THE SUNDERLAND SITE - PAGE 053
SHIPBUILDERS - PAGE 12
May I suggest that you navigate the site via the index on page 001.PRIOR PAGE / NEXT PAGE
Copyright? (100)
On this page ... William Doxford Page 2, page bottom (WW1 German torpedo boat).
Do you want to make a comment? A site guestbook is here.To search for specific text on this page, just press 'CTRL + F' & then enter your search term. A general site search facility is here.
Corrections in any of the material which follows, however tiny, would be most welcome. And additions, of course! Test.
Miramar, images, mariners-l.co.uk, MNL, eBay,WILLIAM DOXFORD (1840/1875?)
WILLIAM DOXFORD AND SONS (1875?/1890)
WILLIAM DOXFORD AND SONS LIMITED (1891/1957)
WILLIAM DOXFORD & SONS (SHIPBUILDERS) LIMITED (1957/ )
(OF COX GREEN, THEN PALLION, SUNDERLAND)This is the second 'Doxford' page, made necessary by the increasing number of listings re 'Doxford' built vessels. The first page, with the first 106 vessels, is available here. And the 3rd & 4th pages are now here & here.
Build lists? A list of 'Doxford' built vessels is now on site, at page 143. Miramar lists, (highest hull number on page). It used to be that you could click on the links that follow & get to the relevant Miramar page. But no longer! The new procedure must be to go to Miramar (here) & log in (you must be registered to view any page). And once you are logged in, return to this page & all the following links should work for you:- 30, 60, 100, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 271, 300, 330, 363, 390, 420, 451, 496, 515, 547, 595, 628, 658, 688, 718, 758, 792, 820, 889, 881, 898. (898) And a list of all of the Doxford built vessels is here (including those built at the Doxford yard in its later years after it was taken over) thanks to Fred Gooch & John Bage.
Names of just a few more of the vessels constructed by William Doxford & Sons of Sunderland - as I happen to spot references to them. In a table in build date sequence. And alphabetic within a year. But just a start!
107 HMS Success
385 tons
Hull 2821901 A 'Doxford Special' torpedo boat destroyer. Per 1 (Wikipedia, data), 2 (fine image), 3 (B Class), 4 (2 images), 5 (bottom), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Built for the Royal Navy. Became B Class in 1913. Maybe 'Greyhound' class earlier?
210 ft. long, speed of 30 knots, complement of 60, 4 funnels. Armed with one 12 pounder gun, five 6 pounders & 2 torpedo tubes. Launched Mar. 21, 1901 & commissioned May 1902.
Had the misfortune to be the first British WW1 destroyer loss, when on Dec. 27, 1914, under the command of Lt. William Pennefather, the vessel ran aground & was wrecked off Fife Ness, Fifeshire, Firth of Forth, North Sea, in very heavy seas. Have read i) that 60 survived & ii) that the complement was 60. So presumably no loss of life? Can you add anything?108 Sutherland
2277/3542 (N/G) tons
Hull 284
1103691901 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (U-35), 2 ('uboat.net', sinking, Sutherland), 3 (Lloyd's Register of 1914/15), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
103.6 metres (340.0 ft.) long perpendicular to perpendicular, signal letters SDRN, speed of 10 knots, 300 or 307 NHP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland. Many crew lists are available here.
Built for 'The Sutherland Steamship Co. Ltd.' of Newcastle (A. M. Sutherland managers). As per the Mercantile Navy Lists of 1902 thru 1916.
On Oct. 31, 1912, while en route from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Bombay (now Mumbai), both India, with a cargo of coal & a crew of 57, the vessel suffered modest damage in the East Indian Ocean. But one seaman died. Per this U.K. Government report.
On Jan. 17, 1916, while en route from Bombay, India, to Hull with a cargo of manganese ore & seeds, the vessel was captured, shelled & sunk by U-35 near Malta (at 34.43N/18.08E). 192 miles SE by E of Malta, perhaps. One life lost. U-35, at the time, was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, who apparently sank 54 ships totalling more than 90,150 tons during just a single cruise in 1916. In its lifetime, U-35 (4 commanders), sunk an amazing 224 ships for a total of 546,988 tons in its career of about 4 years. Including Sutherland. Can you help with additional data? Because little data is WWW available. An image?109 Aviemoor
3715 tons
Hull 301
115910
Naderi
Ise Maru1902 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (Moor Line), 2 [Bombay & Persia, Naderi (2)], 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
104.2 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 8 1/2 knots.
Built for 'Moor Line Ltd.' ('Moor'), owned by Walter Runciman (1874/1937), (Walter Runciman & Co., managers), of Newcastle, but registered at London.
In 1916, the vessel was sold to 'Bombay and Persia Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.', of Bombay, (now Mumbai), India, but still registered at London, with no change of vessel name. In 1919, the vessel was renamed Naderi.
In 1923, the vessel was sold to 'Naigai Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha', of Amagasaki, Japan, & renamed Ise Maru.
Miramar advises that on Apl. 21, 1940, the vessel went aground at Shinyasaki, Japan. The vessel suffered major damage but I presume it was re-floated, since it was scrapped in 1941. I have read no detail as to the grounding circumstances, & cannot even learn exactly where Shinyasaki is located. Any loss of life? Can you help with additional data?110 Bleamoor
3745 (or 3755) tons
Hull 302
1159301902 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (Moor Line), 2 (data re sinking), 3 (alternate wreck site?), 4 (A. J. Tennent volume), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
342 ft. (about 107 metres) long, speed of 9 knots.
Built for 'Moor Line Ltd.' ('Moor'), owned by Walter Runciman (1874/1937), (Walter Runciman & Co., managers), of London (but I thought I had read was based in Newcastle). It is possible that the vessel was sold since 3, & 5 all reference 'Bombay & Persia Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.', of Bombay (now Mumbai), India, as being the owner in 1917. Perhaps that company was related to Moor (but it would seem not)? No WWW data that I can find until 1917.
On Nov. 27, 1917, defensibly armed & en route from Hull to Falmouth with a cargo of coal, the vessel was torpedoed & sunk by UB-80, Kapitänleutnant Max Viebeg in command, 4 miles SSE of Berry Head, Devon, near Brixham, (at 50.22.43N/03.25.14W). 8 lives were lost. The captain survived. Some doubt as to whether the wreck at the above location is Bleamoor or Kendal Castle. Bleamoor may instead be at 50.22.72N/03.25.22W or at some other nearby location - the many WWW dive site pages are, to the webmaster at least, confusing. Can you help with additional data?111 Clan Chattan
3938 tons
Hull 300
1157111902 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 [Clan Line, Chan Chattan (1)], 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
109.7 metres long, 359.8 ft.
Built for 'The Clan Line of Steamers Limited' ('Clan'), of Glasgow, Cayzer, Irvine & Co., of Glasgow, the managers & majority owners. Clan became 'Cayzer, Irvine & Company, Limited' in 1907.
I read that the vessel was requisitioned in 1917 by the British Government for service during WW1. And was returned to its owners in 1919.
In 1930, the vessel was sold to P. & W. MacLellan Ltd., ship breakers of Bo'ness, River Forth/Firth of Forth, Scotland. The vessel was broken up at Bo'ness in Dec. 1930. Can you help with additional data? Data is most limited.112 Clan Lindsay
3935 tons
Hull 299
1157041902 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 [Clan Line, Clan Lindsay (2)], 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
109.8 metres long, 360.2 ft., speed of 11 knots.
Built for 'The Clan Line of Steamers Limited' ('Clan'), of Glasgow. Clan became 'Cayzer, Irvine & Company, Limited' in 1907.
The vessel was requisitioned during the period of 1917/19 by the British Government for service during WW1.
On May 03, 1916, the vessel was attacked by gunfire from a submarine, when in the Bay of Biscay - but escaped. On Jan. 20, 1931, the vessel arrived at the T. W. Ward Ltd. ship breaking facilities at Inverkeithing, Firth of Forth, Scotland, to be broken up. Can you help with additional data? Data is most limited.113 Clan Shaw
3943 tons
Hull 297
1156911902 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 [Clan Line, Clan Shaw (2)], 2 ('uboat.net', sinking data), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
109.7 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 360.0 ft., speed of ? knots.
Built for 'The Clan Line of Steamers Limited' ('Clan'), of Glasgow. But per Miramar, for Sir Charles W. Cayzer, of Glasgow. Miramar also indicate that in 1913 the vessel was registered to 'The Clan Line of Steamers Limited' ('Clan'), also of Glasgow. Now Clan had, I understand, become 'Cayzer, Irvine & Company, Limited' in 1907. So I believe that the vessel would have been registered to 'Cayzer, Irvine & Company, Limited', when transferred in 1913.
It is likely that the vessel was requisitioned by the British Government for service during WW1. Can you confirm that?
What we do know is that in early 1917, Clan Shaw, defensively armed, was returning from Chittagong (then India, now Bangladesh) & Calcutta (now Kolkata, India) to Dundee via London, with a cargo of jute. On Jan. 22, 1917, UC-29, Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Rosenow in command, laid mines in the Firth of Tay & on the next day, i.e. on Jan. 23, 1917, Clan Shaw hit one of those mines. At 56.27N/02.38W, 8 miles NE of St. Andrews. Two lives were lost. The vessel was beached at the mouth of the River Tay but became a total loss. The WWW record for the vessel is scanty. Can you help with additional data? Images?114 Inverness
3734 tons
Hull 295
114423
Morias
ordered as Ross1902 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 [Sutherland, Inverness (2)], 2 (builder's model, Inverness, sold at a 'Tennants Auctioneers' of Leyburn, 2010 auction), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
104.4 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Was ordered by Sutherland Steamship Co. Ltd. ('Sutherland'), of Newcastle, as Ross, (launched, as Ross, I wonder?), but delivered to Sutherland as Inverness.
In 1920, the vessel was sold to 'Anglo-Celtic Shipping Co. Ltd.', of London, J. Griffith, of Cardiff, the managers, with no change of vessel name.
In 1929, the vessel was sold to Stepho G. Farkouh, of Piraeus, Greece, & renamed Morias.
On Apl. 2, 1933, the vessel arrived at Savona, Italy, to be broken up. The WWW record for the vessel is most scanty. I have not been to find any references to the vessel's service in WW1, indeed any references whatsoever to the vessel. Can you help with additional data? Images? #2241115 Lime Branch
5379 tons
Hull 293
114639
Konsul Carl Fisser1902 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (1902 voyage, 75% down), 2 (Nautilus, Lime Branch), 3 (image, Lime Branch, thanks to Newcastle Libraries. A large & fine set of largely Newcastle images is available here 4), 5 ('uboat.net', 1917 attack, Lime Branch), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
120.7 metres long, speed of 8 1/2 knots.
Built for 'Nautilus Steam Shipping Co., Ltd.', of Sunderland, which company served the W. coast of S. America (Gulf Line). The vessel left Newcastle for San Francisco on Aug. 11, 1902 with a record 7,936 tons of Wallsend coal.
In the spring of 1917, the vessel, was en route from Punta Arenas, Chile, to London with a varied cargo that included 5,000 tons of nitrate of soda, cotton & cotton cake, oats & wool. It had left Las Palmas, Canary Islands, & was struck at 3:58 p.m. on Apl. 13, 1917 by a torpedo fired by U-84, Kapitänleutnant Walter Roehr in command. At 48.27N/08.30W, 242 miles off Plymouth. The vessel was hit in No. 2 hold & the hole in the hull was 30 x 22 ft. in size. While seriously damaged, all the other holds were intact & the vessel was able to continue. It was attacked again at 8 p.m. but the torpedo just missed. The vessel made Plymouth, escorted by torpedo destroyer G67. The vessel may well have been permitted to continue its voyage to London, under escort, without immediate repair of the damage.
In 1925, the vessel was sold to 'Fisser und Von Dornum', of Emden (now of Hamburg), Germany, which company was engaged in the coal & timber trades, & renamed Konsul Carl Fisser.
In Q1 of 1933, the vessel was broken up at the 'Nordseewerke' facilities at Emden, Germany. Much of the above data came, I believe, from a now vanished website. Can you help with additional data? WWW data is really quite limited.116 Clan Forbes
3946 tons
Hull 306
1157621903 A 'turret' steamer. A collier. Per 1 [Clan Line, Clan Shaw (2)], 2 (Clan Forbes), 3 (image of ship's model), 4 ('uboat.net', sinking, Clan Forbes), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
109.8 metres long, 360.3 ft., speed of 11 knots.
Built for 'The Clan Line of Steamers Limited' ('Clan Line'), of Glasgow. In 1904 maybe, transferred to the ownership of Sir Charles W. Cayzer & in 1913 ownership reverted to Clan Line.
Per an expired eBay item, in 1916, at a date unstated, the vessel was attacked by UB-47. Clan Forbes fired back & when its 5th shell came close to the submarine, UB-47 gave up the chase. No detail of the incident has come to hand.
On Jun. 09, 1918, defensively armed, while en route from Newport, Wales, to Port Said, Egypt, with a cargo of coal, the vessel was torpedoed by UB-105, Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Marschall in command, & sunk in the Mediterranean, 115 miles WNW of Alexandria, Egypt. At 31.55N/27.50E. 2 lives were lost. Can you help with additional data? Data is most limited. But ... I seem to have said that for so many of these listings!117 Dunrobin
3617 tons
Hull 311
118626
ordered as Harefield1903 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (24 November 1917), 2 (U-53), 3 (Tower Hill memorial), 4 ('uboat.net', sinking, Dunrobin), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 108 metres (339.9 ft.) long, speed of 9 or 10 knots, signal letters VJRG.
The vessel was ordered as Harefield. By, I presume, Dunrobin Shipping Co. Ltd., (A. M. Sutherland), of Newcastle, who changed the name to Dunrobin.
The vessel was sold, in 1906, to Sunderland Steam Ship Co. Ltd. ('Sunderland') (J. J. Browne), of Newcastle. And was sold again, in 1909, to Munro Shipping Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, with B. J. Sutherland & Co. the managers. And was sold in 1911, to Sunderland for the 2nd time (A. M. Sutherland).
On Sep. 26, 1916, Dunrobin fought off an attack by U-35, Kapitänleutnant Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière in command, between Cape San Sebastian, Spain, & Majorca.
On Nov. 24, 1917, while en route from Almeria, Spain, to the Tyne with iron ore & grapes, & defensively armed, the vessel was torpedoed by U-53, Kapitänleutnant Hans Rose in command, & sunk 49 miles off the Lizard. 31 lives were lost including H. Ison, the captain. Can you help with additional data?118 E. O. Saltmarsh
3630 tons
Hull 310
118321
Wanaheim1903 A 'turret' steamer, which was launched on Aug. 22, 1903. A collier. Per 1 (Louisville & Kentucky, p#107 & image on p#101, & also at p#195 here, but page is unavailable now), 2 (E. O. Saltmarsh, extensive voyage detail etc.), 3 (modest image, E. O. Saltmarsh), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
340.0 ft. long, about 110 metres, speed of 10 knots, signal letters VGQK.
Built for 'Pensacola Trading Co. Ltd.', ('Trading') of London (Watts, Watts & Co., the managers), which company owned two ships based at Miscogee Wharf, Pensacola, Florida, U.S.A. Trading was then owned by Gulf Transit Company, in turn owned by The Louisville & Nashville Railroad ('L&N'), of Kentucky, U.S.A. Vessel 'plied the waters of the Gulf & Caribbean, delivering coal to foreign ports, and returning to home base at Pensacola with tonnage of a highly diversified nature'. The vessel was named for Ernest O. (Olmstead) Saltmarsh, 1848/1933, a L&N superintendent, who was presented 'with an expensive and elaborate model of it encased in a Mahogany trimmed Glass Case, mounted on a mahogany base. It was about three feet long and was precise down to the slightest detail.' That model may well be in a Maritime Museum in California.
At an unknown date in Nov. 1906, the vessel rescued & landed at Liverpool the 11 man crew of Vera Cruz, a St. Vincent schooner, bound for New Bedford, Mass. U.S.A., with a cargo of salt. Vera Cruz, had encountered gales, became dismasted & was abandoned in a sinking condition.
In 1915, Trading was sold to 'C. C. Mengel & Brother Company', of Louisville, Kentucky. The vessel was then used to carry mahogany from S. American ports. One of the crew was granted a 'Silver War Badge' a most rare badge indeed, for war service during WW1. Such a medal was only issued to those who were incapacitated in war service. Have no detail as to the recipient or the circumstances. Lloyd's Register of 1923/24, however, lists the vessel as owned by New Pensacola Trading Co. Ltd., still registered at London.
The vessel was sold, in 1923, to Emil R. Retzlaff, of Stettin, then Germany now Poland, & renamed Wanaheim. And in 1931, was sold again, to "Pommerania" Schiffahrts GmbH, also of Stettin, with no change of vessel name.
The vessel arrived at Rosyth, Firth of Forth, Scotland, on May 08, 1933, to be broken up. Can you help with additional data?119 Grängesberg
6749 (or 6801) tons
Hull 305
Beukelsdijk1903 A 'turret' steamer, with 14 masts. An ore carrier (Grängesberg is the name of an iron-ore mine in Sweden). Per A (e-Bay, Grängesberg under construction), B (e-Bay, Grängesberg May 1903), 1 (Batavier Line, Grängesberg), 2 (Holland America Line, Beukelsdijk), 3 (data & image Beukelsdijk), 4 (2 images Beukelsdijk & 1 as Beukelsdyk), 5 (data Beukelsdijk), 6 (fine image Grängesberg), 7 (Dutch page, image, stranded in Jan. 1923, 60% down page), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
440 ft. 2 in. (138.83 metres) long, speed of 10 (or 10 1/2) knots.
Built for 'Wm. Müller & Co.', (or 'W. H. Müller & Co's Algemeene Scheepvaart Maatschappij') (Batavier Line) of Rotterdam, Holland.
On Jun. 02, 1907, while en route from Oxelosund to Rotterdam, the vessel ran aground in fog at Falsterborif (Denmark?). The vessel was freed on Jul. 04, 1907 - I think that is what a now long gone site said.
On Jan. 27, 1916, the vessel was sold to 'Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij' (Holland America Line), also of Rotterdam, & renamed Beukelsdijk. Can anyone explain the matter of the vessel's new name? Most references are to Beukelsdijk, but I have also read Beukelsdyk. And 4 has an image of the vessel with that name on its side. Are not vessels registered? And the exact name as registered should govern? The vessel was used to transport grain.
On Mar. 06, 1917, the vessel ran aground in Halifax Bay during a heavy storm. Was re-floated, I presume.
On Mar. 21, 1918, the vessel was taken over by the U.S. Navy at San Juan, Puerto Rico, commissioned (as ID 3135) & assigned to 'Naval Overseas Transportation Service'. Complement of 62. Two guns, one 3 in. & 1 six-pounder. Was used on South American run carrying coal to Latin America (Bahia, Santos, & Rio de Janeiro) & returning with coffee. In Jul. 1918, she travelled in convoy to France. She reached Brest to effect boiler & engine repairs after a slow trip (had to stop 4 times with engine problems). Then to St. Nazaire to discharge her cargo but she could not leave until Oct. 13, 1918 due to an outbreak of Spanish influenza. She disembarked her sick sailors at Quiberon Bay, suffered a fire in her coal bunkers & eventually reached New York, where lengthy repairs were effected.
Early in 1919, the vessel carried a cargo of cotton & oil from Galveston, Texas, to Le Havre, France. While discharging, one of her boilers exploded, killing 2 men. After repairs, she sailed to Rotterdam, where she was returned to her owners, Holland America Line, on May 18, 1919.
On Jan. 29 1923, (per 7, Jan. 28, 1923), while en route from Rotterdam to Narvik (far north of Norway & another iron ore port), in ballast, the vessel ran aground & was stranded at Stótt, near Bodõ, Vestfjord, Norway. At 67.00N/13.40E. The vessel broke in two & sank. Can you add anything? An image?120 Siward
3753 tons
Hull 304
114440
Queenmoor
Queenmead
Knud
Roma1903 A 'turret' steamer launched on Dec. 30, 1902. Per 1 (images, Queenmoor), 2 (re her Byers anchors, an incident of date presently unknown), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 109 metres (339.9 or 342.9 ft.) long, speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Built for Novocastrian Shipping Co. Ltd., of Newcastle (W. J. Stephens & Co., the manager).
The vessel was sold, in 1907, to Moor Line Ltd., W. Runciman & Co. the managers, & renamed Queenmoor. And sold in 1920 to Western Counties Shipping Co. Ltd., of Cardiff, E. Edwards & Sons Ltd. the managers, & renamed Queenmead.
In 1922, the vessel was sold to Rederi A/S Triton, of Copenhagen, Denmark, T. Nielsen of Denmark the manager, & renamed Knud. And sold again, in 1924, to A/S Patria, of Copenhagen, O. Ovesen the manager, & renamed Roma.
On Dec. 22, 1924, the vessel was wrecked near Dragor, a fishing village near Copenhagen, while en route from Stockholm, Sweden, to Rotterdam. Was re-floated but was broken up at Copenhagen, by (per Niels Hald-Andersen) Petersen & Albeck, of Copenhagen. WWW data about the vessel is most limited. Can you help with additional data?121 Cairntorr
2293/3588 (N/G) tons
Hull 314
1186281904 A 'turret' steamer, which was launched on Dec. 19, 1903 & completed in Jan. 1904. Per 1 [Cairn Line, Cairntorr (1)], 2 (U-34), 3 ('uboat.net', sinking), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
340.0 ft. (103.63 metres) long, speed of 10 knots, signal letters VNDT, 292 HP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland. Note, however, that the Mercantile Navy List ('MNL') consistently reported the vessel to be rather of 315 HP. Crew lists are available here & here (1915 list).
Built for Cairn Line of Steamships Ltd., of Newcastle, with Cairns, Noble & Co. Ltd., the managers, i.e. Thos. Cairns, Wm. J. Noble & Thos. R. Cairns per the MNL of 1906 (& that of 1915).
A Welsh newspaper reported on Jan. 04, 1907 that Cairntorr had put into Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, with the cargo of cotton in its main hold on fire. The vessel's crew had kept the fire under control for 4 days using steam from the main boilers. I have read that 5,500 bales of cotton were, as a result of the fire, destroyed.
