THE SUNDERLAND SITE - PAGE 062
SHIPBUILDERS - PAGE 20

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Copyright? (100) Test.

Miramar, Plimsoll, images, xplornet, mariners-l.co.uk, Excel DP, MNL, eBay, Delcampe, Jul. 08, 2021.

On this page ... Laing, page bottom (Laing Brothers, wine merchants).

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Corrections in any of the material which follows, however tiny, would be most welcome. And additions, of course!

JOHN LAING (1792), NORTH SANDS
JOHN AND DAVID LAING (1793/1796), NORTH SANDS
JOHN LAING (1796/1797), NORTH SANDS
JOHN AND PHILIP LAING (1797/1805), NORTH SANDS & (1804/1818) BRIDGE DOCK
JOHN & JAMES LAING (1816/c.1830), SOUTHWICK
PHILIP LAING (1818/1834), DEPTFORD
LAING & SIMEY (1834/1837), DEPTFORD
PHILIP LAING (c.1837/1843), DEPTFORD
JAMES LAING (became Sir James Laing in 1897) (1843/1898), DEPTFORD
SIR JAMES LAING AND SONS LIMITED (1898/1966), DEPTFORD
(name is good per an 1899 share certificate)

OF NORTH SANDS (1792/1805), OF MONKWEARMOUTH, BRIDGE DOCK, JUST WEST OF THE IRON BRIDGE (1804/1818) THEN SOUTHWICK (1816/1830), THEN DEPTFORD, SUNDERLAND (1818/1966)

This is the second 'Laing' page, made necessary by the increasing number of listings re 'Laing' built vessels. The first page, with the first 100 vessels, is available here. And the third is here.

Lists? Firstly there is, on site now, a 'Laing' build list from its earliest days in 1794 thru to the very end. Here. Miramar lists? 21 pages, (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:- 33, 62, 90, 170, 200, 231, 263, 291, 323, 514, 545, 574, 605, 635, 669, 695, 724, 754, 785, 815, 838. The list continues re 'Doxford & Sunderland Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. or maybe 'Group'' then to 'Doxford & Sunderland Ltd.' and then to 'Sunderland Shipbuilders Ltd.'

Names of just a few of the vessels constructed by the 'Laing' companies - added as I happen to spot references to them. In a table in build date sequence. And alphabetically within a year. But just a start! The second of 3 pages, the first being here & the third here.

103 Nippon Maru
6162 (later 6048) tons
3452/6178 (N/G) in 1911/12
Hull 563

Renaico
1898

A steel clipper-stemmed passenger/cargo vessel that was launched on Apl. 13, 1898 & completed in Aug. 1898. Beware, many vessels of this name! Per 1 ('shipslist.con', Toyo Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha), 2 ('histarmar.com', data & images, Renaico), 3 (image, Nippon Maru, Wikipedia), 4 (of related interest), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Most of my earlier links no longer exist! 431.0 ft. long (131.37 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 17 knots, signal letters HQSL, with capacity for 180 passengers or maybe many more - 317 per the launch announcement at left, 1058 HP engines by George Clark Ltd. of Sunderland. Owned by 'Toyo Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha', (or maybe just 'Toyo Kisen Kaisha') of Tokyo, Japan, which company would seem to have also been known as the 'Oriental Steamship Company of Japan'. Vessel was known as the 'Beauty of the Pacific'. Traded between Yokohama, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Honolulu & San Francisco - carrying cotton to Japan & bringing back oriental fabrics. Carried passengers also. An important vessel, I read, in the history of immigration from Asia to the U.S.A. W. E. Filmer was the vessel's captain in 1908/09, Stevens in 1910/11 & H. S. Smith in 1911/12, all per Lloyd's Register. On Oct. 20, 1919, the vessel was sold to 'Cia Sud-Americana de Vapores' ('SCAV'), of Valparaiso, Chile, for a Valparaiso to New York service, & on Nov. 3, 1919 was renamed Renaico. The route did not prove to be successful - SCAV lost money on the service. Voyages to Europe were attempted but cargoes were difficult to obtain due to the opposition of the 'ocean conferences'. Coastal services in Chile were not successful either so in Dec. 1922, the vessel was laid up at Valparaiso. I read that the vessel was used as a depot ship at Iquique, Chile, in 1926. And that the vessel was broken up at Iquique in 1929. Can you clarify any of the above and/or help with more data?

104 Umtata
1663/2655 (N/G) tons (or 2955) tons
Hull 565

110001
1898

A cargo ship, but it would seem it carried passengers so it probably was a passenger/cargo vessel. Per 1 [Bullard King, Umtata (2)], 2 (related ephemera), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 330.2 ft. (100.64 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 knots, signal letters QKBT, 402 HP engines by George Clark Limited of Sunderland. Built for 'Bullard King & Company, Limited' (Natal Direct Line), of London. Who had, in history, 4 vessels of the name. Engaged on the London to Durban, South Africa, service (& beyond, to Delagoa Bay & Beira in Mozambique). Really no WWW data re the vessel. Presumably named after Umtata (now Mthathta), in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, which was the capital of the Transkei, & is now noted for its Nelson Mandela Museum (Nelson Mandela (1918/2013) was born & lived in retirement nearby - at Qunu). The vessel arrived, in Feb. 1924, at Savona, Italy, to be broken up. Miramar tells us (thanks!) that the vessel was broken up, at Savona in Jun. 1924, at the facilities of 'Virgilio Solari & C.' but that the work was actually done in the first quarter of 1925. Can you tell us more?
Note:- Andrew Amor seeks an image of this 1898 built vessel. If you have such an image, do consider providing it to me, for inclusion here & also for forwarding on to Andrew. Andrew also notes that the image of Umtata, previously at left (now here) is in fact of the 3rd Umtata, built in 1935 by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Low Walker. Thanks Andrew!

105 Terek
3710 (or 3645) tons
Hull 569

110150

British Duke
Laura Corrado
1899

A tanker. Per 1 (Rorqual), 2 (Algeria, 20% down), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 102.3 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular, 335.5 ft. long, or 349.6. ft., speed of 9 knots. Built for Caucasian Steam Shipping Company, Limited, ('Caucasian') of London, 'Lane & Macandrew', which became 'Lane & MacAndrew Ltd.', the managers. Can anybody tell us about Caucasian? The vessel was later owned by Petroleum Steamship Co. (owned by the 'Europaische Petroleum Union', German owned), which company was acquired (maybe first seized by the British Government re WW1) by the British Tanker Company, formed in 1915 [much later British Tanker Co. Ltd. (BP)]. The vessel was renamed British Duke in 1917. In 1930, the vessel was sold to 'Soc. Anon. di Navigazione Corrado', of Genoa, Italy, & renamed Laura Corrado. On Mar. 30, 1941, the vessel was attacked by torpedo & gunfire by HMS Rorqual (N74), a Royal Navy Grampus class (a mine-laying class) submarine (sometimes referred to as Porpoise class). And sunk. At 38.45N/12.20E, 40/5 miles N. of Trapani (NW Sicily). The vessel was possibly picking up fuel from the French in Algeria. There seems to be very little WWW data about the vessel. Can you tell us more? Another image?

106 Runo
4016 (or 4106 or 4189 or 4190) tons
Hull 572

109705

Zijldijk
Hoflaan
1900

A cargo ship. Per 1 (Neptune, refs. Runo & 'Zyldijk'), 2 (Holland America, ref. 'Zyldijk'), 3 (Furness Withy), 4 (4 images Zijldijk & a plan), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 130.15 metres long, speed of 10 1/2 knots. Built for Neptune Steam Navigation Company Ltd. ('Neptune') (W. & T. W. Pinkney, managers) of Sunderland, which company principally operated a Rotterdam & U.S.A. (Baltimore) service. In 1906, the vessel was sold to Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd. of Sunderland. And was sold again, in Jun. 1909, to 'Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij' (Holland America Line), as part of the purchase of Neptune & renamed Zijldijk. Have also seen the new name spelled as Zijldyk. The vessel was sold on Nov. 29, 1928 to 'NV Stoomschip Eenambt', (F. W. Uittenbogaart the manager?), of Rotterdam, & renamed Hoflaan. On Nov. 15, 1930, the vessel arrived at 'N.V. Frank Rijsdijk's Industriële Ondernemingen.', at Hendrik Ido Ambacht, a town in the Western Netherlands, to be broken up. Broken up in Q2 of 1931. Can you add anything or correct the above text?

107 Djibouti
2798/4305 (N/G) tons
Hull 585
1901

A steel steamship which was launched on Jul. 3, 1901, & completed in Aug. 1901. 1 (U34 sinking), 2 (extensive data & images, in French), 3 (link 2 'Google' translated), 4 (Compagnie Havraise ...), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Built for Compagnie Havraise Péninsulaire de Navigation à Vapeur of Le Havre, France. 388.0 ft. long (118.26 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, signal letters HWGP, speed of 10 1/2 knots, 418 HP engines by George Clark Ltd. of Sunderland. 'L. James' was the vessel's captain in 1908/1909 & 1910/11 per Lloyd's Register, 'Peaucellier' in 1911/12. On Jan. 28, 1918, in fine weather at 3.15 a.m., the vessel was struck by a torpedo fired by German submarine U34, Wilhelm Canaris in command, when approx. 8 miles N. of Cape Bengut, Algeria. At 37.6N/3.55E. An explosion resulted. The vessel was towed for a couple of miles but it soon sank. In its career U34 sank 119 ships & damaged 5 more. U34 had not been detected in the area & no signs of it were evident. The vessel was en route from Bougie, (now Béjaïa), NE Algeria, for Algiers, Oran & Le Havre, under the escort of Anemone, a sloop & Bisson II, a trawler. With a cargo that included 5,000 tons of phosphates & 4,970 cases of petrol. No lives were lost in the attack. 45 of the crew were saved by Anemone & one crew member was saved by Bisson II. On Jan. 30, 1918, the crew left Algiers aboard Savoie for passage to Marseilles, France. Can you add anything or correct the above text? #2055

108   Mohawk
4765 tons
Hull 578

111307

Hungarian Prince
Belgian Prince
1901

A cargo ship. From 1 (data, Belgian Prince), 2 (Prince Line, Hungarian Prince), 3 ('uboat.net', Belgian Prince), 4 (Anglo-Peruvian), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 391 ft. 6 in. long, speed of 10 1/2 (or 11) knots. Built for Menantic Steamship Co. of New York, which company became North Atlantic Steam Ship Co., of Bristol (T. Hogan & Sons manager). A sister to Austrian Prince. On Apl. 21/22, 1906, the vessel rescued from small boats the entire crew (37) of Anglo-Peruvian, which vessel had hit an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland in dense fog. Mohawk, headed eastbound, landed them all at Weymouth. In Feb. 1912, the vessel was sold to Prince Line Ltd. ('Prince Line'), (T. Knott the manager?), of Newcastle & renamed Hungarian Prince. The vessel was renamed Belgian Prince, in 1915, since Hungary was then (WW1) an enemy nation. On Feb. 24, 1915, the vessel was 'chased by a U-boat in the English Channel but managed to outpace her'. At about 7:50 p.m., on Jul. 31, 1917, while en route, unescorted, from Liverpool to Newport News, Virginia, U.S.A., with a cargo of blue clay (can anybody tell us what 'blue clay' is & what it is used for) & a crew of 42 all told, Belgian Prince was attacked by torpedo by U-55, Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm Werner in command, (a now gone website stated Kapitan Leutnant Paul Wagenfuhr, incorrectly, I believe. He commanded U-44 which was thought, during the war, to have been the U-boat involved), 175 miles NW by W. of Tory Island, NW Ireland. At approximately 55.50N/13.20W. The Captain (Harry Hassan) was taken prisoner by U-55 & held below deck. I read that the other 41 crew members were lined up on the submarine's casing, but perhaps believing incorrectly that a British warship was in the vicinity, the submarine moved off & submerged, washing the survivors into the sea. Their life-jackets & outer clothing had been taken from them & tossed overboard & their lifeboats had been smashed with axes. U-55 later fired two shots from her deck gun & Belgian Prince sank stern first at about 7:00 a.m. on Aug. 1, 1917 (3 states that there were scuttling charges). 39 lives in total were lost. I read that Captain Hassan survived the war as a prisoner of war. Of the crew of 42, there were just 4 survivors. Captain Hassan & i) Chief Engineer Thomas A. Bowman, ii) George Silessi, an able seaman, & iii) 2nd Cook William Snell, of Jacksonville, Florida, all 3 of whom were rescued by a British patrol vessel 11 hours later that day & told the story of what had happened ('Those 'Gentlemen' of Germany' by Bowman & others.) A long expired eBay item contained an extensive text, which text, while too long for inclusion within this listing, you can read here. Can you tell us more? An image?

109 Umsinga
1895/2963, later 1869/2958 (N/G) tons
Hull 586

114777
1901

A passenger/cargo liner. Per 1 (Bullard King, Umsinga), 2 (related ephemera), 3 & 4 (images), 5 (BOT 1906 Wreck Report), 6 (data, incl. 1906 grounding text), 7 (Mercantile Navy List, 1902) 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access).
340.0 ft. long (103.63 metres perpendicular to perpendicular), signal letters SRND, speed of 13 knots, 431 NHP engines by George Clark Ltd. of Sunderland. Many crew lists are available here.
The vessel is Mercantile Navy List listed from 1902 thru 1929. Built for 'Bullard King & Company, Limited' (Natal Direct Line), of London. With Edward J. King, of London, her managing owner. Engaged on the London to Durban, South Africa, service (& probably beyond, to Delagoa Bay & Beira in Mozambique). The vessel left Port Natal (Durban) on Mar. 31, 1905 & in the early minutes of the next day, i.e. Apl. 1, 1906, grounded, at Tenedos Shoal, KwaZulu-Natal, (a little N. of Durban). She bumped heavily on the rocks for 2 1/2 hours, came off & in a very leaky condition, returned to Durban to be examined & presumably repaired. The vessel was possibly later involved in a collision, in 1911 perhaps (very brief ref.).
The vessel arrived, on Dec. 5, 1928, at Blyth, Northumberland, to be broken up at the yard of 'Hughes Bolckow Shipbreaking Co. Ltd.'
Can you tell us more?

110 York Castle
5310 (or 5517) tons
Hull 582

112849

San Terenzo
1901

A cargo ship. Per 1 (Union Castle Line), 2 (also Union Castle Line), 3 ('plimsollshipdata.org', Lloyd's Register data, San Terenzo, 1930/1932, but link no longer operative), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 419.8 ft. (about 129 metres) long, speed of 12 knots, signal letters PGJX. Built for Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company Ltd., of London. Served on the South Africa/U.S.A./U.K. route except 'during the fruit season when she traded between South Africa and the USA'. The vessel was sold, in 1925 (or maybe in 1924), to Ing. G. B. Bibolini (Giovanni Battista Bibolini), of Lerici, Genoa, Italy, & renamed San Terenzo. Was soon laid up. The vessel was broken up at Genoa, Italy, in Q4 of 1932. Can you tell us more?

