# Belgian Prince



## JMB (May 2, 2007)

I was photographing war graves near Oban for the War Grave Photographic Project today.

One of the outstanding ones that I did was Chief Officer Neil McDougall MORTON, the inscription on the grave seemed unusual so I looked it up when I got home and the incident was a major scandal at the time. The ship was torpedoed 200 miles from land, the 41 survivors were told to get on the hull of the U-Boat. The lifeboats were then sunk and most of them had their life jackets taken from them and all had their outer clothing taken. The U-Boat then submerged, there were only three survivors.




> IN
> SACRED AND LOVING MEMORY
> OF
> NEIL McDougall MORTON
> ...


Martin Briscoe


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## scorcher (Jul 2, 2007)

A very worthy project.Good for you.JMB.
Was the U-boat identified if so did the Capt
get his just deserts? 
Scorcher.
ps...having visited Hoots" URL...it made me
think about the human and physical devastation
that lies behind statistics.A photo would nail him
to his crimes for posterity.


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## ian d.cameron (Jul 3, 2005)

Didn’t even get a mention with his other murders. lived happily ever after
http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/710.html


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## JMB (May 2, 2007)

As far as I am aware this is the only identified grave of any of the crew of Belgian Prince. 2017 will be the centenery of the murders so I might put a letter in the local Oban newspaper (and perhaps Sunderland?) next year to see if any local groups are planning anything to commemorate the anniversary the following year.



*War Grave of Chief Officer Neil McDougall MORTON in Kilbrandon Old Churchyard*


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## Keltic Star (Jan 21, 2006)

Thank you for posting that sobering story Martin.
We Shall Remember.


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## Scelerat (Sep 18, 2012)

More here http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?11964 here http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=159426 here http://www.maritimequest.com/daily_event_archive/2008/07_july/31_ss_belgian_prince.htm and here https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/community/2356 and here http://www.seilchat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=740


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## JMB (May 2, 2007)

Anything been heard of any commemoration for the centenary of the sinking this year - 31st July 1917


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## JMB (May 2, 2007)

I was down at Easdale today and called in the museum. I mentioned the grave at Kilbrandon and they were not aware of it or of the story of the sinking of the Belgian Prince and murder of the crew even though someone had recorded local war graves.

It is the centenary of the sinking this year and I had thought of putting a letter in the local paper, one of the people was in the British Legion so hopefully they will mark the anniversary in some way.

I took a few more pictures of the grave in sunny weather.

Full setof images on FLICKR


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## JMB (May 2, 2007)

I mentioned the BELGIAN PRINCE to someone from Oban and Ganavan Heritage recently and commented that it is a pity that the grave of Chief Officer Morton gets little attention.

On 31st August members of three history groups gathered at the grave and placed flowers there, the story of the sinking of the SS BELGIAN PRINCE was told.

This was reported in the Oban Times with a photograph which can be accessed on PressReader using most libraries online service.


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