The Wreck of the Varvassi

Needles, Isle of Wight - 5 January 1947

Greek Steamer wrecked on Needles Rock

Picture from the County Press

Crew rescued by lifeboat

Waterlogged and abandoned, the victim of one of the most inexplic­able accidents In the history, of wrecks on the Island coast, a Greek cargo steamer is lying athwart the Needles Bridge, a line of under­water rocks stretching between the Needles lighthouse and the Bridge buoy, marking the channel. How she came to run on the rocks is a mystery.

At 6.55 a.m. on Sunday, in perfectly clear weather, officers at the R.N. Signal Station and those on board the pilot cutter, who were waiting to put a pilot on board, saw that she was on a wrong course and made every attempt to warn her of her danger by sounding syrens and flashing the interna­tional warning signal “U.” Apparently all the signals were unoticed as the ship continued on her course and struck the rocks, lodging firmly in an upright position.

Cargo of Tangerines.

The ship is the S.S. Varvassi, a vessel of 3874 tons, inward bound from Algiers with a cargo of 300 tons of tangerines and a quantity of Algerian wine for Southampton and iron ore for Boulogne. She had a crew of 34 and was in com­mand of Capt. George A. CoufopandeIis.

The Varvassi was built in 1915 by the Northumberland Shipbuilding Co., of Newcastle, and is registered at The Piræus in the name of Mrs. Evgenia J. Crandris, who purchased her last year. Previously she was the Lady Charlotte. Coast watchers estimated the speed of the vessel at about three knots when she struck, and although full tide was not until 65 minutes later she was so firmly wedged on the rocky ledge that she failed to move at high water. By this time the Yarmouth lifeboat, under Coxswain G. Smith, was on the scene, but in reply to signals the Varvassi informed him that she did not require assistance and, that a tug had been sent for. Immediately after she grounded the pilot cutter put a Trinity House pilot (Comdr. J. F. H. Coombes, R.D., R.N.R, of Wootton) on board the vessel, and the lifeboat stood by until the arrival, shortly before noon, of the Calshot, one of Southampton’s most powerful tugs.

Refloating Efforts Fail.

After again making sure that her assistance was not required the lifeboat returned to harbour after five hours at sea, during which time a moderate south-east breeze had strengthened to half a gale and a heavy sea was running in the Channel. The coxswain consulted the lifeboat secretary (Capt. A. G. Cole) and the crew were warned to hold themselves ready to go out again at a moment’s notice. Mr. H. Simmond’s motor launch Dianne was chartered by the salvage firm Messrs. Risdon, Beasley, and Co., of Southampton, to take their representative (Mr. A. Barker) to the stranded vessel, and he was put on board after considerable diffi­culty, owing to the rough sea.

As the tide ebbed the ship worked slightly nearer to the lighthouse, and the tug Calshot, commanded by Capt. E. J.. Chisman, worked for nearly three hours under great diffi­culty running out the stricken vessel’s port anchor in an attempt to prevent further movement. The first two lines on the anchor parted under the strain, but eventually the tug was able to run out 110 fathoms of chain and make the anchor fast to the westward.

At 7.15 p.m. the lifeboat was asked I to return to the scene and to stand by In case of mishap when an attempt was made to refloat the vessel on the evening tide at about  9 p.m. Before then, however, it was obvious that nothing could be done that night, and the master signalled to the tug that the Varvassi was making water and any attempt to refloat her in the dark and on that tide would be inadvis­able. Acting on this advice the tug made no attempt to tow, but stood by throughout the night. The lifeboat also stood by until 2.30 a.m. on Monday and then, after the crew had been assured that further assistance was unnecessary, she returned to Yarmouth, after battling with tremendous seas for over seven hours, with freezing rain and occasional flurries of snow adding to the lifeboatmen’s discomfort.

Ship Abandoned and Crew Rescued.

