More about John Angus

John Angus was the son of Mr Robert Angus of Bridgend, Perth and he attended the Dundee Institute of Technology to gain his qualifications. The SS Meaford, registered in Canada, was a bulk cargo vessel designed for the Great Lakes in North America and was sunk in the Atlantic by the German submarine U-63. There were no survivors. John Angus is remembered in the Perth Golden Book but the SS Meaford is not listed on Tower Hill Memorial in London probably because the ship was not registered in Britain.

MEAFORD was a steel bulk carrier built in 1903 at Wallsend-on-Tyne, England, by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. 248.0 x 42.0 x 20.6, 1889 Gross. Originally built for Montreal Transportation Co. Ltd., Montreal, but returned to builder as “unacceptable” and then purchased by Farrar Transportation Co. Ltd., Collingwood. Chartered March 10, 1915 to Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Co. Ltd. and used in coal trade between Sydney, N.S., and Montreal. Returned to lakes Autumn 1915 to assist with movement of 1915 grain harvest. Returned to wartime service on salt water 1916 and later chartered to French government for Mediterranean service. Whilst in Mediterranean on June 12, 1917, en route from Swansea, encountered a submarine near Sicily and sank it with third shell fired. Dominion Naval Service Dept. awarded her crew a prize of $500 for the feat. MEAFORD was lost on March 27, 1918 whilst en route from Bougie to Belfast via Gibraltar with a cargo of phosphate. She was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-53 (Hans Rose) in the Atlantic. She was originally reported as missing and was lost with all hands. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?177182

Casualty of the Great War, John, [Mercantile Marine] aged 33, was a Second Mate on the s.s. “Meaford”, torpedoed and sunk by U 53 (Hans Rose) about 60 miles SSW of Fastnet, North Atlantic. She was sailing from Bougie to Belfast with a cargo of phosphate.

The “Meaford” was originally listed as going missing on 30 March. All hands were lost.

Second Mate Angus was the son of the late Robert Angus of Bridgend, Perth. He was accepted for commemoration as Great War dead on 27th April 2016.

The three Royal Navy casualties were:
Seaman William Barry, RNR, A 3782-Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Leading Seaman John Gleave, RNR, A 6133-Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Signalman Arnold D. Robinson, RNVR, Mersey Z 3500-Plymouth Naval Memorial

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SECOND MATE JOHN ANGUS
Mercantile Marine
S.S. “Meaford” (Toronto)
Died 02 April 1918
Age 33 years old
Commemorated at TOWER HILL MEMORIAL – Addenda Panel
Son of the late Robert Angus of Bridgend, Perth.