen Anderson (nee Bruce), and sometime around 1885 the family moved from Midlothian across Scotland to Paisley, near to Glasgow Here they can be found in the 1901 census at 18 West Campbell Street. James chose a career at sea and worked towards his Second Mate certificate which he achieved on 26th July, 1901. This shows him as serving as an apprentice at sea for 4 years and then 3 months as able bodied seaman. He is described as five foot seven inch in height, of a fair complexion and dark brown hair with blue eyes. He becomes a First Mate on 17 August 1903, joining the Donaldson Line in 1904, and obtains his Certificate as a Master on 19 November 1906. His address throughout is 16 West Campbell Street, Paisley, and his certificates all numbered 036290.

James, described as a seaborne mate, age 27, married, Else Margareth Sonnenfield, a 22 year old cook on 23rd April, 1908 at 16 West Campbell Street after publication according to the form of the N P Church. Both give their address as 16 West Campbell Street. Else gives the names of her parents as Louis Sonnenfeld, either a Tailor or Sailor, and Marie Wilhelmina nee Schmidt.

The 1911 census shows Else Margarethe Anderson, described as a German who was born in Germany, living at 22 Barfillan Drive, Govan, Pollockshields, Glasgow, a wife of two years, and with no children. However, in 1912 a son John is born, and in 1914 a daughter Margarethe Else. John was born at 18 Barfillan Drive on 23rd September, 1912 at 10.30 am, with the birth registered by his father on 2 October. Margarethe Else was born on 3rd March, 1914 at 1.30 am, also at 18 Barfillan Drive, with her birth registered by her father on 16th March, 1914. In both cases the mother's maiden name is given as Sonnenfeld.

James continued his life at sea, but may have also run a bar back in Glasgow, and in 1917 was the Master aboard "S.S. Hazelwood."

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: SS Hazelwood 

SS Hazelwood was a defensively armed vessel which at the time was owned by Walford Leopold & Company (Bolivian General Enterprise, Gascony Steam Ship Company Ltd. of London). She was built by Roper & Son in Stockton and completed in February 1904. The ship was a steel screw steamer with one deck having a gross weight of 3,120 tonnage. The 325ft (c.99m) long ship had a beam of 48ft (c.14.5m) and was powered by a three cylinder triple expansion engine with two single ended boilers yeilding a top speed of nine knots. Nominal horse power was 273 (Wendes, 2006:106)

Action : SS Hazelwood, Sinking of 

The ship had been previously attacked by submarine on 18th June, 1917 in the Mediterranean Sea, which although having fired a torpedo, it fortunately missed.

Sadly, only a few months later, his vessel whilst sailing from the Tyne, with a cargo of coal, heading towards Nantes on 19th October when it was sunk due to enemy action. 8 miles S by E 1/2 E from Anvil Point, a Lighthouse at Swanage, on the Dorset coast. First reports at the time said the vessel hit a mine thought to have been laid by the German submarine UC-62. However recent study of the wreck, and study of the original log book from a German submarine tend to show it was sunk and torpedoed, was and torpedoed by German submarine UC-75 under the command of Johannes Lohs, east of Portland Bill.

"On 19 October 1917, the Hazelwood was lost without sending a distress call. There was speculation as to where and how it was lost. Initially it was believed that Hazelwood had struck a German mine laid by German submarine UC-62, the basis for this being a passing vessel, the SS Estonian heard shouts from the water (Pastscape, 2015). Estonian's master, Captain T Jones, reported they were in a position 22.5 miles west of St. Catherine's Light when they heard the shouts in the darkness off the starboard bow, which he believed to be shipwrecked crew. He issued a distress call but could not stop to rescue crew owing to the danger of being attached. Responding patrol boats found the Hazelwood's papers in a bag not far from the position reported by the Estonian and the body of the Hazelwood's steward was found (Wendes, 2006). Some sources suggest that the shouts from the water could also have been after a torpedo strike, and this possibility is plausible when German submarine UC-75's log was subsequently scrutinised indicating that the ship thought originally to have been torpedoed by it, SS Britannia, could have been the Hazelwood (U-boat.net, 1995-2017). Mines had be laid my UC-62 between Anvil point and the Needles on 13 October 1917 (likely a field of 12 mines), nine mines were swept by minesweepers on 15 October 1917. Other sources therefore believe it is likely that it was one of these mines that accounted for for the sinking of the Hazelwood, another one sank the SS Hartburn three days earlier (Wendes, 2006)."

For a detailed report on SS Hazelwood: Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War SS HAZELWOOD Site Report. See also: Wrecksite EU

Detail :

This attack resulted in the loss of James, aged 36 years, and 31 other lives, this being less than nine months after entry into Walton Lodge. The National Probate Index for Scotland for 1918 has ‘Anderson, James Fortune, 28 Woodcroft Avenue, Broomhill, Glasgow, Shipmaster ’S.S. Hazelwood’ died 19 October 1917, at sea, intestate. Confirmation granted at Glasgow, 22 January, to Else Margarethe Sonnefeld or Anderson, 28 Woodcroft Avenue aforesaid. Executrix dative qua relict. Value of Estate £496.11s. 5d. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has “ANDERSON, JAMES FORTUNE, d. 19/10/1917, Age 35, Master, Mercantile Marine, "Hazelwood", SON OF JOHN ANDERSON AND HELEN BRUCE ANDERSON, OF 26, FEAGUSHE, PAISLEY; HUSBAND OF ELSA MARGARETE ANDERSON, OF 5, KAISER FRIEDRICH STRASSE, GERMANY”, unfortunately, they do not say in which town or city she is residing, although a possibility is Berlin. Later records associated with their son see her residing in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Walton Lodge of Unity No. 1086 E.C.West Lancashire

Initiated
Passed
Raised
29th January 1917
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James either joined or was initiated into Walton Lodge No 1086 at Liverpool on 29 January 1917, aged 34 years his residence given as 28 Woodcroft Avenue, Broomhill, Glasgow, and occupation of Licensed Victualler.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2021-02-02 08:18:39