In Nov. 1907 the vessel arrived at Shields reporting that William Hammond, a fireman, had disappeared while the vessel was en route from Cardiff to Genoa, Italy, with a cargo of coal.
In the 1910/11 & 1911/12 editions of Lloyd's Register, J. O. Band is stated to be her then captain.
On Mar. 21, 1915, while en route from the Tyne to Genoa, Italy, with a cargo of 5,000 or 6,000 tons of coal & with a crew of about 35 (see link below), the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by U-34, Kapitänleutnant Claus Rücker in command. At 50.14N/00.15E, 7 miles S. of Beachy Head, East Sussex. You are invited to read contemporary newspaper articles here (in red) & here.
Captain R. A. Purvis was in command. Cairntorr saw the torpedo launched from 400 yards away, tried to avoid it but was unable to do so. Thousands of people witnessed, from a distance, the spectacle that followed. Help soon arrived - lifeboats from Eastbourne & Newhaven, 2 naval patrol boats & several tugs. I had read 'Attempts were made to tow her into port, but she foundered'. Yes indeed! She had continued to float for about 3 hours after the attack but sank before she could reach Newhaven, while under tow from one of the naval patrol boats. No loss of life. U-34, I read, sank 119 ships & damaged 4 others during its WW1 service from Oct. 05, 1914 to (maybe) Nov. 09, 1918. WWW data about Cairntorr is quite limited. Some remains of the wreck remain on the sea floor today, I read. Can you help with additional data?122 Eaton Hall
3711 tons
Hull 322
119951
Yorkbrook
Primiero
Maria Teresa1904 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (fine image), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). About 108 metres long,
342.3 ft., speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Built for Eaton Hall Steamship Co. Ltd. (Edward Nicholl & Co. ('Nicholl'), the owners & managers), of Cardiff. The principal of Nicholl, i.e. Edward Nicholl (1862/1939) later became Sir Edward Nicholl (lots of references to the vessel in the volume at the link). Bought at the cost of £34,500. The vessel's first voyage was to Port Said, Egypt, with coal, then from Nicholaieff (Nikolayev, Ukraine, today) to Rotterdam with grain. In 1917, Hansen Brothers Ltd. became the managers.
The vessel was sold, in 1918, to Hansen Shipping Co. Ltd. ('Hansen'), of Cardiff, with no change of vessel name or manager. Hansen may have later had financial problems because the vessel was sold by National Provincial Bank Ltd., the mortgage holder, in 1924, to Monument Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., ('York Line'), 'Richards, Longstaff & Co. Ltd' the managers, & renamed Yorkbrook.
The vessel was sold again, in 1925 or 1926, to 'S.A. di Navigazione Compagnia del Tirreno', (or 'Compagnia del Tirreno S.A. di Navigazione'), of Genoa, Italy, & renamed Primiero.
In 1927, the vessel was sold to Augusto Missiroli & Co., also of Genoa, & renamed Maria Teresa.
In 1928, the vessel was sold again, to 'United Chartering and Steamship Co. S.A.', of Genoa. 'G. M. Chapira' & 'Depositi Italiani di Carboni Industriali' became the managers, in 1929 & 1931 respectively.
On Oct. 05, 1931, the vessel arrived at Genoa, Italy, to be broken up. Maybe actually broken up in 1932. WWW data about the vessel is limited. Can you help with additional data?123 Elaine
3687, later 4035 tons
Hull 316
118398
Rio Claro
Riva Trigoso
Folgore1904 A 'turret' steamer which was launched on Feb. 16, 1904 & completed in Mar. 1904. Per 1 & 2 (Elaine, builder's model), 3 ('wrecksite.eu' vessel lost Feb. 27, 1908), 4 (U-63), 5 ('uboat.net', Rio Claro sinking), 6 (extensive data in Italian, Riva Trigoso, image), 7 (link 6 translated), 8 & 9 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll' shipdata', Lloyd's Register ('LR') data 1930/31 thru 1945/46, Folgore), 10 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
340.1 ft. long (103.7 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, later 341.0 ft. (103.9 metres), speed of 11 knots, (attained 11 1/2 knots on her trial trip), signal letters VPRH, later RQMV & NPQI, 300 HP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland.
A 50.5 in. long builder's model of the vessel was sold at auction on Sep. 28, 2010 by Bonhams - for £12,000.
I read that Angus Steamship Co. Ltd. of Dundee, Scotland, were her initial owners with J. P. Bruce her manager, but have no edition of LR to verify the fact. Later in 1904, the vessel became owned by Lion Line Ltd. of London with Weddel, Turner & Co. serving as the vessel's managers. See this snippet in that regard. I read that Turner, Davidson & Co., of London, became her managers in 1910. I admit to being puzzled to read in 2 places that the vessel was lost off Bunbury, Western Australia ('WA'), in Feb. 1908. So I conducted a partial search at Trove, Australia. It would seem that Thomas Millons was the vessel's captain thru 1908 at least.
Elaine's maiden voyage was to Hong Kong, then on to Nagasaki, Japan, to pick up a crew. She left Nagasaki in ballast & on Jul. 03, 1904 arrived at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. On Aug. 18, 1904 the vessel left Pinkenba (E. Brisbane) for Delagoa Bay (now Maputo Bay, Mozambique), & Durban, South Africa ('SA'), with a cargo mainly of 47,696 railway sleepers. On Nov. 07, 1905 Elaine arrived at Bunbury, ex Durban, likely en route to Newcastle, New South Wales. In late Jun. 1907, she arrived at Yarraville (Melbourne) with 5,600 tons of phosphates ex Ocean Island (Banaba Island, Pacific, NE of Australia). On Nov. 07, 1907 the vessel arrived at Newcastle from Honolulu, Hawaii, to load coal for Manila, Philippines. It would seem that the vessel made many voyages from Newcastle to Manila carrying coal. On a couple of such voyages, she sailed via Townsville, Queensland, to load horses for the Philippines Army. On Feb. 01, 1908 the vessel loaded hardwood at Port Temperance (Hobart, Tasmania, I think) & called in at Bunbury on Feb. 22, 1908 to load bunker coal. The coal loading had been completed & the ship had not left the dock when fire broke out in the new bunker coal, The 'lumpers' (labourers who unload cargo) refused to help until they finished their dinner! Vigilant, a 'Timber Combine' tug, came to Elaine's assistance, pumped out water from her holds & towed a lighter to the vessel with a pump which was used to extinguish the fire. The vessel made its way to Fremantle, WA, where the coal loaded at Bunbury was unloaded & new bunker coal was taken aboard. About £1,000 of damage to the hull was sustained. Temporary repairs were effected at Fremantle & on Mar. 10, 1908 the vessel left Fremantle for Calcutta (now Kolkata) India. That voyage to Bunbury was noted for other mishaps also - including but not limited to her Chief Engineer McMillan falling down one of her bunkers & having to be hospitalized with a dislocated shoulder. My research at Trove was limited but I cannot see that Elaine was lost off Bunbury in Feb. 1908.
In 1912, European & Brazilian Shipping Co. Ltd., of London, became the owners of the vessel now renamed Rio Claro - with Petersen & Co. the vessel's managers.
In 1915, London Maritime Trading Co. Ltd. also of London, became her owners, with Petersen still her managers. It would appear that the last two owners were both related companies to 'Peterson', so the vessel may well have been transferred rather than sold.
On Aug. 14, 1915 the vessel was requisitioned by the Admiralty for WW1 service as a Collier Transport.
On Jan. 05, 1918, Rio Claro was en route from Leghorn (Livorno, Italy), to Cartagena, Spain, in ballast, when she was attacked by German submarine U-63, Kapitänleutnant Kurt Hartwig in command, & sunk. At 44.13N/9.29E, 2 miles off Riva Trigoso, Rapallo Bay, Bay of Genoa, Italy. 'Hartwig' was responsible for sinking 43 vessels during WW1, a warship also & damaged but did not sink 6 additional allied ships. I read that the after part of Rio Blanco was later, in Mar. 1919, re-floated, & that in 1920 that after part was joined to a new forward section & the ship was again available for service. In 1920, the vessel was acquired by the salvage company which had raised her, i.e. Soc. Italiana Salvataggi e Navigazione ('Salvataggi') of Leghorn, & renamed Riva Trigoso. There is considerable detail of the re-build at links 6 & 7. LR of 1923/24 notes that Salvataggi were then in liquidation.
In 1924, the vessel was acquired by 'Clorialdo Devoto fu G.B.' of Genoa, & renamed Folgore. I read that in the 4th quarter of 1932, Folgore was broken up at Genoa. We thank James Smith for kindly providing this 'pdf' study of Rio Claro's history, which includes detail re its WW1 service as a Collier Transport. All said & done, WWW data about the vessel is limited.
Can you help with additional data? #1940124 Ethelwynne
3230 tons
Hull 318
118851
Shinsei Maru No. 6
laid down as Andros1904 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 ('uboat.net', 1917 mine, Ethelwynne), 3 (Harrowing Steamship), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 105 metres long, 332.1 ft., speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Laid down as Andros for Dryden Steamship Co., but delivered as Ethelwynne to 'The Harrowing Steamship Co. Ltd.' (J. H. Harrowing the owner?), of Whitby, Yorkshire, (Robert Harrowing & Co., the managers).
I am advised that the vessel may have been initially owned by J. H. Harrowing, & that in 1905 'Robert Harrowing & Co.' become the owner.
On Jul. 26, 1917, while en route from the White Sea to Cardiff with a cargo of timber, the vessel hit a mine laid by U 71, Kapitänleutnant Walter Gude in command. At 60.36N/00.37W, 6 miles off Fetlar, a north island of Shetland Islands, Scotland. The vessel was damaged & towed to (which?) port. No loss of life.
In 1919, the vessel was sold to Joseph Constantine, of London (or Whitby). No change of vessel name, it would appear.
In 1920, the vessel was sold to 'The New Steam Navigation & Trading Co. Ltd.', of Bombay, India, again with no change of vessel name. Maybe still registered at Whitby.
In 1922 (or maybe in 1923), the vessel was sold to 'Shinsei Kisen Goshi Kaisha', of Japan (exactly where?) & renamed Shinsei Maru No. 6.
On Mar. 14, 1931, (have also read Mar. 16) the vessel was wrecked at Hainan Bluff. Possibly at Hainan Island? (S. China Sea). WWW data about the vessel is particularly limited. Can you help with additional data?125 Nairn
3627 tons
Hull 323
1186441904 A steel, single screw 'turret' steamer. Used as a collier. Per 1 (Malwa), 2 ('uboat.net', sinking, Nairn), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
339.6 ft. (about 108 metres) long.
Built for Dunrobin Shipping Co. Ltd. (A. M. Sutherland the manager?), of Newcastle.
It would seem that from 1906 to 1908, the vessel was owned by J. B. Murray & Co., of Glasgow.
In 1908, Park Steam Ship Co. Ltd., (Col. J. Smith Park M.V.O.), also of Glasgow, acquired the vessel.
In 1910, at a date not stated, the vessel was in collision with Malwa, a P&O Lines passenger liner, off Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
On Aug. 27, (or Aug. 28) 1917, while en route from Malta to Port Said with a cargo of coal, the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by Austrian submarine k.u.k. U14, Korvettenkapitän Georg Ritter von Trapp in command, & sank. In the Mediterranean. At 34.05N/19.16E. Off the coast of Libya, N. of Benghazi. No lives were lost. Can you help with additional data?126 Trowbridge
3712 tons
Hull 320
1184511904 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (data), 2 (Trowbridge 1917), 3 (U-63), 4 ('uboat.net', sinking Trowbridge, plus earlier damage), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
104.3 metres (342.3 ft.) long.
Built for Temperley Steam Shipping Co. Ltd. But not included in the partial list of 'Temperley' ships here.
On Apl. 11, 1907, the vessel ran ashore on Komariya Ridge, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), while en route from Calcutta to Bombay (both India) with a cargo of coal. The holds were reported full of water.
I presume that she survived however, since rather later, in 1917, she was damaged while on charter to the Crown. That was on Feb. 14, 1917, when the vessel was attacked by U-38, Korvettenkapitän Max Valentiner in command, while en route from Barry to Alexandria, Egypt. No lives were lost. Max Valentiner was an amazingly successful & much decorated commander, sinking 144 Allied ships in WW1 & damaging many more. At 36.41N/12.54E, in the Mediterranean, S. of Sicily.
And on Nov. 14, 1917, the defensively armed vessel was torpedoed & sunk by U-63, Kapitänleutnant Otto Schultze in command, 12 miles SE of Cape de Gata, SE coast of Spain near Almeria, while en route from Blyth to Alexandria, again loaded with coal. No lives were lost. Can you help with additional data? An image, perhaps?127 Whateley Hall
3712 (or 3757) tons
Hull 321
119946
Yorkriver
Ronchi
San Matteo1904 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (brief ref., 50% down, 'The Hall Line'), 2 (image, 50% down, San Matteo, carrying timber), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
104.3 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, (or 324 1/4 ft., 342.3 ft, or maybe 349.4 ft.), speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Built for The "Whateley Hall" Steamship Company, Ltd., of Cardiff, Wales, Edward Nicholl & Co., ('Hall Line'), the vessel's major owners & manager. The principal of Edward Nicholl & Co., i.e. Edward Nicholl (1862/1939) later became Sir Edward Nicholl (lots of references to the vessel in the volume at the link). The vessel was the 100th turret ship built by Doxford. Named after 'Whateley Hall', (sold & demolished in 1935 or maybe burned down in 1936), at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, the property of Frederick Knight, Nicholl's first investor. Christened by Miss Knight. Bought at the cost of £34,500.
The vessel's first voyage was to Port Said, Egypt, with coal, then from Nicholaieff (Nikolayev, Ukraine, today) to Rotterdam with grain. The vessel assisted Broadgarth, a Middlesbrough vessel, which had run aground in the Black Sea, but have not read exactly when - & I cannot retrace where I read it. Sue, advises that her grandfather A. E. Mead, was the vessel's master for much of the period of 1912 thru 1915. In 1917, the managers became Sven Wohlford Hansen & then Hansen Brothers Ltd.
On Jun. 18, 1917, the vessel was attacked by U-boat gunfire W. of Gibraltar, & presumably survived the attack.
In 1917 or 1918, the vessel, along with 7 other fleet vessels, was sold to Hansen Steamship Company, Ltd. (principals Sven Wohlford Hansen & Vyvyan Robinson), of Cardiff (or London). Hansen may have later had financial problems because the vessel was sold by National Provincial Bank Ltd., the mortgage holder, in 1924, to Monument Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., ('York Line'), 'Richards, Longstaff & Co. Ltd' the managers, & renamed Yorkriver. The vessel may have been renamed 'York River' in 1925.
In 1925, the vessel was sold to 'Parodi & Corrado S.A.', of Genoa, Italy, & in 1926 renamed Ronchi.
In 1929, the vessel was acquired by 'S.A. E. V. Parodi', also of Genoa, with no change of vessel name. The vessel was sold again, in 1934, to 'M. Scudari', of Catania, Italy, & renamed San Matteo.
On Jan. 28, 1937, while en route from Gdynia, Poland, to Italy with a cargo of coal, the vessel was wrecked in a heavy gale near Bornholm, a Danish island in the Baltic, between Sweden & Poland. To be more specific, the vessel was wrecked on the Stolp (or Stolpe) Bank, 17 (or maybe 28) miles north of Stolpmunde, Poland, today's Ustka. All 40 of her crew, were drowned. I read that an image of Whateley Hall exists in France, entering Rouen harbour, France, in Oct. 1914. Can you help with additional data? An image, perhaps?128 Belle of France
3876 tons
Hull 340
1209051905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 ('uboat.net', 1916 loss, Belle of France), 2 (ref to U-33, page 125), 3 (U-21), 4 (ref. Belle Agency Limited), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 111 metres long, 352.0 ft., speed of 10 knots.
Built for Belle of France Steamship Co. Ltd., (Crow, Rudolf & Co. ('Crow'), the managers), of Liverpool. But maybe not. John Bage's list of Doxford built ships indicates that Crow were the original owners. They went bankrupt in early 1914, it would appear. Belle Agency Ltd. became the managers.
On Feb. 01, 1916, when maybe owned by Belle Agency Limited (possibly sold therefore?), the vessel was torpedoed & sunk by U-21, Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing in command, 126 miles NW by W. of Alexandria, Egypt, while en route from Karachi, Pakistan, to Algiers, Algeria, with a cargo of grain. At 32.30N/27.45E. 19 lives were lost. The captain survived. 2 states that vessel was sunk by U-33. Can you help with additional data? Or correct the above. An image, perhaps?129 Carthusian
4121 tons
Hull 347
85278
Dumfries1905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (19 May 1915, Dumfries), 2 ('uboat.net', sinking, image, Dumfries), 3 ('wrecksite.eu', sinking, Dumfries), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.0 ft. (about 111 metres) long.
Built for J. Mathias & Sons ('Mathias'), of Aberystwyth, Wales.
I read that in 1908, Cambrian Steam Ship Co. Ltd., also of Aberystwyth, were the vessel's registered owners with Mathias the managers.
The vessel was sold, in 1915, to Sutherland Steamship Company Ltd., A. Munro Sutherland, the manager, both of Newcastle, & renamed Dumfries.
At 11.00 a.m. on May 19, 1915, while en route from Cardiff to Leghorn (Livorno), Italy, with a cargo of coal, the vessel was torpedoed & sunk by U-27, Kapitänleutnant Bernd Wegener in command, at 50.46N/05.02W, 13 miles N. of Trevose Head, Cornwall. 2 lives (have also read 1 only) were lost. Can you help with additional data? An image, perhaps?130 Gellivare
1992 tons
Hull 344
44631905 A 'turret' steamer. An ore carrier. Per 1 (launch), 2 (page in Swedish & image), 3 (Norwegian Gellivare page), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 88 metres long (84.2 metres between perpendiculars), speed of 9 knots. Sister to Kiruna.
Built for 'Rederi A/B Luleå-Ofoten', (have also read Trafikaktiebolaget-Grangesberg-Oxelosund), (Welin or P. Tham the managers?), of Stockholm, Sweden. P. A. Weiling became the managers in 1906.
On May 19, 1916 'Överförd till Trafik Ab Grängesberg-Oxelösund, Stockholm.', which means (thanks to Pontus Skeppstam of the U.K.) 'Transferred to Trafik AB Grängesberg-Oxelösund, of Stockholm'. AB means a limited company, I gather. In 1920, G. Dillner became the managers.
In Sep. 1933, the vessel was sold to Lindholmens of Göteborg (Gothenburg) to be broken up. Can you help?131 Grindon Hall
2380/3721 (N/G) tons
Hull 346
1199781905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
342.2 ft. (about 110 metres) long, 313 HP engines by William Doxford & Sons Limited of Sunderland, speed of 9 1/2 knots, signal letters HDMK, crew lists may be available via this page (out of commission as this listing is updated in 2024).
The vessel was launched on Aug. 31, 1905 & delivered in Sep. 1905 to 'Grindon Hall Steamship Company Ltd.', of Cardiff, (Edward Nicholl & Co., the major owners & managers). Registered at Cardiff on Sep. 21, 1905. The principal of Edward Nicholl & Co., i.e. Edward Nicholl (1862/1939) later became Sir Edward Nicholl. Bought at the cost of £34,500.
The Mercantile Navy List records the vessel from 1906 thru 1908, owned & managed as stated above.
It would seem that the vessel completed nine voyages into the Black Sea to load cargoes of grain. And was lost on the tenth such voyage. Richard Burt was the vessel's captain during the vessel's entire lifetime except for the single voyage immediately prior to the one next described.
On Oct. 16, 1907 the vessel left Cardiff for Kustenjeb (or Kustendij), located about 100 miles N. of Varna, Bulgaria, Romanian Black Sea coast), with a cargo of 5,071 tons of coal, under the command of Richard Burt & with a crew of 26 all told. It arrived at Kustenjeb on Nov. 04, 1907 & on Nov. 23, 1907 left for nearby Sulina (Romania, at the mouth of Sulina branch of the Danube River) to load a cargo of barley & maize. The vessel arrived at Sulina that same day.
There is a little confusion as to how many tons of cargo the vessel took on board at Sulina. Perhaps 4,181 tons of barley & 1,349 tons of maize. On Dec. 04, 1907, Grindon Hall left Sulina, for Glasgow. With, it would seem, modestly more bunker coal than she should have been carrying. She was never heard from again, & was surely lost with all hands in the Black Sea soon after leaving Sulina. Likely having encountered heavy weather. There was, it would seem, no report of her passing the Bosphorus (or Bosporus), which data is, however, not conclusive on its own. But ... On Jan. 08, 1908, Kelet, an Austrian steamship, picked up part of a Grindon Hall lifeboat in the Black Sea. And a little later a lifebuoy & a lifebelt were also picked up on Black Sea beaches. At the time of the vessel's loss, 'Grindon Hall Steamship Company Ltd.' were the vessel's owners, which company was partially owned & managed by 'Edward Nicholl and Co.', of Cardiff. Then worth about £35,000 & insured in about that amount.
An e-Bay item, now expired, was a 1908 Workman's Compensation Claim re William Roberts, a steward who perished.
The vessel was replaced with another Doxford 'turret ship', built in 1908, & also named Grindon Hall.
On May 06/07, 1908, the Board of Trade conducted an Inquiry at Cardiff into the vessel's loss. The most extensive resulting report, can be read here. The Board concluded that Grindon Hall had not been properly loaded at Sulina & she was lost by the instability that such loading caused. Do read the report for details.
There were some confusing aspects to the record of this vessel, but I think they are now resolved. The volume available above (Nicholl), neither references the loss of Grindon Hall nor mentions the replacement vessel of the same name. Not great issues, perhaps, especially since WW1 losses are not mentioned either. But it does give, at page #99, financial results of the vessel's operations from Sep. 26, 1905 through Nov. 27, 1908. That seemed to be a strange end date indeed, since it was almost a year after the ship was lost. I believe, however, that the solution emerges, thanks to data provided by Barry Quest re the 2nd Grindon Hall. It is clear that Nov. 27, 1908 was the end date of a voyage of that 2nd vessel. Now each Nicholl ship was owned by a separate 'company' or group of investors. I conclude that the company which owned this vessel, received the insurance funds when it was lost, & with those funds bought the replacement vessel of the same name. So the financial results to which reference is made are the results of that company covering 2 vessels of the identical name. Which makes sense, I think. Can you add anything? Or provide an additional image?132 Hatumet
4147 tons
Hull 343
120605
Rassay1905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (NY Times article Feb. 14, 1910), 2 & 3 (accounts of the Lima wreck & rescue), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
106.7 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 350 ft., speed of 10 knots.
