THE Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society’s winter programme of lectures and activities continues this weekend with a lecture at the Manx Museum on the danger that German U-boats posed in the seas around the island during the First World War.
At 2.30pm on Saturday (November 16) the society will host a talk by author Adrian Corkill entitled ‘Hostile Sea - Wreck of the Schooner Tommi’.
Coming soon after the Remembrance Day ceremonies and in the lead-up to next year’s commemorations of the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War, this talk will be based on Mr Corkill’s new book, also entitled Hostile Sea, concerning the dark days of the German U-Boat submarine offensive in the waters around the island.
The sinking of the schooner Tommi by submarine U-86 in May 1918 is one of 61 such events all around the Irish Sea covered by the book. While research into the internment camp at Knockaloe has greatly increased our knowledge of one unique aspect of the island’s history in recent years, Mr Corkill’s work emphasises how dangerous travel to and from the island became during the conflict, despite the apparent distance of the Isle of Man from the main theatres of war.
The Tommi’s sinking is of particular relevance to the present time because its wreck was discovered off the Calf of Man only this year. Mr Corkill will be outlining the ship’s story as well as how the wreck was found and what relics remain on the seabed today.
Later this month, on Saturday, November 23, people interested in the society’s Traditional Buildings of Mann project, aiming to record and highlight the importance of preserving Manx vernacular buildings, will have another chance to join in with a bit of fieldwork. This time they will need to meet society representatives in Bride car park at 10.30am and the research destination will be Ballagarrett tholtan.