111 Umvolosi
2986 tons
Hull 582

115857
1902

A passenger/cargo liner. Per 1 (Captain Miller, Lloyd's medal, re 1918, click on 'Item Overview' for detail text - alas no image is available), 2 (related ephemera), 3 [Bullard King, Umvolosi (2)], 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 103.6 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 knots. Built for 'Bullard King & Company, Limited' (Natal Direct Line), of London. Engaged on the London to Durban, South Africa, service (& beyond, to Delagoa Bay & Beira in Mozambique). On Aug. 19 (or possibly Aug. 22), 1918, when under the command of Captain William T. Miller, Umvolosi struck a mine off Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Miller was awarded the Lloyd's Medal for Meritorious Service (3rd class, in silver) for the incident. No WWW word as to the circumstances or resulting damage to ship. It would seem (ex a Norwegian site) that the vessel left London on Jan. 17, 1930 to be broken up at Stavanger, Norway. Can you tell us more?

112 Havraise
3548/4646 (N/G) tons
later (certainly by 1926/27) 3552/4645 tons
Hull 594
1903

A steel passenger/cargo ship which was launched on Jan. 29, 1903 & completed in Mar. 1903. Per 1 ('shipslist.com' re her fleet owner), 2 (extensive data, in French, Havraise, incl. image), 3 (Southampton City Council/Plimsoll Lloyd's Register ('LR') data re 1930/31 & 1931/32. Note LR of 1932/33 also available elsewhere on that site), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 372.3 ft. (113.48 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, signal letters JMCG later OIUG, clipper stem, facilities for 24 cabin passengers & additional passengers in steerage, speed of 12 knots, 373 NHP engines by George Clark Ltd. of Sunderland. Built for 'Compagnie Havraise Péninsulaire de Navigation à Vapeur' ('Compagnie'), of Le Havre, France. LR of 1908/09 indicates that 'J. Castan' was then her captain, while LRs of 1910/11 & 1911/12 list 'Lemoine' as the vessel's then captain. Link 1 tells us that her owners provided 'cargo and passenger services ... to Spain, Portugal, Algeria and Mediterranean ports. By 1882 services had extended to Red Sea, Madagascan Persian Gulf and Far East ports.' Havraise was assigned, I read, to the Indian Ocean service. On May 12, 1915 the vessel embarked at Marseilles, France, 259 officers & men of the 176th infantry regiment, also 20 horses & 5 autos, for WW1 service in Turkey. And later landed them at Sedh-Ul-Bahr, Turkey, on May 19, 1915. On Sep. 27. 1916, the vessel rescued the crew of torpedoed & sunk (by German submarine U-35) steamship Secondo (ex Columba) in the Mediterranean. Havraise Captain Elisé François Saludo was awarded a piece of plate by the Board of Trade for his ship's actions in such rescue. Secondo was said to be of Cardiff but may well have been of London. The vessel made one voyage to Indo-China in 1917 as part of its WW1 service thru Feb. 7, 1917. I have read, attributed to 'Sea Breezes' in 1960, that the vessel had the unusual experience of being bottled up in the port of Pointe des Galets (Shingle Point), for about 9 months in 1926 when a tidal wave, the result of a cyclone, completely closed the port's entrance with an accumulation of shingle which proved most difficult to clear. A French 'pdf', alas no longer available, used to tell us that the vessel left Le Havre on Dec. 15, 1925 for Pointe des Galets with 3,000 tons of coal & a crew of 46, arrived there on Mar. 31, 1926 intending to return in Jun. 1926 with a cargo of sugar & rum. The cyclone & the plague also, intervened! She eventually did leave on her return voyage on Dec. 22, 1926 & arrived back at Le Havre on Mar. 2, 1927. Pointe des Galets is on the NW tip of the island of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean, E. of Madagascar. LRs of 1931/32 & 1932/33 both note that the vessel was 'Broken up'. Miramar advise (thanks!) that the vessel was broken up, at Savona, Italy, on May 4, 1932. Can you tell us more? #2051

113 Yamuna
6725/10606 (N/G) tons
Hull 600

115761

Slavonia
1903

A passenger liner. Per: 1 (data), 2 (extensive Wikipedia page), 3 (page in Spanish with interesting images of the 1909 wreck & the wreck-site today, also newspaper cuttings - in an article, originally in Portuguese, by Alexandre Monteiro - click 'READ PAPER' at page bottom, easy to miss!), 4 (I think an old Monteiro page without images), 5 (a modest image of Slavonia, I think), 6 (reference to Wreck Inquiry), 7 (Wreck Inquiry), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 510.0 ft. long (155.45 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, signal letters VBLN, 229 NHP triple expansion engines by Wallsend Slipway Co. Ltd. of Newcastle, 2 masts, twin screw, service speed of 13 (or perhaps 12.5 or 13.5) knots. Built for 'British India Steam Navigation Ltd.' With capacity for 840 passengers, 40 in 1st class, 800 in 3rd. The vessel was sold to Cunard in 1904, renamed Slavonia & was refitted with accommodation for 2,099 passengers, 71 in 1st class, 74 in 2nd, & 1,954 in steerage. Its first transatlantic voyage, which voyage originated in Sunderland, was on Mar. 29, 1904, from Trieste, Italy, to New York via Fiume (now Croatia) & Palermo, Sicily. Used on the Trieste to New York service.
On Jun. 10, 1909, the vessel ran aground, in foggy conditions, near 'Punta dos Fenais', Flores, Azores, while en route to Trieste. The ship was abandoned & later declared a total loss. No loss of life. 110 passengers were taken off by Prinzess Irene (Norddeutscher Lloyd) on Jun. 10, 1909 & 300 on Jun. 11, 1909 by Batavia (Hamburg-America Line). Link 4 (I thought) used to say that 597 in total were aboard, being 100 & 272 passengers in 1st & 2nd class respectively & a crew of 225. The numbers seem not to reconcile! Captain Arthur G. Dunning was reprimanded by the wreck inquiry. He had apparently taken his ship 7 miles off its course in order to show his passengers a glimpse of the scenery of the Azores. In fog & travelling too fast no less - and lost his ship when it ran aground. It would seem that the vessel may have been the very first to have broadcast an 'SOS' signal. How interesting! Can you add to and/or correct the above?

114 Bermudian
2889/5530 (N/G) tons
Hull 604

120477

Fort Hamilton
Stella d'Italia
1904

A refrigerated passenger/cargo liner, launched on Jul. 14, 1904. Per 1 (Cosulich Line, Stella d'Italia), 2 ('Lloyd Triestino' but vessel not listed), 3 (Italia line but vessel not listed there), 4 (fine image as Bermudian), 5 (cabin plans & image Bermudian), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 425.0 ft. long, twin screw, with accommodation for 315 passengers, 240 in 1st Class, 32 in 2nd & 43 in 3rd, (have read slightly different numbers), later 405 passengers in 2nd class. Speed 16 1/2 knots (have also read 14), 2 funnels, signal letters HPBK, 1004 NHP engines by George Clark Limited of Sunderland. Built for the Hamilton, Bermuda - New York service of Quebec Steamship Company, Ltd., (Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Co. Ltd. the managers). Both of which companies in 1913 became part of Canada Steamship Lines ('CSL'). CSL became the manager - until the sale to Furness Withy & Co. in Jan. 1919. Noted for its first class service, the lower class accommodation being mostly used for the servants of 1st class passengers. Registered at London (Quebec Steamship) & Montreal (CSL). Two notable passengers. In a single voyage in 1908 she embarked Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) & Earl Grey, the Governor-General of Canada, whose name is to this very day perpetuated in Canada's 'Grey Cup'. So successful was Bermudian's Bermuda service it entered no port other than New York & Hamilton in its first 10 years. The vessel was requisitioned by the British Government as a troop ship & carried Canadian troops to France in 1914 & again (Mediterranean) in 1917. The vessel foundered at Alexandria while coaling in 1917 but was later salvaged. Was returned to her owners in 1919. Furness Withy & Co. owned the vessel from Jan. 1919 & upgraded her from coal to oil. The vessel was sold, in 1921, to Bermuda & West Indies Steamship Co. Ltd. (Furness Withy the managers) & renamed Fort Hamilton. Placed on the Bermuda & Halifax to New York service. Was sold, in 1926, to Cosulich Line (Cosulich Soc. Triestina di Nav.), of Trieste, Italy, for use on Mediterranean cruises, & renamed Stella d'Italia. And sold in 1930 to Lloyd Triestino (Società di Navigazione Lloyd Triestino), of Trieste. Sold in 1931 to "Puglia" Soc. Anon.,di Nav., of Trieste (can anyone clarify 'Puglia'?). In 1932, the vessel reverted to Lloyd Triestino. The data is confused. I thought I had read that perhaps in 1932, Italia Line (Società Italia di Navigazione) was the owner. Arrived at Trieste on Dec. 4, 1933 & laid up. Broken up in 1934. Can you add to or correct the above?

115 Bombala
3540 (or 3539 or 3571) tons
Hull 597

114660

Aspasia
Christos
1904

A passenger/cargo ship. From 1 (5 Australian images), 2 (on Salamander Reef, Townsville), 3 & 4 (images at Fremantle), 5 (radio reference & image), 6 (Howard Smith, Bombala), 7 (1919 grounding, Bombala), 8 (Yongala race), 9 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Accommodation for 300 passengers. 106.1 metres (348 ft.) long, speed of 15 (have also read 16) knots, single funnel, 2 masts. Built for the Howard Smith Co. Ltd. ('Howard') (or maybe Howard Smith Ltd.) of Melbourne, Australia. Registered at Melbourne. Initially on the Melbourne/Townsville service. In Jun. 1907 it raced Yongala from Sydney to Brisbane, & lost by 17 minutes over a period of 29 hours. On Jan. 28, 1910, the vessel ran aground at Cairns (cyclone related). On Feb. 25, 1914 the vessel was in collision with Coogee in the Yarra river. In 1914, she was owned by Australian Steamship Pty. Ltd. (maybe a subsidiary of Howard) with Howard as managers. The second vessel to be fitted with a Marconi "Q" valve radio transmitter for feasibility test transmissions of public broadcasts. It would seem that while en route from Townsville to Sydney, the vessel ran aground at Salamander Reef, Townsville, on Dec. 7, 1919. Likely to break in two, she was re-floated, towed to Sydney & repaired (took 9 months) at Mort's Dock. On Dec. 12, 1925, Bombala 'overtook SS Fordsdale in Brisbane River, causing latter to sheer & almost run aground.' In 1927, the vessel carried passengers of the wrecked Riverina from Mallacoota to Sydney. In 1929, the vessel was sold to Mrs. M. Vardy of London, (P. G. Callimonopulos ('Callimonopulos'), manager) & renamed Aspasia. It was sold again, in 1933, to Callimonopulos, of Piraeus, Greece. In 1934, the vessel was renamed Christos for the delivery voyage to the ship breakers at Genoa, Italy. Broken up there in Q2 of 1934. Or maybe in 1935? I saw a reference to an oil painting of Bombala, 'one of the fastest vessels trading on the coast' is in the Australian National Maritime Museum. A significant part of the above data was provided by Mori Flapan, whom we thank. Can you add anything?

116 Umzumbi
2144/3379, later 2139/3388, 2143/3399 & 2124/3402 (N/G) tons
Hull 598

118392
1904

A passenger/cargo liner. Which was launched on Dec. 17, 1903 & first registered, at London, on Feb. 24, 1904 (scroll to #118392). Per 1 (ref. 30% down & image 75% down page), 2 (possible image, 2nd), 3 (Bullard King, Umzumbi), 4 (data & images re 1905 stranding, incl. Saloon accommodation plan of ship), 5 ('pdf' - Official Inquiry into 1905 stranding), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 348.0 ft. (106.07 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 knots, schooner rigged, signal letters VPDC, wireless call sign GSDC, 444 NHP engines by George Clark Limited of Sunderland. Built for 'Bullard, King & Company, Limited' (Natal Direct Line), of London. Was engaged on the London to Durban, South Africa, service. The Mercantile Navy Lists ('MNL') of 1906 thru 1919 list Edwin John King, of London, as the managing owner of the vessel. While MNLs of 1920 thru 1933 lists Bullard, King & Co. Ltd. as the vessel's owner with Edwin John King ('King') her manager thru 1931 & then William A. Penton (all of London).
In early Sep. 1905, the vessel grounded near Ushant (a small rocky island in the English Channel off the coast of Brittany, near Brest, France) while en route from Natal (Durban) to London, with 15 passengers & about 500 tons of cargo - cargo which included 4 cases of specie (money in the form of coins rather than notes, reported to have been gold), stated to be of £9,000 value per link 5 above & £80,000 per contemporary newspaper reports (below). Under the command of William Henry Smyth with a crew of 50. Then stated to be owned by 'Bullard, King & Co.' with King her managing owner. The vessel left Las Palmas, Canary Islands, on Aug. 28, 1905 & proceeded towards its destination on a course intended to pass 10 miles to the W. of the island of Ushant. At about 3 a.m. on Sep. 3, 1905 the vessel encountered dense fog & soon thereafter struck on Staone Rock (or Rocks), Island of Bannec, about 4 miles S. of the island of Ushant. The vessel's hull was penetrated, the vessel filled with water, ship's boats were launched to carry all aboard excluding the captain (but also the specie!) to nearby Île de Molène. A local lifeboat & local fishing smacks assisted. The conditions were far from ideal, with heavy seas - the passengers in the boats are said to have been unclad & up to their chests in water. The captain alone stayed aboard the vessel for many hours. Later the passengers & crew were taken to Brest by Titan, a French government tug. It was initially thought that the vessel would be lost. It was however successfully floated off by salvage vessels Haleur & Infatigable & an unnamed British tug & arrived under tow at Brest, France, on about Sep. 27, 1905. The vessel would have needed extensive repairs & refurbishing. Since everything moveable had been stripped from the vessel by thieves in the interval. I have not read where the vessel was repaired. Do read these contemporary newspaper reports re the stranding (1, 2 & 3). The Board of Trade Inquiry concluded that the stranding occurred due to 'a grave navigational error' of the vessel's captain. 
Umzumbi was in collision with Inneroy in Yarmouth Roads on Jan. 25, 1917. The full circumstances are not available to the webmaster however Inneroy was, at the time of the collision, at anchor S. of Wellington Pier in a very busy Yarmouth Roads. Umzumbi was, I read en route from Middlesbrough to Gravesend at the time, under the control of a pilot. Inneroy, 1314/2035 (N/G) tons, would seem to have been built in 1897, as Alpha, by William Gray & Co. Ltd. of West Hartlepool. (postcard images (A & B) believed to be of Alpha later Inneroy). It was owned by owners from Christiania (Oslo), Norway, (Dmpsk. Akties. "OyII") at the time. Can you tell us more about the collision circumstances? On Jul. 25, 1932, Umzumbi arrived at the T. W. Ward & Co. ship breaking facilities at Grays, Essex, U.K., to be broken up. Can you add anything additional?