Built for Hathor Steam Ship Co. Ltd. (H. B. & A. Gourlay), of London.
On Feb. 05, 1910, Lima, a passenger liner of 4943 tons built in 1907, en route from the Clyde & Liverpool for Callao, Peru, & commanded by Percy M. Jacobs ('Jacobs'), ran ashore in bad weather including fog on Huamblin Island, about 100 miles S. of Chiloé Island, Chile. At 44.45S/75.12W. References say that the vessel, ran ashore in the Strait of Magellan but it would seem that Huamblin Island is a long way N. of the Strait. Hatumet, commanded by Capt. J. Peters, saw the distress signals & rescued '205 persons, of whom 188 were passengers, including all the women and children'. One by one, they were lowered by rope, in darkness, to two waiting Hatumet lifeboats, boats which were manned, I read, by Lima seamen & commanded respectively by Lima's Chief Officer I. Nicholson & by Lima's boatswain. 6 of the crew of Nicholson's lifeboat (including Nicholson) lost their lives when the boat overturned in high seas & they were swept away, however 2 indicates that in fact 50 more were lost by drowning, including Lima's chief mate. Hatumet, in danger of being herself swept onto the rocks, made for Ancud, at the N. end of Chiloé Island. Many rescue vessels were dispatched.
I read that a silver medal of the 'Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society' was awarded to J. McClusky, boatswain, presumably of Lima, for his gallant conduct in the rescue, along with the sum of £5. Other medals etc. were also awarded, including silver medals to Jacobs & three able seamen who presumably served as lifeboat crew. The remaining 88 persons aboard Lima were later taken off, by rocket apparatus, by Blanca Encalada or maybe by Chilean cruiser Ministro Centro. Not sure. Nor am I sure of the date on which the 88 were rescued - the data is confusing - however it would seem to have been 15 days after Lima struck.
Hatumet was sold, in 1915 (or maybe 1914), to Isles Steam Shipping Co. Ltd., of London, B. J. Sutherland & Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, the managers. And in 1919 was renamed Rassay. In 1923, Rassay was acquired by B. J. Sutherland & Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, with no change of name.
The images at left are shown thanks to Sax Jarritt, whose father-in-law served aboard Rassay in the spring of 1920, particularly on a voyage from Hull to Bahia Blanca, Argentina, to pick up a cargo of grain.
In Jun. 1932, the vessel was broken up at the Gateshead facilities of J. J. King & Sons. Can you help with additional data?133 Kiruna
2004 tons
Hull 3421905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (maiden voyage), 2 (page in Swedish), 3 (Kiruna, page with 3 images), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
84.2 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 276.4 ft., named, per Björn Waldenström, after the largest deposit of iron ore in Sweden. Sister to Gellivare.
Her maiden voyage was to Stockholm, on Jun. 24, 1905. Built for 'Rederi A/B Luleå-Ofoten', (have also read Trafikaktiebolaget-Grangesberg-Oxelosund), (P. Tham the managers), of Stockholm, Sweden. In 1906, P. A. Weiling became the manager.
On Feb. 16, 1913, en route from Oxelösund, Sweden, to Rotterdam, with a cargo of iron ore, the vessel collided with the German steamer Cæsar or Caesar in the North Sea. And sank, with no loss of life. Can you help with additional data?134 Komura
2112 tons
Hull 348
120646
Hwa Sung1905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (McIlwraith McEacharn, plus data & 3 images, Komura, 45% down), 2 (Scottish Line, data Komura, states vessel was renamed 'Hwa Sing'), 3 (3 fine images, State Library of New South Wales), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
90.1 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 295.5 ft., speed of 10 1/2 knots. 2 masts, single screw.
Built for 'McIlwraith, McEacharn & Co. Proprietary Limited', of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, & also of London, (Scottish Line), for the Australian coastal trade. I read that that company was restyled in 1913 & became 'McIlwraith, McEacharn’s Line Proprietary Ltd.'
A long expired eBay item was a Captain's Abstract or Log, with details, in 500 pages, of the Australian coastal voyages of the vessel from Oct. 15, 1914 to Dec. 06, 1920.
In 1931, the vessel was sold to the 'Hwa Sung Steam Ship Co. Ltd.', of Shanghai, China, & renamed Hwa Sung.
I read that the vessel was scuttled, as a blockship, in the Upper Yangtse River, China, in 1938. Presumably related to the Second Sino-Japanese War which commenced in Jul. 1937. Can anybody advise us of the circumstances. Or otherwise help with additional data?135 Nordland
3222 (or 3549, 3779 or 3823) tons
Hull 334
Rigel1905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (page in Swedish, modest image), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
107.3 (or 106.6 or 100.52) metres long, likely perpendicular to perpendicular, 362 ft. 10 in. (converts to 110.5916 metres, likely length overall, speed of 9 (or 8) knots, signal letter JPHD.
Built for 'Ångfartygs A/B Tirfing (Broström)', of Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden. Lloyd's Register of 1911/12 states the owner to be ÅngfAktieb Tirfing with Axel Broström & Son the managers with length of 352.0 ft. (converts to 107.29 metres) but no definition of the exact dimension measured.
The vessel was sold, in 1930, to 'Red. A/B Iris' (C. H. Abrahamsen managers & maybe the owners also), of Stockholm, Sweden, & renamed Rigel.
From 1932 to 1942, the vessel would seem to have become a Finnish vessel. A now expired link stated 'After only two years she was flagged out to Finland under management of Emm. Erikson from Mariehamn. Her actual owner remained C. Abrahamsen.' So Abrahamsen were, in fact, the owners? Returned to Swedish flag in 1942.
Can anybody tell us about her service during the years of WW2?
At 11:40 p.m. on Mar. 04, 1953, Rigel, carrying iron ore from Oxelösund, Sweden, to Port Talbot, Wales, was in collision with Italian vessel Senegal, in the North Sea off the mouth of the Thames - at 51.41N/2.16E, which was stated, I read, to be SE of the Galloper Light Vessel. I have also read however, in a data 'snippet' that the collision was off the Belgian coast. But if you locate the above coordinates in an atlas, it seems to be neither off the mouth of the Thames nor particularly close to the Belgian coast. Rigel was hit amidships & sank. 29 survivors - the reference seemed to mean there was, in fact, no loss of life. Who rescued the crew, I wonder? The circumstances? Miramar suggest that Senegal was at anchor. If that was so, it was i) a strange place to anchor unless there was dense fog or some other good reason, ii) how could Rigel have been hit amidships if Senegal was at anchor? Very often data about relatively recent times is just not WWW available.
Can you correct the above and/or otherwise provide additional data?136 Österland
4085 (or 4120) tons
Hull 345
4551
Österhav1905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (image as Österhav, with further links in 'comments'), 2 (28.3.1936), 3 (1936), 4 (data & image, Swedish page), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
105.6 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular, 346.3 ft.
Built for 'Ångfartygs A/B Tirfing' (Axel Broström & Son), of Gothenburg, Sweden. The vessel became Österhav in 1932 & was sold that year to 'Rederi AB Turret' of Finland, Kristian Hansen the manager. Dan Brostrom became the manager in 1917 & S. G. Janson the manager in 1926. In 1936, the vessel was registered at Helsingfors, it would seem.
On Mar. 28, 1936, in thick fog, Österhav struck rocks near the Stacks at Duncansby Head, Scotland (one of the most northerly parts of mainland Scotland near John o' Groats), while carrying a cargo of wood pulp from Rauma (in Finnish Raumo), Finland, to Ellesmere Port, River Mersey. She backed off the rocks, badly holed, & was beached in Sinclair's Bay, 2 miles N. of Wick, where her cargo was discharged by a salvage vessel. The Wick lifeboat rescued the entire crew of 25 men & 4 women, & also the captain's dog (need picture!). All were landed at Ackergill. The vessel was later re-floated & taken S. to Cromarty Firth (Moray Firth).
Now Miramar indicates that the vessel was broken up 'Stockton'. It would seem that that reference means that the vessel was sold to Stockton Salvage Company, with the intent of their using Österhav to carry heavy machinery & other material from HMS Natal, which had been lying in Cromarty Firth since 1915. Did Österhav complete that assignment? Via 1, the vessel may have been broken up at Cromarty Firth. I gather that 'The Doxford Turret Ships' states that the vessel was scrapped at Stockton-on-Tees. The 5th image at left, of Österhav, was referenced 'Marvictor Cia Naviera SA' - can anybody explain that reference. And can you correct the above, and/or add anything?137 Pearlmoor
2576/4119 (N/G) tons, later 2594/4097 (N/G)tons
Hull 349
120613
Pearlmead
Anneliese
Uru1905 A 'turret' steamer which was launched on Sep. 20, 1905 & first registered, at London, on Oct. 11, 1905 (scroll to #120613). Per 1 (Lloyd Brasileiro, Uru), 2 (1912 rescue), 3 (Southampton City Council/Plimsoll, Lloyd's Register ('LR') data, Uru, re 1930/1931), 4 (same source, LR data, Uru, of 1931/32 thru 1945/46) 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.0 ft. (106.68 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, later 348.6 ft., speed of 10 knots, signal letters HDQB later RDHV & PUCN, 310 NHP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland.
Built for Moor Line Ltd., of London, (Walter Runciman & Co., soon Sir Walter Runciman & Co. the managers). Per Mercantile Navy Lists ('MNL') of 1906 thru 1920. C. S. Moffett her captain in 1911/12, from 1905 it would seem.
A modest rescue. On Aug. 13, 1912, when in the Red Sea, the vessel rescued a trimmer from Ethiope, who had fallen into the sea when Ethiope was sailing about 8 miles ahead of Pearlmoor.
The vessel was sold, in 1920, to Western Counties Shipping Co. Ltd., of Cardiff, E. Edwards & Sons Ltd. the managers, & renamed Pearlmead. Per MNL of 1921 - Edgar Edwards the manager. In 1922, the vessel was sold to F. V. Eberhardt & Co., of London, & later that same year sold to Karck & Knott, also of London. George S. Karck of Middlesex, London, with Sidney R. Gilbert her manager, per MNL of 1923.
In 1923, the vessel was sold to Emder Reederei A.G., of Hamburg, Germany, & renamed Anneliese. In 1925, the vessel was sold to 'Lloyd Brasileiro', of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, & renamed Uru.
The vessel arrived, in Jun. 1957, at the Rio de Janeiro ship breaking facilities of 'Laminacao', to be broken up. Many crew lists are available here. The vessel had a long life, indeed! Can you add anything?138 Queda
7703 tons
Hull 337
1212381905 A 'turret' steamer. In fact the biggest such steamer constructed. Per 1 [British India, Queda (1)], 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 143 metres long, 138.7 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, 455.2 ft., speed of 12 knots.
Built for British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.
In 1923, the vessel was sold to T. Campanella, of Genoa, Italy, with no change of vessel name.
On Nov. 21, 1923, the vessel arrived at Spezia, northern Italy, to be broken up. Maybe actually scrapped in 1924. WWW data was most limited re this vessel, but thanks to Jochen Kemsa, we are able to present a 5 page 1906 article, in German, re both Queda & Wellington, including plans, ex 'Zeitschrift des Vereins Deutscher Ingenieure' - Magazine of the German Association of Engineers. Here:- A, B, C, D, E. Can you add anything additional! Another image?139 Querimba
7696 (later 7668) tons
Hull 339
121245
Maria Enrica1905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 [British India, Querimba (1)], 2 (Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyds Register data, Maria Enrica, 1930/31 thru 1933/34), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 143 metres long, 138.8 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, 455.2 ft., speed likely of 12 knots, signal letters NXOG.
Built for British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.
In 1923, the vessel was sold to Emanuele Bozzo & Luigi Mortola, of Genoa, Italy, & renamed Maria Enrica.
In the 2nd quarter of 1933, the vessel was apparently broken up at Genoa. WWW available data is essentially non-existent re this vessel. Need help! Another image?140 Wellington
5600 tons
Hull 330
1199671905 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (page bottom, 16 September 1918), 2 (Seneca's role, p.25 thru 33), 3 (U-118), 4 ('uboat.net', Wellington), 5 (image, Wellington, thanks to Newcastle Libraries. A large & fine set of largely Newcastle images is available here 6), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
119.0 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 390.3 ft., speed of 10 knots.
Built for Wellington Steam Ship Company Limited ('Wellington'), (W. J. Tatem & Co. the managers) of Cardiff, Wales. The largest Cardiff owned ship at that time, I read.
At an unknown date, the vessel went aground at Gaidaro Rocks, Tenedos, & was assisted by Recovery, a salvage vessel. Tenedos or Bozcaada, is a small Turkish island in the Mediterranean, near to Troy & the Dardanelles.
Wellington was wound up voluntarily in late 1909, at which time the vessel was sold to Tatem Steam Navigation Co., Ltd.
In 1917, the vessel was sold again, to Atlantic Shipping & Trading Co. Ltd., of London?, W. J. Tatem & Co., of Cardiff, the managers.
I read that the vessel was torpedoed by UB-40, Kapitänleutnant Hans Howaldt in command, on Oct. 19, 1917, while 5 miles SSE. of Portland Bill, en route from the Tyne to Genoa with a cargo of coal. The vessel was beached at Portland Roads, later re-floated, repaired & returned to duty. No loss of life.
Later, on Sep. 16, 1918, the vessel was en route from Newport, Wales, to Naples, Italy, again with a cargo of coal. A part of 21 ship convoy OM 99 bound for Gibraltar, escorted solely by Seneca, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. Wellington was torpedoed without warning by U-118, Kapitänleutnant Herbert Stohwasser in command, 175 miles N. by W. of Cape Villano, NW Spain, (at 45.48N/10.58W). Seneca attempted valiantly to save the Wellington. 20 Seneca volunteers boarded the seriously damaged vessel, which Wellington's crew had abandoned, & attempted to make the port of Brest, France, assisted by 12 of Wellington's crew (including her captain) who had re-boarded her. The ship later sank, however, in a major gale. After valiant attempts to keep the ship moving & afloat, the combined crews took to rafts when she sank, but many were lost, drowned in the cold seas. Seneca lost 11 of its personnel in the attempt, while 5 of the Wellington crew were lost including its Captain (Donovan). Thanks to Jochen Kemsa, we are able to present a 5 page 1906 article, in German, re both Wellington & Queda, including plans, ex 'Zeitschrift des Vereins Deutscher Ingenieure' - Magazine of the German Association of Engineers. Here:- A, B, C, D, E.
Still need help! The date of the Gaidaro/Tenedos grounding in particular.141 Countess Warwick
4108 tons
Hull 366
123168
Kincardine1906 A 'turret' steamer, a collier. Per 1 ('u-boat.net', sinking Kincardine), 2 (U-70), 3 (p. 216, A. J. Tennent volume, Kincardine), 4 (ref. to builder's model, & data), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.0 ft. (about 111 metres) long, 106.7 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Built for Countess Warwick Steamship Co. Ltd. ('Warwick'), [W. J. Williams & Co. ('Williams'), the managers] of Cardiff, Wales. But maybe not. John Bage's list of Doxford built vessels stated Williams was the owner & 'Williams & Mordey', the managers, while 4 states Warwick was the owner & 'Williams & Mordey' were the managers.
The vessel was sold, in 1916 (or 1915), to Sutherland Steamship Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, (A. M. Sutherland, the manager), & renamed Kincardine.
On Mar. 03, 1917, defensively armed, the vessel was torpedoed without warning by U-70, Kapitänleutnant Otto Wünsche in command, & sunk 20 miles NE of Tearaght Island, off the SW coast of Ireland, (at 52.22N/10.26W), while en route from Cardiff, Wales, to Genoa, Italy, with a cargo of Welsh steam coal. No lives were lost, it would appear, though I cannot tell you how the crew were rescued.
Need help!
Note: The builder's model sold for $14,700 in a 2005 auction.142 Drumcondra
4691 tons
Hull 355
120926
Lübeck
S. E. Calvert
Aquitania
Mar Glauco
Mokatam1906 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (extensive data, Drumcondra), 2 (data & images as S. E. Calvert & Mar Glauco), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
380.8 ft. (about 120 metres) long, speed of 8 or 8 1/2 knots.
Built for Astral Shipping (or Steamship) Co. Ltd., of Liverpool, & registered there (Joseph Chadwick & Son Ltd., the managers).
The vessel was sold, in 1913, to 'L. Possehl & Co.' of Lübeck, Germany, & renamed Lübeck.
In Jul. 1914, the vessel was temporarily stranded at Tranóy, which is, I am advised, where the pilots board ships going to Narvik, Norway, to load iron ore.
In 1915, the vessel was sold to 'Nordisches Erzkontor G.m.b.H.', of Stettin, then Germany now Poland.
At the end of WW1, in 1919, the vessel became a British vessel, a war reparation, owned by the Shipping Controller, & managed by Turner, Brightman & Co., of London. It was sold, in 1921, to Calvert Steamship Co. Ltd., of Goole, Yorkshire, (J. S. Calvert, probably the owner) & renamed S. E. Calvert. Goole is a 45 miles inland port, on the Ouse River.
The vessel was sold again, in 1924 (or 1923), to 'Ditta Luigi Pittaluga Vapori', of Genoa, Italy, & renamed Aquitania. And in 1927, sold once again, to M. Maresca & Co., also of Genoa, & renamed Mar Glauco.
In Jun. 1940, the vessel was laid up at Philadelphia & on Sep. 12, 1941 was seized by the U.S. Government & renamed Mokatam. The vessel was operated by the U.S. Maritime Commission under Panamanian flag, & managed by Grace Line. In 1943, the vessel was transferred to the U.S. Army, & was used as a storage facility at Morotai, an island in the Molucca Islands of Indonesia. It was damaged there in a Japanese air attack on or about Feb. 27, 1944. Was later repaired at Sydney, New South Wales ('NSW'), Australia.
In 1946 it was laid up at Newcastle, NSW, & in 1949 sold to 'R. Cunningham & H. Sutherland' & cut down to tank top at Stockton, NSW. Was eventually beached in the Platt's Channel, Hunter River, as a 'landfill bulkhead'. It is surely still there today! Quite a history! Can you add anything!143 Duffield
3838 tons
Hull 372
122865
Fernando1906 A 'turret' steamer cargo ship. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Data most limited.
106.8 metres long, 350.3 ft., speed of 9 knots.
Built for Northern Petroleum Tank Steamship Co. Ltd. of Newcastle, Hunting & Son the managers.
Ex a no longer available 'pdf' file, 'The steering gear was steam driven. There was no shipboard electricity and therefore no refrigeration; lighting throughout was by kerosene wick lamp. The Duffield sailed with a cargo of steel rails from Middlesbrough to Port Sudan. Before returning to the UK, the Duffield traded for 12 months carrying coal, trading between Calcutta, Colombo and the Red Sea port of Djibouti.'
The vessel was sold, in Feb. 1925, to 'Cia. Nav. Pereda', of Colon, Panama, & renamed Fernando. In 1926, then owned by 'Naviera Pereda SA', (the same company?), the vessel was registered at Bilbao, Spain.
On Oct. 01, 1932, the vessel arrived at the Santander, Spain, ship breaking facilities of Andres Vega Gorostegui, to be broken up. Can you provide more data?144 Elgin
3835 tons
Hull 367
122855
Gwynmead
Virgo1906 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Data most limited.
106.8 metres long, 350.5 ft., speed of 9 knots.
Built for B. J. Sutherland & Co. Ltd., of Newcastle. In 1908 or 1909, the vessel was transferred to Munro Shipping Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, B. J. Sutherland & Co. Ltd. the managers, with no change of vessel name. And in 1911 or 1912 was transferred again to Sutherland Steamship Co. Ltd. ('Sutherland'), also of Newcastle, A. M. Sutherland the manager, again with no change of vessel name.
The vessel was sold, in 1920, to 'Western Counties Shipping Company Limited' ('Western'), of Cardiff, E. Edwards & Sons the managers, & renamed Gwynmead. Western, I read, failed in 1922 & its fleet vessels became owned, I believe, by 'Walter Runciman & Co. Ltd.' ('Runciman'). But Gwynmead would seem to have been earlier sold, to Isles Steam Shipping Co. Ltd., of Newcastle.
In 1923 it became owned by Sutherland again. (Have also read that the vessel was indeed sold in 1922 to Runciman).
The vessel was sold, in 1929, to Rederi A/B Iris, of Stockholm, Sweden, C. Abrahamsen the manager, & renamed Virgo. A long gone Swedish page seemed to indicate, (webmaster's lack of Swedish), that the vessel was sold for £10,350. And renamed Vigo, but I think that may be a typing mistake. In 1932, the vessel was registered at Mariehamn, Finland - same owner it would seem.
In Feb. 1936, the vessel was broken up at Grays, Essex. Can you provide more data?145 Mersario
3847 tons
Hull 363
1213501906 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 ('u-boat.net', 1917 sinking), 2 (account of sinking), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Data is limited.
106.8 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular, 350.4 ft., speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Built for 'Steamship Mersario Co. Ltd.', 'Maclay & McIntyre' of Glasgow, the managers.
The vessel was sold, in 1914, to 'Reid Steamship Co. Ltd.' ('Reid'), of London, W. S. Reid the managers, but the vessel stayed registered at Glasgow. In 1915 & 1916, 'Reid, Rigg & Thoe Ltd.' & then 'T. H. Griffiths & Co. (Depots), Ltd.', of Cardiff, became the managers. Reid, it would seem, was acquired by 'Stathe Steamship Company', of Cardiff, in 1917.
