HomeMy Public PortalAboutCOTI_PR20180713_Otranto.docxNews Release FOR MORE INFORMATION:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE John Calvert
June 22, 2018 Otranto Memorial Committee President
912-677-2315
jcalvert01@comcast.net
Tybee Island to Host Memorial Dedication Honoring Sinking of H.M.S. Otranto
TYBEE ISLAND, Georgia (July 13, 2018) - The community of Tybee Island, Georgia, welcomes the public to attend a memorial dedication ceremony for a historical marker at Fort Screven in
honor of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the British Troopship, H.M.S. Otranto, followed by a special screening of the BBC Documentary, Islay, For Those in Peril. The ceremony
will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 15 at the Fort Screven Museum at Battery Garland near 33 Meddin Drive in front of the North Beach Parking Lot, across from the Lighthouse,
on Tybee Island.
In September 1918, 2nd Lt Samuel E. Levy was ordered by the Commander of Fort Screven to lead a group of new recruits to the Western European Front following America’s entry into World
War I. Levy departed Fort Screven with 574 Coastal Artillery Corps (CAC) officers and enlisted recruits and traveled to New York where they boarded the British Troopship, H.M.S Otranto.
bound for port in Liverpool.
The H.M.S. Otranto collided with another British Troopship on Oct. 6, 1918, killing 470 of the 1,025 US and British servicemen on board, resulting in the single greatest loss of life
in troop transport during World War I. Of the American casualties, more than 130 were from Georgia, including 11 men from Chatham County, 24 from Screven County and 60 from Berrien
County. The collision took place off the coast of Isle of Islay, Scotland, and the ship subsequently struck a reef off the rocky shore, broke in half and sank.
A memorial of the dead stands in Isle of Islay, Scotland, and a statue commemorating the American dead stands in Nashville, Georgia. A third memorial marker was dedicated in Sylvania,
Georgia, in 2017 by the Georgia Historical Society and the VFW. Due to the number of troops from Fort Screven, Georgia, a memorial is being dedicated on the grounds of Fort Screven
to mark the 100th anniversary of the tragedy and to honor those who perished in the service of their country.
The ceremony will include a Presentation of Colors by the American Legion Post 154 Color Guard, and remarks from Tybee Island Mayor Jason Buelterman and other dignitaries.
Guests are welcome to attend the ceremony on September 15 at 10 a.m. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided following the ceremony at the American Legion on Veterans Drive.
A special screening of the BBC Documentary, Islay, For Those in Peril will be begin at 2 p.m. at the Fort Screven Post Theatre at 10 Van Horn.
About Tybee Island, GA.: The City of Tybee Island, Georgia is on the outermost barrier island off the Savannah area coast. With a wild bird sanctuary, over three miles of ocean beaches,
and salt marshes on the back river, outdoor recreation activities abound for visitors to the island. As a key defense point to the important Savannah port, Tybee’s Fort Screven, Tybee
Post Theater, Fort Pulaski, and the Tybee Island and Cockspur Lighthouses combine with the unique architectures of the island’s raised cottages to form a rich backdrop for history buffs.
Attracting a strong artistic community, there are several local supporting art galleries. Keeping the island interesting year round are several arts festivals, the Annual Pirate Fest,
the Beach Bum Parade, St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Hot Rod Run, the Beach Bash, and the Christmas Parade, as well as fireworks displays on Independence and New Year’s Days off
the Walter W. Parker Pier and Pavilion. The Marine Science Center cooperates with Georgia’s DNR to protect threatened sea turtle species by searching for nests, protecting their eggs,
and making sure hatchlings make it to sea. For visitor information, stop by http://www.tybeevisit.com/, and to find more about the City of Tybee Island, visit our web site at http://www.cityoftybee.
org/.
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