Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Appealdescendents of Jutland sailors

#HMScaroline – A large scale appeal to find descendants of sailors from the island of Ireland who served in the First World War Battle of Jutland is to be launched in the New Year.

The Newsletter also writes that, a series of events will be held on May 31 marking the centenary of a famous naval battle, in which thousands of men lost their lives.

The last surviving vessel of the Battle of Jutland, HMS Caroline as Afloat reported on will also be launched as a heritage visitor attraction in Belfast.

History Hub Ulster is supporting the Northern Irish Executive and Republic of Ireland Government in encouraging relatives of Irishmen who served at sea in the First World War to share their stories.

Thousands of men and women from across the island assisted the war effort at sea and in maritime roles. For more on the story, click here.

Published in Belfast Lough

About Commander Bill King, Solo Circumnavigator

William Donald Aelian King was the last surviving submarine commander in the Second World War - in charge of the British Navy's T-class Telemachus that sank a Japanese sub in the Strait of Malacca, between Malaysia and Sumatra, in 1944.

Decorated many times for his service by the end of the war, King became a trailblazing solo sailor.

At the age of 58, he was the oldest participant in The Sunday Times Golden Globe Race sailing Galway Blazer II, a junk-rigged schooner he designed himself.

After a number of abortive attempts, including an incident with "a large sea creature", he finally completed his solo circumnavigation of the globe in 1973.

Beyond his aquatic escapades, King settled with his wife Anita (who died in 1984, aged 70) at Oranmore Castle outside Galway after the war, where he later developed a pioneering organic farm and garden to help tackle his wife's asthma.

The round-the-world sailor and Galway native Bill King died on Friday, 21 September, 2012, aged 102.