39

The SS Tycho [39] was a merchant ship with a crew of 33 belonging to the Ellerman Wilson Line, on its way from Bombay to Hull. On 20 May 1917 it was sunk by the U- boat UB40, which sank 99 ships during its service. The crew took to the lifeboats with no casualties. Against Admiralty regulations, the SS Porthkerry came to rescue the survivors and was herself sunk by the UB40. This resulted in 5 of her crew and 15 from the Tycho being killed, including the Masters of both vessels. Again, breaking Admiralty rules, the SS Esperanto picked up the survivors who were brought to Newhaven. Both wrecks lay 16 miles off Newhaven. 

Other records suggest that the Tycho was about 8 miles south of Beachy Head when it was torpedoed without warning and began to go down by the head. The order to abandon ship was given at 17.10, ten minutes after the ship had been struck, and was carried out without casualties. The Tycho finally sank at 17.20. 

The crew headed in lifeboats towards the nearby steamship Porthkerry, which had witnessed the explosion and was standing by about 200 yards away on the port beam. As the Tycho's boats came alongside her, another torpedo was fired by the submarine at the Porthkerry which blew up one of the life boats, killing the master and 14 men and capsizing the other life boat.

The Porthkerry was also abandoned having suffered eight casualties, the master and seven crew members; it sank in three minutes after being struck by the torpedo.

The survivors from both ships were picked up at 19.00 that night by a small coasting steamer (the Esperanto) and landed at Newhaven at midnight on the 21st May.

The grave here contains a War Graves Commission memorial as do two graves opposite.

_{The SS Tycho}