On Sep. 16, 1917, Elias Lloyd maybe in command, the vessel left Barry, Wales, with a cargo of coal & coke, bound for Italy. At 11:15 a.m. on Oct. 01, 1917, while in the Atlantic, 86 miles off the coast of Morocco, the vessel was hit by a single torpedo fired by U-39, the much decorated Kapitänleutnant Walther Forstmann in command. At 35.39N/07.53W, 86 miles WxN of Cape Spartel. Now Aled Williams, who lost his great nephew in the attack, (William T. G. Jones ('Jones'), a seaman), indicates at 2, i) that the ship was rather lost at (nearby) 35.40N/7.38W & ii) that the ship was rather en route to Alexandria, Egypt. The vessel sank in 3 minutes, & turned turtle as she sank. One seaman was killed by the explosion & Jones & one other went down with the ship. U-39 surfaced, took R. Chadwick, 3rd engineer, aboard for questioning, & released him on some wreckage, from which he was rescued by the surviving crew who had taken to a lifeboat. Early the next day, the survivors were rescued by La Somme, a French steamer, (built in 1897 by 'Blumer' as City of York) & landed at Gibraltar. One of the Mersario survivors, returning to U.K. aboard Manchuria, had the misfortune, I read, of being torpedoed a second time, when that ship was hit on Oct. 17, 1917, with the loss of 26 lives. He wasn't so lucky the second time around & was one of the 26 lost.
Can you provide more data? An image?146 Newbiggin
3836 tons
Hull 365
122850
Frankier
Tuskar Light1906 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (Lloyd Royal Belge Frankier), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Data quite limited.
106.8 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Built for Newcastle Steamship Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, John J. Forster & Charles M. Forster the managers.
In 1915, the vessel was sold to 'Brijs & Gylsen Ltd.' (Brys & Gylsen), of London, & renamed Frankier. The vessel was transferred, in 1918 (no name change), to 'Lloyd Royal Belge (Great Britain) Ltd.' of London.
In 1923, the vessel was sold to Bristol Channel Steamers Ltd., of Cardiff, Wales, J. German & Co. the managers, & renamed Tuskar Light. Lewis Lougher & Co. Ltd., of Cardiff, became the managers in 1926.
On May 12, 1932, the vessel arrived at Bilbao, Spain, to be broken up. Need help!147 Newbridge
3737 tons
Hull 358
1236481906 A 'turret' steamer, a collier. Per 1 (data, Newbridge), 2 (scuttling, 80% down) & 3 (scuttling, para #3), 4 (scuttling with map of Rufiji estuary), 5 & 6 (3 lives lost), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
104.3 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 342.1 ft., speed of 9 knots.
Built for Temperley Steam Shipping Co. Ltd., of London, J. Temperley & Co. the managers. But not included in the partial list of 'Temperley' ships here.
In Oct. & early Nov. 1914, SMS Königsberg, a German cruiser, was, as a result of a serious engine failure, blockaded in the Rufiji Estuary, German East Africa (S. of modern-day Dar es Salaam, Tanzania). Newbridge was ordered by the Admiralty to be scuttled to block her escape. Newbridge, together with a small fleet of vessels including a ship armed with two torpedoes (in case the scuttling was unsuccessful) moved upstream. Newbridge was successfully scuttled, on Nov. 11, 1914, in Ssuninga (or Simba Uranga) channel. The Newbridge crew was rescued by Duplex but 3 lives were lost.
WWW data about the vessel is most limited. Can you add anything?148 Nonsuch
2414/3802 (N/G) tons, later 2887/3845 (N/G) tons, 3826 tons
Hull 359
123642
Clearway
Efstathios
Werner Kunstmann
Hermann Fritzen1906 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (National Maritime Museum re builder's model), 2 (image, Hermann Fritzen), 3 (Lloyd's Register data, 1944/45, Hermann Fritzen), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.5 ft. (106.83 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, have read also 366 ft. (111.6 metres) long overall, speed of 9 1/2 (or 8 1/2) knots, signal letters HGFV later DATB, 310 NHP engines by William Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland.
There may well be images of Hermann Fritzen at 'shipsnostalgia.com' but I cannot satisfactorily link to them).
Built for Bowles Brothers ('Bowles'), of London. In 1911 or 1912, the vessel was transferred to Bowlines Ltd., with Bowles as the managers.
In 1913, or maybe in 1914, the vessel was sold to Anglo-Oriental Navigation Co. Ltd., of London (or maybe of Calcutta, India), A. Yule & Co. the managers, & renamed Clearway.
In 1920 or 1921, Edwards Steam Ship Co. Ltd., of London, acquired the vessel, with Villiers Ltd., of Calcutta, the managers.
In 1924 or 1925, the vessel was sold to S. E. Ambatielos, of Argostoli, Greece, & renamed Efstathios. Later in 1925, the vessel was sold to Wilhelm Kunstmann, of Stettin, then Germany now Poland, & renamed Werner Kunstmann.
In 1938, vessel was sold to 'Johs. Fritzen & Sohn vorm W. Kunstmann', (have also read 'Johs. Fritzen & Sohn vorm. Lexzau, Scharbau & Co.'), of Stettin, & renamed Hermann Fritzen. And in 1949, the vessel was sold to Johs Fritzen & Son., of Emden, with no change of vessel name,
The vessel apparently sank in the harbour at Hamburg, Germany, on Nov. 04, 1944, as the result of an air raid by U.S. 8th Air Force bombers. But in 1949, (how interesting!), the vessel was raised, repaired & returned to service. Ten years later, on Apl. 24, 1959, the vessel arrived at the Hamburg ship breaking facilities of Eckhardt & Co. to be broken up.
Can you add anything?149 Oxelösund
2061 (or 1954) tons
Hull 350
45151906 A 'turret' steamer. An ore carrier. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 89 metres long (85.6 metres between perpendiculars), 280.8 ft., speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Built for 'Oxelösunds Rederiaktiebolaget A/B' (Percy Tham AB, the manager), of Oxelösund, Sweden.
On Jun. 19, 1916, while en route from Holmsund to Norfleet with a cargo of wood pulp, the vessel capsized at Gefle Bay (92 miles NNW of Stockholm), Sweden. I have not read the circumstances, however Björn Waldenström advises that the cause was never determined & the wreck has never been found. WWW data is most limited. A old Christmas card from Oxelösund, on the Baltic Sea, that you will enjoy.
Can you add anything?150 Ryall
4107 (or 4226) tons
Hull 368
122860
Roland
Henrik Lund1906 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (Norwegian Ref #107), 2 ('uboat.net', sinking, Henrik Lund), 3 (U-151), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
106.7 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular.
The vessel was built for Red "R" Steamship Co. Ltd. of Newcastle, Stephens, Sutton & Stephens, of Newcastle, the owners & managers.
In Jul. 1913, it was sold to 'Ångfartygs-AB Tirfing' (Broströmskoncernen or Dan Broström or Axel Brostrom & Sons, the managers), of Göteborg/ Gothenburg, Sweden, & renamed Roland.
In Jan. 1916, the vessel was sold to 'A/S D/S Henrik Lund', Willy Gilbert the manager, of Bergen, Norway, & renamed Henrik Lund.
On Jun. 10, 1918, while en route from Baltimore to Buenos Aires with a general cargo including coal, the vessel was torpedoed (or maybe hit by an explosive device instead) & captured & sunk by U-151, Korvettenkapitän Heinrich von Nostitz und Jänckendorff in command, off the coast of North Carolina. At 36.30N/71.29W. I needed help with the Norwegian text at 1. But Björn Waldenström has now kindly advised (thanks!) that it states that the vessel was en route from Norfolk, Virginia, to Rio de Janiero, with a cargo of coal & that the lifeboats were tied together with those from Vindeggen (also sunk) until they encountered the Danish Brosund, which took the crew members to New York.
Can you help with more data?151 Ryton
4136 (or 4169 or 4110) tons
Hull 351
122838
Hogland
Dampfem
Erika Fritzen1906 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (data, in Norwegian, Dampfem), 2 (data & image, builder's style model, Ryton, Lot #114, sold Jul. 2008), 3 (German page, Nov. 29, 1940 ref. to an emergency call from Erika Fritzen, para 2, meaning unclear, even in translation), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 111 metres long overall, 106.7 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, 350.2 ft., speed of 8 1/2 or 9 knots, signal letters LDHT.
Built for Red "R" Steamship Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, (Stephens, Sutton & Stephens, the managers).
In 1913, the vessel was sold to 'Ångfartygs-AB Tirfing' (Axel Brostrom & Son), of Göteborg /Gothenburg, Sweden, & renamed Hogland. In 1917, Dan Broström became the manager.
In 1923 or 1924, the vessel was sold to 'Rederi A/S Damp', (Arth. H. Mathiesen), of Oslo, Norway' & renamed Dampfem. And in 1926, it was sold to 'A/G fur Handel & Verkehr' or 'Johs. Fritzen & Sohn', of Emden, Germany, (Lexzau Scharbau & Co., the managers), & renamed Erika Fritzen. In 1938, the owners were restyled as 'Johs. Fritzen & Sohn, vorm. Scharbau & Co.'
I am advised that during WW2, the vessel was engaged in shipping coal between Norway & Germany.
On Feb. 25 or 26, 1945, the vessel hit a mine & sank N. of Warnemünde on the Baltic coast. At 54.23N/11.59E.
Can you help with more data?152 Admiraal de Ruijter
5545 (or 5544) tons
Hull 389
Afrika1907 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (Müller as ... 'Admiraal de Ruyter'), 2 (data & image), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
118.9 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 390.0 ft., speed 9 1/2 (or maybe 10 1/2) knots.
Built for 'Wm. Müller & Co.', (or 'W. H. Müller & Co's Algemeene Scheepvaart Maatschappij') of Rotterdam.
The vessel was in the Black Sea when WW1 commenced. On Mar. 10, 1915, it became Naval Transporter No. 1 of the Russian Black Sea fleet.
On Jun. 27, 1918, the vessel was seized by the Germans at Novorossiysk, in Southern Russia, on the Black Sea. It was returned to Wm. Müller & Co. in Nov. 1918.
In 1927, the vessel was sold to 'Atlas Reederei AG', of Emden, Germany & renamed Afrika.
In Q2 of 1933, the vessel was broken up at Finkenwarder, Germany.
WWW data re the vessel is most limited. Can you help with additional data?153 Blötberg
4835 (or 4850) tons
Hull 387
Blommersdijk1907 A 'turret' steamer which was launched on Feb. 15, 1907. Per 1 (Batavier Line, Blötberg), 2 [Holland America Line, Blommersdijk (1)], 3 (image Blommersdijk & Dutch text), 4 (image Blötberg), 5 ('u-boat.net', sinking, Blommersdijk), 6 (U-53), 7 (ship's model & data), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
394.4 ft long (120.21 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 125.58 metres long overall, speed of 10 knots, signal letters NHBJ, 290 HP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland.
Built for 'Wm. Müller & Co.', (or 'W. H. Müller & Co's Algemeene Scheepvaart Maatschappij') (Batavier Line) of Rotterdam. In Mar. 1915, the vessel was painted a bright scarlet at the waterline below a band of yellow conspicuously marked 'Nederlands' in letters 10 ft. tall - said to be 'a brilliant spectacle' - to avoid being attacked by German submarines (Holland being neutral in WW1).
On Jan. 27, 1916, the vessel was sold to 'Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij' (Holland America Line) also of Rotterdam & renamed Blommersdijk. Can anyone explain the matter of the vessel's new name? Most references are to Blommersdijk, but a prominent website used to refer to Blommersdyk (the page is now gone). Are not vessels registered? And the exact name as registered should govern?
On Oct. 08, 1916, while en route from New York to Rotterdam (via Kirkwall, Orkney Islands) with a cargo of grain, & 5 miles E. of Nantucket Shoals Lightship, the vessel was torpedoed and/or shelled & sunk by U-53, Kapitänleutnant Hans Rose in command. At 40.40N/ 69.36W. The vessel was a neutral vessel. It would seem that U-53 gave notice & the Blommersdijk crew were able to take to the boats. The crew were rescued by U.S. Destroyer Benham. The vessel sank stern first with the bow awash, was a menace to navigation, & may well have been blown up by Androscoggin. In Nov. 1916, Germany declared willingness to pay damages re the ship & her cargo of grain, with other items to be submitted to a 'prize court'. 7 states 'This error against a neutral ship by a U-boat captain cost Germany dearly in cash compensation, this being paid to her owners and the Dutch Government.' So compensation was indeed I presume, paid.
WWW data about vessel is quite limited. Can you add anything? Another image?154 Clan Buchanan
5212 tons
Hull 335 (number seems out of sequence)
1242321907 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 [Clan Line, Clan Buchanan (2)], 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
121.9 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 400.1 ft., speed of 11 knots.
Built for 'The Clan Line of Steamers Limited', of Glasgow.
On Nov. 12, 1916, the vessel was attacked by gunfire from a submarine off Cape Ortegal (NW Spain on Bay of Biscay) but 'escaped'. In Oct. 1933, three vessels (including Clan Buchanan) were sold for demolition for £15,000 (total price) to Hughes, Bolckow Shipbreaking Co. (or Hughes, Bolckow Co. Ltd.) of Blyth, Northumberland (NE of Newcastle upon Tyne). In Oct. 1933, the vessel was broken up there. WWW data is quite limited. It would seem that another Clan Buchanan, a barque, was sunk by gunfire from a German submarine in 1917.
Can you help with additional data?155 Clan Sinclair
5215 tons
Hull 333 (number seems out of sequence)
1242221907 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 [Clan Line, Clan Sinclair (2)], 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
121.9 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 knots.
Built for 'The Clan Line of Steamers Limited', of Glasgow.
In 1917, the vessel was requisitioned by the British Government for service during WW1. The vessel was returned to its owners in 1919.
In Oct. 1933, three vessels (including Clan Sinclair) were sold for demolition for £15,000 (total price) to Hughes, Bolckow Shipbreaking Co. (or Hughes, Bolckow Co. Ltd.) of Blyth, Northumberland (NE of Newcastle upon Tyne). In Nov. 1933, the vessel was broken up there. But ... I have also read that the vessel was scrapped at Antwerp in 1923, I think in error. WWW data is quite limited.
Can you help with additional data?156 Claveresk
3829 tons
Hull 379
123802
Renfrew
Ulversmead
Mari
Houstone
Lake Neuchatel
laid down as Billiter Buildings1907 A 'turret steamer'. Per 1 ('Skanfil', of Norway, image, Claveresk), 2 (data & model image etc., Christies, Claveresk), 3 (1918 lawsuit), 4 (B. J. Sutherland, Claveresk), 6 (Lloyd's Register data, 1930/31 thru 1939/40, Mari/Houstone/Lake Neuchatel), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.4 ft. (106.80 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 9 (or 8) knots, signal letters HKGP, later MBVG, later EAGO, later GDGN, 310 HP, later 342 HP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland.
Laid down as Billiter Buildings for J. Sunley & Co., of London. But, also in 1907, was acquired by Claverhill Steamship Co. Ltd. (Edmund Haslehurst & Co. managers), of London, & renamed Claveresk.
On Dec. 04, 1908, the vessel ran aground near Suakin Harbour (NE Sudan). A Court of Inquiry into the matter was held at Bombay (now Mumbai), India, on Jan. 14, 15 & 18, 1909. I wonder what it concluded? Such grounding used to be referred to in a London Gazette, issue 28277, page 5986, 'pdf' but it seems no longer to be available.
In 1908 (or maybe in 1909), the vessel was sold to 'Sandhill Steamship Company', B. J. Sutherland & Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, the managers & likely the owners, (Miramar refer however to A. M. Sutherland in 1919) with no change of name. The vessel was sold again, or more likely transferred within 'Sutherland', in 1910, with no change of name.
In 1913, the vessel was chartered, by 'Sutherland Steamship Company Ltd.', 'for about 5 years' to 'Earl Line Steamship Co.', of Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
On Jan. 25, 1917, the vessel was requisitioned by the Admiralty, for WW1 service. In 1918, a significant court case resulted, which case ruled that the Admiralty requisition had legally terminated the 1913 charter. Sutherland did, in 1919, change her name to Renfrew, when that name became possible.
In Feb. 1920, the vessel was sold again, for £130,000, to 'Western Counties Steamship Co.' ('Western'), of Cardiff, Wales, E. Edwards Sons & Co., of Cardiff, the managers, & renamed Ulversmead. Western must soon thereafter have failed, because its fleet of 8 ships was sold at auction in Aug. 1921. It would seem that Ulversmead was undergoing overhaul when sold. It was sold for £6,100 to Spanish buyers, i.e. Cia. Naviera Amaya of Bilbao, Spain, with 'C. de Zabala', the managers, & renamed Mari. The vessel was moved to Spain & the overhaul was completed there. It would seem that the sale value may have related, in part, to her condition. The vessel was transferred to Spanish registry in 1926.
In 1937, the vessel was sold to 'Phoenix Shipping Co.', of London, & renamed Houstone. The vessel was sold for the last time, in 1938, to 'Charles Strubin & Co. Ltd.', of London, & renamed Lake Neuchatel.
In 1939, the vessel was purchased or maybe requisitioned by the British Government & on Oct. 21, 1939, was sunk/scuttled as a block ship at Kirk Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands. At 58.53.24N/ 002.53.54W. That was not quite the end of the story. She was salvaged in Jun. 1948, by Metal Industries Ltd., & was towed to Troon, Scotland, to be broken up.
Can you add anything?157 Claverley
3829 tons
Hull 383
123839
laid down as Billiter Square1907 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 ('uboat.net', 1917 sinking), 2 (UB-38), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
106.7 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 350.1 ft. long, speed of 10 knots.
Laid down as Billiter Square for J. Sunley & Co., of London. But, also in 1907, was acquired by Claverley Steam Shipping Co. Ltd. (Edmund Haslehurst & Co. the managers), of London & renamed Claverley.
In 1908 (or 1909), the vessel was sold to Sandhill Shipping Co. Ltd. (B. J. Sutherland, the managers), of Newcastle.
In 1911, Claverley was sold to Sutherland Steamship Company Ltd. (A. M. Sutherland managers), also of Newcastle.
On Aug. 20, 1917, while defensively armed & en route from the Tyne to Genoa, Italy, with a cargo of coal, the vessel was torpedoed by UB-38, Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Amberger in command, 4 miles SE of Eddystone Lighthouse, 9 miles SW of Rame Head in Cornwall. 10 lives were lost. The captain survived. A large wreck, which, I have read at a now long gone WWW site, lies in 66 metres of water at 50.08N/04.10W - known locally as the 'The Carrier'. But is that so? A long expired website used to indicate that the wreck may not yet have been properly identified.
WWW data about the vessel is limited. Can you add anything?158 Galavale
3830 tons
Hull 381
124172
Renfrew
laid down as Billiter House1907 A 'turret steamer', which was launched on Feb. 28, 1907 (in red). Per 1 ('uboat.net', Renfrew sinking), 2 [B. J. Sutherland, Renfrew (2)], 3 (image, Galavale), 4 (1910 cyclone), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.0 ft. long (106.7 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 8 knots, capacity for 12 passengers, signal letters HKLM, 310 HP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland.
Laid down as Billiter House for J. Sunley & Co., of London. But delivered as Galavale for Vale Steamship Co. Ltd., 'A. Crawford Barr & Company' or 'Andrew Crawford & John C. Barr', the owners & managers, both of Glasgow.
The vessel was chartered for the carriage of salt to Montevideo, Uruguay.
In Apl. 1910, the vessel was damaged in a cyclone off Mauritius, but made it back to Mauritius 'in a terrible state', having lost one man overboard. A 1914 court case involving Cardiff Hall, but no detail is WWW available.
On Apl. 14, 1915 the vessel was requisitioned for WW1 service.
In 1917, the vessel was sold to 'Irismere Steam Shipping Company Ltd.', B. J. Sutherland & Co. Ltd., of Glasgow, the manager, & renamed Renfrew.
On Feb. 24, 1918, while en route from Bilbao, Spain, to Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, with a cargo of iron ore, the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by U-91, Kapitänleutnant Alfred von Glasenapp in command, when 8 miles SW of St. Ann's Head, near Milford Haven, St. George's Channel. The vessel sank. 41 (or maybe 40) lives were lost including the Captain (his name?). Have not read the circumstances. The WWW record for this vessel is limited.
James Smith has kindly provided this 'pdf' study of the vessel's history, which includes details of its WW1 service as a Collier Transport.
Can you help with additional data?159 Garfield
3838 tons
Hull 374
1254231907 A 'turret' steamer, a collier. Per 1 (sinking ref., 15 January 1917), 2 ('u-boat.net', sinking, Garfield), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.2 ft. long (106.74 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, signal letters HLBR, 292 HP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland, crew lists, thru to 1914, are here.
Built for 'Norwick Steamship Company Ltd.', of Newcastle, (Hunting & Son, ('Hunting') the manager), which company was, I am advised, wound up in 1911. In 1908, the vessel was sold, more likely transferred, to another Hunting company, i.e. 'Northern Petroleum Tank Steamship Co., Ltd.', with Hunting as managers. The Mercantile Navy Lists re 1910 & 1915.
On Jan. 15, 1917, defensibly armed, & en route from Barry, Wales, to Port Said, Egypt, via Malta, with a cargo of coal, the vessel was torpedoed & sunk by U.39, Kapitänleutnant Walter Forstmann in command, 60 miles off Alexandria, Egypt. At 36.05N/19.57E. But that data seems to be suspect since such location is not 60 miles off Alexandria - rather about 690 miles - & off the SW coast of Greece. No lives were lost but the master was taken prisoner. This contemporary newspaper article says that the captain's name was J. Evans.
WWW data is quite limited. Can you help with additional data?160 Garryvale
3908 tons
Hull 386
124236
launched as Westra1907 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (data & images, Garryvale), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
106.6 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 349.8 ft.
Launched as Westra for 'Japp & Kirby', it would appear. But it was delivered as Garryvale for Vale Steamship Co. Ltd., Andrew Crawford & John C. Barr & Co. the managers, of Glasgow. The managers' name was restyled in 1916 as Barr, Crombie & Son.
In 1916, the vessel was sold to Dawson Bros. & Rowan, also of Glasgow, with no change of vessel name.
In 1920, it was sold again, to British Transoceanic Steamship Co. Ltd., H. W. West the manager, again of Glasgow. In 1922 or 1923, the vessel was sold to Suomen Valtamerentakainen Kauppa Oy ('Suomen'), of Helsinki (Helsingfors), Finland, Kristian Hansen (note) the manager. Timo Sylvänne advises (thanks!) that Suomen later went bankrupt necessitating the sale of the vessel. So in 1929, the vessel was sold for the last time, to Rederi A/B Garryvale, also of Helsinki.
