Heron

Heron was a naval patrol boat that picked up sixteen people, thirteen men and three women, all from the water. Three of the men and two of the women were dead, while the last surviving woman, Julia O’Sullivan, was in a critical state of collapse. Heron brought 11 survivors and 5 bodies to Kinsale, the closest port, to rush Julia O’Sullivan to immediate medical attention. As the patrol boat entered Kinsale, Heron was flying a signal for help and her ensign was at half mast.

Heron arrived in Kinsale harbor at 8 p.m. on the evening of Friday, 7 May 1915, about 6-and-one-half hours after the Lusitania sinking. Large crowds of concerned people greeted the patrol boat. The dead bodies were immediately taken to the morgue attached to the barracks, while the survivors were immediately taken care of.

Italics indicate survivor. List has been researched to be complete.

Survivors aboard Heron

Name Age Class or Dept Citizenship Residence
BOTTOMLEY, Mr. Fred 26 3rd British New York, NY, USA
CRITCHISON, Mr. Stanley Lascelles 31 2nd British (Canadian) Hamilton, On., Canada
DOYLE, Mr. Michael 31 3rd British (Irish) Kenmore, Co. Kerry, Ireland
HORRIGAN, Master Cornelius 16 Victualling British
HOTCHKISS, Mr. Charles Victualling British
LIVERMORE, Mr. Vernon Victualling British Liverpool, Lancashire, England
PRESTON-SMITH, Mr. John 28 2nd British (English) Southbanks, Yorkshire, England
ROWBOTHAM, Mr. Harold E. Victualling British
SULLIVAN (O’ SULLIVAN), Mrs. Florence (Julia O’Neill) 25 2nd British (Irish) New York, NY, USA
THOMPSON, Mr. Joseph 40 3rd British Canton, OH, USA
TONER (TOWER), Mr. Francis “Frank”  Engineering British (Irish) Liverpool, Lancashire, England


Bodies aboard Heron

Name Age Class or Dept Citizenship Residence Place of Internment Body number
CAMPBELL-JOHNSTON, Mrs. Conway Seymour Godfrey (Ida Amelia McBride) 57 Saloon British Pasadena, CA, USA 2, Kinsale
CHAMBERLIN, Mr. Richard Victualling British 5, Kinsale
CRANSTON, Mr. George Victualling British 4, Kinsale
MATTHEWS, Lt. Robert 34 2nd British (Canadian) Moose Jaw, Sk., Canada Cork, Ireland 1, Kinsale
SHINEMAN, Mrs. James W. (Margaret McKenzie) 2nd USA Oil City, WY, USA St. Multose Church, Kinsale, Ireland 3, Kinsale


Contributors
Jim Kalafus, USA
Senan Molony, Ireland
Mike Poirier, USA

References
Cork Examiner. 10 May 1915, page 9.

Kalafus, Jim and Michael Poirier. (2005) “Lest We Forget Part 2 : As The Lusitania Went Down.” Gare Maritime (ref: #4701, accessed 25th April 2015 05:08:40 PM)
URL : http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/lusitania-lest-we-forget-2.html

Molony, Senan. Lusitania: An Irish Tragedy, page 103. Mercier Press, 2004.

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