SS Royal Iris

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
<h3>Pre war</h3>
<p><i>Iris</i> was built by Robert Stephenson & Sons of Newcastle. She was launched in 1906 and completed in June 1906.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> She was put into service as one of the <a href="/facts/Mersey_Ferry/3mlDWlC4">Mersey ferries</a> operating  between <a href="/facts/Liverpool/kTqATlxg">Liverpool</a> and <a href="/facts/Wallasey/Uls8XYWa">Wallasey</a>.
</p>
<h3>Zeebrugge Raid</h3>
<p>In 1918 <i>Iris</i> was requisitioned by the <a href="/facts/Royal_Navy/Xdy8YCH7">Royal Navy</a> to take part in the <a href="/facts/Zeebrugge_Raid/C8suJIGa">Zeebrugge Raid</a>, being renamed <i>HMS Iris II</i>. On <a href="/facts/St_George%2527s_Day/NpArs23e">St George's Day</a> 23 April 1918, <i>Iris</i> along with another Mersey ferry, <a href="/facts/SS_Royal_Daffodil/CzqP950T"><i>Daffodil</i></a>, was towed across the <a href="/facts/English_Channel/UPjaSEXf">English Channel</a> to <a href="/facts/Zeebrugge/ae754wQ6">Zeebrugge</a> by <a href="/facts/HMS_Vindictive_(1897)/VPKnXMUr"><i>Vindictive</i></a>. Embarked were four platoons - known as "A" Company (or "The Chatham Company") of the Fourth Battalion of <a href="/facts/Royal_Marines/2HmTrRnx">Royal Marines</a>, and a storming party of sailors - known as "D" Company - commanded by Major Eagles and Lieutenant Commander <a href="/facts/George_Nicholson_Bradford/9UplDeM4">George Nicholson Bradford</a> respectively. They were supported by two <a href="/facts/Vickers_machine-gun/VHQ6xtP5">Vickers machine-gun</a> sections and two <a href="/facts/Stokes_mortar/2q4AXJjD">Stokes mortar</a> crews.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>
</p><p>When the ship neared the Zeebrugge <a href="/facts/Mole_(architecture)/ax6fsb9k">Mole</a> she cast the two ferries aside. <i>Iris</i> endeavoured to pull up to the mole under heavy fire in order to off-load the raiding parties which were on board. The first attempt failed as the grapple-hooks were not large enough. Two naval officers, Lieutenant Commander Bradford and Lieutenant Hawkings bravely climbed ashore and under heavy fire attempted to secure the ship. Both were killed and Bradford received a posthumous <a href="/facts/Victoria_Cross/abfXKEQl">Victoria Cross</a>.
</p><p><i>Iris</i> continued to sustain heavy fire and at one point a shell burst through the deck into an area where 56 marines were preparing to land. 49 were killed and the rest seriously injured.
</p><p>After the war, a brass plaque, listing those who died aboard the <i>Iris</i> was mounted on the vessel. When she was decommissioned, the plaque was given to the <a href="/facts/Imperial_War_Museum/bDIxW3Ns">Imperial War Museum</a> collection.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a>
</p>
<h3>Return to Liverpool</h3>
<p><i>Iris</i> and <i>Daffodil</i> returned to the <a href="/facts/River_Mersey/Hx7ucQul">Mersey</a> on 17 May 1918, to a heroes' welcome. After repairs at <a href="/facts/Chatham%2c_Medway/cfICdAaW">Chatham</a>, both vessels returned to service on the Mersey.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>
</p>
<h3>Post war</h3>
<p>After the raid, she was renamed <i>Royal Iris</i> on command of <a href="/facts/George_V_of_the_United_Kingdom/qynFheE2">King George V</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> and returned to the Mersey. In 1923 she was converted for use as a cruise ship, and in October 1931 she was sold to Palmer's of Dublin. In 1946 she was sold again, to the Cork Harbour Commissioners, and renamed <i>Blarney</i>. She was eventually sold for scrap at <a href="/facts/Passage_West/aYexQJWq">Passage West</a> in December 1961.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a>
</p>

<h3>Citations</h3>

<h3>Sources</h3>
<ul><li>Collard, Ian (2013). <i>Mersey Ferries Through Time</i>. Amberley. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-1-4456-1333-8. <a href="/facts/OCLC_(identifier)/Yqad8waq">OCLC</a> <a href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/827951702">827951702</a>.</li>
<li>Maund, T.B.; Jenkins, Martin (2003). <i>Mersey Ferries</i>. Vol. II-The Wallasey Ferries. Black Dwarf Publications. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-903599-08-3. <a href="/facts/OCLC_(identifier)/Yqad8waq">OCLC</a> <a href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/56447458">56447458</a>.</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"1123971". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 28 September 2016. <a href="https://www.miramarshipindex.nz/ship/1123971" target="_blank">https://www.miramarshipindex.nz/ship/1123971</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Keyes, Roger, ed. (1918), Reports on Zeebrugge and Ostend operations., Admiralty, pp. 11–13, 67–69, 74–79, ADM 137/3894 <a href="http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4115565" target="_blank">http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4115565</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"HMS Iris II roll of honour memorial, Zeebrugge raid". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 22 August 2017. THE [66] OFFICERS & MEN WHOSE NAMES APPEAR BELOW DIED IN ACTION ON THIS VESSEL AT ZEEBRUGGE FIGHTING GLORIOUSLY FOR KING & COUNTRY APRIL 23RD 1918...... <a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30028294" target="_blank">http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30028294</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>"Zeebrugge memorial plaque from the vessel "Iris"". Imperial War Museum. <a href="https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/community/4549" target="_blank">https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/community/4549</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"The "Iris" and "Daffodil"". Merseyside.net. Retrieved 29 March 2008. <a href="http://www.merseyside.net/newbrighton/Pages/irisdaffodilferry.htm" target="_blank">http://www.merseyside.net/newbrighton/Pages/irisdaffodilferry.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Collard 2013, p. 38 - Collard, Ian (2013). Mersey Ferries Through Time. Amberley. ISBN 978-1-4456-1333-8. OCLC 827951702. <a href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/827951702" target="_blank">https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/827951702</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Maund & Jenkins 2003, pp. 194–5 - Maund, T.B.; Jenkins, Martin (2003). Mersey Ferries. Vol. II-The Wallasey Ferries. Black Dwarf Publications. ISBN 1-903599-08-3. OCLC 56447458. <a href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/56447458" target="_blank">https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/56447458</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

SS Royal Iris open-in-new

SS Royal Iris