TUSCANIA
NEW YORK - HALIFAX - GLASGOW - SOUTHAMPTON - LIVERPOOL - LE HAVRE
Name: jack marshall Email: jill_at_timberridge{at}yahoo.ca Comments: thanks for changing my dads name joseph marsoluk May 5, 2008 02:40:19 (GMT Time)
Name: George Cowie Email: georgegcowie{at}aol.com Comments: Very interesting site. My great granduncle, Francis Cowie, was a member of the Minnesota contingent of the famed Rainbow Division, and a link from there led to this site. I am always fascinated with those who remember those who perished in The Great War, "The War to end All Wars," as, we were told by our parents, they were so taught to remember it ( and who in turn suffered through WW2). Will the savagery never end? As a sailor in our navy, we all were ready for death at sea, no bodies to be found, and expected no more. It is encouraging to read of those who were there. I have gotten a new appreciation for the Harry Truman who died on Mt St Helen's slopes - how that meant so little to he who had seen so much in France and at sea in the Atlantic as a survivor of the Tuscania. How wonderful of the little clan on the island of Islay to maintain the memorial and the grave of the sole remaining victim of the harrowing attack, and to read the submarine commander's cold-blooded description of February 4, 2008 05:12:48 (GMT Time)
Name: J.D. Hollingshead Email: p-jhol{at}texasbb.com Comments: I have a Winchester model 1892 (mfg in 1906) cal. 32-20 that belonged to Capt. Leo P. Lebron who was killed on the Tuscania. The rifle previously belonged to Capt. Lebron's nephew. January 23, 2008 17:33:04 (GMT Time)
Name: Steve Horton Email: wolflake740{at}aol.com Comments: Think of you often, Harry. Visited your beloved mountain and I can understand why you didn't want to leave. RIP January 14, 2008 06:29:03 (GMT Time)
Name: john montgomery Email: machairfailte{at}gmail.com Comments: my mother comes from Islay off where the Tuscania and Otranto sunk. She was a young girl then and has some vivid memories December 27, 2007 07:04:23 (GMT Time)
Name: Judith Bartholomew Email: Bartholo_j{at}sbcglobal.net Comments: My gosh, this is absolutely beautiful, and a fitting tribute to the men on the Tuscania. Thank you for all the time that you have put in, to bringing this about. November 5, 2007 20:59:15 (GMT Time)
Name: Mavis Gulliver Email: mavisgulliver{at}googlemail.com Comments: I live close to Kilnaughton Cemetery on Islay where there are still graves of 5 men in addition to that of Roy Muncaster (mentioned in our aticle) who lost their lives on the Tuscania. These are C. Mullen Fireman, H.Stewart, Fireman, G.Smpson, Steward, J.Logan, Trimmer and Unknown Negro. Perhaps these were not American servicemen although they are in the military cemetery and all the graves, except that of the negro bear an insignia of an anchor in a circle surmounted by a crown. Most poignant to me is the fact that all the graves bear a cross - except that of the negro. Was this just an omission or did the color of his skin have something to do with it? Just a few thoughts which came into mind as I passed the graves this morning and was prompted to find out a bit more of the history. October 16, 2007 11:16:15 (GMT Time)
Response: Known Unto God his identity and his origins remain a mystery. No, I don't believe that the good people of Islay, the Anchor Line nor the U.S. Army discriminated against this man because he was black. The U.S. Army accounted for all their men whom were on the Tuscania. The U.S. Army did have some other ethnic casualties that were initially buried on Islay such an American Pima Indian, a Mexican, and a South Pacific Islander whom were buried in either Brookwood or sent home to American for burial. The Islanders of Islay were heavily involved in the recovery, the casket and tombstone making, and burial of the Tuscania victims on islay. And from what I have learned they were also involved exhuming the bodies in the 1920's and taking the bodies to a barge offshore.
Museum of Islay's curator (31 October) states: "Police Sergeant Malcolm McNeil's records were of the bodies that washed ashore from the 'Otranto' which sunk off Islay in the autumn of 1918, not the 'Tuscania'." I had hoped that Sgt. McNeil could offer some general description regarding this unknown from the Tuscania. The CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) states the unknown in Kilnaughton is a British Negro according to their archived records, no further data was ever recorded. The U.S. Army records describe this man as a member of the British Crew - a half caste-negro. Recently I discovered the 1918 manifest of Merchant Marines whom served on the last voyage of the Tuscania, and it was very descriptive, I transcribed it to this web site. At this time this 'Unknown Negro' buried in Kilnaughton Military cemetery might possibly be Pedro Miares whom was a Fireman aboard the Tuscania. The manifest states that he is from Paraguay, South America age 45, 5'4" height, 150 lbs. The CWGC records reflect that he lived at 6 Frederick St., Liverpool, England, and had a wife named Elizabeth Gosling-Miares. Without any further descriptive burial records of this unknown, its kind of hard to make a postitive match, if we knew this mans approximent age and height, it might reveal stronger evidence as to this mans identity.
October. 31, 2007 12:06 PM (PDT Time)
Name: Mario Weidner Email: mm.weidner{at}hotmail.com Comments: Today is the 10.th Anniversary, when my good friend Tommy Cecil died after a dive to the Tuscania. I will never forget his enthusiasm when I showed Tommy the new material from the German Submarine Archives back in 1995, which finally gave the last information to find the exact wreck position and to dive and identify the wreck. It is a sad day today for those who knewTommy as a good friend. You are missing Tommy but your spirit and memories will never die in my heart! R.I.P. September 21, 2007 15:35:29 (GMT Time)
Name: Cathy Sheldrick Email: pta4u{at}hotmail.com Comments: I came across some pictures that belonged to my Grandfather, George Joseph Patrice, who was part of the 100th Aero Squadron in WW1. Three of the pictures of men in his squadron had notes on them that said "Drowned on transport Tuscania". I wanted to research this vessel and came upon this sight. I found it very informative and sad. I wasn't aware of this tragedy. Thank you for bringing this information to the public. June 21, 2007 21:27:58 (GMT Time)