117 Wonga Fell
3998 tons
Hull 605

120464
7747

Wonganella
Magda
1904

A cargo ship, a collier probably. Per 1, (a 1916 Wonga Fell voyage), 2 (Vermont collision in 1907), 3 & 4 (images, Wonganella), 5 (NZ data), 6 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Magdala, re 1930/31 thru 1932/33), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 360.0 ft. (about 115 metres) long, speed of 10 knots, signal letters KHMQ. The vessel, completed in Oct. 1904, was initially owned by the builder with, I have read, J. A. Seiler the manager. In Dec. 1904, the vessel was chartered to Wm. Scott Fell and Company ('Fell'), of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. On Apl. 5, 1907, Vermont was in collision with Wonga Fell, which had a cargo of coke, at Port Pirie, South Australia, resulting in modest damage to both vessels. When Fell went into bankruptcy, in 1908, the vessel was returned to its owners Laing.  It was renamed Wonganella, but maybe in 1910, when it became owned by 'Wm. Crosby & Co. Pty Limited', of Melbourne, Australia. Two voyages were WWW recorded, at a site now inactive, i) to Fremantle, Western Australia, on Jan. 16, 1905 & ii) to Auckland, New Zealand on Feb. 19, 1928, then registered at Cape Town. In 1930, the vessel was sold to 'Afrikanska Angfartygs A/B' of Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden, with G. E. Sandström the manager, & renamed Magda. On Mar. 31, 1933, while en route from Callao, Peru, to Buenos Aires with a timber & general cargo, the vessel was wrecked 'on the Stragglers, Smyth Channel'. Smyth Channel seems to be a sheltered passage at the tip of South America. Note:- It would seem that Scott Fell was discharged from bankruptcy in 1911 & later went on to re-establish himself in business which included owning many ships. Can you add anything?

118 Riverina
4758 tons
Hull 610

120729
1905

Passenger/cargo steamship. Per 1 (data), 2 (data), 3 (1915 postcard), Trove Australia has images (far too many to link, I searched for 'Riverina Ship') but including (or used to include) 4 (visually interesting image), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 370.0 ft. long, single screw, 2 masts, speed of 15 knots, accommodation for 380 passengers (160/120/100 1st/2nd/3rd classes), signal letter WHFT. Built for Huddart, Parker & Co. Pty., Ltd., later Huddard Parker Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia. Traded to Western Australia (& New Zealand also, I have read) & then on Sydney/Hobart (Tasmania) run. On Apl. 17, 1927, the vessel was driven ashore in a squall & wrecked 1 1/2 miles west of Gabo Island (nr. Tullaberga Island), State of Victoria, Australia, on a voyage from Hobart to Sydney with 142 passengers & a cargo which included 19,352 cases of apples (later thrown overboard). No loss of life. After 3 days (high seas), all passengers made it ashore & to Mallacoota after a 13 km. walk along coast - & then to Sydney aboard Bombala. Some links to contemporary newspaper accounts - A, B, C, D & E (there are many such links at Trove). Unsuccessful salvage attempts were made (but teak & other materials were clearly scavenged). A tourist attraction for many years & could be boarded in good weather. During WW2, the wreck was bombed & strafed by the R.A.A.F. Little was left in 2007 apart from bow & stern posts visible at low tide. The vessel's captain (Thomas Parry), was cleared of wrong doing at the Inquiry but was never later given command of another vessel. Does anybody have a good quality version of this interesting image? Or more data? About passenger capacity, perhaps. George Raitt?, of Monash University in Melbourne, seeks plans of the vessel to assist in the restoration of a Riverina lifeboat. Do help him if you can.

119 Flamenco
2903/4540 (N/G) tons
Hull 616

124003
1906

A cargo ship, which carried also a few passengers. Which vessel was launched on Aug. 20, 1906 & first registered, at Liverpool, on Oct. 9, 1906. Per 1 [Pacific Steam, Flamenco (1)], 2 (1916 capture by Möewe), ex 3, 4 (extensive detail of 1916 capture by Möewe, search for Flamenco), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 390.0 ft. (118.87 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 knots, signal letters HJKC, with accommodation for a few passengers, 464 HP (per Lloyd's Register or maybe 469 HP) engines by George Clark Ltd. of Sunderland. Sister to Duendes, also built by Laing. The vessel may well have been named for Flamenco, a Panama Canal Zone island & port, it would appear. Built for The Pacific Steam Navigation Company Ltd., of Liverpool, noted for its passenger & cargo service to South American & particularly Chilean & Peruvian ports. On Jan. 21, 1916, the vessel, under the command of Norman Martorell & with a crew of 51, left Newport, Wales, for Valparaiso, Chile, with a cargo of 4,000 tons of coal. On a voyage that had commenced at Liverpool. On Feb. 5, 1916, approaching the South American coast, the vessel was advised by HMS Glasgow that a German raider was operating in the area. The next day, on Feb. 6, 1916, German raider Möwe (also referred to as Moewe or Mowe) fired a warning shot across the bow of Flamenco, which ignored the warning & kept going but sent out a wireless message, which Möwe jammed. Möwe, captained by His Excellency Nikolaus Burggraf und Graf zu Dohna-Schlodien, (images 1, 2 & 3) then put a shell into Flamenco, killing a sailor. Flamenco then stopped, was boarded & searched but, found to contain nothing of interest, her sea-cocks were opened, explosive charges were laid, & Flamenco was sent to the bottom on the morning of Feb. 6, 1916, 310 miles off Pernambuco, now Recife, Brazil. At 3.44S/31.47W. A number of the crew including the captain, were clearly held aboard Möwe & were later transferred to Westburn, captured on Feb. 8, 1916, which landed them at Tenerife, Canary Islands, on Feb. 23, 1916. Those crew members, on Mar. 3, 1916, arrived at London aboard Athenic. A modest puzzle to the webmaster ... A now long gone website (smsmoewe.com) indicated, as I read it years ago, (I wish I had retained a screenshot of its data), that Flamenco had a crew of 52, 13 of whom were transferred to Westburn, while 35 more were still aboard Möwe when its cruise ended at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, on Mar. 4, 1916. I wonder why 35 of the crew would have willingly served Möwe? (I don't recall what I read that caused me to use the word 'served'). That site also indicated that a Flamenco boat capsized with the loss of one fireman (Michael Burke). 50 of the 52 crew member seem, however, to be accounted for. Möwe is an amazing ship indeed in WW1 history - she sank 38 ships during five cruises - but her exploits are really beyond the scope of these pages. But do visit this fine page re the vessel's history. Miramar indicates that the vessel was captured on Feb. 2 & scuttled on Feb. 6, but I have spotted no other references to the earlier date. Does anybody have anything to add? 'biki' of Valparaiso, Chile, a member at 'British Merchant Navy Old Friends Plus', seeks an image of the ship, but I am unable to contact him via that site re the above image. Maybe one must, for some reason, be a member to have a message passed on to him. Crew lists thru 1913 are here. #1847

120 Agadir
2733 (or 2722) tons
Hull 625

124092

Belkas
Damas
Sakara
1907

A passenger/cargo steamship. Per 1 (Royal Mail Steam Packet, Agadir), 2 (Wikipedia in German, Royal Mail, Agadir listed as a cargo ship), 3 (Khedivial, Belkas), 4 (Southampton archives), 5 ('convoyweb.org' WW2 convoy duty, Sakara, link), 6 (Southampton City Council/Plimsoll, Lloyd's Register data, Belkas, 1930/31 thru 1935/36), 7 (Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Damas/Sakara, 1935/36 thru 1945/46), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 86.9 metres (285.0 ft.) long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 knots, registered at Liverpool, signal letters HLRW, later GCQK, FPDQ & GLFV. Have not read about passenger accommodation but probably modest. Sister to Arzila, perhaps. Built for Mersey Steamship Co. Ltd. ('Mersey'), of Dartmouth, Devon, 'Harrison, Leech & Forwood' (or maybe 'Leech, Harrison & Forwood'), of Liverpool, the managers. Traded out of London to Gibraltar, the Canary Islands & to North Africa, hence I presume the name Agadir, a major city in Morocco. In 1907, Mersey went bankrupt. In Jun. 1908, the vessel, indeed Mersey itself, became owned by 'Royal Mail Steam Packet Company'. The vessel's name & routes were not changed. From 1909 to 1913, the vessel served the London to Morocco route. On Mar. 13, 1913, the vessel went aground off Mazagan (SW of Casablanca), Morocco. Have not read the circumstances. The 54 passengers & 108 crew were taken off by breeches buoy. She was later refloated, on May 23, 1913, with the assistance of Linnet, a 'Liverpool Salvage Association' salvage tug. In 1914, the vessel was requisitioned by the Admiralty for use as a Grand Fleet Hospital Ship based at Scapa Flow. The vessel was returned to her owners in 1918 & next year was chartered to Pacific Steam Navigation Co. The vessel was sold, in 1922, to 'The Khedivial Mail Steamship & Graving Dock Co.' ('Khedivial'), of Egypt (probably of Alexandria), Lord E. Hamilton the manager, & renamed Belkas. Khedivial, I read, had operated ships & docks owned by departments of the Egyptian Government & provided passenger & cargo services between Alexandria & many Mediterranean ports & between Suez & Red Sea ports. It would seem that P & O Line had taken control of Khedivial in 1919 & sold their interest in 1924. The vessel was transferred, in 1935, to 'Société Orientale de Navigation', of Beirut, Lebanon, (Khedivial the managers), & renamed Damas. In 1940, the vessel was transferred to Pharaonic Mail Line ('Pharaonic'), of Alexandria, Egypt, & renamed Sakara. Pharaonic was the new name for Khedivial after being re-formed in 1936. The vessel was soon taken over, also in 1940, by the Ministry of War Transport (General Steam Navigation Co. the managers?). 16 (seems a low number) WW2 convoy references, mainly U.K. local but also service to Iceland & Gibraltar. In 1946, the vessel was returned to Khedivial (means Pharaonic, presumably). She arrived at Savona, Italy, on Jun. 13, 1955, to be broken up. Does anybody have more data? About passenger capacity, perhaps. Images?

121 Arzila
2732 (or 2722) tons
Hull 627

124097

Bilbeis
1907

A passenger/cargo steamship. Per 1 (article, Mersey Steamship Company), 2 (photos Arzila used to be available, ref. George Crosbie), 3 (Royal Mail Steam Packet, Arzila), 4 (Wikipedia in German, Royal Mail, Arzila listed as a cargo ship), 5 (Khedivial, Bilbeis), 6 (Southampton archives), 7 (Sea Gallantry, Arzila), 8 (Sea Gallantry, Bilbeis), 9 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 86.9 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 knots, registered at Liverpool. Sister to Agadir perhaps. Have not read about passenger accommodation but probably modest. Built for Mersey Steamship Co. Ltd. ('Mersey'), of Dartmouth, Devon, 'Harrison, Leech & Forwood', (or maybe 'Leech, Harrison & Forwood') of Liverpool, the managers. Traded out of London to Gibraltar, the Canary Islands & to North Africa, (hence I presume the name Arzila (Asilah), an ancient fortified city near Tangier, Morocco. In 1907, Mersey went bankrupt. On Feb. 24, 1908, a man in a fit of insanity threw himself overboard from Arzila off Mogador, on the coast of Morocco, during a gale with a high sea running. J. R. Denton (an Arzila crew member perhaps?) slid down a rope into the sea to attempt a rescue, but failed in his attempt. Denton was awarded the Sea Gallantry Medal (silver) & the Royal Humane Society Medal (bronze) re his life-saving effort. In Jun. 1908, the vessel, indeed Mersey itself, became owned by 'Royal Mail Steam Packet Company'. The vessel's name was not changed. Was involved in the tourist trade to North Africa. From 1909 to 1912, vessel served the London to Morocco route. During 1919, the vessel was used on a passenger service to the West Indies & afterwards was chartered to Pacific Steam Navigation Company & operated by them on the W. coast of South America. The vessel was sold, in 1922, to 'The Khedivial Mail Steamship & Graving Dock Co.' ('Khedivial'), of Egypt (probably of Alexandria) & renamed Bilbeis (another ancient place name). Khedivial, I read, had operated ships & docks owned by departments of the Egyptian Government & provided passenger & cargo services between Alexandria & many Mediterranean ports & between Suez & Red Sea ports. It would seem that P & O Line had taken control of Khedivial in 1919 & sold their interest in 1924. Early on Mar. 5, 1934, the vessel, with 8 passengers & a crew of 56, was stranded 200 metres off the coast at Kuzakhama, 2 miles S. of Jaffa (Yafo, Tel Aviv), in today's Israel. The weather being likely to deteriorate, the passengers & the stewardess were taken ashore by launch. A few hours later, in a westerly gale, some of the crew were able to reach shore by life-boat. A number of them attempted to return to rescue the remaining crew but the boat overturned & was smashed on the rocks. A second life-boat was launched but, in landing, a crew member was swept away. Ahmed Bajawi, a local boatman, swam out to rescue him, but he got into difficulties also. Then Muhammad Dababish, a 'Palestinian Arab' & a lighterman, came to the rescue. He swam out to the two men & succeeded in bringing them to shore with the aid of a life-buoy flung to him. The above does not seem to account for 64 people, however no lives appear to have been lost. Bajawi & Dababish were both awarded Sea Gallantry Medals for their heroic efforts. Two Sea Gallantry references re this vessel! It is most unusual to have even a single reference. Flaviu Varga advises that he is 95% sure that the wreck has now been identified. Does anybody have more data? About passenger capacity, perhaps. An image?

