Maritime History - Bristol Channel Shipwrecks
S.S. Cato - 1940 shipwreck at Nash Sands
BACKGROUND
The S.S. Cato was built by Campbeltown Shipbuilding Co, Yard No 99. & was requisitioned as a munitions carrier in the First World War. During World War II and on 10 March 1940 whilst en-route from Dublin to Bristol, the S.S. Cato struck a mine off Nash Point & sank (13 of her 15 crew perished).
THE GUINNESS WRECK
When the S.S. Cato sank off Nash Sands she was carrying a cargo of stout in barrels - these barrels appeared "washed-up" all along the coastline and many locals enjoyed the free drink that she provided.
The shipwreck was aptly nicknamed "The Guinness Wreck"
LOCAL LEGEND
Some tales from around the Kenfig coastline in respect of the Guinness Wreck.
The race was on between customs officials & the locals to secure the barrels and both early morning and late evening stolls along the local beaches became a very popular pastime. Some were caught in the act of hiding their finds and subsequently prosecuted but many local households enjoyed the free Guinness that year.
At Porthcawl the customs & excise hired a shed in Newton Dunes to store any barrels recovered which was under lock and key; however it didn't take the local workforce long to find their own way in - apparently the workforce over-indulged in the stout and couldn't work the following day as they were in no fit state.
Some of the barrels were found at Kenfig. Due to the remoteness of the dunes it made it difficult for the excise men to recover them. Regular patrols were made along the beach and any broken barrels found were tipped over allowing their contents to drain into the sand. The dunes however, provided hiding places for the barrels.
The blacksmith at Gaines Quarry in South Cornelly apparently recovered a barrel from one of these hiding places in the dunes during the night and transferred it undetected to a shed behind his smithy - there it remained hidden until all its contents had been disposed of over the following months.
Barrels that were hidden in the dunes were visited from time to time by some and jugs & bottles filled up and taken home, however with few permanent landmarks & the dunes in constant motion through the action of the wind, it is said that some barrels were never recovered & may even still be there today !!!
One tale recalls of a night time Guinness beach party where some revellers sitting astride an empty barrel & singing launched themselves out into Swansea Bay and were never seen again.
The main beneficiaries from the barrels on Kenfig Beach were said to have been personnel from RAF Stormy Down who possessed the organisation, the equipment and numbers to recover what barrels came ashore at this location.
A story from a former landlord of the New House Inn, North Cornelly who was a young lad at the time states that he and his mates went beachcombing at Kenfig at that time, they didn't find any barrels but instead came across an aircraft from Stormy Down that had made a forced landing due to engine failure. Mechanics from the airfield attended, removed the engine & repaired it in a makeshift workshop set up nearby.
When the lads arrived they helped the RAF men lift the engine back into its housing of the aircraft - as a thank you the crew invited the lads to join them for refreshments in their tent - it was Guinness of course !!!
Photo: c.1914 photograph by local photographer Vaughan-Jenkins of steam-ship SS Cato, (Bristol Steam Navigation Co) Cumberland Basin, Bristol.
webpage researcher/author
Copyright © Rob Bowen, Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2015
BACKGROUND
The S.S. Cato was built by Campbeltown Shipbuilding Co, Yard No 99. & was requisitioned as a munitions carrier in the First World War. During World War II and on 10 March 1940 whilst en-route from Dublin to Bristol, the S.S. Cato struck a mine off Nash Point & sank (13 of her 15 crew perished).
THE GUINNESS WRECK
When the S.S. Cato sank off Nash Sands she was carrying a cargo of stout in barrels - these barrels appeared "washed-up" all along the coastline and many locals enjoyed the free drink that she provided.
The shipwreck was aptly nicknamed "The Guinness Wreck"
LOCAL LEGEND
Some tales from around the Kenfig coastline in respect of the Guinness Wreck.
The race was on between customs officials & the locals to secure the barrels and both early morning and late evening stolls along the local beaches became a very popular pastime. Some were caught in the act of hiding their finds and subsequently prosecuted but many local households enjoyed the free Guinness that year.
At Porthcawl the customs & excise hired a shed in Newton Dunes to store any barrels recovered which was under lock and key; however it didn't take the local workforce long to find their own way in - apparently the workforce over-indulged in the stout and couldn't work the following day as they were in no fit state.
Some of the barrels were found at Kenfig. Due to the remoteness of the dunes it made it difficult for the excise men to recover them. Regular patrols were made along the beach and any broken barrels found were tipped over allowing their contents to drain into the sand. The dunes however, provided hiding places for the barrels.
The blacksmith at Gaines Quarry in South Cornelly apparently recovered a barrel from one of these hiding places in the dunes during the night and transferred it undetected to a shed behind his smithy - there it remained hidden until all its contents had been disposed of over the following months.
Barrels that were hidden in the dunes were visited from time to time by some and jugs & bottles filled up and taken home, however with few permanent landmarks & the dunes in constant motion through the action of the wind, it is said that some barrels were never recovered & may even still be there today !!!
One tale recalls of a night time Guinness beach party where some revellers sitting astride an empty barrel & singing launched themselves out into Swansea Bay and were never seen again.
The main beneficiaries from the barrels on Kenfig Beach were said to have been personnel from RAF Stormy Down who possessed the organisation, the equipment and numbers to recover what barrels came ashore at this location.
A story from a former landlord of the New House Inn, North Cornelly who was a young lad at the time states that he and his mates went beachcombing at Kenfig at that time, they didn't find any barrels but instead came across an aircraft from Stormy Down that had made a forced landing due to engine failure. Mechanics from the airfield attended, removed the engine & repaired it in a makeshift workshop set up nearby.
When the lads arrived they helped the RAF men lift the engine back into its housing of the aircraft - as a thank you the crew invited the lads to join them for refreshments in their tent - it was Guinness of course !!!
Photo: c.1914 photograph by local photographer Vaughan-Jenkins of steam-ship SS Cato, (Bristol Steam Navigation Co) Cumberland Basin, Bristol.
webpage researcher/author
Copyright © Rob Bowen, Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2015
SS Cato 'Barrel Smuggle' 2015
Porthcawl RNLI commemorative Second World War sinking of the SS Cato off Porthcawl's coast in 1940.
On Saturday 19 September, 2015 a short commemorative service was held at the Watchtower, Porthcawl harbour which was attended by Porthcawl RNLI staff and volunteers, Porthcawl Lions Club, Porthcawl Museum & History Society, the Mayor & Mayoress of Porthcawl, the County of Bridgend MP and others along with friends and relatives of the crew of the SS Cato who travelled to Porthcawl from Bristol to attend the service.
A commemorative plaque was unveiled and poems read to remember those lost in the incident.
webpage researcher/author
Copyright © Rob Bowen, Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2015
On Saturday 19 September, 2015 a short commemorative service was held at the Watchtower, Porthcawl harbour which was attended by Porthcawl RNLI staff and volunteers, Porthcawl Lions Club, Porthcawl Museum & History Society, the Mayor & Mayoress of Porthcawl, the County of Bridgend MP and others along with friends and relatives of the crew of the SS Cato who travelled to Porthcawl from Bristol to attend the service.
A commemorative plaque was unveiled and poems read to remember those lost in the incident.
webpage researcher/author
Copyright © Rob Bowen, Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2015