The William Humphries was a steam trawler owned by the St. Andrew´s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood, working from the home port of London On the 21st November 1939 between 08.30 and 09.20 hours the ship was sunk by German U-Boat U-33 with 5 rounds from the deck gun along with the “Sulby’ about 75 miles northwest of Rathlin. All crew members abandoned ship in one lifeboat as seen by another lifeboat from the Sulby. Two bodies were later washed ashore and buried on the Isle Barra:
• James Gordon, son of Frank Clark and Elsie Victoria Gordon, of Fleetwood, Lancashire
• William Wright, son of Alice Wright.
Others who perished were:
• Charles Horace Bridge Skipper, died aged 38 years, son of William and Charlotte Bridge; husband of Margaret Cicely Bridge, of Fleetwood, Lancashire who is buried on the Isle of Canna.
• Arthur Edward Hardingham, Deck Hand, died aged 33 years
• William Arnall Jewell, Second Engineer, aged 48 years, Son of William Charles and Betsy Jewell, of Boston ; husband of Edith May Jewell, of Fleetwood, Lancashire. His body later washed ashore and was buried on the Isle of Skye.
• James Arthur Kaye, Third Hand, died aged 26 years
• M. Kubevski
• , Deck Hand, died aged 18 years
• John Nolan, Second Hand, died aged 29 years
• George Buller Spillings, Deck Hand, died aged 27 years
• Daniel Sturman, Deck Hand, died aged 44 years
• William George Thacker, Cook, died aged 34 years
• Ernest Elijah Lee Thurling (served as Ernest Elijah Lee), Chief Engineer, died aged 38 years. Son of Ernest and Hannah Lee (nee Thurling) and husband of Emma Faith Lee. His body later washed ashore and was buried on the Isle of Skye.
• Thomas Henry Wilson, Dedck Hand Died aged 24 years, son of Charles and Elizabeth Wilson; husband of Louisa Wilson, of Thornton, Lancashire.