122 Cyclops
11300 (or 5194) tons
Hull 609

launched as Indrabarah
1907

A passenger liner which was completed as a fleet repair ship for the Navy & became a depot ship for submarines. Per 1 (data & 10 related images), 2 (Indrabarah (1) Royden), 3 (Janes 1919), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 140.2 metres (477 ft.) long, speed of 13 (or maybe 11 or 11 3/4) knots. Sister to Indralema. Built for Indra Line Ltd. (Thos. B. Royden & Co., Indra Line), of Liverpool, but sold to the Admiralty on the stocks. Apparently, 'Laings' lost a lot of money in converting the ship into a repair ship for Admiralty use - a factor which resulted in the company ceasing operations in 1908 & in a new limited company going forward. On Nov. 5, 1907, the vessel was commissioned at Devonport & named Cyclops (F31). But before that occurred, the public were able to tour the ship at Sunderland. A 'Floating Workshop and Distilling Ship'. Armed with two 4-inch guns. Complement of 294. Based at Scapa Flow throughout WW1 & acted as an Auxiliary Patrol depot ship. I read that she was paid off on Apl. 1, 1919 but was re-commissioned for White Sea duty at Archangel, Russia. She returned to Chatham in Oct. 1919, was refitted & converted into a submarine depot ship. On Dec. 21, 1922, the vessel became a Depot Ship for the First Submarine Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet, at Chatham. Re-commissioned on Dec. 16, 1926 & sent to the Mediterranean (Malta) in 1926 with the 1st Flotilla where she remained thru 1938/9 though re-commissioned at Portsmouth in 1935. Was at the Spithead Reviews of 1935 & 1937. Served in WW2, in home waters, at Harwich, as parent ship of the 3rd Submarine Flotilla, at Rosyth & from Jun. 1940 at Rothesay as a depot ship for the 7th Flotilla, mainly concerned with anti-submarine training & the training of new ratings. Complement of 266. De-commissioned/ paid off in 1945, but served at Portland until relieved by Maidstone on Sep. 17, 1946. Put up for sale. She went to Newport, Monmouthshire, on Jun. 29, 1947 & in Jul. 1947 was scrapped by the J. Cashmore, Newport, ship-breaking facility. We thank eBay vendor 'travtaff' for the extensive data contained in his now long expired eBay listing, much of which data is included above. Can you add anything?

123 Principe di Piemonte
6365 (or 6560) tons
Hull 623

136640 (later)

Principello
Folia
1907

A passenger ship. Per 1 (descriptive data, Principe de Piemonte etc.), 2 (data), 3 (Lloyd Sabaudo, Principe di Piemonte), 4 (the sinking of Folia, on p.#60), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 131.1 metres (430 ft.) long, speed of 14 (or maybe 11) knots, 2 funnels, 2 masts. Could accommodate 1,670 passengers - 120 in 1st class, 50 in 2nd class & 1,500 in 3rd class (or is it 2,020 passengers with 120 in 1st class & 1,900 in 3rd class - I have read both sets of figures). Built for Lloyd Sabaudo Soc. Anon de Nav., of Genoa, Italy. Her maiden voyage was from Genoa to Naples, Palermo & New York on Jun. 19, 1907. In 1914, the vessel was sold to Canadian Northern Steamship Company (Royal Line) & renamed Principello. Leased to Uranium Steamship Company, for a while, it would seem. In 1915 she was transferred to Royal Line's Avonmouth, Halifax & New York service. And in 1916 was sold to Cunard Steamship Co., renamed Folia, & carried cargo only on the Liverpool to New York run. On Mar. 11, 1917, while en route from New York to Bristol, with a general cargo, & armed with a 12 pounder 12 cwt stern gun, the vessel was torpedoed & sunk by U-53 four miles from Youghal, Ireland (at 51.51N/7.41W). 7 died in the attack. The Captain (Francis J. D. Inch), of later Volturno fame, survived the sinking. An account of the attack is at 2 (2nd white box on page). The vessel lies in 120 ft. of water, a dive site today. I have now read that the vessel was partially salvaged, in the 1970s perhaps, to recover the brass which was in her cargo. Anything to add?

124 Re D'Italia
6237 (or 6149 or 6560) tons
Hull 621

laid down as Piedmontese Prince
1907

A passenger ship. Per 1 (Re d'Italia 1906), 2 (Wikipedia, Re D'Italia), 3 (1927 voyage to Melbourne, Australia), 4 (image), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Laid down as Piedmontese Prince. But acquired 'on the stocks' by Lloyd Sabaudo Soc. Anon de Nav. of Genoa, Italy, as Re D'Italia. 131.1 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular (430 ft.), two funnels, two masts, twin screw, speed of 14 or 15 knots. Accommodation for 120 passengers in 1st Class & 1,900 in 3rd. The vessel's maiden voyage was on Apl. 6, 1907 - from Genoa to New York via Naples & Palermo. The vessel served as a hospital ship at Messina, Italy, in Dec. 1908 following the massive earthquake. It served as a hospital ship during the Italo-Turkish war (1911/12). Evacuated 36,983 sick & wounded from Libya. A single voyage to Constantinople in 1912. From May 1918, to the end of WW1, in Nov. 1918, the vessel was chartered for use as an American troopship carrying U.S. troops to France. On Genoa to New York route via Marseilles from Apl. 1919. Was modified in 1920 (passenger accommodation changed to 1st & 3rd Class only or 2nd & 3rd class only (data conflicts). On South American service in 1921. Continued Mediterranean to New York service. One voyage Genoa to New York in Oct. 1923. A number of voyages to Australia, it would seem. The vessel was broken up, in Q2 of 1929, at Genoa, Italy. Note: An eBay item indicated that in 1915 the vessel was used as a British hospital ship, & was returned to Italy in 1916. Is that all correct? Anything to add?

125 San Giorgio
3972/6392 (N/G)
later 3656/6222 tons
Hull 619

Napoli
1907

A passenger liner. Per 1 (San Giorgio, data), 2 (Sicula Americana), 3 (Navigazione Generale Italiana), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 406.0 ft. long (123.75 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, signal letters RVKB, later SBLC, speed of 14 knots, 2 funnels, 2 masts, twin screw, 747 HP engines by George Clark Ltd. of Sunderland, with accommodation for almost 1,900 passengers (30 in 1st class, 60 in 2nd & 1,800 in 3rd class). Built for 'Societá di Navigazione a Vapore Sicula-Americana' or maybe 'Sicula Americana Di Navigazione A Vapore' ('Sicula') (Peirce Brothers, (Guglielmo Peirce or maybe Fratelli Peirce, who founded Sicula) the managers?), of Messina, Sicily, & then (after the Messina earthquake of 1908), of Naples, Italy. The word Sicula means Sicilian, I learn, & I also learn that the line was set up to carry immigrants to the U.S. San Giorgio's maiden voyage was on Jul. 19, 1907, from Naples to New York, via Messina & Palermo. Likely with 'Bianchi' as her captain. In Aug. 1917, Sicula (& Peirce Brothers) was acquired by 'Transoceanica Societá Italiana di Navigazione'. In Aug. 1921, the vessel indeed the 'Transoceanica' fleet, was absorbed within 'Navigazione Generale Italiana'. The vessel was renamed Napoli. Per Miramar, on Oct. 17, 1928 the vessel arrived at Savona, Italy, to be scrapped. Maybe not therefore have been scrapped in 1926, as 1 indicates. Can you correct the above text and/or add anything?

126 Regina d'Italia
3313/5204 (N/G) later 3998/6237 tons  Miramar records 6240 tons
Hull 622

Note: was laid down as Sardinian Prince
1907

A passenger ship, which was launched on Jan. 20, 1907 & completed in Apl. 1907 but have also read on May 17, 1907. With refrigerated cargo capacity, it would seem. Per 1 (data), 2 (click to see it full screen) & 3 (images), 4 (Lloyd Sabaudo), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). A postcard image of what seems to be the vessel is available here. Hopefully, someday, a copy of the card will become available without an intrusive logo. 430.0 ft. long (131.06 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, signal letters RPML, speed of 14 knots, 2 funnels, 2 masts, 807 HP engines by George Clark Ltd. of Sunderland. Later, after 1920, could accommodate 2,020 passengers - 120 in 1st class & 1,900 in 3rd class. What capacity initially? Built for Prince Line & laid down as Sardinian Prince. The vessel was acquired on the stocks by Lloyd Sabaudo Soc. Anon di Nav., of Genoa, Italy, when Prince Line withdrew from the Italy to New York service. Became Regina d'Italia (i.e. Queen of Italy). Lloyd's Register of 1923/24 lists "Lloyd Sabaudo" Soc. Anon. per Azioni as the vessel's then owner. Engaged on service to South America. Used as a hospital ship at Messina, Sicily, Italy, following the Dec. 1908 earthquake. Served as a hospital ship during the Italo-Turkish war. The vessel was modified in 1920 (the passenger accommodation was reduced to 1st & 3rd class only). On South American service in 1922. On Oct. 16, 1928, the vessel arrived at Genoa, Italy, to be broken up. Anything to add?

127 Servian
4997 (or 5014) tons
Hull 628

125685

British Marquis
Conte di Misurata
1908

A tanker. Per 1 (ref. Servian), 2 & 3 (Force K & Conte di Misurata), 4 (JULY 12th/13th re Missolonghi), 5 (Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Conte di Misurata, 1931/32 thru 1944/45), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Many more links, mainly in Italian, to Conte di Misurata. 117.3 metres long, 397 ft. 1 in., (385.0 ft. perpendicular to perpendicular), speed of 10 (or maybe 8) knots, signal letters NJVM later IBHW. Built for Petroleum Steamship Company Limited, ('Petroleum'), of London, (Lane & MacAndrew Limited, the managers, also of London). And traded, I read, from the U.K. to Mexico, Curaçao & Trinidad. Petroleum was, it seems, a subsidiary of British Petroleum Company. In Jun. 1917, the vessel was sold (or maybe transferred) to British Tanker Co. Ltd. ('Tanker'), of London & in 1919 was renamed British Marquis. Tanker, the ship owning & operating subsidiary of British Petroleum Company, Ltd., was later restyled as 'BP Tanker Company Ltd.' Some trivia! In Dec. 1920, the vessel reported no less than 20 waterspouts in the English Channel. In 1930, the vessel was sold, to i) 'Imprese Navigazione Commerciale Società Anonima', or maybe instead to ii) 'Società Anonima Impresse Navale ed Affini', of Rome, Italy, & renamed Conte di Misurata. ii) was correct in 1931/32. Became 'Compagnia Industrie Marittime Affini Roma' in 1934/35. Presumably taken over by the Italian Government for WW2 service. On Jul. 12/13, 1941, the vessel, en route, in convoy, from Taranto, Italy, to Piraeus, Greece, with aviation fuel, was heavily damaged by British forces, but reached Patras Gulf, Greece, on Jul. 13, 1941 & was beached near Messolonghi, in western Greece. She was presumably later repaired. Since on Nov. 11, 1941, while en route in convoy 'Beta' from Naples, Italy, to Tripoli, Libya, North Africa, carrying fuel of some sort, the vessel was sunk by gunfire from 'Force K' ex Malta. At 37.08N/18.09E. It would seem, in fact, that all 7 merchantmen in the convoy were sunk. The above may well contain unintended errors. Can you correct the text and/or add anything?

128 Umona
3735 (or 3759 or 3767) tons
Hull 630

129142
1910

A cargo liner, which also carried passengers. Per 1 ('uboat.net', sinking data & image), 2 ('wrecksite.eu', sinking data), 3 & 4 (modest images), 5 [Bullard King, Umona (2)], 6 (1910 image, 55% down), 7 (image), 8 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Umona, 1930/31 thru 1940/41), 9 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 108.5 metres (356.0 ft.) long, speed of 13 (or maybe 12) knots, signal letters HRSQ, later GSDF. Built for 'Bullard King & Company, Limited' (Natal Direct Line), of London. Engaged on the London to South Africa service (& beyond, to Delagoa Bay & Beira in Mozambique). In 1936, the vessel touched rocks in Table Bay during foggy weather but the sea was calm & she was able to get off under her own power. Temporary repairs were effected in graving dock. In or about 1938, the vessel struck the Bluff Wharf at Durban, South Africa, & was badly damaged. On Mar. 30, 1941, the unescorted vessel was en route from Durban to London via Walvis Bay & Freetown with a cargo of grains & jam. About 90 miles SW of Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, the vessel was hit by two torpedoes, 2 minutes apart, fired by U-124, Korvettenkapitän Georg-Wilhelm Schulz in command. At approx. 06.52N/15.14W. The vessel sank with major loss of life. 102 lives were lost including Captain F. A. B. Peckham. 5 survived, all landed at Freetown, 2 of whom were picked up after 13 days by Lorca & 3 others were picked up by Foxhound on Apl. 7, 1941. Can you add anything?

129 Mexicano
3694 tons
Hull 634

Ruth
1911

A passenger liner. Per 1 (data & image), 2 (data), 3 ('southampton. spydus.co.uk', Lloyd's Register ('LR') data, Mexicano, 1930/31 (also 1931/32), 4 ('southampton.spydus. gov.uk', LR data, Ruth, 1934/35, (also 1935/36, 1937/38, 1938/39, 1939/40, 1940/41, 1941/42 & 1942/43), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Note that Miramar indicate the vessel to be registered in 1912, having been completed on Feb. 17, 1912. I have chosen to use 1911 since that is the year consistently reported in LR. Had accommodation for 465 passengers, 65 in 1st Class & 400 in 3rd. Triple expansion engines, 2 masts, 346.0 later 344.5 ft. long, speed of 11 knots, signal letters MGVL later SJHN, 292 HP engines by J. Dickinson & Sons Ltd., of Sunderland. Originally owned by 'Akties. Norge Mexico Gulf Linien' of Christiania (Oslo), Norway, Wilh. Wilhelmsen the managers. Her maiden voyage was from Oslo to Newport News, Virginia, in Mar. 1912. Was engaged on the Oslo/Newport News & Galveston, Texas, service through Nov. 1913. I have previously advised, in this listing, that the vessel was sold to (taken over by), Wilh. Wilhelmsen in 1914. But it would seem that that data is incorrect - it was still owned by 'A/S Norge Mexico Gulf Linien' in 1930/31. Maybe 'taken over' means something else. The vessel was sold, in 1934, to 'A/B Glücksmans Metallaffar' of Gothenburg, Sweden, & renamed Ruth. In 1937, the vessel was sold to 'Rederi A/B Ruth', also of Gothenburg, Leopold Glücksman the manager, with no change of vessel name. In early May 1942, the vessel was in convoy en route from Rotterdam to Gothenburg with a cargo of coal. On May 7, 1942, it was damaged in an allied (RAF) air attack when off the island of Vlieland (northern Netherlands). It was beached, a total loss & was later scrapped. Anything you can add?

