Orders, Decorations and Medals

Women’s Memorial Plaque 1914-18 (Hannah Owen) extremely fine £1200-1500

Stewardess Hannah Owen, Mercantile Marine, died on 10 October 1918, when the S.S. Leinster was torpedoed by a German submarine. She was the daughter of William and Mary Owen, of Holyhead, and is buried in the Holyhead (Maeshyfryd) Burial Board Cemetery.

The steamship Leinster maintained the Irish-English service of her company (City of Dublin Steam Packet Co) throughout four years of the First World War. On the morning of 10 October 1918, she left Kingstown for Holyhead with 680 passemgers and crew under command of Captain W. Birch. When only a few hours out she was torpedoed by a German submarine and sank with the loss of 480 lives. Two torpedoes struck the ship, the first exploding near the bows where 22 Post Office officials were engaged in sorting the mail. Of these men 21 were killed instantly. The second torpedo penetrated her engine room and killed and injured many persons. Captain Birch had an eye blown out by splinters from the explosion and his leg smashed; he was pulled into a boat but was drowned when it capsized later.

The weather was bad, with a very heavy sea, nevertheless an attempt was made to take the steamship in tow, while an S.O.S. was sent out. In response to this a destroyer came on the scene in time to rescue 33 persons, but too late to assist the Leinster, which had foundered in the meantime. At the time of the attack many passengers were lying in their berths owing to the rough sea, and there was much confusion when they rushed on deck. Several of the boats were got out too hurriedly and capsized.