Cheshire Observer, Saturday 22 October 1927
DEE SHIPWRECK of Mostyn Motor-Vessel.
The Hoylake and New Brighton lifeboats were called out, on
Monday afternoon [17 October 1927], to the crew of a motor vessel which
had sunk in the Hilbre Swash, but, before they reached the spot, the men
were picked up by another motor vessel and taken to Mostyn.
The vessel which sank was the Red Hand (160 tons), belonging to John Summers and Co, Ltd., of Shotton. Her crew of five men were picked up by the motor vessel, Fer, belonging to the Darwen and Mostyn Iron Company, which had left Mostyn for Liverpool about two o'clock, under the charge of Domain Venice. The crew of the Red Hand had been adrift in their lifeboat since their vessel had been sunk in the Hilbre Swash. There was a heavy sea running at the time and the rescue was not effected without considerable risk to the Fer and its crew.
There was a scene of excitement on the Hoylake beach, to which hundreds of people were drawn by the firing of the lifeboat gun about three o'clock. The Red Hand could then be seen tossing about in the rough sea and obviously in very great difficulty and, before the lifeboat could be launched, the vessel was swamped. Meanwhile some fisherman launched an open boat from Hoylake and attempted to cross to the Hoyle Bank, in the expectation that the crew might be washed ashore there. The crowd on the shore intently watched the fisherman's boat struggling gamely across the Hoyle Lake and the lifeboat making headway to the Hilbre Swash, three miles away, where big seas could be seen washing over the foundered vessel. The Fer could be seen cruising around apparently looking for the crew. Then the Fer, after firing rockets, was observed to be proceeding up the Dee. It was realised that the men had been picked up and the lifeboat was accordingly recalled.
Image of MV Red Hand on her side near Hilbre Swash:
Postscript The wreckage was salvaged and dispersed by explosives. By 1993 there was no sign of wreckage at the location and the depth was over 6 metres.