130 Novgorod
5285 (or 4865 or 4866) tons
Hull 641

142364

Cambrian Duchess
Valhall
Lilian Moller
1913

A passenger/cargo ship. Per 1 (about 1/2 way down), 2 (SL.53), 3 (Lloyd's Register data 1930/31 & 1931/32, 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll, Cambrian Duchess), 4 & 5 (Lloyd's Register data 1932/33 to 1940/41, Lilian Moller, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 118.9 metres (390 ft.) long, speed of 11 knots, signal letters JSQT, later WQND & GBKC. Built for the Russian Volunteer Fleet Association, of Odessa, Ukraine. The vessel was sold, in 1923, to William Thomas Shipping Co. Ltd., R. J. Thomas & Co., of Holyhead, Wales, the managers, & renamed Cambrian Duchess, registered at London. And sold in 1931 to A/S Skjold, Valdemar Skogland, of Haugesund, Norway, the manager, & renamed Valhall. And sold again, in 1933, to British owned N. E. A. Moller, Moller & Co., of Shanghai, China, the managers, & renamed Lilian Moller. In 1935/36 Moller Line Ltd. became the registered owners. On Nov. 18, 1940, while en route from Calcutta, India, to London, via Cape of Good Hope & Freetown, Sierra Leone, & dispersed from Convoy SL.53, the vessel was sunk by 2 torpedoes fired by Baracca, (have seen referred to also as Maggiore Baracca), an Italian submarine. At 52.57N/18.05W, or 53N/17W. The exact location is confused. The entire crew perished including Captain William S. S. Fowler. Can you add anything?

131 Umvuma
4399 (or 4419) tons
Hull 650

136725
1914

A passenger/cargo ship, but references also to its being a collier. Per 1 (Natal Line or Natal Direct Line), 2 ('pdf', image at London maybe, on last page bottom), 3 (Sunday, 20 July), 4 (WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Umvuma), 5 ('uboat.net', 1943 sinking), 6 (launch text ex Marine Engineer, Dec. 1914, p.139 in 'pdf' available here), 7 (Lloyd's Register data, 1930/31 thru 1944/45, 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll, re Umvuma), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 111.2 metres (365.0 ft.) long, speed of 13 knots, signal letters JHGS. With accommodation for about 60 first-class passengers. Built for 'Bullard King & Company, Limited' (Natal Line or Natal Direct Line), of London. Which company initially served South Africa & later East Africa & Mauritius also. I read that vessel was used as a collier & an ammunition carrier in Russian waters in WW1. 32 WW2 convoy references, including 1 N. Atlantic crossing but mainly service to W. Africa & U.K. coastal voyages. On Jul. 20, 1941, the vessel was damaged by bombing off the Humber but proceeded to Humber for repairs under her own power. On Aug. 7, 1943, the vessel was sunk by a torpedo fired by U-181, Kapitän zur See Wolfgang Lüth in command, SW of Port Louis, Mauritius, while en route from London to Mauritius via Freetown & Durban with a cargo of sugar, military stores & general cargo. Part of Convoy DN-54 ex Durban but dispersed from it. Sunk at 20.18S/57.14E. 22 lives lost out of a total of 109 (or maybe 111). Lives lost included 4 passengers. The survivors, including the Master (John N. Gibson), were landed at Port Louis, Mauritius, by salvage tug Maurice. A site visitor has kindly written in to advise that Lucy Bond was one of the 4 passengers who lost her life in the sinking. The first wife of the correspondent's father, who was not himself aboard the ship that day, but may have 'blamed himself' for not being there to help. Can you add anything?

132 Winnebago
4666 (or 4667) tons
Hull 655

137256

Françunion VI
1915

A tanker. Per 1 (Bank Line, Francunion VI, low on page), 2 ('uboat.net', 1917 attack), 3 (data & 3 images, Winnebago), 4 (Lloyd's Register data, 1931/32 thru 1935/36, 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', re Winnebago), 5, 6 & 7 (Lloyd's Register data, 1935/36 thru 1942/43, 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', re Françunion VI), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Maybe 383.0 ft. overall, 112.8 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular, 370.0 ft., speed of 9 1/2 or 10 knots, signal letters JMCP, later GQDT. I read that it was built for Anglo-American Oil Co. Ltd. ('Anglo'), of London, which company, owned by Standard Oil of New Jersey ('Standard Oil'), later became Esso Petroleum. The vessel was likely registered at Sunderland. However, the vessel would appear to have been, in fact, built for Tank Storage & Carriage Co. Ltd. ('Tank'), of London & perhaps of Middlesbrough, (with possibly W. J. Smith, of London, the manager), which I read was Anglo later renamed. But that would not seem to be correct since Tank would appear to have been a long established company indeed, originally formed in 1888. Regardless, the vessel was indirectly owned by Standard Oil, i.e. by Rockefeller interests. Can anybody clarify the corporate history? On Mar. 12, 1917, while en route from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.A., to Brest, France, with a cargo of fuel oil, the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by U-70, Kapitänleutnant Otto Wünsche in command. Off the Scilly Islands, 20 miles N. of the Bishop Rock Light. The vessel was damaged & was towed to port. No lives were lost. In 1931/32 the vessel was owned by Anglo with F. J. Wolfe, the manager. A complete overhaul in 1935. In 1935/36 the vessel became owned by British Mexican Petroleum Co. Ltd, with no change of manager. Later in 1935, the vessel was sold to 'Compagnie Venture-Weir S.A.', of Paris, France, & also of Algiers, Algeria, (which company was associated with Andrew Weir & Co. Ltd.) & renamed Françunion VI. Used as an oil depot ship at Algiers. I can find no WW2 convoy references for the vessel. On Dec. 21, 1949, the vessel arrived at La Spezia, Italy, to be broken up. Can you add anything?

133   Clan Matheson
5960 tons
Hull 657

137858
1917

A cargo ship, which had a very short life. Per 1 (data, Clan Matheson 1917), 2 [Clan Line, Clan Matheson (3)], 3 (Western Front), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Single screw, single funnel, 2 masts, 405 ft. long, 123.4 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 knots. Built for Clan Line of Steamers Limited (Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd. the managers), of Glasgow. The vessel's maiden voyage was to Genoa, Italy, with a cargo of coal. On May 23, 1918, while en route in convoy from New Orleans & New York to Nantes, France, with a cargo of barley, oats & steel, the vessel was in collision with Western Front, a 5743 ton freighter of the U.S. 'Naval Overseas Transportation Service', built in 1917 as Indiana. While Western Front returned to New York for temporary repairs, Clan Matheson sank. At 40.32N/49.10W, in mid N. Atlantic. An expired WWW page said that Clan Matheson was owned at the time by Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Is it possible that you have anything to add?

134   Mendocino
7032 (or 6864 or 6973) tons
Hull 661

140380

Karibisches Meer
1917

A steam tanker. Per 1 (data Mendocino), 2 (Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Medocino), 3 (an image source), 4 (Lloyd's Register data, 1930/31 thru 1938/39, 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', re Mendocino), 5 (Lloyd's Register data, 1940/41 thru 1945/56, 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', re Karibisches Meer), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Single screw, 425.0 ft. long, later 424.1 ft., speed of 10 knots, signal letters JRLI, later MTDP, LFPA & DKAB. Registered at London. Built for Wilh. Wilhelmsen ('Wilhelmsen'), of Tønsberg, Norway. Requisitioned for use in WW1 by the Shipping Controller, London, & managed by H. E. Moss & Co., of Liverpool. 'Registered owner W. M. Cohan (war requisition)' (needs clarification). In Jun. 1919, the vessel was returned to Wilhelmsen. In the 1930/31 edition of Lloyd's Register, the vessel was owned by A/S Tankfart with Wilhelmsen the manager. The registered owner, in 1934/35, was Wilhelmsen. The vessel was sold, on Aug. 12, 1935, to 'A/S Viking', with Lundegaard & Sønner (or Sünner) the managers, of Farsund, Norway. And sold again in Mar. 1939 to John T. Essberger, maybe John T. Essberger GmbH. & Co., of Hamburg, Germany & renamed Karibisches Meer. In Oct. 1939, the vessel was requisitioned by the German Navy. On Aug. 21, 1944, the vessel was scuttled in the River Seine near Rouen, France. The vessel was re-floated on Apl. 12, 1946 & later that year, on Aug. 12, 1946, was beached at Henouville (between Rouen & Le Havre), France, & scrapped. Can you add anything?

135   Montana
7031 (or 6970) tons
Hull 662

142282

Ketty Brøvig
1918

A tanker. Per 1 (Ketty Brøvig), 2 (extensive sinking data), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 425 ft. (about 135 metres) long, speed of 10 knots, signal letters LCTS. Built for Wilh. Wilhelmsen, of Tønsberg, Norway, (H. E. Moss & Co., of London, the managers). The vessel was requisitioned for WW1 service. It was sold in 1938 to 'T. Brøvig' of Farsund, & renamed Ketty Brøvig. In early 1941, the vessel was captured by German raider Atlantis. And scuttled on Mar. 4, 1941 at 4.50S/56.00E.

136 Rexmore
6512 (later 5277) tons
Hull 664

140584

Manchester Exporter
Nicaragua
Yu Tung
Rio Bamba
Precila
1918

A cargo ship. Per 1 (data, Rexmore), 2 (Lloyd's Register data, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', 1930/31 thru 1945/46,  Manchester Exporter), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 420.3 ft. long (128.11 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 431.2 ft. long (131.43 metres) overall, speed of 13 knots, signal letters JTRW later GPMN. Built for Johnston Line Ltd., (Furness, Withy & Co). In 1929, the vessel was transferred within the Furness, Withy group to Manchester Liners Ltd., & renamed Manchester Exporter. In 1947, the vessel was sold to Cargueros Panamenos SA (Lambert Bros or maybe Wallem & Co. of Hong Kong), of Panama & renamed Nicaragua. And in 1948 the vessel was sold again, to 'Yu Chung Steamship Co. Ltd.', of Shanghai, China, & renamed Yu Tung. And sold yet again, in 1950, to Wallem & Co., of Panama, & renamed Rio Bamba. In 1952, the vessel was renamed Precila. The vessel was scrapped, on May 18, 1958, at Osaka, Japan. Is it possible that you have anything to add? A site visitor in the U.S. north-east advises that his family possesses a fine model of the vessel - a model of great detail & surely a builder's model. Hopefully we soon should be able to advise the model's dimensions & provide images. It may well soon be offered for sale. I will gladly pass on any visitor questions/enquiries that are received to the model owner.

137 War Hagara
5578 tons
Hull 676

143371

Inverarder
1919

A tanker. Per 1 (data, 3 images, Inverarder), 2 (Andrew Weir, War Hagara, 90% down), 3 (1919 tow by Saranac, near page bottom), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Inverarder), 5 ('uboat.net' sinking, Inverarder), 6 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register listing data, Inverarder, from 1930/31 thru 1943/44), 7 (Prometheus, fire), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). A 'Z' class standard ship, 125.6 metres long overall (412.0 ft.), 121.9 metres long perpendicular to perpendicular (400.0 ft.), speed of 10 1/2 or 11 knots, signal letters KBWS, later GBVW. Built for the Shipping Controller & managed by Andrew Weir & Co., of London. A harrowing time in early 1919. On Feb. 19, 1919, the vessel lost a propeller during a major storm in the North Atlantic, had only a single boat left, & broadcast for help & a tow. Saranac, a tanker, came to her assistance & after many attempts a tow was commenced. The tow line broke & a 2nd line had to be got aboard. Harrowing? Only after 11 days of slow & difficult towing over 1,362 miles did the storm eventually moderate & the two ships safely arrive off Queenstown, Ireland. You can read the detail via the Saranac link 3 above. The action resulted in a record salvage award - of £90,000. In 1920, the vessel was sold to British Mexican Petroleum Co. Ltd. ('Mexican'), of which 'Andrew Weir' was a major shareholder,  & renamed Inverarder, with no change of manager. Have also read that the 1920 purchaser was rather 'Inver Tankers Ltd.', of Dublin, Ireland, a 'Mexican' related company however. It was reported, in Jul. 1926, that the vessel stood by Prometheus, for 2 days, while that vessel put out a stubborn fire aboard. In 1927, the captain of the vessel was fined & jailed at San Pedro, California, for the discharge of oil in a restricted area. On Jul. 29, 1927, the ship saved the entire crew of San Fraterno, also a tanker, which was lost in the Straits of Magellan. In 1930, 'J. Hamilton' would seem to have become the vessel's manager, & there were later changes - in 1931/32 to F. J. Wolfe, & in 1940/41 to R. A. Carder. 14 WW2 convoy references including 4 completed N. Atlantic crossings with FFO (fuel furnace oil used in ships) & also U.K. coastal voyages. On Jun. 20, 1941, the vessel was bombed by German aircraft when off the Isle of Wight. The vessel was beached, re-floated 4 days later & towed to Southampton, where it was repaired. It would seem that the vessel was out of commission until Dec. 1941. On Feb. 24, 1942, the vessel was en route from Londonderry, Northern Ireland, to Trinidad via Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in convoy ONS-67. Albert G. (George) Robins was in command with 42 aboard all told including 8 gunners. At 4.28 a.m. that day, the vessel was hit by two torpedoes fired by U-558, Kapitänleutnant Günther Krech in command. The vessel sank by the bow in 15 minutes. At 44.34N/42.37W, about 750 miles SE of St. John's, Newfoundland. No lives were lost. All aboard were rescued by Empire Flame, transferred to Toward, a repair ship, & landed at Halifax on Mar. 01, 1942. Empire Flame had not been in convoy ONS-67, rather it was proceeding independently from Portland, Maine, to Halifax. It is strange that the vessel, sunk in early 1942 as above, was still Lloyd's Register listed certainly thru 1943/44 & likely thru 1944/45 as well. Is it possible that you have anything to add? #1860

