11th March 1915 –
Bayano sunk, 196 lost

bayano-1Bayano was a banana boat owned by Elders & Fyffes. Built in 1913 by Alexander Stephen’s of Glasgow, she was requisitioned in November 1914 as an armed merchant cruiser, pendant number M78. She was equipped with two 6-in guns and some light armament, and attached to the 10th Cruiser Squadron. Under the command of Captain H.C. Carr, she was heading for Liverpool to refuel.

HMS_Bayano_with_dazzle_camouflage_c1914-15Around 5.15am on 11th March 1915 Bayano was intercepted some three miles off Corsewall Point, near Stranraer by the German submarine U-27, under Lt. Cmdr. Bernd Wegener. Hit by a torpedo, Bayano sank very quickly, with the loss of her captain, 14 officers and 181 crew. Only four officers and 22 ratings were rescued.