William Hugh McBride

Died at Sea on the 13/08/1915 when a torpedo sunk the H.M.T. "Royal Edward

The Battalion sailed from Avonmouth on the 17/03/1915 for Gallipoli, going via Egypt and Mudros. They arrived at Cape Helles on the 25/04/1915. They were part of the 87th Brigade, 29th Division. William was lost at sea aboard Hired Military Troopship "Royal Edward" when it was torpedoed by UB-14 when transporting troops to Gallipoli. On the morning of the 13th August, "Royal Edward" passed the British Hospital ship "Soudan", heading in the opposite direction. Oberleutnant zur See Heino von Heimburg in the German submarine UB-14 was off the island of Kandeloussa and saw both ships. He allowed "Soudan" to pass unmolested, and focused his attention on the unescorted "Royal Edward" some 6 nautical miles (11 km) off Kandelioussa. He launched one of UB-14's two torpedoes from about 1 mile (1.6 km) away and hit "Royal Edward" in the stern. She sunk within 6 minutes with the loss of over 800 men. The H.M.T. "Royal Edward" was on her 2nd voyage through the Mediterranean when she was torpedoed in the Aegean Sea on Friday the 13th August 1915. She had left Avonmouth with most of her human freight on the 28th July. She called at Millbay, Plymouth, for the rest, the Royal Army Medical Corps., the Border Regiment and the Army Service Corps, and left in the evening on the 31st. It was a routine voyage to Alexandria but early on the 2nd day's travel the torpedo struck. William is listed as 8th BATTALION on the Coatbridge Memorial. He is also remembered on the Old Monkland Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Helles Memorial Panel List, his Service Records x 10, his Pension Record and the Border Regiment Cap Badge. Finally, see photos for the H.M.T. "Royal Edward" and photos of the survivors x 6 saved by the Hospital ship Soudan.