138 War Sirdar
5518 tons
Hull 677

144354

Konan Maru
1920

An oiler/tanker though it does not look like one to my untrained eye. Per 1 (extensive data, 2 images, War Sirdar - the link is inoperative - the site was hacked but is being reactivated), 2 (image, War Sirdar), 3 (image, War Sirdar), 4 (Bluegill), 5 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert War Sirdar), 6 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, War Sirdar, 1930/31 thru 1944/45), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 400.0 ft. long (121.9 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 knots, specially designed for the carriage of heavy fuel oil, signal letters GTQB & GCVW. Built for the Shipping Controller & managed by Hunting & Sons Ltd. ('Hunting'), of London. The vessel became Admiralty owned in 1921, but continued to be managed by Hunting thru Jul. 27, 1937, when the vessel became Admiralty managed - then a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ('RFA') Tanker, based at Alexandria, Egypt. On Mar. 3, 1928, the vessel, crippled with a broken propeller shaft, was towed from Montserrat to Bermuda by RFA Serbol. On Apl. 25, 1938, it returned the honour, towing HMS Southgate, a 'boom gate vessel'  from Singapore to Trincomalee, Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. On Mar. 2, 1940, the vessel became a Fleet Oiler on the China Station, manned by a Chinese crew. Later that year, on Oct. 12, 1940, the vessel attempted to tow HMS Cricket, a gunboat, from Hong Kong to Singapore, but was recalled due to a typhoon. It tried again a few days later & they both successfully reached Singapore on Oct. 24, 1940. Just one WWW convoy reference, from Melbourne, Australia, to Singapore, via Fremantle, in Jan. 1942. Was modestly damaged when bombed by 27 Japanese aircraft on Feb. 25, 1942 while refuelling HMAS Hobart. On Feb. 27, 1942, orders were issued to evacuate remaining British Auxiliary craft from Batavia, & War Sirdar along with RFA Francol, depot ship HMS Anking & minesweeper MMS 51, formed a convoy (6 ships in total) for Tjilatjap, now Cilacap, Indonesia, escorted by HMAS Yarra & HMIS Jumna. While passing through the Sunda Strait, N.W. Batavia, on Feb. 28, 1942, War Sirdar was hit in an air attack & ran aground on Jong Reef, Batavia. At 12.39N/109.37E. HMS Wollongong made repeated attempts to tow the vessel off the reef but had to retreat when itself attacked by Japanese aircraft. The vessel was abandoned & declared a total loss on Mar. 1, 1942. The entire crew, which had been safely landed on Jung Island, were evacuated by a Dutch minesweeper. The Japanese salvaged & repaired the vessel & very soon she was put her back into service for the Japanese Navy, renamed as Konan Maru. Have also read Honan Maru. On Mar. 28, 1945, when serving as a Japanese tanker, the vessel was torpedoed by USN Submarine Bluegill (SS242) off Nha Trang, Vietnam, then French Indo China. The vessel was beached at Cape Varella, & was attacked there again by Bluegill on Mar. 29, 1945. On Apl. 5, 1945, a Bluegill crew landed, placed demolition charges & incendiaries aboard the vessel & destroyed her where she lay. At 12.40N/109.30E. Anything you can add?

139 British Chancellor
7086 (or 4214/7085 N/G) tons
Hull 681

146197

Wanmas
Filtric
Viva
Gaaton
1921

A tanker. Per 1 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert British Chancellor), 2 (Harry Morley Oct. 1940 painting of damage), 3 (Charles Pears painting of 1940 Falmouth bombing), 4 (Wednesday, 10 July), 5 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, British Chancellor, 1930/31 thru 1945/46), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 440.3 ft. long (134.2 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 456.4 ft. long overall, speed of 10 knots, signal letters KLGQ & GFVN, 642 HP steam turbine engines by George Clark Ltd. of Sunderland. Built for British Tanker Co. Ltd. ('Tanker'), of London. Tanker, the ship owning & operating subsidiary of British Petroleum Company, Ltd., was later (1956) restyled as 'BP Tanker Company Ltd.' The vessel certainly carried oil from the Persian Gulf. 57 WW2 convoy references, including 9 N. Atlantic crossings, extensive service in Indian Ocean both in Feb/Nov 1942 & at other dates also (Bandar Abbas, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, Durban, Cape Town), to Australia, to S. America, in Mediterranean, etc. The vessel was out of commission from Jul. 1940 to May 1941, see below. There are references to 13 WW2 convoys here. On Jul. 10, 1940, a force of 63 German Ju88 aircraft attacked targets at Plymouth, Devon, & Swansea, Wales. While there are many WWW references to the Plymouth shipping attack, it is most difficult to determine what exactly happened that day, even the correct names of the vessels involved. But ... this is what seems to be so. 3 ships, moored at the Northern Breakwater, at the entry to Falmouth harbour, were hit by bombs. British Chancellor, fortunately without cargo, was hit on the stern by 2 bombs, resulting in a massive explosion & a dramatic fire. The vessel was badly damaged & several people who were working on it were killed. Fleet auxiliary tanker Tascalusa, built 1913, was sunk, re-floated on Aug. 29, 1940, towed to Mylor Flats or maybe St. Just Creek, & then scrapped. Mari Chandris, a Greek cargo vessel built in Japan in 1918, which had been towed to Falmouth after a collision, was set on fire by Tascalusa, towed to Amsterdam Point, St. Mawes Creek, where it burned for 3 days & was later scrapped. British Chancellor was dry docked & repaired, perhaps at the 'Silley, Cox and Company, Ltd.' facilities at Plymouth, & after a number of months was returned to service. The vessel was sold in 1952, for about £300,000, to 'Cia Maritima Wanmas S.A.' of Panama, & renamed Wanmas, possibly with 'Fanmaur Shipping & Trading Co.', of New York, as managers. In 1954, the vessel was sold to 'Compania Linea Roja Limitida', of Liberia, (A. Romano the manager?) & renamed Filtric. Later that same year, the vessel was sold to 'Vivalet Shipping and Trading Co. S.A.', of Monrovia, Liberia, for £55,000, & renamed Viva. With Aaron Romano her manager. But soon was sold again, in 1955, to i) 'Traders (Tankers), Ltd.', or maybe ii) 'Tankers and Freighters (Israel) Ltd.', of Haifa, Israel, (also A. Romano the managers?) & renamed Gaaton (have seen that name written as Gaatow) The vessel arrived at the Cantieri Nav. Santa Maria S.p.A. ship breaking facilities at La Spezia, Italy, on Feb. 11, 1961, to be broken up. Anything you can add?

140 Myriam
6795 (later 7012) tons
Hull 668

164483 later

Nikitas-Roussos
Myriam
Oesteloide
1921

A tanker which became a dry cargo ship very late in her life. Per 1 (Lloyd Brasileiro, Oesteloide), 2 (1928 rescue of Vestris survivors), 3 (Wikipedia data, Vestris), 4 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Myriam, 1930/31 thru 1945/46), 5 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Nikitas-Roussos, 1934/35 & 1935/36), 6 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Oesteloide), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 425.0 ft. long (129.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 10 1/2 knots, signal letters ONXI, FONH, MBSS, HPJG & PULG. Built for 'Compagnie Auxiliaire de Navigation', a Le Havre, France, based tanker company. On Nov. 15, 1928 Myriam landed at Brooklyn, New York, 57 survivors of Vestris, a 10494 ton passenger/cargo ship, which sank on Nov. 12, 1928 250 miles off Hampton Roads, with the loss of over 100 lives, maybe 111 or 114 lives. William J. Carey, Captain of Vestris lost his life in the disaster. 49 of the 57 were Vestris crew members including 6 officers, 3 musicians, 17 stewards & 23 firemen. Myriam was sold, in 1934, to 'British Investors Banking Co. Ltd.', of London, 'Mmes Marie & K. E. Venizelos' maybe the managers, & renamed Nikitas-Roussos. In 1935, the name reverted to Myriam, when the vessel was sold to 'British Commercial Investors Co. Ltd.', of London. In 1939, 'Compañía Maritima Istmenia Ltda', of Panama, became the vessel's owners. In 1942, the vessel was transferred to 'Lloyd Brasileiro', or maybe 'Lloyd Brasileiro Patrimonio Nacional', of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as compensation for a vessel sunk during WW2, & renamed Oesteloide. No WW2 convoy references as Myriam - I wonder why? 14 WW2 convoy references, as Oesteloide, from Dec. 1942 thru Jul. 1944, with voyages from Trinidad to Bahia, Guantanamo, Recife, Rio de Janeiro & New York. In 1945, the vessel became a dry cargo ship. It was hulked in Feb. 1950. WWW data is limited. Can you add more?

141 British Advocate
6993 (or 6994) tons
Hull 683

146629

Nordstern
1922

A tanker. Per 1 (image, wreck of Admiral Scheer), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert British Advocate), 3 (Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1945/46, per 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). When this listing was first prepared, a 'pdf' file of 'Pocket Battleship: The Story Of The Admiral Scheer' (available as a hardcover & also as a paperback) that I was able to read, set out in great detail the Feb. 1941 history of the British Advocate capture by Admiral Scheer. It is not so available today, being only available as a 'protected' DAISY file, which I for one cannot access. 440.3 ft. long, 134.2 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 10 knots, signal letters KMSQ later GJLM. The vessel was built for British Tanker Co. Ltd. ('Tanker'), of London. Tanker, the ship owning & operating subsidiary of British Petroleum Company, Ltd., was later restyled as 'BP Tanker Company Ltd.'. A most unfortunate accident at its launch on Jun. 9, 1922. In retrieving the launchways down which the ship had travelled into the river, an accident occurred, likely the snapping of a chain, & Andrew Scott, a labourer, was dragged into the river. He was recovered in an unconscious condition, but unfortunately died 3 months later after surgery. The vessel carried oil products from the Persian Gulf. 10 WW2 convoy references early in WW2 (incl. Gibraltar, Freetown, France) thru Oct. 1940, but the vessel was independent for much of the time to Feb. 1941, in the Indian Ocean & in the Mediterranean & Black Seas. On Feb. 20, 1941, while southbound in the Indian Ocean ex Abadan, Persian Gulf, bound for Cape Town, South Africa, with a cargo of 4,000 tons each of petrol & unrefined oil, the tanker was maybe spotted by an 'Arado Ar 196-A' spotter plane from Admiral Scheer ('Scheer'), a German pocket battleship. Anyway, Scheer pretended she was a British warship, & closed in upon British Advocate. Tom Scott advises (thanks Tom!) that that was at 7.10S/45.30E, N. of Madagascar & W. of the Seychelles. There was little that the tanker's crew could do with their modest defensive armament but surrender the ship. Which was then provisioned & some sabotage damage repaired & sent back to France as a German war prize. It arrived at Bordeaux, France, on Apl. 29, 1941, manned by a crew of German 'troublemakers' ex Admiral Scheer. It would seem to have been, on May 1, 1941, renamed Adolf, though maybe temporarily & informally, since on May 12, 1941, it was renamed Nordstern & put into service for the German Navy. On Jul. 27, 1944, the vessel was sunk by RAF aircraft at the pier at Donges, France, located on the N. bank of the Loire River close to its mouth. At 47.18N/02.04W. Any loss of life? The wreck was raised on Aug. 17, 1947 & scrapped. The above may well contain unintended errors. There are many references to Scheer, many of them in German. Can you correct the above text and/or add anything?

142 British Councillor
7045 (became 7048 in 1933/34) tons
Hull 682

146562
1922

A tanker. Per 1 (British Tanker Company), 2, 3, 4 & 5 (all data - re Feb. 2, 1940, last ref. in Russian), 6 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert British Councillor), 7 (Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1938/39, per 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 440.3 ft. long (134.2 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 455 ft. 0 in. overall, speed of 10 knots, signal letters KMDJ, later GJKT. Built for British Tanker Co. Ltd. ('Tanker'), of London. Tanker, the ship owning & operating subsidiary of British Petroleum Company, Ltd., was later restyled as 'BP Tanker Company Ltd.'. Carried oil products from the Persian Gulf. Just 5 WW2 convoy references early in WW2, including one convoy from Port Said to Liverpool. And also convoy FS-84 which left the Tyne on Feb. 1, 1940 for Southend in which vessel is reported as SUNK. It would seem that her ultimate destination re that voyage was far beyond Southend however, rather Abadan, Iran, Persian Gulf. The WWW record for this vessel is confusing, but it would seem that the vessel hit two mines at 4:20 p.m. on Feb. 2, 1940, mines laid by U-26. At 53.48N/00.34E, roughly E. of Withernsea, near the mouth of the Humber River. No loss of life - 43 of the crew were picked up & landed at Southend by HMS Whitley, (not, I think, Whitby), a destroyer, however Gallant & Griffin, both destroyers, took off survivors also it would appear. 2 crew members stayed aboard for a while. How many were in the crew, I wonder? The ship 'blew to pieces'. Yorkshireman, a tug, went to her assistance but British Councillor sank the next day, it would seem at 53.44N/00.24E. The above may well contain unintended errors. I have seen references, including one attributed to Norman Middlemiss, that British Councillor was rather torpedoed by U-59. And here. Can you correct the above text and/or add anything?

143 Mapia
9364 (later 9389) tons was recorded as 7188 tons for a while - a mistake?
Hull 680
1923

A cargo ship, that had some passenger accommodation. Per 1 (Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland, Mapia), 2 ('Southampton City Council/ Plimsoll' Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1945/46), 3 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Mapia), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 480.5 ft. long (146.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, later 501.0 ft.  (152.7 metres) & 523.0 ft. overall, speed of 12 knots, later became 14 1/2 or 15 knots, signal letters PKDB, later PFTQ. Built for 'Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland', of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It would seem that there was another Dutch cargo ship, of 550 tons only, built in 1930, of the identical name. In 1934, the vessel was lengthened (became 501.0 ft. long) & diesel engines were installed. On Nov. 16, 1939, the vessel was stopped by the German armoured ship Admiral Graf Spee near the straits of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean but, being then a neutral ship, was released unharmed. Only 15 WW2 convoy references. Now I expected to find more since a now expired Dutch website, most difficult to translate, referred to 260,000 miles on WW2 service. Served in U.S. & S. African waters. The vessel was, in 1958, sold to Hong Kong ship breakers, & arrived, on Dec. 12, 1958, at Dah Chong Hong, Hong Kong, to be broken up. WWW data is most limited. Can anybody explain the significance of this reference at Miramar  which seems to relate to the 1934 modifications - [subcontract from Forth SB, Alloa]. Can you add more?

144 British Ambassador
6940 tons
Hull 686

147595
1924

A tanker. Per 1 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert British Ambassador), 2 ('Southampton City Council/ Plimsoll' Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1945/46), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 435.0 ft. long (132.6 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 448 ft. 6 in. overall, speed of 10 knots, signal letters KQFL, later GJWB. Built for British Tanker Co. Ltd., the ship owning & operating subsidiary of British Petroleum Company, Ltd. 34 WW2 convoy references, mainly in Middle East (Bandar Abbas, Bombay, Colombo,  Aden) plus U.K. local. The vessel was sold to British Iron & Steel Co. (BISCO) & arrived at Bo'ness, Firth of Forth, Scotland, on Jul. 30, 1954, to be broken up at the shipbreaking facilities of P. & W. MacLellan. Not an easy vessel to WWW search for. WWW data is most limited. Can you add more?