The vessel, en route from Narvik, Norway, to the Tees with a cargo of iron ore, was stranded on Jan. 30, 1939, 2 miles SE of South Gare, at the mouth of the River Tees. The vessel was re-floated, but, on Apl. 06, 1939, the vessel arrived at the T. W. Ward ship breaking facilities at Inverkeithing, Moray Firth, to be broken up.
It would seem that a later, 1942 built, vessel of the identical name, was owned by 'Andrew Crawford'. No WWW references to the company that I can find but a volume entitled The 'Vales' of Glasgow, privately printed by the company in 1955, covers the 1895/1955 history of the company - 85 pages. A rare volume. Maybe it references Garryvale?
A number of earlier links to related data have died. Can you help with additional data?161 Koromiko
2479 tons
Hull 390
117599
Yu Ping1907 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (c. 1907 image - Queensland Digital Library), 2 [Union Steamship, Koromiko (1)], 3 (NZ visits), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
95.2 metres long. perpendicular to perpendicular, 312 ft. 3 in., speed of 10 knots.
Built for 'Union Steamship Company of New Zealand Ltd.', of Dunedin, New Zealand. Used as a collier? The vessel visited Auckland, New Zealand, as Koromiko, 10 times between Jul. 19, 1924 & Sep. 08, 1926. Used on the trans-Tasman trade.
The vessel was sold, in 1927, or maybe in 1929, to 'Shun Hong S. S. Co.', of Hong Kong (S. T. Williamson the manager?). Or maybe sold to 'Williamson & Co.' in 1935. Can anybody clarify the matter?
The vessel was sold again, in 1936, to 'Yu Chung Steamship Co.', of Shanghai, China, & renamed Yu Ping.
In Dec. 1941, the vessel capsized & sank (or half sank), at Hankow on the Yangtze River, China, & at the end of WW2 was determined to be a total loss. Vol. 24 of 'NZ Marine News' (1969 I think) had an article about the vessel & an image.
Can you add anything?162 Redbridge
3834 tons, later 3792 tons
Hull 385
123841
Amerika
laid down as Billiter Street1907 A 'turret' steamer that was launched on May 09, 1907 & completed in Jun. 1907. Per 1 (data Redbridge), 2 (Lloyd's Register data, Amerika, 1930/31 thru 1934/35, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.0 ft. long, (106.7 metres), perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 8 1/2 or 9 knots, signal letters HKSF, later KQNG & DFYS, 310 HP engines by W. Doxford & Sons Limited of Sunderland.
Laid down as Billiter Street for J. Sunley & Co., of London. But, also in 1907, & renamed as Redbridge, became a fleet vessel of Temperley Steam Shipping Co. Ltd., (J. Temperley & Co.) also of London. But not included in the partial list of 'Temperley' ships here. I read with interest that Redbridge assisted in the aftermath of a massive earthquake that demolished 90% of Messina, Sicily, southern Italy, in the early morning of Dec. 28, 1908. 7.5 on the Richter scale, with the epicenter in the Messina Strait between Sicily & mainland Italy. A 40 ft. tsunami followed. As many as 200,000 may have lost their lives throughout the region.
In 1923, the vessel was sold to 'Atlas Reederei A.G.', of Emden, Germany, (Schulte & Bruns the managers) & renamed Amerika. Lloyd's Register of 1923/24, however, lists Redbridge as then owned by Schulte & Bruns of Germany. The transfer to 'Atlas Reederei A.G.' must have been later.
Broken up by 'Bremer Vulkan' at Vegesack (or Bremer-Vegesack), Germany, in Q2 of 1934. Glad to have the data I do have. But WWW data about vessel is most limited.
James Smith has kindly provided this 'pdf' study of Redbridge's history, which includes detail of its WW1 service as a Collier Transport.
Can you add anything? An image?163 Grindon Hall
2365/3712 (N/G) tons
Hull 398
128482
Gregorios1908 A 'turret' steamer, which was launched on Jul. 28, 1908 & first registered, at Cardiff, on Aug. 18, 1908 (scroll to #128482). Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). The webmaster finds it distressing that all four of his earlier links to external data no longer work, presumably because the sites no longer exist or because they are now behind a pay wall.
342.2 ft. (104.30 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, signal letters HNBK, speed of 10 knots, 300 (or 313) HP engines by William Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland, many crew lists are available here.
Built for 'Grindon Hall Steamship Co. Ltd.' of Cardiff, (Edward Nicholl & Co. the major owners), at the cost of £34,500. Per Mercantile Navy Lists ('MNL') of 1909 thru 1915, with Edward Nicholl & Ivor D. Griffin, her managers. The principal of Edward Nicholl & Co., i.e. Edward Nicholl (1862/1939) later became Sir Edward Nicholl (the volume at the link includes an image of the vessel, now visible at left). To replace the vessel of identical name lost in 1907. From 1912, the vessel was registered at London.
Its first two voyages were to the Black Sea (see below), under Captain S. H. Mathias.
On Feb. 07, 1915, while en route from Havana, Cuba, to London, the vessel put into Norfolk, Virginia, with a fire in her hold.
On Oct. 21, 1916, Captain Brewis in command, Grindon Hall was 'wrecked' on Salcombe Beach (near Sidmouth in E. Devon, U.K.), in a terrific gale, the crew surviving due to the efforts of E. Bonner & 'Gent' Yeo. 'W. F. Yeo' was awarded the Sea Gallantry Medal, a most prestigious medal indeed, for his part in that rescue - in addition to a Royal Humane Society Medal. But the vessel was not in fact 'wrecked' that day in 1916. It clearly was later re-floated & repaired. Where I wonder? It was sold, in 1915 (C), to 'Leadenhall Steamship Company Limited', of London, with William McAllum the managers, with no change of vessel name. MNLs of 1916 thru 1920.
In 1920, the vessel was sold to 'D. Anghelatos', of Argostoli, Greece, & renamed Gregorios.
And on Feb. 26, 1921, the vessel was scuttled off Sabinal Point (which seems to be close to Almeria in southern Spain) - in an attempted insurance fraud, no less. Perhaps after hitting a mine while en route from Cephalonia & Philippeville to the Tyne with a cargo of ore. 'Scuttled with the connivance of her owners'. A brief reference ex 'Cases and Materials on Marine Insurance Law' by Susan Hodges, published in 1999. Can anybody tell us more about that insurance fraud?
The webmaster wishes to thank Barry Quest, of Horrabridge, Devon, for his major assistance re this listing. Barry's grandfather, John D. (David) Carnegie (1871/1917), served as 2nd Engineer aboard Grindon Hall from Aug. 30, 1908 (its maiden voyage) thru Apl. 02, 1909 & made two voyages to the Black Sea, likely returning with grain. He also served, I see, aboard other Sunderland built vessels, i.e. Duchess of York, Eaton Hall, & Intent of Westoll Line. A most interesting (large) image of John Carnegie's Discharge Book, can be seen here, thanks to Barry's kindness.
Can you add anything! Another image?164 Haigh Hall
3069/4809 (N/G) tons
Hull 397
1284811908 A 'turret' steamer which was launched on Jun. 16, 1908 & first registered, at Cardiff, Wales, on Jul. 20, 1908 (scroll to #128481). Per 1 (Wikipedia, U-28), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
360.1 ft. long, signal letters HMTN, speed of 9 knots, 310 NHP (342 HP per Mercantile Navy Lists ['MNL']) engines by William Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland. Crew lists are available here.
'Tramp Ships: An Illustrated History' by Roy Fenton, first published in 2013, tells us that the vessel was of an unusual design - 'In another iteration of the turret design, Haigh Hall of 1908 has what was for the time an unusual layout. Of her five cargo holds, one splits the bridge and accommodation around the engine room casing, while abaft of this is what would appear to be a bunker hatch. Like Countess Warwick, she has a forecastle and poop but no bridge deck.'
Was owned thru 1917 by The Haigh Hall Steamship Co. Ltd. with Edward Nicholl & Ivor D. Griffin serving as her managers, both of Cardiff. Per MNLs of 1909 thru 1917. Became registered at London in 1912.
I read that in 1917, the 'Cardiff Hall Line', i.e. Edward Nicholl & Ivor D. Griffin's shipping company/line, was sold to Hansen Shipping Company, a newly formed Cardiff company owned by S. W. Hansen & A. C. Vyvyan Robinson. 8 ships, including Haigh Hall, were effectively transferred to the new company as a result of the transaction. Per Lloyd's Register, G. P. Davison was the vessel's master in 1910/11 - per other sources T. James in Jul. 1909, 'Agnew' in 1914, 'Whall' thru Oct. 1914, Thomas Griffith in 1915.
Some of the vessel's operational history. In late Aug. 1908, the vessel arrived at Venice, Italy, ex Newcastle & was in collision there with Wotan, a German steamer. Both vessels were damaged as a result.
Thanks to 'Welsh Newspapers Online' we can track some of the vessel's movements thru 1910 at least. On Nov. 11, 1908, the vessel arrived at Rotterdam ex Oran, Algeria, went on to Cardiff likely to load a cargo of coal & soon departed for Port Said, Egypt. It left Port Said on Jan. 01, 1909 bound for 'Nicolaief' (now Mykolaiv, Ukraine, Black Sea), arrived there on Jan. 10, 1909 & left on Jan. 17, 1909 for Rotterdam, likely with a cargo of grain. Similar voyages arrived at Rotterdam ex Nicolaief on Apl. 12, 1909 & on Jun. 26, 1909. On Aug. 07, 1909 the vessel arrived at Novorossisk (now Novorossiysk, Black Sea, Russia) & left that port for Hamburg, Germany, on Aug. 23, 1909. The vessel left Bombay (now Mumbai, India) in late Dec. 1909 & also on May 04, 1910, in both cases bound for Port Said. It arrived at Hull on Jun. 12, 1910 & on Jul. 26, 1910 left Ancona, Italy, for Constantinople (now Istanbul).
Ex Trove, a single voyage to Australia it would seem. On Dec. 16, 1913 the vessel, Agnew in command, left Buenos Ayres, Argentina, for Western Australia, in ballast. Have not spotted when it arrived there, however on Feb. 07, 1914 the vessel left Geraldton (N. of Perth) for the U.K. via Fremantle with a cargo of 41,444 bags of wheat. I read (no longer) in 'Seaman's Journal' that in 1916, the vessel discharged 7,205 tons of wheat at Naples, Italy, in 34 1/2 hours, a feat then claimed to have been a world record!
What finally happened to Haigh Hall? In the early evening of Jun. 30, 1917, while en route from Bombay to Naples with a cargo of wheat, the vessel was sunk by a single torpedo fired by SM U-28, an Austro-Hungarian U-27 class submarine, when 40 miles E. of Malta. I believe at 36.12N/15.24E. I have read that there was no loss of life; I have not read the name of her then captain. U-28, on its very first sortie having only been commissioned on Jun. 26, 1917, was under the command of Linienschiffsleutnant Zdenko Hudeček. U-28 was the most successful of the Austro-Hungarian U-27 class submarines - it sank 10 ships of 44,743 tons during the balance of WW1 & damaged five other vessels.
Is there anything additional you can add? #2242165 Penrose
2463/3882 (N/G) tons
Hull 396
124608
Adelfotis1907 A 'turret' steamer which was launched on Apl. 14, 1908 & first registered, at Falmouth, Cornwall, on Oct. 30, 1908 (scroll to #124608. Per 1 (Southampton City Council, Lloyds Register ('LR') data 1930/31 thru 1934/35), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
350.0 ft. long, signal letters HMQK later JGSP, speed of 9 1/2 knots, 292 (or 314 per Mercantile Navy Lists ['MNL']) NHP engines by William Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland, Many Penrose crew lists are available here.
Was owned thru Jan. 1920 by The 'Penrose' Steamship Co. Ltd. of Truro, Cornwall, with Richard B. Chellew, also of Truro, her manager. Per MNLs of 1909 thru 1920. With J. Steer her initial captain. T. Colman was also her captain along the way.
The registration date listed above (Oct. 30, 1908) is suspect. Miramar tells us that the vessel was completed in Jun. 1908. On Jul. 15, 1908, the vessel left the Tyne for Marseilles, France, arriving there on Jul. 27, 1908. It left Marseilles on Aug. 04, 1908 bound for 'Nicolaief' (now Mykolaiv, Ukraine, Black Sea), arriving there on Aug. 13, 1908, likely to load a cargo of grain. The vessel returned to Hamburg, Germany, arriving there on Oct. 23, 1908. And then left for Barry Roads, Wales. All before the stated date of first registration. Hopefully more voyage history soon. I read that from Apl. 1916 thru Apl. 1919 the vessel served the Royal Navy and the Indian Government as a collier & general transport vessel.
In Jan. 1920, the vessel became owned by R. B. Chellew Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. ('ChellewSteam') with Frank Shearman serving as her manager, both of Truro. I have, however read, that the Penrose Steamship Co. was restyled in 1919 as ChellewSteam & that in 1920 that company was sold to Frank Shearman. MNLs of 1921 thru 1927.
In Nov. 1927, J. N. Goulandris, of Andros, Greece, acquired the vessel, registered it at Andros & renamed it Adelfotis.
On Sep. 21, 1934 the vessel arrived at the ship breaking facilities of P. & W. MacLellan Ltd. of Bo'ness (i.e. Borrowstounness, Firth of Forth, Scotland), to be broken up. Note that LR of 1934/35 i) lists the vessel as British owned again - by A. H. Smith & ii) states that the vessel was 'broken up'. A 'Fairplay' 1934 reference to the vessel, then lying in the Blackwater (River Thames) being sold in Jul. 1934 for £4,000 to A. H. Smith of London & then further sold to Scottish ship breakers for £4,250.
Is there anything additional you can add? #2243166 Walkure (correctly Walküre)
3932 (later 3836) tons
Hull 395
214028 (later)
Republic
Normanna1908 A 'turret' steamer. Which had a most eventful life. Per A (e-Bay image, Walkure capsized in Barry Docks in 1908), 1 (partial vessel history, 50% down Normanna), 2 (extensive data re Aug. 1908 capsize at Barry Docks, with many images), 3 (Jul. 23 1909 arrival in New Zealand), 4 (image La Zélée), 5 (Hooper, 6th para), 6 (image, Normanna), 7 & 8 (Walküre at Tahiti), 9 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
106.4 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 349.1 ft., speed of 10 knots, 310 HP engines by William Doxford & Sons Ltd., of Sunderland.
Built, at the cost of U.S. $210,138, for 'Rederi A. G. Oceana', ('Oceana'), H. H. Schmidt the managers, both of Hamburg, Germany. Interestingly, Haldor Virik acquired Oceana in late 1909 & 15 years later, in 1924, he acquired Walküre, then named Republic.
In early Aug. 1908, the vessel, under the command of Captain Daate (though LR of 1908/09 lists her captain as being G. Baake), was en route from Stettin (Szczecin), then Germany now Poland, (inland from Baltic) to Durban, Natal, South Africa, with a cargo of deals, carried both in the vessel's holds & upon the vessel's deck. The vessel put into Barry Docks, S. Wales, to take on board 1,500 tons of bunker coal. Much of that coal having been placed into her holds, the vessel suddenly lurched to port, spilling her deck cargo & forcing a massive 40 degree list to port. Do see the bottom two images at left. The vessel's interior became badly flooded. Total capsize was prevented by her masts catching on Trevessa, a 3566 ton steamship owned by Hain Steamship Co. Ltd. of St. Ives. Had that not occurred it seems likely that many aboard Walküre would have lost their lives. The cargo had to be unloaded, of course and/or gathered into rafts. With difficulty the water was pumped out of her holds, & with the assistance of as many as 6 locomotives & two tugs, Windsor & Lady Salisbury, she was gradually righted in the following days. The capsizing took place on Aug. 13, 1908. You can read extensively about the history via link 2 or at these contemporary newspaper accounts (A, B, C & D). A major event indeed in the history of both the vessel & of Barry Docks. A puzzle is the newspaper reference to the voyage originating (as I read it) in Kovda, which seems to be on the White Sea in the far N. of Russia, S. of Murmansk.
On Aug. 12, 1914, while loading phosphates, the vessel was captured by La Zélée, a 337 ton, barque rigged, French gunboat, at Makatea, (or at at Port Lemao), a small phosphate island, near to & N. of Tahiti. The vessel became a French prize & was towed to Papeete, Tahiti. On Sep. 22, 1914, Papeete was shelled by Scharnhorst & Gneisenau, both German cruisers. Walküre was mistaken for a French merchantman & was shelled & modestly damaged by Scharnhorst, (many references say she was sunk but I think not). The French scuttled the vessel in 54 ft. of water, to ensure it was not recaptured by the Germans. The wreck was sold a year later, in Dec. 1915 perhaps, for U.S. $29,000, where she lay, to John A. Hooper ('Hooper'), (a lumberman, as was Christensen his partner), of San Francisco, U.S.A., & in Mar. 1916 was re-floated & towed to Hawaii, where she was reconditioned for her trip to San Francisco, under her own steam & with a full cargo. Became 3836 gross tons, registered at San Francisco.
It was renamed Republic in 1916. And on or about May 05, 1916, the vessel was sold by Hooper to Chile Steamship Company, Inc., of New York, for approx. U.S. $1,000,000, at a substantial profit. Owned by 'Chile Exploration' & 'Braden Copper', & acquired to carry copper from Chile to New York. No change of name. Have also read other sales values - U.S. $825,000 & $1,200,000 - but I suspect that U.S. $825,000 is the correct value.
In 1924, the vessel was sold to Haldor Virik, of Stavanger, Norway, & renamed Normanna. On Feb. 21, 1925, while en route from Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a cargo of wood pulp, the vessel caught fire off Tenerife, Canary Islands. Have not read the circumstances. Major damage; the vessel was flooded & beached. On Jun. 19, 1925 the vessel was re-floated, presumably inspected & sold as a result to ship breakers. On Aug. 17, 1925, the vessel arrived, under tow, at Rotterdam, to be broken up. There are a great many WWW data sources re Walküre at Tahiti not referenced above. But ... need an even better & additional images of Walküre at Barry in 1908.167 Dalemoor
4124 (or 4090) tons
Hull 410
129054
Dalemead
Ruth
Dekade
Jacobus Fritzen1909 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (extensive Danish page re sinking, 2 images), 2 (Fritzen), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
348.8 ft. (about 112 metres) long, speed of 8 knots.
Built for Moor Line Ltd., of London (W. Runciman & Co., of Newcastle, the managers).
Lloyd's reported that the vessel was torpedoed & sunk on Feb. 20, 1917, & that 11 crew members were missing - but I can find no WWW site that confirms that data.
In 1920, the vessel was sold to Western Counties Shipping, of Cardiff, E. Edwards & Sons Ltd. the managers, & renamed Dalemead.
In 1923, the vessel was sold to Emder Reederei AG, of Hamburg, Germany, & renamed Ruth. And sold again, in 1926, to 'Riberena del Plata' & renamed Dekade.
In 1926, the vessel was sold to 'Johs. Fritzen & Sohn', of Emden, Germany, (Lexzau Scharbau & Co., the managers) & renamed Jacobus Fritzen.
On Oct. 14, 1942, while defensively armed & returning from Sweden to Germany with a cargo of iron ore, the vessel was torpedoed (2 torpedoes, the first missed) by Soviet submarine Narodovolets (D-2) (Captain Lindenberg) & sunk, S. of Ystad, Sweden, & N. of Kap Arkona, E. Germany. Any loss of life? The wreck, partially buried in the seabed, lies in 42 metres of water at 55.10.115N/13.38.381E. A wreck site today. D2 (Narodovolets until 1934, name means 'People's Will') was decommissioned on Mar. 05, 1987, & now is in a museum at Leningrad/St. Petersburg, Russia.
There are many WWW sites in Danish & Russian re Jacobus Fritzen, which sites refer to 'Decade' rather than Dekade.
It is quite possible that the above needs some correction. Anything to add?168 Inland
1399/2294 (N/G) tons
Hull 402
5047
Särimner
Ulla
Vindö1909 A 'turret' steamer. Per 1 (page in Swedish with image), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
290.1 ft. (88.42 metres) long, perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 9 1/2 knots, signal letters JRPT, 225 NHP engines by Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., of Sunderland.
Built for 'Angfartygs A/B Tirfing' (Axel Brostrom & Son), of Gothenburg, Sweden. Lloyd's Register of 1910/11 lists R. H. Thelin as the vessel's then captain. In 1917, dan Brostrom became the manager, & in 1926, S. G. Janson.
The vessel was sold, in 1934, to 'Rederi AB Suecia', of Stockholm, Sweden, (or maybe instead to 'J. Larsson'?), & renamed Särimner. Transferred in 1939 (or 1940) to 'Lemlands Rederi AB', of Åland (a Swedish speaking Finnish archipelago in the Baltic Sea), Alb. Jansson the manager.
The vessel was sold in 1942 to 'Rederi AB Suecia' again, or maybe to Rederi A/B Rex, ('B. Carlsson' or K. M. Kallstrom the managers), & renamed Ulla. Later in 1942, the vessel was sold to 'Rex Rederi AB' of Stockholm, (or maybe to 'R. M. Kallstrom'?), & renamed Vindö. The detail is confusing & may need correction.
In May 1954, Vindö, en route from Sunderland to Vasteras, foundered at its moorings at Södertälje, Sweden. It was subsequently raised, & on May 01, 1958, the vessel arrived at Ystad, Sweden, to be broken up. Thanks go to Andrew Collins for his assistance in the translation of the Swedish text. Anything to add?169 Atland
5029 (or 5068 or 5348) tons
Hull 412
51371910 A 'turret' steamer, indeed the last & the biggest of them all. Per 1 (trials, Jun. 15, 1910, ex Marine Engineer ... 1910/1911), 2 (page in Swedish with 2 images), 3 (Norwegian page with images), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Atland, 5 (convoy WN.407), 6, (builder's model sold on Apl. 30, 2014 by Charles Miller Limited, of London), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
388.9 ft. long (118.54 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 (or 13) knots, signal letters JSBM. The vessel attained a speed of 12 1/4 knots on her trial voyage measured mile.
Built for 'Angfartygs A/B Tirfing' (Axel Broström & Son), of Gothenburg, Sweden. In 1917, Dan Broström became the manager, in 1926, S. G. Janson, & in 1933, T. E. J. son Brostromm.
56 WW2 convoy references, so far as I can see, including at least 9 voyages across the N. Atlantic carrying iron ore or phosphates, service to West Africa (Freetown) & many coastal U.K. voyages.
