Lochgarry

Lochgarry was launched on the 14th June 1898 as Vulture for G & J Burns Ltd Glasgow . As part of the Burns fleet, Vulture, was mainly ustilised on the Ardrossan to Belfast. She was designed with adaptability to be able to travel to other routes, as her masts were ‘fidded’ which allowed the top mast to be lowered should she venture up the Manchester Ship Canal. During World War One she operated between Aberdeen and Bergen.
After the war she continued on the Belfast service, even after ownership was changed to Burns and Laird in 1922 before being renamed as Lairdsrock in 1929. After the discontinuation of the night service to Belfast in August 1936 Lairdrock was laid up at Ardrossan for a few months although she did venture out under charter to MacBraynes a couple of times.
She was eventually transferred full time to MacBraynes and her name was changed in January 1937 to Lochgarry. For her new role as MacBrayne crusie ship she underwent extensive remodelling; a new funnel, new passenger accommodation, shade deck and dining saloon. She displaced Lochbroom from the cruising route which would take her from Glagow to Oban, Mull, the Small Isles, Mallaig, Skye, Kyle and the far north west of the Scottish Mainland. It is thought that she would have continued long as part of the MacBrayne fleet if World War Two hadn’t got its hands on her.
Requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1940 she was one of many ships which took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk. After leaving Dunkirk on the 29th May she was damaged by bombs but made it back to England with over 1000 troops on board. After that she was involved as a transport ship between Douglas, Ramsey Barrow and Liverpool before moving on to a route between Leith and Reykjavik or Torshavn . It was on one of these journeys to Faroes, on the 21st January 1942 that she ran aground off Rathlin Island with 49 crew and one passenger on board. Twenty three members of her crew were lost. Her wreck is now a recognised dive site.


Text thanks to John MacLeod