145 Sylvafield
5709 tons
Hull 693

148136
1925

A tanker. Per 1 ('u-boat.net' re sinking, image), 2 (Convoy HX-62, near page bottom), 3 (U-51), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Sylvafield), 5 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll' Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1940/41), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 395.0 ft long (120.4 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 408.1 ft. overall, speed of 10 1/2 knots, signal letters KTDH later GLKV, 640 HP oil engines by W. Doxford & Sons Ltd., of Sunderland - the first diesel engines Doxford had built for a tanker. The vessel would seem to have been built for 'Northern Petroleum Tank Steamship Co. Ltd. ('Northern') of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In the 1930s, the vessel was laid up for a long time in the River Tyne. Certainly from 1930/31 the vessel was owned by Northern with Hunting & Son Ltd. the managers. 9 WW2 convoy references including 2 N. Atlantic voyages, & one to Iran (Abadan). In Apl. 1940, when part of Convoy HX 36, the vessel broke down & was separated en route from Halifax, Canada, to Liverpool. On Aug. 15, 1940, when en route from Curaçao (an island located off the coast of Venezuela) to Glasgow via Halifax with a cargo of 7860 tons of fuel oil, James E. (Edmund) King in command, & while a straggler in Convoy HX-62, the vessel was sunk by a torpedo fired by U-51. Fog may have been a factor in her being a straggler? It would seem that the sinking was at 22:30 & two hours earlier the vessel had seen a u-boat on the surface. Sunk at 56.39N/11.16W, 190 miles WNW of Rockall (a N. Atlantic isolated rocky islet). 3 lives were lost (2 killed & 1 missing). The Master & 19 crew were picked up by Rubens, a Belgian trawler, & landed at Fleetwood, Lancashire. 16 other crew members were landed at Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Scotland, by HMS Newland. Can you tell us more? Another image?

146 Tynefield
5856 tons
Hull 694

149405
1926

A tanker. Per 1 (bombed at Tobruk, 'Tuesday, February 25'), 2 (mined in Suez Canal, 'Sunday, 5 October'), 3 (extensive Tynefield data, with the names of those lost in 1941), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Tynefield), 5 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll' Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1944/45), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 395.0 ft. long (120.4 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 10 1/2 (or maybe 11) knots, signal letters KTQH, later GLZW. Said to be built for 'Hunting Steamship Co. (1919) Ltd.' ('Hunting'), of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who surely were the owners per Lloyd's Register of 1928/29 with Hunting & Son Ltd., the manager. In 1930/31, the vessel was owned by Hunting (which name was changed to Hunting Steamship Co. Ltd. in 1932), again with Hunting & Son Ltd. the manager. In 1940/41 the owner became Northern Petroleum Tank Steamship Co. Ltd., a company associated with Hunting, with no change of manager. In Sep. 1939, the vessel was requisitioned by The Ministry of War Transport for service as an oiler. Though lost in 1941, the vessel continued to be listed in Lloyd's Register thru 1944/45. Just 6 WW2 convoy references including service to Gibraltar. On Feb. 25, 1941, while at Tobruk, Libya, the vessel was hit by German bombs & strafed with gunfire. The forecastle was wrecked & 1 life was lost in the aerial attack. The vessel was escorted to Alexandria, Egypt, by Wolfborough, an antisubmarine trawler, & after repairs were effected, the vessel sailed on Jun. 30, 1941 for Aden. On Oct. 5, 1941, Captain L. B. Carr in command, the vessel hit a mine & sank in the southern entrance to the Suez Canal - at km. 153.3. 7 lives were lost. Russell Kennedy kindly confirms (thanks Russell!) that 7 lives were indeed lost & that the vessel had been on Admiralty service. Captain Carr survived, I read. Indeed, per Simon Gilbert (thanks!) he skippered Pontfield, a tanker, on Arctic Convoys in 1942/43. What happened to the Tynefield wreck? Russell Kennedy further advises i) that the vessel broke in two when it hit the mine, ii) that the stern section was beached in the Gulf of Suez & manned until Jun. 6, 1942 when it was declared a total loss. And iii) that the wreck was purchased in 1953 by Italian ship breakers & was towed, in Nov. 1953, to Savona, Italy, for demolition. Russell believes that a 2nd Italian yard was involved with the scrapping of the forward section - a yard at Vado or Vado Ligure, close to Savona. Jill McMullon advises that her father, Graham Galloway, (1921/1986) was an officer on Tynefield when it was mined in 1941. He survived that sinking, was later torpedoed in another vessel & later still served as Captain of the 1956 built Corstar. Can you tell us more? Another image?

147 Silvermaple
5302 (or 5313) tons
Hull 697

149925
1927

A refrigerated cargo ship. Per 1 (sinking & image), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Silvermaple), 3 (Convoy HX-324 report), 4 (Silver Line), 5 (map), 6 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll' Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1944/45), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 425.6 ft. long (129.7 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 441 ft. 10 in. overall (about 135 metres), speed of 13 1/2 knots, accommodation for 6 1st class passengers, signal letters KWPN, later GNDP. Built for Silver Lines Limited of London, a tramp ship company, Stanley & John Thompson Ltd. the managers. In the 1937/38 edition of Lloyd's Register the vessel's gross tonnage became 5313. On Apl. 23, 1943, while en route, in convoy HX-234, from Matadi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, W. Africa, to Liverpool via Halifax, Canada, with general cargo & military stores, the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by U-306. At 59.18N/35.30W, SW of Iceland. The torpedo was at the end of its run. Silvermaple, which was leader of the 10th convoy column, made it to port & was repaired. No loss of life. On Feb. 26, 1944, while part of convoy STL-12, en route from Bathurst (New Brunswick, Canada?) to Takoradi, Ghana, West Africa, via Freetown with a general cargo, the vessel was hit & sunk by a torpedo fired by U-66, 130 miles W. of Takoradi (Sekondi-Takoradi). At 4.44N/3.20W. The Master (William C. Brydson) & 6 others were lost (4 says 6 total). 57 others were picked up by HMS Kildwick & landed at Takoradi on Feb. 27, 1944. P. G. Wiggin, an electrician, was awarded the 'Lloyd's Medal for Bravery at Sea' & the MBE re the attack, but I cannot advise you of the circumstances. Anything to add?

148 British Glory
6995 (later 6993) tons
Hull 701

160364
1928

A tanker. Per 1 ('uboat.net', damaged by U-138, 1940), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert British Glory), 3 (Convoy OB-228), 4 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll' Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1945/46), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 430.5 ft. long (132.6 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 10 knots, signal letters LBGT, later GLZR. Built for British Tanker Co. Ltd., which company, formed in 1915, was the maritime transport arm of Anglo-Persian Oil Company, the forerunner of BP. The company became BP Tanker Company Limited in 1955. On Mar. 19, 1929, the vessel, under charter to 'Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Limited', arrived at Wellington, New Zealand, with 9,570 tons of 'oil fuel'. In the 1933/34 edition of Lloyd's Register the vessel's gross tonnage became 6993. 65 WW2 convoy references, including perhaps 11 N. Atlantic crossings, service in Mediterranean (incl. Malta, Augusta, Port Said, Bari, Algiers), in Caribbean (Trinidad, Guantanamo), Indian Ocean (Bandar Abbas, Aden, Bombay), West Africa (Freetown), a voyage to Reykjavik, Iceland, & U.K. coastal. In mid Oct. 1940, the vessel, in ballast, was in convoy OB-228, bound from Glasgow to Abadan, Iran, with a crew of 47 all told. At 5:15 a.m. on Oct. 15, 1940, the vessel was hit by a torpedo fired by U-138, Kapitän zur See Wolfgang Lüth (a much decorated U-boat commander) in command. At 57.10N/08.36W, 100 miles NW of the Outer Hebrides, off the NW coast of Scotland (have also read about 35nm WNW of Barra, Outer Hebrides). The ship's engines were destroyed & 3 lives were lost. The disabled vessel was towed to Kames Bay, Isle of Bute, Scotland, later repaired on the Clyde, & returned to service in Jan. 1942. Can anybody tell us which vessel towed her to Kames Bay? The WWW seems not to tell us. I read that British Glory was the first fleet vessel to be fitted, in 1943, with a fore & aft bridge so the ship could carry out refuelling duties while still at sea. On Feb. 2, 1954, the vessel arrived at the Blyth, Northumberland, ship breaking facilities of Hughes-Bolckow, to be broken up. All said and done, there is very little data WWW available about such a long serving ship. Anything to add?

149 British Renown
6997 tons
Hull 700

160397
1928

A tanker. Per 1 ('uboat.net', damaged by U-518, 1942, image), 2 ('Monday, 21 April', 1941 bombing), 3 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert British Renown), 4 (image, British Renown, but you must be registered to access it - image is similar to the 2nd image at left), 5 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll' Lloyd's Register data, from 1930/31 thru 1945/46), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 435.0 ft. long (132.6 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 10 knots, signal letters LBMV, later GCRF. Built for British Tanker Co. Ltd., which company, formed in 1915, was the maritime transport arm of Anglo-Persian Oil Company, the forerunner of BP. The company became BP Tanker Company Limited in 1955. In the 1930/31 & 1931/32 editions of Lloyd's Register the vessel's gross tonnage was recorded as 6998. 75 WW2 convoy references, including at least 5 N. Atlantic crossings, service in Caribbean & S. America (Trinidad, Guantanamo, Rio), in Indian Ocean (Bombay, Suez), in Mediterranean (Port Said), to West Africa (Freetown), a number of voyages to Antwerp & to Seine Bay, France, & U.K. coastal. On Apl. 21, 1941, the vessel, bound in ballast in convoy to Falmouth en route to Curaçao, was bombed by German aircraft 3 or so miles SE of Dartmouth & her engine room was flooded. Portwey, a Dartmouth Coaling Co. tug, with other tugs on charter to the Admiralty, assisted in towing her to Dartmouth & maybe onwards to Falmouth where she was repaired. At 4:16 a.m. on Nov. 21, 1942, while en route from Liverpool to Curaçao in ballast, in convoy ON-145, the vessel was hit by 2 torpedoes fired by U-518, Kapitänleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann in command. At 43.53N/55.02W, about 200 miles S. of Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. There was no loss of life. The vessel was extensively damaged, was towed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was repaired at St. John, New Brunswick, & returned to service in Jun. 1943. On Jul. 24, 1954, the vessel arrived at the Port Glasgow, Scotland, ship breaking facilities of Smith & Houston to be broken up. There is relatively little data WWW available about this ship. Anything to add?

150 Kirkpool
4840 (or 4842) tons
Hull 699

139258
1928

A cargo ship. A lot of data about this vessel! Per 1 (brief data, Kirkpool), 2 (a fine account of the sinking), 3 (2nd account of the sinking), 4 ('Wikipedia', data, Thor), 5 (brief data & sinking image), 6 (Lloyd's Register data, Kirkpool, 1930/31 thru 1944/45, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 7 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Kirkpool), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 405.2 ft. (123.5 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, 418.2 ft. long overall, speed of 11 knots, signal letters LBVS, later GNTW. Built for Pool Shipping Company Ltd., Sir R. Ropner & Co. Ltd. the managers, & registered at West Hartlepool. 21 WW2 convoy references including 5 N. Atlantic crossings to Liverpool, U.K. coastal voyages & a voyage to Freetown, West Africa, in Feb. 1942 - the vessel arrived at Freetown on Mar. 3, 1942. In Apl. 1942, Kirkpool was en route from Durban, South Africa, (left Mar. 31) to Montevideo, Uruguay, loaded with coal. On Apl. 10, 1942, when independent in the S. Atlantic, about 200 miles N. of Tristan da Cunha & in foggy conditions, the vessel was tracked & torpedoed by the successful Thor, a German disguised merchant cruiser/raider of 3,862 tons, under the command of Kapitän zur See Günther Gumprich. The first raider fitted with radar. The torpedo missed. 4 shells were fired, 3 of which hit the vessel. Kirkpool either turned to ram Thor or maybe the ship's steering failed. Regardless, there was much further gunfire. 17 of the crew of 46 survived (image available here via 2). They took to rafts, made from available materials lashed together, & were about 3 hours later picked up by Thor. At which time Kirkpool was finally dispatched by torpedo. At 33.00S/7.00W per Miramar. Albert Kennington, (known as Alfred) (1912/1944) Captain of Kirkpool, was one of the 17 survivors, but on Mar. 13, 1944 he died at Shinagawa POW Hospital, still in captivity. The survivors were transferred by Thor  to Regensburg, then Dresden & ultimately Ramses, & were landed at Yokohama, Japan. The survivors were interned at a Roman Catholic Convent N. of the city of Fukushima, & stayed there until Sep. 19, 1945 when they were taken aboard HMAS Warramunga & returned to Yokohama en route to Sydney, Australia, & eventually home. Some confusion in the data! The above states 17 survived out of a crew of 46. Wikipedia says that 32 were saved while 7 says 30 were 'fished out of the water'. Charles Hocking states that 3 officers & 14 men were killed. An expired site said that the gunners were interned at Kawasaki & the civilians at Fukushima. The 1945 image referred to above, of the surviving crew, shows 17 survivors. All quite confusing. We thank Alan Tong, a relative of Captain Kennington, for his assembled data, included throughout the text above. Can you add anything? Or correct the above?

151 Glaisdale
3777 tons
Hull 707

161012

Sondica
1929

A cargo ship. Per 1 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Glaisdale), 2 (image, Glaisdale, but you must be registered to access it - image was similar to the 1st image at left), 3 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Glaisdale, 1930/31 thru 1945/46), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 360.5 ft. long (109.9 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 10 (or 9) knots, signal letters LDTB later GJYL. Built for 'Headlam & Sons' Steamship Co. Ltd.', (note), of Whitby. From 1933/34 Headlam & Sons were listed as the vessel's manager. An amazing 179 WW2 convoy references (a lucky ship indeed) including at least 11 (maybe as many as 14) N. Atlantic crossings, more often returning with wheat/grain but also with lumber, steel & sugar, service to S. America (Rosario, Buenos Aires, Montevideo), in western Mediterranean (Malta, Algiers, Taranto, Augusta), to Antwerp, Belgium, in late 1944 thru Apl. 1945, & a great many U.K. coastal voyages. In 1957, the vessel was sold to 'Liberian Maritima Corporation', of Monrovia, Liberia, 'E. (Eduardo) de Aznar', of Bilbao, Spain, the manager, & renamed Sondica. The vessel carried phosphate rock from Florida to Portishead (in Somerset, it would seem) - the Bone Valley in central Florida is noted for its rock phosphate deposits. Likely in 1960, the vessel was laid up at Bilbao, & while laid up was sold to Cadiz, Spain, ship breakers. But ... on Jul. 12, 1960, the vessel would seem to have arrived at the Vigo, Spain, ship breaking facilities of 'Investigationes Submarinas' to be broken up. Can you add to and/or correct the above?