On Mar. 05, 1943, the vessel left New York City for the U.K. in convoy SC.122 with a cargo of iron ore. On Mar. 24, 1943, the vessel was in convoy WN.407 from Loch Ewe (NW Scotland) to Methil (Firth of Forth, Scotland). On Mar. 25, 1943, the vessel, en route from Pepel, Sierra Leone, to London with a cargo of iron ore, was in collision with Carso (6149 or 6275 tons, built in 1923 at Trieste, Italy) off the E. coast of Scotland, at 57.28N (or 57.30N)/1.40W, about 8 miles E. of Peterhead lighthouse. Carso was towed to Leith, while Atland quickly sank with the loss of 19 lives including Captain Wilhelm Löthman. Can anyone tell us the detail circumstances? Which may in fact be stated, in Norwegian, at link 3. Which also states that the final Atland voyage originated at Pepel, i.e. Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa.
Roger Mathison advises (thanks!) that the wreck lies about 4 miles off Peterhead, is at a depth of 68 metres & is dived but infrequently so. Roger has provided a 'sidescan' image of the wreck, (at left), created, I believe, by a sonar device which emits sonar pulses which reflect back from the ocean floor. Anything to add? Or correct? Charles Miller Limited advise us (thanks!) that Carso (a captured Italian cargo ship) went on to achieve fame of a sort by being scuttled on the 9th June, 1944 to form part of the Mulberry Harbour used by the Allies for the Normandy Landings, and was eventually broken up in 1947.170 Moorlands
3600 (or 3602) tons
Hull 418
1318311910 A cargo ship. Per 1 (launch ref. at p.108 of a large 'pdf' file, text now available at left), 2 ('uboat.net', sinking, Moorlands), 3 ('wrecksite.eu', data & history), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
356.5 ft. long, 108.7 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 50.2 ft. beam. signal letters HRNP, 331 HP engines by Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., of Sunderland.
Built for 'Eskside Steam Shipping Co.' of Whitby, (N. Yorkshire, E. coast of U.K.). 1 indicates that the vessel was built for 'Charles Smales & Son', of Whitby, that Miss Mabel Smales christened the vessel, & that her trial trip was on Sep. 02, 1910.
In 1918, when the vessel was sunk, 'Mitre Shipping Co., Ltd.', of Whitby, 'Houlder, Middleton & Co. Ltd.', the managers, were, I read, the vessel's owners. At 11:50 p.m. on Jun. 24, 1918, the vessel, carrying 5,800 tons of iron ore from La Goulette, the port of Tunis, Tunisia, to Middlesbrough, was hit, below the waterline on the starboard side, by a torpedo fired by German submarine UB-88, Oberleutnant zur See Reinhard von Rabenau in command. While in a 20 vessel convoy (its number?) headed south. Hit S. by E. of Whitby. The ship sank in 6 minutes & 10 of the 48 aboard (all told), lost their lives. Lordship, a convoy escort vessel, picked up the 38 who survived & landed them at Bridlington. In retaliation, convoy escort vessels attacked UB-88 with depth charges, but it survived the attack. A famous submarine, apparently, the UB-88 (A, B, C)!
A. R. Rust was reported to have been the vessel's captain in Lloyd's Register of 1918/19,
The dive website which previously provided much of the wreck detail is long gone. It informed me, I believe, that the wreck, lying in 52 m. of water, was identified by the name on the wheel boss. The wreck location? It may be at approx. 54.29.29N/0.31.48W. Can you confirm that and/or otherwise advise? Do correct me as required! An image of the ship would be most welcome for inclusion in this listing.171 Windsor Hall
3693 tons
Hull 414
1285161910 A cargo ship. Per 1 ('uboat.net' sinking, Windsor Hall), 2 ('UB-66'), 3 (modest launch ref. at p.68 of a large 'pdf', text now available at left), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
105.2 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, (345 ft.), speed of 9 1/2 knots.
Built for 'Windsor Hall Steamship Co. Ltd.' of Cardiff, Hall Line, (Edward Nicholl & Co. the major owners & managers). The principal of Edward Nicholl & Co., i.e. Edward Nicholl (1862/1939) later became Sir Edward Nicholl (lots of references to the vessel in the volume at the link). Bought at the cost of £31,500.
In 1917, the vessel, along with 7 other fleet vessels, was essentially sold to Hansen Steamship Company, Ltd. (principals S. W. Hansen & Vyvyan Robinson), of Cardiff (or London). It would seem that they did not buy the vessel, rather they bought the company which owned it.
On Jan. 17, 1918, when owned by 'Hansen Brothers Limited' & defensively armed, en route from Karachi, Pakistan, to Marseilles, France, via the Suez Canal, with a cargo of grain, the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by UB-66, Kapitänleutnant Fritz Wernicke in command, 45 miles NW of Alexandria, Egypt. 27 were killed. The Captain was taken prisoner aboard the submarine. Have not spotted the Captain's name. What later happened to him? How big was the crew? Were there other survivors?
Can you add anything? An image?172 Cairngowan
4017 tons
Hull 437
1297821911 A cargo ship. From 1 [Cairn Line, Cairngowan (2)], 2 ('uboat.net', sinking, Cairngowan), 3 (U 69), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
112.8 metres long, perpendicular, maybe 118 metres long overall, speed of 11 knots.
Built for The Cairn Line of Steamships Ltd. (Cairns, Noble & Co., Ltd., the managers), i.e. Cairn Line, which served Canada.
On Apl. 20, 1916, while en route from Liverpool to Newport News, Virginia, the unarmed vessel was attacked by U 69, Kapitänleutnant Ernst Wilhelms in command, with no warning given. The vessel was first captured, & then sunk by gunfire. 55 or 60 miles W. by N. of Fastnet Rock (SW tip of Ireland). No exact location is indicated. No lives were lost.
WWW data is most limited. Can you add to the above? Your contribution would be most welcome.173 Monkshaven
3357 tons
Hull 428
131833
Remenham
Mikage Maru No. 111911 A cargo ship. From 1 (Watts, Watts & Co.), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
102.0 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed?
Built for 'Erkside Steam Shipping Company Limited', managed & likely owned by 'C. Smales & Son', ('Smales') of Whitby. Now Miramar only list 2 vessels named Monkshaven, the 1st built in 1882, but it would seem that Smales had earlier vessels of the name also.
I have read that in 1915, the vessel ran ashore in the St. Lawrence River. It was salvaged, repaired & returned to service after 80 days. It may be, however, that that grounding was rather in 1914, since on Aug. 23, 1914, Monkshaven ran aground on Roix Shoal, about 1 mile from Ste. Felicite, Quebec. The inquiry determined that there was lots of blame to go around - the Master (J. E. Millburn), the Chief Officer (P. Gaigne) & the 2nd Mate (R. W. Thoburn) were all censured. A 1918 court case in Pennsylvania deals with commission matters only.
There were two changes of ownership, with no change of vessel name, to Austin Friars Steam Shipping Co. Ltd., of Whitby, in 1918, & to Rhondda Merthyr Shipping Co. Ltd., also of Whitby, in 1919.
In 1924, the vessel was sold to 'Britain Steamship Company Ltd.' ('Britain'), of London, with Watts, Watts & Co., also of London, the managers but likely owners also since gentlemen named 'Watts' were directors of Britain. And renamed Remenham.
In 1926, the vessel was sold again, to 'Muko Kisen K.K.' of Takasago, Japan, & renamed Mikage Maru No. 11.
On Aug. 08, 1932, the vessel was wrecked at Sakhalin (a very large Russian Island in the North Pacific, N. of Japan. Have not been able to read anything of the circumstances. In fact, WWW data generally, for this vessel is most limited.
Can you add to the above? Your contribution would be most welcome.174 Orangemoor
4134 tons
Hull 423
132552
Orangemead
Bogen
Brask1911 A 'turret' steamer cargo ship. Per 1 (Norwegian page, Brask, 2 images), 2 (extensive page, 2 images Brask, crew list), 3 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Brask. But beware the result - not only Brask is on the page), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
106.7 metres long (350.8 ft.), signal letters LCFJ, LFCQ & WNPV.
Built for Moor Line Ltd., of Newcastle. The vessel was damaged at Dunkirk Harbour on Sep. 12, 1917 (or 1918, or both, data differs), by German aircraft and/or Zeppelins.
In 1920, the vessel was sold to Western Counties Shipping Co. (Edwards, Sons & Co.), of Cardiff, & renamed Orangemead. A couple of manager changes in 1922. The manager became F. V. Eberhardt & Co., & then Karck & Knott, both of London.
The vessel was sold in 1922, to 'Skibs A/S Bogen (H. Waalman)' of Tønsberg, Norway, & renamed Bogen. Lars Jørgensen, of Tønsberg became the manager in 1924.
The vessel was sold, in May 1925, to 'A/S Brask' (Nilssen & Sønner), of Oslo, Norway, & renamed Brask. And sold again, in Jan. 1940, to A/S Start (Erling Mortensen), of Oslo, with no change of vessel name.
10 WW2 convoy references including at least 2 North Atlantic crossings. Extensive convoy duty in early WW2, carrying iron ore or coal.
On Jan. 10, 1941, the vessel left Oban, Scotland, for Durban, South Africa, in ballast, in convoy OB 272. It later separated from the convoy & on Jan. 15, 1941 was sunk by a torpedo fired by Italian submarine Luigi Torelli, Captain C. F. Longobardo in command. At 52.45N/23.59W in N. Atlantic about 1,000 miles W. of Ireland. The vessel sank in just 3 minutes. Survivors clung to debris & then climbed aboard a lifeboat which had floated free. 12 lives were lost, including Gustav Røkenes, the Captain, & 20 were saved. The lifeboat made it to the abandoned Nemea (also in convoy OB 272 & also attacked by Luigi Torelli) which they boarded but returned to the lifeboat on a long line overnight for fear of attack. On Jan. 16, 1941, they & 18 Greek survivors of Nemea, sent out an SOS, started Nemea's engines & tried to reach Ireland (the Azores was attempted but it proved impractical). Overnight again in the boats. Rockets were fired & survivors were rescued by HMS Highlander on Jan. 17, 1941 & landed at Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Need help with Norwegian text.
Can you add anything?175 Tellus
7395 tons
Hull 417
Elizabeth IV1911 A cargo ship, which, when built, was the largest cargo steamship in the world. Per 1 [Wilhelmsen, Tellus (2)], 2 (U-34), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
445 ft. long overall, 135.6 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 10 knots.
Built, at the cost of NOK 1,125,165.39, but for exactly whom is difficult. A Doxford build list, available to the webmaster, indicates that it was built for 'Wilhelmsens D/S' with Wilh. Wilhelmsen the manager, both of Tønsberg, Norway. An expired link referred only to Wilhelmsen. However John Bage's old build list referenced 'Wabana S.S. Co. Ltd.' as the owner, which I think means 'Wabana Steamship Co. Ltd.' ('WabanaSteam'), of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I had thought that that company was owned by Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company, re the iron ore deposit named Wabana, at Bell Island, Newfoundland, Canada. Is it possible that Wilhelmsen, in fact, owned WabanaSteam? While 3 states the initial owner to be 'A/S Wabanas D/S' of Tonsberg, Norway, with Wilhelmsens D/S, also of Tonsberg, becoming the owner in 1913. The Lloyd's Registers of those years are not available to the webmaster, alas.
On Apl. 30, 1914, en route from Rotterdam to St. John's, Newfoundland, the vessel struck an iceberg. The vessel's forepeak & bow were damaged & a new propeller was required.
In Nov. 1915, while en route from New York to Vladivostok, Russia, the vessel ran ashore at Nemuro, near Yokohama, Japan. The vessel was re-floated in early Jan. 1916, arrived at Hanasaki, Japan, on Jan. 22, 1916, & on Feb. 04, 1916 arrived at Shanghai, China, for repair.
Later in 1916, the vessel was sold to 'A/S Elizabeth IV', of Drammen, Norway, O. Wikberg (or Wikborg) the manager, & renamed Elizabeth IV.
On Sep. 08, 1916, while en route from Paseroean (Pasoeroean), Java, Indonesia, to Marseilles, France, with a cargo of sugar, the vessel was captured by submarine U-34, Kapitänleutnant Claus Rücker in command. U-34 was, I read, the 4th most successful German submarine in WW1, sinking 119 ships & damaging 5 more. Claus Rücker was responsible, in his career, for 88 ships sunk & 3 more damaged. Elizabeth IV was scuttled with explosive charges. At 41.14N/6.24E, in the Mediterranean, W. of Sardinia or NE of Menorca (Minorca). With no loss of life.
Anything you can add? An image, perhaps?176 Bridgeport
6104 tons
Hull 446
1351261912 A cargo ship. Maybe a collier? Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
135.0 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 knots, signal letters HWMN.
Owned by Bridgeport S. S. Co. Ltd., of U.K., (Brown, Jenkinson the manager). Registered at London.
In 1912, the vessel was chartered to Dominion Coal Co. of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada.
On Nov. 01, 1913, the vessel sailed from Sydney, Nova Scotia, for Montreal, Quebec (both Canada). It was never seen again. 45 lives were lost. Anything you can add? An image, perhaps?177 Cardiff Hall
3994 tons
Hull 444
1351311912 A cargo ship. Per 1 ('irishwrecksonline' wreck data, Cardiff Hall), 2 ('wrecksite.eu', sinking, image, Cardiff Hall), 3 (painting, Cardiff Hall), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
106.7 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 350 ft., speed of 9 or 10 knots.
The WWW available data re this vessel is, to the webmaster at least most confusing. I have first read that it was rather built by 'W. A. Young & Co.' It was? So far as ownership was concerned, I have read many things. I believe, however, that the vessel was built for 'Standish Hall Steamship Co. Ltd.', of Cardiff, a single ship company the major owner & manager of which was 'Edward Nicholl & Co.', also of Cardiff. The principal of Edward Nicholl & Co. was Edward Nicholl later Sir Edward Nicholl ('Nicholl'). I understand that there were many such single ship companies so owned, & collectively they were known as the Cardiff "Hall" Line.
In 1917, Nicholl sold his shipping interests & Cardiff Hall, along with many other vessels also, was acquired by Hansen Steamship Company Ltd. ('Hansen'), also of Cardiff. There was no change of the vessel's name. Miramar indicate that that ownership change, to 'Hansen Shipping Co. Ltd.', was in 1919.
I do not think that the ownership later changed. But ... I have read that in 1925, when the ship was lost, the vessel was owned by either i) W. A. Young & Co., ('Young'), ii) R. & A. Hall ('Hall') of Cork, or iii) Hansen. It is likely that Young were the managers of the ship while Hall may relate to R. H. Hall, of Cork, the consignee of the cargo of maize. For its lifetime, the vessel was, I believe registered at London.
On Dec. 07, 1924, the vessel left Buenos Aires, Argentina, for Cork, Ireland, via St. Vincent, with a cargo of 6,000 tons of maize ex Rosario, Argentina, valued at £60,000. David T. (or maybe J.) Bowen was in command, with 29 aboard, all told. On Jan. 13, 1925, approaching Cork, Ireland, she encountered a major gale. I suspect those words no not reflect the magnitude & intensity of that storm. Cardiff Hall was not able to make way in the fierce conditions, & was driven by the winds onto the shore. She struck Shoota or Shoonta Rock, W. end of Trevara Bay, Seven Head Rocks, Clonakilty Bay, County Cork, at a site that sounds grim - rocks, backed by cliffs 150 ft. high. The vessel broke her back & disappeared in about 15 minutes. I am not sure where that 15 minute reference originated. Why do I say that? All of this happened late on Jan. 13, 1925 in darkness & likely with no witnesses. Also because all 29 aboard were lost so there was no survivor to relate what happened. Only two bodies were ever found, I read, one of those bodies being the captain's. A 2 ton portion of the vessel's keel ended up on a ledge 40 ft. above the sea & is still there today. The cargo was strewn everywhere including the top of the cliffs. Recently, the ship's anchor was recovered & is now a memorial to the wreck at Butlerstown.
There are some interesting events in the vessel's life but the detail eludes me. One such event relates to the vessel, at an unknown date, operating under sealed Admiralty orders, travelling without lights, in collision with another vessel similarly 'dark', maybe in the Mediterranean. I think other lawsuits.
A dive site today, though little remains, I gather, located in 15 metres of water. Anything you can add? Or correct? Her WW1 service? Another image, perhaps?178 Clan Macrae
5058 (or 6479) tons
Hull 429
133005
Banffshire1912 A refrigerated cargo ship. Per 1 [Cayzer, Irvine, Clan Macrae (2)], 2 [Turnbull, Martin, Banffshire (2)], 3 ('u-boat.net', Banffshire sinking, image), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Banffshire), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
131.1 metres long, 430 ft., speed of 14 knots.
Built for Cayzer, Irvine & Company Limited (Clan Line), of Glasgow.
In Sep. 1914, the vessel aided the crew of HMS Pegasus, sunk at Zanzibar by the German cruiser Königsberg.
In Oct. 1914, the vessel towed HMS Chatham off Leven Rocks near Kilindini, Mombasa.
In Mar. 1915, Clan Macrae was chased by a submarine when off Liverpool Bar Light Vessel but escaped.
In 1920, the vessel was sold to Turnbull Martin & Co. (Scottish Shire Line) & renamed Banffshire.
I have read that in 1921 the vessel was 'transferred' to 'British and South American Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.' ('British') (Houston Line managers?) & then renamed Banffshire. But have also read that that 'transfer' was in 1932. And the vessel does not appear in the Houston/British fleet list here.
May have served on the U.K. to Australia route.
28 WW2 convoy references, including 3 eastbound voyages across the N. Atlantic. There must, clearly, have been W. bound voyages but I cannot spot them. Also service to West Africa (Freetown, Sierra Leone), & to South Africa (Cape Town, Durban, etc.). I presume there were independent voyages also, including voyages into the Indian Ocean, but I am not permitted to access such data.
On Sep. 29, 1943, while en route from Colombo, Ceylon, to the U.K. via Aden with a cargo of coconut oil, copra, plumbago (i.e. graphite, I believe), rubber & tea, Herbert Evans in command, the vessel was sunk by a torpedo fired by U-532, Fregattenkapitän Ottoheinrich Junker in command. At 9.26N/71.20E, 380 miles SW of Mangalore (i.e. N. of the Maldives). A complement of 100, one life lost. All of the 99 survivors were picked up by Indian minesweeper HMIS Rajputana & landed at Colombo. I suspect that at some point in its life the vessel was extensively modified - to become 6479 gross tons.
Can you add anything?
179 Herman Sauber
2913 (or 2948 or 2966) tons
Hull 439
143281 (later)1912 A self-trimming collier. Per 1 ('Marine Engineer', 'pdf' available, launch data & image at p.355 - article now at left), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Data, many images of the vessel's coal delivery equipment & a plan was published in 'Shipbuilding & Shipping Record' of Sep. 04, 1913.
95.7 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 315 ft., speed of 10 knots. Designed with discharging gear that permitted 3,750 tons of coal to be discharged in 6 hours using only 6 men (800 tons per hour).
Built for 'Sauber Gebr.' ('Sauber'), coal merchants & shipowners, of Hamburg, Germany, (T. H. Catcheside & Co., of Newcastle, their U.K. agents) for their Hamburg trade. 'Gebr.' is a contraction of 'Gebrüder', German for 'brother' or 'brothers'. The vessel was christened by Mrs. Howard Catcheside. Sauber (or Sauber & Co.) owned, over time, at least 5 vessels of the name.
It would seem that the vessel was later modified & stiffened to permit the transport of ore during WW1. And the rate of discharge was increased to 1,200 tons per hour.
On Oct. 30, 1922, the vessel left the Tyne for Hamburg with a cargo of coal. It was never seen again. I wonder how many lives were lost? That experience was similar to an earlier Sauber vessel of the identical name which sailed for Hamburg in 1878 & also was never seen again. It is possible that more data might be provided in 'Sauber Gebr. 1839-1939', published in German in 1939 (an English version of 24 pages was published also).
Anything you can add? An image, perhaps?180 Gifford
5119 (or 4988 or 5060 or 5213) tons
Hull 456
133145
Gifhorn
Sperrbrecher 9
Gifford
Sheaf Mount
Eftychia
Guidonia
Plaudit1913 A cargo ship. I think this vessel had the most names in its lifetime of the vessels so far listed on site. A few differences in the data. Per 1 ('uboat.net', sinking, Plaudit), 2 [Bank Line, Gifford (3)], 3 (New Zealand data), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
420 ft. (approx. 133 metres) long overall, 128.0 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 knots.
The vessel was built, it would seem, for Gifford Ltd., of Glasgow, (Andrew Weir & Co. the manager) or maybe for Andrew Weir & Co./Bank Line.
The vessel was interned, at Hamburg, Germany, on the outbreak of WW1 in 1914. In 1917, the vessel, then owned by the German Navy, was renamed Gifhorn. In 1917 it was renamed Sperrbrecher 9, again for the German Navy.
In 1918, the vessel was returned to her owner, (not sure whom then), & renamed Gifford.
It was sold, in 1919, to W. A. Souter & Co. Ltd. & renamed Sheaf Mount. And in 1930 was sold again, to G. Vergottis, of Greece, & renamed Eftychia.
In 1932, the vessel stranded & lay idle for the next 5 years.
In 1938, the vessel was sold to Achille Lauro, of Naples, Italy, & renamed Guidonia.
In Jun. 1940, the vessel arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A., & was detained. On Aug. 23, 1941, the vessel was taken over by the U.S. Government & on Sep. 25, 1941 it was assigned by the U.S. War Shipping Administration, to South Atlantic Steamship Co., of Savannah, Georgia. On Oct. 08, 1941, the vessel was renamed Plaudit, registered at Panama.
On Nov. 08, 1942, proceeding unescorted, the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by U-181, Kapitän zur See Wolfgang Lüth in command, off Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The vessel was en route from Colombo, then Ceylon, to U.S.A. via Cape Town, with a cargo of rubber, manganese ore, jute, tea, etc. At 36.00S/26.32E. U-181 fired until the ship sank. Most of the 49 aboard abandoned the ship, but 3 lives were lost. The survivors were picked up by South African trawler HMSAS Africana & via RAF crash boat Navigator they were landed at Port Elizabeth.
