Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Updates for Civilian Bridget McErlean
Date Information
13/12/2019
13/12/2019 A list of 93 passengers of the Athenia, now officially reported missing, was issued on Monday – five weeks after the liner was sunk by a German submarine. Nine of the victims had Ulster connections. They are:- Miss Bridget McErlean (38) domestic, of Moneystaghan, Portglenone.
13/12/2019
13/12/2019 From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 14th October 1939:
13/12/2019 The CWGC record Bridget McErlean as the daughter of Henry and Jane McErlean of Moneystaghan, Portglenone, County Antrim.
13/12/2019 Bridget McErlean has no known grave. Her name is listed in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour at St. George’s Chapel at Westminster Abbey in London.
13/12/2019 The Athenia was the first British ship sunk by Germany during World War Two. 117 passengers and crew died. Germany denied sinking the Athenia at the time.
13/12/2019 Bridget McErlean was described as being a 38 year old domestic, a US citizen.
13/12/2019 On 3rd September 1939 when it was attacked and sunk by a German U-boat in the Atlantic, 340 miles off the Donegal coast.
13/12/2019 On 1st September 1939, SS Athenia left Glasgow for Montreal via Liverpool and Belfast. She carried 1,103 passengers, including about 500 Jewish refugees, 469 Canadians, 311 US citizens and 72 UK subjects, and 315 crew. Miss Bridget McErlean was a passenger on board SS Athenia.
13/12/2019 The 1911 census lists Bridget as age 10, living with the family at house 20 in Moneystaghan Ellis, Clady.
13/12/2019 Family: Henry McErlean, Jane McErlean, Henry McErlean (born 28th June 1899), Bridget McErlean (born 31st October 1900), John McErlean (born 14th May 1902), Joseph McErlean (born 18th June 1904), Patrick McErlean (born 4th July 1906), Susannah McErlean (born 16th April 1909).
13/12/2019 The 1901 census lists Bridget as age 1, living with the family at house 28 in Moneystaghan Ellis, Claudy, County Londonderry. Henry McErlean was a farmer.
13/12/2019 Bridget McErlean was born on 31st October 1900 in the Portglenone area. She was the second of six children.
13/12/2019 Bridget McErlean was the eldest daughter of Henry and Jane McErlean. Henry McErlean and Jane Graham were married on 22nd September 1898 in the district of Ballymena.
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