Laurentic Memorial

A century has passed since 354 men perished in the icy waters at the mouth of Lough Swilly, County Donegal, Ireland with the sinking of the HMS Laurentic on 25th January 1917. The impact of this tragedy was felt by families throughout the world. From small coastal communities in Scotland, the Western Isles, The Orkney Islands, Ireland and Canada, from the industrial heartlands of England to the Southern coasts of Cornwall and Devon, from Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Africa. Some of these men had entered service in the Navy many years before the outbreak of war, some had formed part of the Laurentic crew while she served as a luxurious Trans-Atlantic passenger ship in the White Star Line and many had been called up from the Royal Naval Reserves.
For the past 10 years the loss of HMS Laurentic has been remembered in the Republic of Ireland by The Ulster Canada Initiative in ceremonies in the villages of Fahan and Buncrana. Plans are now underway to erect a commemorative memorial at Fort Dunree in County Donegal, overlooking the site of the disaster. Included in this undertaking is a fundraising component to finance the manufacture of a fitting memorial.