Can you add anything? An image, perhaps?181 Harlow
6550 (or 8384 or 8459) tons
Hull 453
135222
Gernis
Noorderdijk
Provvidenza1913 A cargo ship. Per 1 [Holland America Line, Noorderdijk (2)], 2 (Roland Line, Gernis), 3 (Thos. & Jas. Harrison, but Harlow not referenced), 4 & 5 (Truant), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
148.13 metres (485 ft.) long, 143.3 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 knots.
Built for J. & C. Harrison Ltd., of London, i.e. 'Harrison Line'. That may, in fact, mean that 'Charente Steamship Co. Ltd.' was the owner & 'Thos. and Jas. Harrison' were the managers. Can anybody clarify the facts?
On Jan. 20, 1914, the vessel was sold to 'Roland Linie Aktien Gesellschaft', of Bremen, Germany (Roland Line), & renamed Gernis. The vessel was interned in 1914 at Sabang, Aceh, Indonesia, & laid up there until 1918.
On Oct. 28, 1918, the vessel became owned by the Netherlands as a war reparation. On Nov. 22, 1918, the vessel became owned by 'Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij' (Holland America Line) of Rotterdam & renamed Noorderdijk. The vessel's first voyage for Holland America Line commenced only on May 18, 1920. Can anyone explain the matter of the vessel's new name? Most references are to Noorderdijk, but a now vanished Dutch website used to refer to Noorderdyk. Are not vessels registered? And the exact name as registered, whatever it was, should govern?
Used on the Rotterdam to New York service.
On Dec. 16, 1931, the vessel was sold to Fratelli Rizzuto (Rizzuto Bros.), of Naples, Italy, & renamed Provvidenza, (have also read Providenza).
On Sep. 22, 1940, while en route from Naples to Cagliari, Sardinia, the vessel was torpedoed & sunk by Truant, a T or Triton Class British submarine (N68), 3 1/2 miles from Punta Imperatore, Ischia (Istrië), near Naples, Italy.
Can you add to or correct the above? Another image?182 Südmark
5113 later 5182 (certainly in 1923/24) & 6579 (certainly from 1930/31) tons
Hull 455
136793 (later)
Huntscraft
Clan Mackay1913 A cargo ship which was launched on Jun. 3, 1913 & completed in Jul. 1913. Per 1 (1914 capture by Black Prince), 2 & 3 (Clan Line, Huntscraft), 4 (wreck ref., Clan Mackay), 5 (Hamburg-American, Sudmark), 6 ('uboat.net', 1918 torpedo), 7 (UB-57), 8 (Lloyd's Register data, Clan Mackay, 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', 1930/31 thru 1934/35, 9 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
420.0 ft. long (128.0 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 knots, signal letters JKGF & GQMX, 577 HP engines by Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland.
Built for 'Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft', i.e. 'Hamburg-Amerika Linie' or HAPAG, of Hamburg, Germany.
On Aug. 15, 1914, while en route from Yokohama, Japan, to Hamburg, via Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), the vessel was captured by HMS Black Prince in the Red Sea, & taken to Suez. Südmark had not been aware that war had broken out. Its cargo of tea, jute & coconuts was placed in an Alexandria, Egypt, warehouse, where it was unfortunately destroyed by fire in mid Oct. 1914. The cargo was valued at that time at U.S. $1 million - what an amazing sum in 1914!
In Sep. 1914, the vessel was requisitioned by The Shipping Controller (British Government) for WW1 service & in 1915 was renamed Huntscraft, with Harris & Dixon Limited, the managers. As a result probably of 'Prize Court' proceedings in London. It seems that the vessel evacuated troops from Gallipoli in 1915.
Miramar advise that in 1917, Harris & Dixon became the vessel's owners, (as Crown nominees, I read). And in 1918 the vessel became owned by the British Government with Union Castle Steamship Co. Ltd. as her managers. Described as a 'large cattle boat' re a voyage carrying troops to Le Havre, France, in Jun. 1918 - so not a luxury trip across the channel!
On Jul. 06, 1918, while in ballast & en route from Le Havre to Southampton, the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by UB-57, Oberleutnant zur See Johannes Lohs in command, & disabled. 10 miles E. of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight. The vessel was towed to Netley (nr. Southampton) for repairs. 6 lives were lost. Maybe involved in the rescue of allied forces from Russia?
The vessel was sold, in 1919, to 'Cayzer, Irvine & Company, Limited' ('Cayzer'), of Glasgow, Scotland, & in 1920 was renamed Clan Mackay, the 4th vessel of the name.
In 1929, The Clan Line of Steamers Ltd. became her owners with Cayzer her managers.
On Oct. 19, 1934, while en route from Cairns, Queensland, Australia, to Montreal, Canada, via Cape Town, with a cargo of sugar, the vessel was beached/wrecked on Carpenters Rock, Sierra Leone, 'in the morning mist'. At 8.30N/13.18.45W. Have not read the circumstances.
Can you add to or correct the above? Another image?183 Tuscan Prince
5275 tons
Hull 464
1335431913 A cargo ship. Per 1 [Prince Line, Tuscan Prince (2)], 2 (image of wreck), 3 (Sea Gallantry Medals), 4 (wreck data 90% down), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
420 ft. (approx. 133 metres) long, speed of 12 knots.
Built for Prince Line Ltd., of Newcastle (J. Knott the manager).
On Aug. 05, 1918, defensively armed, the vessel was torpedoed by UC49 & holed in the English Channel, 8 miles from Dungeness, but made it to port. 2 died in the attack.
On Feb. 15, 1923, while en route from the Tyne to Vancouver, British Columbia ('BC'), via Antwerp, & carrying a general cargo, the vessel was wrecked during the great winter storm of Feb. 14/15, 1923, off the BC coast. The ship ran aground in a snow storm on the S. cliffs of Effingham Island (prev. Village Island), Barkley Sound, BC, at 48.51.267N/125.19.147W. A rugged coast - location is close to the West Coast Trail. WWW data about what exactly happened is confusing. I suspect that the most reliable data is that of Bernard de Neumann, who advises that 3 prestigious Sea Gallantry Medals in bronze were issued re the shipwreck, & quotes from the official Board of Trade award citation. Two men tried to make it ashore in a boat which was destroyed on the rocks. George E. Lobb, the boatswain, succeeded in getting ashore, made a line fast & so permitted the entire crew of 42 to make their way ashore. A line was fired ashore by a 45 calibre line gun. The now lone gone page at the WWW site of the Maritime Museum of BC, stated that the 2nd Engineer made it to shore with a rope & returned to rescue the ship's cat & her kitten. And that the crew was saved by the Bamfield lifeboat. Another long gone site said that Snohomish, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, rescued the crew - from the shore perhaps? Most of the cargo was recovered. Wreck a dive site today. All said & done, WWW data re the story is truly most confusing.
Can you help clarify the facts?184 Roman Prince
5284 tons
Hull 466
133549
Berwick Law
Benlomond
Chrysopolis1914 A cargo ship. Per 1 (a 1920 painting of Roman Prince, by French artist Adam Eduard or Edouard, exists), 2 [Ben Line, Benlomond (3)], 3 ('wrecksite.eu', Chrysopolis), 4 [Prince Line, Roman Prince (2)], 5 (image of Roman Prince, I think, ex an expired web site), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
129.0 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 420 ft., speed of 12 knots.
Built for Prince Line Ltd., J. Knott the manager, of Newcastle.
The vessel was sold, in 1926 (or 1927), to Thomas Law & Co's 'Law Shipping Co.', of Glasgow, & became Berwick Law. And sold in 1933 to 'Ben Line Steamers Ltd.', owned by William Thomson & Co., & became Benlomond.
And sold yet again, in 1935, to 'Pneumaticos et Alexander Shipping Co. Ltd.', Kassos Steam Navigation Co. the managers?, of Piraeus, Greece, & renamed Chrysopolis.
On Jun. 18, 1936, while en route from Emden, Germany, to Cape Town, South Africa, the vessel was wrecked off Cape Barbas, Senegal. At 22.20N/16.44W. I have read no detail as to the circumstances. Were any lives lost?
Do you have anything to add?185 San Jeronimo
10067 (after conversion 12028 or 12398) tons
Hull 457
135314
Southern Empress1914 A tanker which became a whale factory ship. Per 1 (data & image), 2 ('uboat.net', sinking & image), 3 (image Southern Empress), 4 (convoy SC-104), 5 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Southern Empress), 6 (Eagle Oil Transport 'Blue Peter' article, ex the old 'Sunderland Tugs' Facebook site), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
160.2 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 525 ft. 6 in., speed of 11 knots, fitted to burn coal or oil.
Built for The Eagle Oil Transport Co. Ltd., ('Eagle') of London, (or maybe 'The Eagle Tanker Company Limited') at the cost of £155,000. Carried crude oil & white oil products. Identified as being a 'Shell' tanker - maybe chartered to Shell? Or maybe Shell had an ownership interest in Eagle?
In 1917, the vessel's gross tonnage became 12028 tons as a result of modifications.
In 1928, the vessel was sold to 'Southern Whaling & Sealing Co. Ltd.' ('Southern'), of London, converted (where, I wonder) into a whale oil factory ship & renamed Southern Empress. Have read also that Southern was based at Stanley in the Falkland Islands. Active in Antarctic waters.
20 WW2 convoy references including at least 6 N. Atlantic crossings, & service to Port Said.
In 1941, the vessel was sold to 'Christian Salvesen & Co.', of Edinburgh, Scotland.
On Oct. 13/14, 1942, while serving as a Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tanker, part of convoy SC-104 & en route from New York to Glasgow with a cargo of fuel oil & 21 (but maybe 10 only) landing craft per an expired link- 11 small & ten big it used to say at 2 - the vessel was torpedoed (3 torpedoes in 2 attacks) & sunk by U-221, Kapitänleutnant Hans-Hartwig Trojer in command, about 400 miles S. of Cape Farewell (N.E. of St. John's, Newfoundland, at 53.40N/40.40W). 125 were aboard when sunk. 48 lives were lost (24 crew, 4 gunners & 20 passengers) including Captain Olaf Hansen (Charles Hocking stated, however, that he survived). The 77 survivors were picked up by Norwegian corvette Potentilla, transferred to the Norwegian whale factory ship Suderøy & landed at Liverpool.
Can you add anything?186 San Nazario
10064 (or 12029 or 12667) tons
Hull 459
136702
Thorshammer1914 A tanker which became a whale factory ship. And had a very long life indeed (58 years). Per 1 (data & image), 2 & 3 (data Thorshammer), 4 (1941 German raid on whaling fleet), 5 (Eagle Oil Transport 'Blue Peter' article, ex the old Sunderland Tugs Facebook site), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
160.2 metres (525 ft. 6 in.) long, speed of 11 (or maybe 10) knots, fitted to burn coal or oil.
It is a pleasure to find a vessel so well documented though I regret my inability in Norwegian. Built for 'The Eagle Oil Transport Co. Ltd.', ('Eagle') of London, (or maybe 'The Eagle Tanker Company Limited') at the cost of £155,000. Carried crude oil & white oil products. Identified as being a 'Shell' tanker - maybe chartered to Shell? Or maybe Shell had an ownership interest in Eagle?
On Oct. 15, 1917, the vessel was torpedoed by U-53 & damaged, but survived & was repaired.
The vessel was sold, on Jul. 23, 1928, to 'Bryde & Dahls Hvalfangerselskap A/S' of Sandefjord, Norway, converted (at 'Ankomst Framnæs mek. Værksted'?) into a whale oil factory ship & renamed Thorshammer. Managed by 'A/S Thor Dahl', of Sandefjord. The vessel was further rebuilt, (at 'Wilton-Fijenoord', of Rotterdam?), in 1931/32.
A major event that Thorshammer was able to avoid. In Jan. 1941, the Norwegian whaling fleet was on the 'whale herding grounds' in Antarctic waters. In the largest single capture German raiders ever accomplished, 3 whale factory ships & 11 whale catchers were captured without bloodshed on Jan. 14, 1941 by German raider Pinguin. Prize crews were placed on board the many vessels, & the Norwegian crews were taken prisoner. Thorshammer was fortunate to avoid capture - she was approaching the area but was warned in time of the danger as you can read at 4.
The ship was repaired or refitted twice in the late 1940s, it would seem - by 'Framnæs Mekaniske Verksted' in 1948, & by Harland & Wolff at Liverpool in 1949 (I think, but am not sure, that is what the data says).
On Sep. 06, 1962, the vessel was sold to 'SPA Cantieri, Navali' ('C.N. Santa Maria'?), of Genoa, (La Spezia), Italy, for £105,000, to be broken up.
I am quite sure that the above text contains errors, in view of my lack of ability in Norwegian, a language most difficult of WWW translation. Corrections & additional data are accordingly invited.187 Lord Strathcona
7335 (or 7320) tons
Hull 473
1374471915 A cargo ship. Per 1 ('uboat.net', 1942 sinking, image), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Strathcona), 3 (events, Sep. 5, 1942, modest image), 4 (7+ minute video of the wreck), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
137.1 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 455.0 ft., speed of 11 1/2 knots.
Lord Strathcona? A famous name indeed in Canadian history (A), but too big a story to cover here.
The vessel was built for Lord Curzon Shipping Co. Ltd., of Liverpool, J. Herron & Co. the managers & just possibly the owners also. During the period of 1918 to 1923, the vessel linked Cardiff & New York, perhaps via Gibraltar. Can anybody advise of the later ownership changes - it would seem to have spent much of its life in Canadian waters.
At the time of WW2, the vessel was owned by Dominion Shipping Co. Ltd., of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 32 WW2 convoy references, all of which were Canada coastal (Saint John, St. John's, Halifax, Sydney, Corner Brook, Quebec) likely mainly carrying iron ore ex the Wabana mines at Bell Island, Newfoundland. But that number of convoys is suspect, since three 1944 & 1945 convoys are listed, something which is just not possible. Maybe 29 therefore?
On Sep. 05, 1942, Lord Strathcona, Charles Stewart in command with a crew of 43, was one of 5 vessels anchored at Wabana Roads, Bell Island, Conception Bay, Newfoundland, loaded with a cargo of iron ore bound for Sydney, Nova Scotia. At 4:46 p.m. that day, the vessel was struck amidships by 2 torpedoes fired by U-513, Fregattenkapitän Rolf Rüggeberg in command. At 47.35N/52.59W. There was a giant explosion & Lord Strathcona sank within 90 seconds. All of the crew were rescued by a Customs launch & landed at Lana Bay, Bell Island. U-513 had, half an hour earlier, also sunk Saganaga. I read that in manoeuvring in the shallow waters to make good its attack, U-513 hit the stern of Lord Strathcona & damaged its conning tower. But, while it was then attacked, it was able to make its escape. The wreck is still there today, lying in about 28 metres (have also read 120 ft.) of water, relatively well preserved by the cold waters. Preservation which is surely helped by the Canadian laws which state that no wreck artifact may be removed from a wreck site.
Can you add anything?188 HMS Norseman
1025 (or 1242) tons
Hull 5061916 A 'Repeat' Admiralty M Class destroyer. Per 1 (data re M Class), 2 (more M Class data), 3 (image), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
269 ft long, 3 funnel, speed of 34 knots. F13. Armed with three 4-inch guns; one 2-pounder pompom anti-aircraft gun; two 21-inch torpedo tubes.
Sold to be broken up at Grays, Essex, on May 09, 1921.
WWW data is most limited. Anything that you can add?189 HMS Octavia
1025 tons
Hull 490
ordered as HMS Oryx1916 An Admiralty M Class destroyer. Per 1 (data), 2 (image), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). The vessel was originally ordered as HMS Oryx, but her name was changed while in course of construction & she was delivered as HMS Octavia.
83.31 metres long, 3 funnel, speed of 34 knots, complement of 79. Armed with three 4-inch guns; one 1-pounder pompom anti-aircraft gun; four 21-inch torpedo tubes. G71?
Thanks to George Wood we are able to provide the 2nd image at left - which shows HMS Octavia (at right) on the Aberdeen Harbour Board's No. 3 pontoon dock at a date between Oct. 10 & Nov. 21, 1917 (in an Aberdeen Archives copyrighted image). For repairs to her stern, likely the result of a depth charge explosion. Bullfinch is at left in the image.
The vessel was sold, to be broken up, on Nov. 05, 1921 & was broken up by Granton Shipbreaking Co. Ltd., of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Available WWW data is most limited. Can you correct the above modest text or add to it?190 HMS Orestes
1025 (or 1042) tons
Hull 4871916 An Admiralty M Class destroyer. Per 1, 2, 3 & 4 (all data, but the last link now no longer works, temporarily, I hope), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
269 ft long, 3 funnel, speed of 34 knots. G61. Armed with three 4-inch guns; one 2-pounder pompom anti-aircraft gun; two 21-inch torpedo tubes.
Sold to be broken up at either Jan. 30, 1921 or Oct. 31, 1921 (data differs). Sold to W. & T. Burden, it would appear, though I am unable to track where they were located. WWW data is most limited.
191 HMS Orpheus
1025 tons
Hull 4891916 A 'Repeat' (data conflicts about that) Admiralty M Class destroyer. Per 1 (data), 2 (data), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
273 ft 8 in. long, 3 funnel, speed of 34 knots, complement of 80. H28. Armed with three 4-inch guns; two 1-pounder pompom anti-aircraft guns; four 21-inch torpedo tubes.
Sold to be broken up on Nov. 01, 1921 & broken up at Sunderland. WWW data is most limited.192 Smolensk
2487 tons
Hull 474
137507
Warszawa1916 A passenger/cargo vessel. Per 1 (data in Polish), 2 & 3 (Wilson Line), 4 ('uboat.net', Warszawa sinking, image, Smolensk), 5 (U-559), 6 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Warszawa), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
About 92 metres long, speed of 12 knots.
Completed for Russian North-West Steamship Co. Ltd. in late Jul. 1915, but laid up until May 1916.
In May 1916, the vessel was delivered to Thos. Wilson Sons & Co., 'Wilson Line', of Liverpool.
In 1917, the vessel became an Ellerman's Wilson Line vessel upon Ellerman's acquiring Wilson Line. 'Ellerman's Wilson Line Ltd.' became the new owner's name in 1917.
In 1930 (or maybe in 1929) the vessel became Warszawa, owned by 'Polish-British Steamship Co.', of Gdynia, Poland, or, in Polish, Polsko-Brytyjskie Towarzystwo Okrêtowe SA (Polbrit). From Nov. 1939 to Jun. 1940, the vessel transported Polish soldiers & refugees from Greece & Yugoslavia to Marseilles & Syria. She was then interned by Vichy-French authorities at Beirut, but escaped to Haifa & was used to transport British troops to Greece, Crete, & also to Tobruk, Libya.
Just 6 WW2 convoy references, mainly in the Mediterranean.
In late Dec. 1941, the vessel, T. Meissner in command, was heading a small convoy (AT.6) en route from Alexandria, Egypt, to Tobruk, when it was torpedoed, at 2:29 p.m. on Dec. 26, 1941 off Tobruk, by U-559, Kapitänleutnant Hans Heidtmann in command. A crew of 47, 5 gunners & 416 passengers (military personnel) were on board. The vessel was hit at 32.10N24.32E. 4 crew & 19 passengers were lost. The ship settled by the bow & was taken in tow by convoy escort vessel, HMS Peony, K40, a corvette, which took off all of the military personnel & a portion of the crew. At 7:30 p.m., Warszawa was hit by another torpedo & sank. The remaining crew were rescued by HMS Peony & landed at Tobruk. I am grateful for the data at 4.
WWW translation of Polish is most difficult. But ... the above may well contain mistakes. I would welcome corrections.193 General Church
6600 tons
Hull 515
140423
Ekaterini Nicolaou
Victoria
Cantabro
Castillo Oropesa1917 A cargo ship. Per 1 (1918, torpedo), 2 (UB-49), 3 (Italian page, 1941 sinking, 45% down, Castillo Oropesa), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
128.0 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, (420 ft.) speed of 11 1/2 knots.
Built for Byron Steamship Co. Ltd., of London, 'M. Embiricos', the manager.
On Feb. 04, 1918, while en route, in ballast, from Genoa, Italy, to St. John's, New Brunswick, Canada, the vessel was attacked by UB-49, Kapitänleutnant Hans von Mellenthin in command, (by torpedo, I presume) off Genoa. 2 lives were lost but the ship survived the encounter, in a damaged condition.
In 1932, the vessel was sold to 'N. G. Nicolaou', & became Ekaterini Nicolaou. A number of ownership changes in 1938/9. Became Victoria in 1938, owned by 'A. G. Pappadakis & Co. Ltd.' of Piraeus, Greece, (or maybe London). Later that year the vessel became Cantabro, owned by the Spanish Nationalist Government. In 1939, the vessel became Castillo Oropesa, owned by the Spanish Government (Gerencia de Buques Mercantes para Servicios Oficiales?)
In late 1941, the vessel travelled in ballast from Barcelona to Melilla, Spanish Morocco, (Mediterranean coast, eastern Morocco).
On Nov. 08, 1941, while anchored in Spanish territorial waters at the mouth of the port of Melilla, the vessel was torpedoed & sunk by Italian submarine Dandalo. 3 indicates (I think) that the vessel was sunk by mistake. I have read snippets of data that suggests that may well not be so. No loss of life. I would welcome additions or corrections.194 HMS Redoubt
1065 tons
Hull 5081917 An R Class destroyer. H68. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
Speed 36 knots, complement of 90.
WWW data about the vessel seems to be non-existent. But the vessel was involved in a quite amazing aviation story, which merits being detailed at length. You should first know that the Germans used Zeppelins in WW1 to bomb London & for aerial reconnaissance with great effect & impunity. On Aug. 11, 1918, Redoubt took part in a raid on German shipping in the Heligoland Bight, off the Dutch coast. Redoubt towed a 'lighter' at a speed of 35 knots, a tiny flat topped barge if you will, which was carrying Flight Sub Lieutenant Stuart Douglas Culley, an American pilot, aboard a Sopwith Camel 2F.1 fighter. A patrolling Zeppelin (L-53) was sighted. The Camel took a run of just 5 feet, got airborne, climbed for an hour to 18,000 feet & using incendiary ammunition shot down the Zeppelin flying above him. Only one of the Zeppelin's crew survived after baling out. Culley, virtually out of fuel, with just one pint left, landed his aircraft in the sea alongside Redoubt & he and his aircraft were taken aboard using a derrick. He was the first, & probably the only, pilot to shoot down an enemy 'aircraft' having taken off from a towed vessel. Culley's Camel hung in the Imperial War Museum in London for many years (2 and 3). And may indeed still do so? Culley won the DSO - see link above. Commodore Reginald Y. (Yorke) Tyrwhitt, fleet commander I believe, was so impressed with Culley's heroic performance that he ordered the young flyer to stand on top of Redoubt's main gun turret while the rest of the fleet passed in review with all hands on deck to salute him.
