In both World War 1 and World War 2, the seas off Inishowen were busy confluence areas for ships entering and leaving ports in the North of the British Isles on routes through the North Atlantic to, and from, ports all over the world.
In World War 1, Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly were important convoy escort bases, supplying anti-submarine escort vessels protecting convoys entering and leaving their areas of operation.
In World War 2, Ireland was neutral but, by private agreement with the Irish government, Lough Foyle was used as the outlying anchorage for the port of Derry. It is said that when the British and US ambassadors approached De Valera about replicating the “Donegal Air Corridor” for shipping in Lough Foyle his reply was “If you don’t ask me, I cannot say “No”.
The Lough became home for the oil tankers fuelling the Atlantic convoy escorts and served as the holding anchorage for convoy escorts that did not, or could not, go up to Derry for support services. At one point, some 139 oceangoing ships had their home base on Lough Foyle.
The steady flow of escort vessels, from Canada and the USA, meant that “rationing” in Inishowen did not have the same effect as it did elsewhere in Ireland. “Bumboating”, the trade between ship and shore became a thriving business in Movlle.
Butter was referred to locally as “Black Swan” butter, named after the Royal Navy escort sloop, HME “Black Swan”, a regular visitor to Moville Bay.
Even in wartime, the Irish did not like American chocolate. A bumboater could not get rid of US Hershey bars so he made a deal with another bumboater who dealt with American hard flour. Chocolate pudding became a regular item in the local hotels. Problem solved!
Navies from most of the Commonwealth countries and other Allies had ships in the Foyle at one time or another. Canada provided the most ships but Indian, Norwegian, Belgian, Free French, Russian and Dutch navies also played their part.
The Royal Navy and US Navy command centres, in Derry, played an important role in the Battle of the Atlantic. In recognition of this important role, surrendered U-boats were brought into Derry as part of the official surrender ceremonials.
On Monday 14th May 1945, 8 German U-Boats entered Lough Foyle bound for the Royal Navy jetty at Lisahally, escorted by H.M.S. Hesperus, H.M.C.S. Thetford Mines, and U.S.S. Robert I Paine, representing the British, Canadian, and American contributions to the Battle of the Atlantic.
They surrendered to Admiral Sir Max Horton, Commander in Chief of the Western Approaches.
An official guest at the ceremony was Colonel Dan Bryan, the head of Irish Army Intelligence, who had been invited to acknowledge the official, and unofficial, contribution the Irish services had made to Allied victory.e history of World War I and II around Inishowen, including strategic naval operations.