The lifeboat crew, tired out after their strenuous efforts, were allowed little rest, as they, were again sum­moned from their beds by maroon when the coxswain was informed at 6.5 a.m. that the crew of the Varvassi wished to be taken off imme­diately. Within a few minutes of the call being received the lifeboat was out on her third errand of mercy In 24 hours. Getting along­side in the lee of the steamer was a tricky and dangerous operation, and when in this position the lifeboatmen found that the waves, which were breaking clean over the Varvassi and threatening to wash the officers off the bridge, poured across the deck and down into their

boat. In spite of these handicaps, however, all those on board were safely transferred to the lifeboat, and brought to Yarmouth. The crew were compelled to abandon all their personal belongings. One of them brought with him the ship’s mascot, a black and white kitten, which he presented to the landlord of the Kings Head Hotel, Yarmouth, where the officers and crew were given shelter. The hotel saloon soon resembled the forecastle of a ship, with lifejackets piled high against one wall, steaming clothing drying before a huge fire, and the men changing rapidly Into dry clothing distributed by Mr. Rupert Simpson, the local representative of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society. Clothing for the: rescued men was provided by Mr. C. Morris Dabell, of Newport, who always holds in stock sufficient articles to cloth five men. When he learned from Yar­mouth Police that 35 men were coming ashore he saw other Newport clothiers and managed to obtain further items, which, he took to Yarmouth. Mr. Dabell is a member of the Chale and Brook Shipwreck Fund …….. guaranteed  the Shipwrecked Mariners Society to get dry clothing to any shipwrecked crew on the Island within an hour.

The crew were loud in their praise of  the second engineer (Mr. C. Vitsasakis), who kept up steam until the last moment, and, with pumps going from the moment she struck, managed to keep the engine, room dry and the lighting installa­tion in good order. When pump­ing ceased, as the vessel was aban­doned, all the.lights went out before the lifeboat had travelled a quarter of a mile from the wreck. With the exception of a 27-year-old fire­man, Alfred Craig, of Glasgow, the crew are all Greeks or South Americans Craig’s only comment, when seen by a “County Press” representative, was “ I’m ‘cheesed off and want to go home.” Never­theless he was one of the first volunteers when an officer asked for a party of 12 to return to the wreck to attempt to salvage personal belongings The remaining 22, left for Southampton, travelling to the mainland on the 10.40 a.m. ferry from Yarmouth to Lymington.

During the morning the captain went out to the salvage boat, Lady Southborough, which is now stand­ing by, and the Calshot and another salvage vessel which had raced through tremendous seas from operations on the Goodwins to offer her assistance returned to Southampton.

Live Cattle on Board.

Shortly after 1 p.m. Mr. H. Simmonds, boatbuilder, of Yarmouth, and his three sons put off to the wreck with the volunteer crew, and, favoured by a lull in the weather, and bright sunshine, they worked until darkness and suc­ceeded in saving the whole of the wrecked crew’s personal belongings. One of the first to go on board was the captain and his first thought was for the safety of seven heifers penned on deck, which were carried to provide fresh meat on the voyage. He firmly rejected a sugges­tion that the animals should be shot and personally fed and watered them. Mr. J. Simmonds also gave them food and water before return­ing to Yarmouth. Among the possessions rescued by the crew were a number of pets, including cats and caged canaries. These were left on board the salvage craft. The Captain and officers also re­mained on board this vessel, but the remainder’ of the party crossed to the mainland the same evening by the last ferry of the day.

Officers and members of the crew told our representative that when the ship stopped to pick up a pilot the combination of current and wind drove them on to the rocks.

Throughout Tuesday it was impossible for any vessel to get alongside the wreck, although local boatmen wished to take out food and water to the cattle. On Wednesday Mr. Harry Simmonds left Yarmouth at 7.45 a.m. in fog, which prevented the ferry steamers from crossing and managed to put on board a licensed slaughterer, who despatched the seven heifers quickly and humanely. The carcases were thrown overboard. An hour afterwards heavy seas were break­ing over the vessel and a R.A.S.C. tank landing craft, which twice tried to go alongside to take off some of the cargo had to abandon the attempt. On Thursday the sea was again too rough to admit of boarding the vessel.

The 'Varvassi' was a Greek steamer of 3,800 tons from Piraeus and was wrecked a 100 yards from the lighthouse. 

The Cargo included tangerines (a real treat, every home had a dish!) and barrels of red wine. The wine 'punched up' with sugar was almost palatable. An ex-German P.o.W. at Fort Warden brewed up a concoction which would have made a good paint stripper."