Thistleban: The Thistleban was a cargo ship of 4,117 Grt built at Craig, Taylor & Co., Ltd. (Yard No. 141), Stockton for the Albyn Line, Ltd. (Allen, Black & Co.), Sunderland. the ship was launched 25 June 1910 and completed the following month. She was 112.8 meters in length, 15.7 meters in beam, with a single screw and a cruising speed of 11 knots. Requisitioned for by the British Admiralty for war service and defensively armed.                                                             No Photo Available On 23 December 1916, while on the Karachi-Hull route carrying a cargo of rape seed, linseed, and peas, the Thistleban struck a mine, or mines, 5 miles North-Northwest of Alexandria which had been laid by the U-73 (Gustav Seiss) the previous day. The ship was beached on 24 December and declared a total loss. Note: The National Archives at Kew contain the records of the Court of Enquiry into the loss of this vessel and charges against Leading SEaman T. Boyle RNR and Ordinary Seaman J. Carroll RNVR for non-compliance to Admiralty Orders. References: Miramar Single Ship Report for "1123968" http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/Mariners/2002-01/1011950428 http://www.naval-history.net/WW1LossesBrMS1914-16.htm http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/5993.html