WWI shipwreck mail : "Norwegian"

[Tony Walker]

I recently acquired a cover from the 'Norwegian', which the accompanying details say she was sunk on 13 March 1917 when returning from the USA, 4 miles off County Cork.  Efforts to find more information about this ship and the sinking have been almost fruitless via the internet, but I'm sure there is something out there.

It is noted that the wreck until recently was attributed to the Laconia which was sunk on 25 February 1917 (no mail known from that ship).  This implies the wreck has been dived etc.  If anyone can point me to more information I would be grateful.

Cheers
Tony

[Frank Schofield]

Tony

The Norwegian. F Leyland & Co, built 1912, 6327 tons, Torpedoed off  Cork on 13th March 1917 by U.boat number not known, 5.killed.

Frank

[Tony Walker]

Thanks Frank.  Here is more details about the two items I have

I have two wreck items from this ship.  David Morrison suggests the book by Hoggarth and Gwynn might provide some information - I do not have that book, anyone out there to check it?

One of the items is particularly interesting and members may be able to comment.  It is a newspaper wrapper (flimsy tracing-paper like) with printed heading (from) 'The Oriental Missionary Standard' with a 2 sen Japanese stamp.  The paper is published monthly in Tokyo it says on the wrapper, and 'Free to Supporters of the Work'.  The wrapper is addressed to Belfast.  It has two strikes in black of the cachet : DAMAGED BY SEA WATER.  The cancel looks as though the date might be 6.2.(17)?, I assume it is a Japanese cancel.

There may have an obvious answer, but how did a Japanese newspaper/wrapper be on board a ship from Boston to Liverpool ?
I'll attach a scan of part of the wrapper

I will separately scan the second item as I doubt the website can cope with both at the same time,  This is more straightforward with a machine cancel from Milford. Conn (Connecticut presumably) dated 24 Feb 17, and is addressed to Boston, sent by 'Drawer A. of Milford, Conn. It has the same cachet in black.  HOWEVER on the reverse is a resealing label, possibly affixed in Ireland when the ship foundered ?  She was close to the Irish coast at Cork.  Since my initial post I came across a reference which said the ship was beached, but was a total loss.  This could explain the modest loss of life and an Irish? label.

Stop Press : As I type this a telephone call from Reg Gleave (FPHS member) with a copy of the above book in his hand.  Reg says there are several pages about the 'Norwegian' and has given me the name of the person from whom I might get a copy.  Nevertheless I'll continue with this post -'I've started so I'll finish' as they say,

Second scan to follow

Cheers
Tony

[Tony Walker]

Here is the second cover referred to in my post above

Cheers
Tony

[Graham Mark]

Hello Tony
My information drawn from Hoggarth & Gwynn book says "Norwegian" was beached after an explosion but no submarine was seen.  Hocking and "Lloyds List" both state is was a torpedo, but other sources (German) say it was a mine laid by U-43, five miles off Seven Heads, Co Cork (25 miles SW of the entrance to Cork Harbour.
A lot of mail to and from the Far East was routed via North America, much of it bearing Canadian censor markings as Vancouver was the home port of the Canadian ships which carried the trans-Pacific mail from Japan.
Best regards
Graham