The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Appalling naval catastrophe set to be marked 100 years on
Series of collisions between ships and submarines in Firth of Forth saw 104 die
Fifers are being urged to unite later this month to mark one of the worst maritime tragedies in the Firth of Forth.
More than 100 sailors lost their lives in the so-called “Battle of May Island”, a naval catastrophe that occurred off the Anstruther coast on January 31 1918.
As preparations are made to mark the centenary of the disaster, Martin Dibley, secretary of Anstruther Community Council, said he hopes residents will come together to pay respects to those who lost their lives.
“It was something that was hushed up at the time,” he said.
“It is of great significance to the area because the only other memorial to it outside of Anstruther is in London.
“A lot of people lost their lives and so it is important that this is something that is commemorated.
“We hope this is something people will come out and support.”
Though referred to as a “battle”, the incident was in fact a catastrophic naval accident that involved no enemy forces.
A series of collisions occurred between submarines and ships sailing out on exercise from Rosyth, resulting in the loss of 104 men.
The wrecks of two of the sunken submarines, which lost the vast majorities of their crews, were only found in 2011 by surveyors scouting windfarm locations.
A memorial service will take place at St Ayle Church at 11am on the centenary of the disaster, with a wreath laying ceremony expected to take place afterwards at a memorial plaque at Anstruther Harbour.
Sandy Stuart, 70, of the Royal Naval Association (Submariners), who lives in Kirkcaldy and spent 22 years as a Royal Navy submariner, said: “I think it is important that people from Fife remember what happened.
“It’s particularly important that the young ones learn about it, like Armistice Day.
“It would have been incredibly frightening for those involved.”