Vessel broken up Jul. 13, 1926.
Loads of WWW references to the story. This is the best account I have read. Can anybody possibly provide more detail about the vessel?195 HMS Umpire
1085 (or 1090) tons
Hull 5121917 A Modified (slightly bigger than the standard) R Class destroyer. Per 1 (data), 2 (Wikipedia ref. Umpire), 3 (Valetta, Malta, 1924 rescue of passengers), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
84.1 metres long, speed of 36 knots, complement of 82. I have previously indicated that the vessel was F 26. I wonder now if that was true & if so the incorrect vessel is pictured at top thumbnail left. Instead H 10. Armament 3 4 in. guns & a single 2 pounder 'pom-pom', 4 21 in. torpedo tubes. An improvement (fuel economy) on the earlier M class destroyers.
On Nov. 02, 1924, when at Valetta, Malta, the vessel rescued passengers of a small motorboat, in collision with HMS Calypso. Then H 10. WWW data about the vessel's service is non-existent. Can anybody possibly provide more detail about the vessel?
On Jan. 07, 1930, the vessel was sold to be broken up at Charlestown (Firth of Forth, Rosyth, Scotland).196 HMS Vega
1300 (or 1200) tons
Hull 5141917 An Admiralty V Class destroyer. Per 1 (V & W Class Destroyers), 2 ('uboat.net', Vega), 3 (HMS Vega, history), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
309 ft. (95.1 metres) long, speed of 34 knots, armed with four 4 inch guns & four 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, complement of 125. Commissioned Dec. 14, 1917.
The vessel was damaged in 1918. Was selected for conversion to an Anti-Aircraft Escort. Reconstruction to 'Fast Escort' completed on Nov. 28, 1939. Pennant number D52 changed to L41 upon completion.
Or ... reconstructed in 1940 (completed Apl. 23, 1940), & became a Fast Escort (D52 changed to L41).
Used during WW2 on North Sea convoy duties. Took part in the successful blocking of the Bruges Canal at Zeebrugge in May 1940, assisted at the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk & Le Havre in May 1940, & blockaded the harbour at Dieppe in Jun. 1940.
On Nov. 11, 1940, the vessel hit a mine off Sunk Head (Harwich). Repairs were only completed on Nov. 14, 1942.
The vessel was sold to 'BISCO' for breaking up ('Clayton and Davies') at Dunston (River Tyne) on Mar. 04, 1947. And arrived at Dunston, on Mar. 26, 1947 (or maybe the same date in 1948) for scrapping.
Can you help improve this listing?197 HMS Shamrock
1075 (or 905) tons
Hull 5241918 An S Class destroyer. HO6. Per 1 (S Class - armament at right), 2 (data & related images), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
84.1 metres long overall, 276 ft., 80.8 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 36 knots, complement of 82 (or maybe 90).
Built for the Royal Navy. The vessel perhaps should be included at 1? But is not. I thought she had seen service in WW1, but perhaps not.
I now read that she was commissioned at Chatham on Oct. 11, 1919 for 'service in the 4th Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet' & 'was detached to the Mediterranean for a time in 1920. Was re-commissioned at Nore on Jun. 30, 1921, as an 'emergency destroyer, a tender to' Hecla (later Malcolm), 'with only engineering officers permanently attached'.
On Nov. 17, 1927 'she paid off into Maintenance Reserve at Rosyth and in November 1930 she recommissioned at Portsmouth for service at Gibraltar. 'The vessel remained in the Mediterranean until late 1936.
On Nov. 23, 1936, the vessel was sold, for breaking up at Milford Haven. Have read such sale was 'as part exchange for RMS Majestic'. Can anyone explain that?198 Sutherland
5277 (later 5286) tons
Hull 528
142711
Southmead
Koolonga
Caithness
David Dawson
Avon River
launched as War Aspen1918 A cargo ship. Per 1 (data & the wreck in 2007/2010?), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
400.3 ft. (about 127 metres) long, 2 masts, speed of 11 knots.
Launched for the British Government as War Aspen. But delivered to Sutherland Steamship Co. Ltd., of Newcastle (A. M. Sutherland the manager) as Sutherland, at a cost of £167,500.
The vessel was sold, in 1920, for £280,000, to Western Counties Shipping Co. ('Counties'), of London (E. Edwards Sons & Co. managers?) & renamed Southmead.
In 1921, Counties went out of business & the vessel was sold at auction, for £60,000, to McIlwraith McEacharn Limited, (or McIlwraith, McEacharn Line Pty. Ltd.), of Melbourne, Australia, & renamed Koolonga.
The vessel was sold again, for £36,000 in 1929, to B. J. Sutherland & Co., of Newcastle & renamed Caithness. In 1935, the vessel was sold to Jubilee Shipping Navigation Co., of Newcastle, (Frank S. Dawson ('Dawson') the manager?) & renamed David Dawson.
It was sold again, in 1936, to Avon Steamship Co. Ltd., of Bristol (M. Whitwill & Son the manager? - Whitwill was a director of Dawson) & renamed Avon River. Gross tonnage became 5286.
Later in 1936, while en route from Montreal, Quebec, to Churchill, Manitoba, (both Canada), in ballast, the vessel ran into a severe gale with mountainous seas on Sep. 15, 1936. The engines failed, & on Sep. 16, 1936, the vessel was driven onto the W. coast of Mansel Island in Hudson Bay. At 62.06N/80.18W. No lives were lost, which is amazing considering how remote the site. The inquiry at Montreal determined loss was due to the weather conditions & attributed no blame to the vessel's officers & crew. Wreck still seems to be there in 2007/2010?
Can you correct or add to the above?199 HMS Walpole
1300 (or 1100) tons
Hull 5181918 A V & W Class destroyer. Per 1 ('uboat.net', data, Walpole), 2 (extensive data incl. painting image, Walpole), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
95.1 metres (312 ft.) long. Armed with four 4-inch guns; two 2-pounder pompom anti-aircraft guns; one machine gun; four Lewis guns & six 21-inch torpedo tubes. Speed of 34/35 knots, complement of 134. Commissioned Aug. 1918. D41.
On Oct. 30, 1939, HMS Walpole & HMS Whirlwind scuttled with gunfire British merchantman Bronte (built in 1919 by A. McMillan & Son. Ltd. of Dumbarton - ON#140623), which had been torpedoed at 49.30N/12.15W, by U-34 on Oct. 27, 1939, 180 miles W. of Lands End. Walpole took aboard 42 Bronte crew members.
On Mar. 08, 1940, the vessel picked up 78 survivors from the British merchant vessel Counsellor which hit a mine laid by U-30 close to Liverpool Bar Lightship, at 53.38N/03.23W.
On May 13, 1940, the vessel evacuated personnel from IJmuiden, Holland. On Jul. 27, 1940, the ship was damaged by bombs from German aircraft while escorting a convoy off Dover.
On Jan. 06, 1945, the vessel was mined off Vlissingen (Flushing), Holland. 2 crew were killed, & 5 seriously injured. While the vessel was towed back to Kent by HMS Rutherford, she was declared to be a constructive total loss, & was not repaired. Was sold to be broken up on Feb. 08, 1945 & broken up at the Thomas Ward Ltd. shipbreaking facilities at Grays, Essex. Anything you can add?200 War Aconite
5329 (or 5299) tons
Hull 529
142634
Trefusis1918 A 'A' dry cargo ship. Per 1 (image, War Aconite), 2 (sinking, data & image), 3 (U-130, type in 130 at top left), 4 (U-410 & Trefusis about 75% down, p#51), 5 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Trefusis), 6 & 7 (Hain), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
122.0 metres (perpendicular to perpendicular) & 412 ft. long, speed of 11 knots.
Aconite? A poisonous plant, used in wartime to poison enemy water supplies.
Built for the British Government (The Shipping Controller) as War Aconite, managed by W. Runciman & Co., of London.
The vessel was sold, in 1919, to The Hain Steamship Company Limited ('Hain') of Cardiff & later London (but originally of St. Ives, Cornwall), renamed Trefusis & registered at St. Ives. Hain was then part of the 'Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company' group of companies.
59 WW2 convoy references, including 7 N. Atlantic crossings, service to W. Africa (Freetown), & U.K. coastal.
On Feb. 28, 1943, the vessel left Gibraltar under the command of Captain Robert T. (Tyrer) Browne with a cargo of iron ore (ex Pepel, nr. Freetown, Sierra Leone) bound for Liverpool (& then to London it would seem). In convoy XK-2. A total complement of 47. The convoy was attacked by U-130 (4 refers to U-410, however. I wonder why.) & 4 convoy ships were sunk on Mar. 05, 1943, including Trefusis. At 43.50N/14.46W, NW of Lisbon, Portugal. 3 lives were lost. The survivors (including the Captain) were picked up by HMS Coreopsis, (a corvette), transferred to HMS Loch Oskaig (an armed trawler), & landed at Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Anything you can add?201 War Stag
5249 (or 5175) tons
Hull 525
142431
Tregonnell
Iris1918 A 'B' type cargo ship. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
121.9 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, (400 or 413.5 ft.), speed of 11 (or 10 1/2) knots.
Built for the British Government (Shipping Controller) as War Stag, with Watts, Watts & Co. Ltd., of London, the managers.
The vessel was sold, in 1919, to Hain Steamship Company Ltd., of London (company previously was of St. Ives, Cornwall, until purchased by P&O in 1917) & renamed Tregonnell. Vessel often referred to as 'Tregonell', possibly incorrectly?
The vessel served the Hull & Cardiff to New York route in the 1920-1923 period.
It was sold, on Aug. 02, 1935, to 'Achille Lauro', (Flotta Lauro or Lauro Lines), of Naples, Italy, & renamed Iris.
On Jun. 25, 1943, the vessel was bombed & sunk at Naples but later was salvaged (when I wonder?) & returned to service. Am grateful for a website that requests no links re that data. Have not been able to WWW read the circumstances.
On Apl. 10, 1958, the vessel arrived at Spezia, Italy, to be broken up. Can you correct and/or add to the above?202 HMS Whitley
1300 (or 1100) tons
Hull 5201918 A W Class destroyer. Per 1 (4 images, 20% down), 2 (re sinking), 3 ('uboat.net', data, Whitley), 4 (Wikipedia, V & W Class destroyers), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Was initially intended to be named Whitby.
95.1 metres long, speed of 35 knots. Commissioned Oct. 1918.
During 1919-20, the vessel served in the Baltic for operations against the Bolsheviks.
The ship was placed in the Reserve Fleet by 1921 as part of the 9th Destroyer Flotilla at Rosyth & did not serve with the Fleet in the inter-war years. L23. Reconstructed by HM Dockyard Chatham, to 'Fast Escort' in Oct. 1938. D97.
On May 19, 1940, the vessel was badly damaged by German aircraft & was beached between Nieuport & Ostend on the Belgian coast. It was pulled off the beach but due to its poor condition was intentionally sunk nearby by HMS Keith - in only 5 m. of water.
Can you add to or correct the above?203 HMS Velox
1300 tons
Hull 5161918 Admiralty V Class destroyer. Per 1 (with image), 2 (Wikipedia), 3 (data & image), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
300 ft. long, speed of 34 or 35 knots, armed with (you can read it at 3. I have difficulty in summarising it). Complement of 110. D 34. Launched Nov. 17, 1917 & commissioned Apl. 01, 1918. Built with the ability to be converted into a minelayer within 24 hours.
Was engaged in the Second Ostend Raid. Travelled to the Baltic Sea N. of Russia (does that make sense) during the Bolshevik revolution. Placed in Reserve due to economic conditions during the 1930s.
The vessel was re-commissioned in 1939 & allocated for duty at Gibraltar. Saw service with the Atlantic Fleet, 1st Destroyer Flotilla. Took part in operations at Ostend & Zeebrugge.
In 1940, Velox organised the embarkation/evacuation at Port Vendres & Sète, France, of Czechoslovak troops to Gibraltar. From Aug. 19/25, 1941, carried to Gibraltar a) the survivors (transferred from Campanula) of Alva, sunk by German submarine U-559, & b) 8 survivors (transferred from Campanula) of Empire Oak, a tug, sunk by U-564.
On Aug. 22, 1942 the vessel picked up 66 survivors from City of Wellington, torpedoed & sunk by U-506 SW of Freetown, Sierra Leone.
In May 1944, the vessel was reconstructed & became a Long Range Escort. I-34. Reduced to 'Reserve' after VJ Day, placed on the 'Disposal List' in 1946 & sold to 'BISCO' on Feb. 18, 1947 for breaking-up by Metal Industries.
In Nov. 1947, the vessel arrived, in tow, at Charlestown (Firth of Forth, Rosyth, Scotland) for breaking up. Corrections?204 Comeric
6701 tons
Hull 537
141917
Hampton Hill
Mount Kyllene
laid down as War Jasper1919 A cargo ship. Per 1 [Bank Line, Comeric, (2)], 2 ('wrecksite.eu', sinking data), 3 (two Apl. 1938 Australian newspaper articles, ex 4 & 5), 6 (Board of Trade Report re Anglo Australian, 'pdf' available), 7 (Lloyd's Register data, 1930/31 thru 1937/38, ex 'plimsollshipdata.org', see left), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
The history of this vessel has been particularly difficult to WWW research - which is unfortunate because the story is a dramatic one.
125.8 metres long, perpendicular to perpendicular, 412.6 ft., speed of 11 knots, signal letters (late in life) KOHN, GBTD & SVUQ, 619 HP engines by Wm. Doxford & Sons.
Laid down as War Jasper for the British Government (Shipping Controller). But delivered as Comeric to Bank Line Limited, Andrew Weir & Co. the managers, i.e. 'Bank Line', of Glasgow.
In 1936, the vessel was sold to Middlesex Steamship Co. Ltd., of London, with Counties Ship Management Co. Ltd., the managers, also of London. And renamed Hampton Hill.
In 1937, the vessel was sold to 'Kulukundis Bros. & C. N. Pateras', which would seem to have become 'Kulukundis Shipping Co. & others' or something most similar, Kulukundis & Pateras, the managers, all of Piraeus, Greece, & renamed Mount Kyllene. Mount Kyllene, or Mount Kyllini or Mount Cyllene is the 2nd highest mountain in the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece, the legendary birthplace of messenger of the Gods 'Hermes'.
On Apl. 09, 1938, while en route, in ballast, from Amsterdam to Panama City, Panama, Mount Kyllene encountered heavy weather. I have read that the ship suffered an explosion 'in the neighbourhood of her bunkers', an explosion that blew the ship into two pieces. At 43.30N/28.00W, in the N. Atlantic, said to be about 200 miles N. of the Azores, about 1,200 miles W. of the N. Spanish coast. It would seem, however, that there is much more to the story than is written above. Apparently the weight of the ship, i.e. its engines & its water & solid ballast, was predominantly amidships. During the storm, the ship became 'suspended' with bow & stern on the crests of separate waves. The ship buckled in the middle, initially, apparently, with some 'creaking'. However, within 15 minutes, the ship had physically broken into two pieces amidships. Both parts stayed afloat, & per Charles Hocking, 17 crew were on the bow section while 14 were on the aft. Papa Theodorou ('Theodorou'), the ship's radio officer, rigged a temporary aerial in the fore part of the ship after the explosion, & was able to send out distress signals. It would seem that three tankers came to the rescue. Inverlee & Athelfoam, respectively Irish & British tankers, were two of the three. I have read that Kitia Knudsen, a Norwegian tanker, was the third, but Miramar do not reference a vessel of such a name. I think that the third vessel may have correctly been Kaia Knudsen. Inverlee certainly rescued 5 crew members (J. H. Onions, then 3rd officer of Inverlee, was honoured by the Greek Admiralty with a medal for his part in the rescue). But Inverlee may well have saved more crew members on the second day. Athelfoam must have had a significant rescue role. Arthur Wilkinson advises, (thanks!) that his father, Arthur Wilkinson, an able seaman aboard Athelfoam, was awarded the Naval Medal 2nd class (silver) by the Kingdom of Greece for his part in the rescue. An image of the citation is at left, approx. translated here. In total, by one or other of those three ships, 29 crew members were rescued. Unfortunately, four crew members, including Theodorou, lost their lives trying to board the lifeboats that came to save them in the mountainous seas. Remarkably both parts of the ship stayed afloat after the break-up - the stern stayed afloat for 36 hours while the bow section stayed afloat for at least 11 days. I read that it was last seen on Apl. 20, 1938 - at 43.09N/31.22W, about 210 miles W. of where she broke apart, but also have read that it floated for 14 days. Was there an official enquiry, I wonder, into the disaster? Mount Kyllene's experience was referenced in the Board of Trade Inquiry Report re Anglo Australian which was lost in somewhat similar circumstances a month prior, on or about Mar. 14, 1938. Photographs apparently exist of the ship in two pieces. Can you add anything? Another image?205 Linerton
6698 (later 6795 & 7064) tons
Hull 539
142849
Radix
Tine Asmussen
Juan Casiano1919 A cargo ship which soon became a tanker. Per 1 (data Linerton, with 3 images), 2 (image, data, Radix), 3 (extensive data in Dutch, many images, Linerton/Radix), 4 (link 4 translated into English), 5 (a 'pdf' file with references/images re the rebuild of Linerton), 6 (an extensive 1925 article about the rebuild ex Trove, Australia), 7 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Juan Casiano), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
Built for Carlton Steamship Co. Ltd. & Cambay Steamship Co. Ltd., of Newcastle.
412.1 ft long (125.6 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 430.0 ft. long overall, speed of 10 knots, signal letters LJPT, LCKK, DKBB, XCJW.
The vessel had an extraordinary early history. When on her maiden voyage, Linerton suffered an engine breakdown during an easterly gale - a cylinder head blew out. The tow ropes parted & 2 tugs could not stop her from coming ashore on Herd Sands, south of the South Pier at South Shields, on Nov. 09, 1919. The entire crew of 45 were rescued by Willie Wouldhave, a lifeboat of the Tyne Lifeboat Society. The ship ended up high & dry on the beach & one could walk around the entire hull as thousands indeed did.
The ship's hull had fractured aft of the engine room & gelignite was used to break the split open & end up with two hull pieces. Apparently 9 British shipyards declined to rebuild the vessel none of them being prepared to accept a completion deadline in a time of labour unrest. In due course, in Apl. 1920, the two sections were towed to Rotterdam, The Netherlands. A tow not without incident - when within 16 miles of the River Maas, one of the pieces had to return to Hull, U.K., due to a violent storm in the North Sea - the tug that was doing the towing ran out of coal! The vessel was entirely rebuilt as a tanker by Rotterdam Drydock Company, a rebuild which included moving the vessel's engines to the stern.
Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd. of Newcastle, became the owners of the rebuilt vessel, renamed Radix. Her speed became 11 knots.
At left are dramatic images related to the 1919 grounding.
In 1929 the vessel was sold to A/S Mosvolds Rederi III of Kristiansand, Norway - with no change of vessel name. The vessel soon became registered at Farsund, Norway, & in 1936 A/S Mosvolds Shipping Co. of that city became the vessel's owner, again with no change of vessel name.
In 1938, the vessel was sold to Johann Haltermann of Hamburg, Germany, & renamed Tine Asmussen.
The vessel was seized by Mexico in 1940 (or maybe 1941), became owned by Petroleos Mexicanos SA of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, & was renamed Juan Casiano (a revered monk/theologian of the Orthodox Church, 360/365 to 435 AD).
The vessel was extensively involved in convoy duty during WW2 - 25 convoy references from Oct. 1942 to Sep. 1944, mainly in the Caribbean (ex Galveston) & to New York City.
I learn that on Oct. 19, 1944, the vessel foundered during a storm when 90 miles off Savannah, Georgia, while en route from Tampico, Mexico, to New York. 21 lives were lost.
Can you provide more data? #1913206 HMS/HMAS Success
1075 tons
Hull 5221919 An S Class destroyer. Per 1 (includes modest image), 2 (S Class - armament data at right), 3 (a c.1920 & a 1927 image of Success used to be available. Likely they still are somewhere on the site, 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Built for the Royal Navy.
276 ft. long, twin screw, 2 funnels, a long forecastle, a tall bridge, which, unusually, was located behind the break in the main deck, speed 30 (or 36) knots, steam turbine, twin screw, complement of 90.
But in Jun. (or maybe in Jul.) 1919, the vessel was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy. Was intended to be renamed Raboul, but it was not renamed. On Jan. 27, 1920, the vessel was commissioned as HMAS Success (H02). But held in reserve.
On May 21, 1931, the vessel was de-commissioned. And on Jun. 04, 1937, was sold to 'Penguin P/L' to be scrapped. 'remains scuttled by bombing by aircraft off Sydney Dec. 20, 1941'. Can you explain what 'Penguin P/L' means & also explain those last words. Means that vessel was not therefore actually scrapped in 1937?
And can you provide more data?This page is the second of 4 Doxford pages, the first being here. The 3rd & 4th pages are here & here.
TO END THE PAGE
For your pleasure and interest.
So many of the vessels listed in these pages ended their lives in wartime. WW1 & WW2 mainly. Hit by a torpedo perhaps or bombed by enemy aircraft. The following image does not relate to any vessel listed in these pages. But I like the WW1 image, of a German torpedo boat in action, the work of German artist Prof. Willy Stöwer (1864/1931). I hope that you like it also. It was 'sharpened' for presentation on this page.
The item was listed by eBay vendor 'moonrabbitpostcards', a U.S. vendor, from Silver Springs, Maryland. That vendor consistently used to provide large & clear images of the items he offered for sale. But now seems no longer to be active, alas.May I suggest that you navigate the site via the index on page 001.PRIOR PAGE / NEXT PAGE
To Thomas M. M. Hemy Data Page 41. All of the other Thomas Hemy pages, including image pages, are accessible though the index on Thomas Hemy page 05. [ ] £ à é ö ô ć ü ê
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