SS Alfred Erlandsen Disaster
At 20.30 hrs on 17 October 1907, in raging seas and thick fog, the SS Alfred Erlandsen struck the rocks known as Ebb Carrs off St Abbs.
She was bound from Riga to Grangemouth with a cargo of timber for Kirkwood & Co, Glasgow and was crewed by 17 Danes.
By 21.00 hrs the fog cleared temporarily and her predicament was assessed.
The Eyemouth Coastguard was immediately informed. By 22.30 hrs the Eyemouth Rocket Brigade was in position at Castle Rock Villa but the ship was out of range. The Eyemouth lifeboat, the Sarah Pickard, was on the scene about midnight but no survivors were located and she returned to port at 2.00 hrs.
The Dunbar lifeboat had been summoned also, the signal reaching Dunbar No. 1 station at 22.15 hrs. Fifty fishermen were taken in 4 open carts to Skateraw where they hauled their lifeboat, the Sarah Kay, over the beach and launched her into mountainous seas at 23.00 hrs. She was powered by 15 men with oars and canvas. She was at the wreck at 3.00 hrs. From the shore they were signaled to return home. They reached Skateraw at 8.30 hrs and had been rowing for almost 10 hours in treacherous seas.
It is hoped to mark the 100th anniversary of the loss by adding to the memorial in Coldingham churchyard a granite slab inscribed with the copy of the top of the brass plaque put up by the children of St Abbs in their church after the wreck, and now in Coldingham Priory Church.
A short ceremony was held at the memorial on the 100th anniversary.
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