When the troopship Otranto went down on October 6, 1918 near the end of World War I, Ray City and Berrien County, GA paid a heavy toll. Among the hundreds of Otranto dead were dozens of soldiers from Berrien. For weeks news of the disaster trickled into American newspapers. Facts were sketchy at best – In some cases, soldiers who perished in the sinking were incorrectly reported as survivors. The article below incorrectly reported the Irish coast as the site of the sinking. In actuality, the ship went down of the coast of the Isle of Islay, Scotland. It would nearly two months before the names of the lost were known to the folks at home…
Atlanta Constitution
November 28, 1918Berrien County Paid Big Toll On The Otranto
Nashville, Ga., November 27.- (Special.) – Berrien county paid a terrible toll in the loss of her young men when the ill-fated Otranto went down off the Irish coast a few weeks ago [October 6, 1918]; in today’s list seven new names of dead from here were added the to already heavy toll. The names of the dead in today’s list include:
Joe Wheeler, son of John Wheeler, of this city; Lester Handcock, son of Joe Handcock, of Enigma;
William P. Hays, father unknown [George Robert Hayes, died 1914], of Enigma; James M. McMillen, son of Jake McMillen, of Alapaha; Ben F. McCranie, son of Neil McCranie, of Adel. Mr. McCranie had heretofore lost his son-in-law, Gordon Flowers, killed in action some weeks ago. Shelby [Shellie] L. Webb, son of Thomas Webb, of Ray City; Arthur Harper, son of Peter Harper, of Alapaha.
Those Berrien county boys reported lost prior to this report include Jim Boyett, son of Jack Boyett, of Milltown; Guy Coppage, son of Guy G. Coppage, of Cecil; Lafayette Gaskins, son of Bart Gaskins, of Ray City; Bennie E. Griner, son of Ben Griner, of this city; Robert J. Hancock, son of J. J. Hancock, of Lenox, George H. Hutto, son of Luke Hutto, of Adel; Mack Easters, son of Benjamin Easters, of Lenox; George B. Faircloth, son of Colon Easters, of Milltown; Thomas H. Holland, son of K. H. Holland, of Adel; Ralph Knight, son of Walt Knight, of Ray City; William McMillen, son of B. [Burrell] McMillen of Enigma; John F. Moor, son of Frank Moor, of Adel; Charley Railey, son of John Railey, of Alapaha; William C. Zeigler, son of J. W. [Jesse] Zeigler, of Sparks; Thomas J. Sirmans, son of Mose Sirmans, of this city; Richard [Rufus] Davis, father unknown [Elisha E. Davis].
The dead from this accident bring Berrien county’s total to about 45 fatalities from all causes during the war. Based upon population, this county has undoubtedly suffered greater loss in men dead than any other county in this state, because of so many of her boys on board the Otranto. The people here will take steps to preserve the memory of these boys by appropriate construction on the public square, it is said.
Atlanta Constitution, November 28, 1918 – Berrien County Paid Big Toll on the Otranto
Otranto Stories in Ray City History
- Seeking Descendants of HMS Otranto Disaster Victims and Survivors
- HMS Otranto Sank Ninety-four Years Ago
- OTRANTO SUNK IN COLLISION
- Oct 12, 1918 ~ 372 U.S. Soldiers Lost in Sinking of Otranto
- October 13-15, 1918 ~ RECOVERING CORPSES FROM OTRANTO WRECK
- The American Red Cross and the Otranto Rescue
- J.M. DeLoach Jumped from the HMS OTRANTO
- Ralph Knight ~ Otranto Disaster
- Shellie Loyd Webb – Lost at Sea
- The Long Trip Home
- Ralph Knight ~ Ray City Soldier ~ WWI
- Thomas Jefferson Sirmons Rests at Mount Pleasant Church Cemetery
- Alvin Claude Bozeman and the Sinking of the HMS Otranto
- Burial of the Otranto Victims
- Bivouac of the Dead
- Red Cross was at the Ready for HMS Otranto Survivors
- Islay Remembered Otranto Soldiers at Christmas Time
- Let Us Unveil
- Hero of Otranto Rescue Shot Dead
- Armistice Day Memorial to Soldiers from Berrien County, GA Killed During WWI
- Ray City, GA Veterans of World War I
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