152 Thorshavn
6749 (later 6869) tons
Hull 710

Transoman
Seaventure
Adventurer
Vassilios
1930

A tanker. Per 1 (Thorshavn, extensive WW2 convoy data & 3 images), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Thorshavn), 3 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Thorshavn, 1930/31 thru 1945/46), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 435.7 ft. long (132.8 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 448 ft. 6 in. long overall, speed of 11 knots, signal letters LJMG, later LDPO. The vessel was first recorded as 6869 gross tons in the 1933/34 edition of Lloyd's Register. Built for A/S Bryde & Dahls Hvalfangerselskap, A/S Thor Dahl, of Sandefjord, Norway, the manager. Employed (chartered perhaps?) in the servicing of the 'Christensen' whaling fleet (its name?) in Antarctic waters, refueling other whaling fleet ships & returning with whale oil. The vessel had, additionally, a distinguished history in the exploration, mapping & photographing of Antarctica & its coastal waters, from 1930/31 thru 1936/37, in 3 expeditions led by Lars Christensen (then the owner of the whaling fleet established by his father, whaling magnate Christen Christensen), & by later expeditions of Hajalmar Rüser-Larsen (or Riiser-Larsen), & Klarius Mikkelsen. The vessel & other fleet vessels often carried Avro Avion floatplanes. Thorshavn may well have circumnavigated Antarctica. Did it in fact do so? Have not found a lot of WWW data about Lars Christensen's extensive Antarctic accomplishments which would, however, surely be beyond the scope of this page. 70 WW2 convoy references including at least 9 N. Atlantic crossings, service in Indian Ocean (Bandar Abbas, Bombay, Colombo) & Mediterranean (Port Said, Oran etc.). On Jun. 13, 1947, the vessel was sold to Transoceanic Corp. (S.A.?), of Panama, & renamed Transoman. In 1950, the vessel was sold again, to 'Martinica Cia Naviera SA', of Panama, Orion Shipping & Trading Co. (Inc.?) maybe the managers, & renamed Seaventure. Was renamed Adventurer in 1951. In 1954, the vessel was sold to 'San Basilio Cia Naviera SA', also of Panama, 'Mantacas & Vintiadis', of Genoa, Italy, maybe the managers, & renamed Vassilios. On Nov. 19, 1954, the vessel arrived at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland, to be broken up at the ship breaking facilities of 'Shipbreaking Industries'. Can you add to and/or correct the above?

153 Thorsholm
6748 tons
Hull 709

Teddy
1930

A tanker. Per 1 (Teddy, extensive 1940 capture data with 2 images), 2 (Teddy), 3 ('Plimsollshipdata.org', Lloyd's Register data, Thorsholm, 1930/31 thru 1935/36), 4 & 5 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Teddy, 1935/36 thru 1940/41), 6 (Wikipedia, Atlantis), 7 (image, Thorsholm, the correct one?), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 435.3 ft. long (132.7 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 1/2 knots, signal letters LJHC, later LDPP. Built for 'Skibs A/S Thorsholm', 'A/S Thor Dahl' the managers, of Sandefjord, Norway. In 1936, the vessel was sold to 'Skibs A/S Golden West', 'A. F. Klaveness & Co. A/S', the managers, & renamed Teddy. In early Nov. 1940, under charter to British Tanker Co. Ltd., & defensively armed with a single maybe 4.7" Japanese gun, the vessel, under the command of Thor Lütken, was en route from Abadan, Persian Gulf, to Singapore with a cargo of fuel oil. On Nov. 8, 1940, Teddy was captured by the German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis, which cruiser was disguised as the British Antenor. At about 5.35N/88.22E, between Sri Lanka & the northern tip of Sumatra. It would seem that the ship was found 'because she was improperly darkened by just one small glint of light from one porthole.' Most of the Teddy crew were taken aboard Atlantis. But some Norwegian sailors remained aboard Teddy, then a prize ship. Atlantis came upon Teddy again on Nov. 13, 1940, removed the gun, some water & some fuel, & finally sank her by explosive charges & gunfire on Nov. 14, 1940. At 2.21S/93.23E. The entire 32 crew members (list at link 1) of Teddy, survived - the first 2 links above address the matter in detail - 28 of them were transferred by Atlantis to Ole Jacob & landed at Kobe, Japan, while 4 Australian crew members were held aboard Atlantis & ended up in German POW camps. Can you add to or correct what I have written above?

154 Baron Elphinstone
4635 tons
Hull 716

163845
5024178

Aristides
1937

A cargo ship. Per 1 (Baron Line, Baron Elphinstone), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Baron Elphinstone), 3 (a rough 1955 N. Atlantic crossing), 4 (image & data, Baron Elphinstone, but you must be registered to access it), 5 & 6 (images, Aristides, but you must be registered to see them), 7 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Baron Elphinstone, 1937/38 thru 1945/46), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 417.1 ft. (later 405 ft. 11 in.) long (127.1 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 430 ft. 0 in. long overall, signal letters GCCD later HOMZ, speed of 10 1/2 or 11 knots. But ... maybe the vessel was slower than that - re one WW2 convoy from Gibraltar to Liverpool, (HGF-13), the Commodore said that the ship should not be in a fast convoy as it 'cannot maintain more than 8.5 knots'. Built for Hogarth Shipping Co. Ltd. (Henry Hogarth & Sons the managers) (Baron Line), of Glasgow, but the ship was registered at Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland. The owners of the Baron Line had, at one time, I read, a reputation for being 'economical' when feeding their crews, and, as a result, the line was nicknamed the 'Hungry Hogarths'. A typical tramp ship - that went wherever there was a cargo. One sequence of voyages saw the vessel carry coal from Wales to Penang, phosphates from Christmas Island to Australia, sugar from Mauritius to Durban, coal from S. Africa to Chittagong, & pit props from Newfoundland to Barrow-in-Furness. It surely carried sugar, to London, for the mills of Tate & Lyle Ltd. 69 WW2 convoy references including 3 N. Atlantic crossings (carrying phosphates & lumber where such data is available). The vessel spent significant parts of the war 'independent' in the Indian Ocean, & in Australian waters. Also saw service in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, West Africa etc., & U.K. coastal voyages. It would seem that throughout 1955, the vessel, carried iron ore from the Wabana mine, Bell Island, Newfoundland, to Glasgow, Scotland. In one trip in the fall of 1955, T. D. Drysdale in command, the vessel encountered a major storm in the N. Atlantic, when 400 miles S. of Greenland - a storm which lasted almost 2 days. The ship suffered considerable damage - 'part of the top bridge, and navigational bridge, were washed away. The starboard motor lifeboat was smashed', etc. No loss of life though one crew member was hurt. In 1959, the vessel was sold to 'Aristides Steamship Co. S. A.', managed by F. A. Theodorides. The owners were Greek, but the ship, renamed Aristides, was registered at Panama. On Jul. 30, 1971, the vessel arrived at ship breakers at Santander, Spain, to be broken up. Actual break up commenced on Aug. 4, 1971. Can you add to and/or correct the above? Another image?

155 Lancaster Castle
5172 tons
Hull 713

164318
1937

A cargo ship. Per 1 (Lancashire Shipping, Lancaster Castle (3)), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Lancaster Castle. Beware - the page that you come to includes HMS Lancaster Castle, a convoy escort vessel), 3 (Lloyd's Register data, from 1937/38 to 1944/45, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll' - still listed after 1942), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 437.4 ft. long (133.3 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 454.6 ft. long overall, speed of 11 knots, signal letters GZMN, said to have had a special hull form (to lower fuel consumption) & a reheater-type triple-expansion engine. Sister to Lowther Castle & Bolton Castle both also built by Laing. Built for Lancashire Shipping Co. Ltd., James Chambers & Co. Ltd. the owner/managers, both of Liverpool. 35 WW2 convoy references (I think), including 9 N. Atlantic crossings carrying such varied cargoes as lumber, steel, grain & cotton. In Australian waters in late 1939. U.K. coastal voyages also. On Mar. 1, 1942, the vessel was in convoy PQ-12 ex Reykjavik, Iceland, for Kola Inlet, (northern Russia), with J. Sloan in command. Her cargo of military stores was unloaded at Murmansk & she awaited a return cargo. On Mar. 24, 1942, when loading cargo, the ship was hit by 4 bombs, one of them in the engine room, by a 'sneak' attack by German aircraft. 10 lives were lost in the attack (or maybe 9 only). The ship, now immobilized, was moved a mile upstream & anchored. On Apl. 14, 1942, when still moored in the river, the vessel was again attacked by German aircraft & hit by 5 more bombs, resulting in the ships bottom being blown out & the vessel sinking within minutes. No loss of life, it would seem, in this 2nd attack. Captain Sloan & three Lancaster Castle crew members, returning later to the U.K. as passengers aboard Foresight, a Royal Navy destroyer, were killed on May 1, 1942, when that ship was shelled by submarine Z25. An 8 page article about the ship was published in a 1937 issue of 'Shipbuilder and Marine Engine Builder'. Can you add to and/or correct the above?

156 Wallsend
3157 tons
Hull 715

161605
1937

A cargo ship. Per 1 ('Burnett Steamship', history, 45% down), 2 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'. Lloyd's Register listings re vessel from 1937/38 to 1944/45. For some reason the vessel was still listed after being sunk in 1942), 3 ('uboat.net', sinking data, image, Wallsend), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Wallsend), 5 (4 lives lost), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 343.3 ft. long (104.6 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 356.9 ft. overall, speed of 11 knots, signal letters GZYL. Built for 'Burnett Steamship Co. Ltd.', of Newcastle. 41 WW2 convoy references including a single N. Atlantic crossing, returning with iron ore in Jul. 1940. Also service to Gibraltar & W. coast of Africa & many U.K. coastal. On or about Nov. 15, 1942, the vessel left Liverpool/Glasgow in convoy ON.146. That convoy was bound for New York but Wallsend dispersed from the convoy to proceed to Freetown, Sierra Leone, & Takoradi, Ghana. The ship's varied cargo included 15 aircraft, & also 450 tons of cement & 320 tons of coal. Norman Caulfield, awarded the OBE on Dec. 2, 1941 re Holmside, (sunk close to the Cape Verde Islands on Jul. 19, 1941 with the loss of 21 lives), was in command with a crew of 41 all told. The vessel was proceeding independently when in the first hour of Dec. 3, 1942, (at 00.37 hours), it was hit by a torpedo fired by U-552, Kapitänleutnant Klaus Popp in command. At 20.08N/25.50W, about 600 miles off the coast of Africa & about 200 miles N. of the Cape Verde Islands. It would appear that the vessel did not instantly sink. It required two further torpedoes to achieve that - at 1:14 a.m. & 1:42 a.m. Four lives were lost in the attack. Most of the survivors - 36 including 6 gunners, took to the boats & landed at Tarrafal Bay, Cape Verde Islands. The Captain, taken prisoner by U-552, was landed at St. Nazaire, France, on Dec. 15, 1942 & was held in the Milag Nord prisoner of war camp, located near Westertimke, Germany. Did Captain Caulfield survive the war, I wonder? Billy Magee kindly advised that Captain Norman Caulfield OBE  (POW No. 908) indeed survived the war. He was at Milag Nord when the camp was liberated on Apl. 25, 1945. Thank you Billy! Can you add to and/or correct the above?

157 Grayburn
6342 tons
Hull 721

166570
1938

A cargo ship. Per 1 ('uboat.net', data re sinking), 2 (U-651), 3 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Grayburn), 4 (convoy HX-133), 5 (Grayburn, convoy HX-133, pages 49 & 50), 6 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'. Lloyd's Register data re vessel from 1938/39 to 1944/45. For some reason the vessel was still listed after being sunk in 1941), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 453.2 ft. long (138.1 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 471.4 ft. long overall, speed of 11 knots, signal letters GNNR. Built for 'Wallem & Co. Ltd.' ('Wallem'), of Hong Kong, which company was owned by 'Wallem & Co. A/S', of Norway. But ... have seen references to Wallem being also of Shanghai, China, of Panama & of London. 'Muir Young Ltd.' of London, were the vessel's managers. The vessel was registered at London. 11 WW2 convoy references including 4 N. Atlantic crossings & a few U.K. coastal voyages. There presumably were independent voyages also, to which 'convoyweb.org' denies me access, (though you surely can access that data). On its last N. Atlantic crossing, the vessel left Halifax, Canada, on Jun. 16, 1941, defensively armed, John W. (William) Sygrove ('Sygrove') in command, bound for Swansea, Wales, with a cargo of steel & scrap ex Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. Per 5 her cargo also included trucks. 52 were aboard, all told, including 8 gunners. In convoy HX-133, a convoy of 64 cargo ships & 20 escorts. At 00.30 a.m. on Jun. 29, 1941, the vessel was hit, amidships on the port side, by one of two torpedoes fired by U-651, Korvettenkapitän Peter Lohmeyer in command. At 59.30N/18.07W in the N. Atlantic, about 600 miles S. of Iceland. Grayburn sank within 5 minutes. The ship's port lifeboat was destroyed in the attack, so 30 of the crew members evacuated the ship via the starboard lifeboat, which, however, turned over in the turbulent waters as Grayburn sank, throwing everyone into the water. All except two of its occupants were drowned. 5 other crew members launched a small jolly boat, others did what they could to save themselves, clinging to debris or to rafts. A total of 16 survivors, 2 of them injured, were picked up by HMS Violet & HMS Northern Wave, both convoy escort vessels, & later, having been transferred to Zaafaran, a 'rescue ship', & then to Northern Wave, a trawler, were landed at Gourock, Firth of Clyde, Scotland, on Jul. 2, 1941. One other survivor was picked up by HMS Arabis & landed at Londonderry, Northern Ireland. So 35 lives, including the master, were lost as a result of the attack by U-651 - which collided with Anadara immediately after its torpedoes were fired at Grayburn & was scuttled later that very same day, at 59.52N/18.36W. As a result of depth charges fired by 5 HX-133 escort vessels - Malcolm, Scimitar, Speedwell, Arabis & Violet, & from damage sustained in the Anadara collision. I have read that Violet was credited with the kill & picked up the submarine's crew. The depth charge attack would seem to have been, initially at least, somewhat confused. U-651 was forced to the surface & all 45 (one ref. says 44) of its crew abandoned & scuttled the ship, so no casualties aboard U-651. Note: I have seen three references to Sygrove being amongst the Grayburn survivors. Can you add to and/or correct the above? Another image?

158 Alar
9430 tons
Hull 722

Aslaug Røgenæs
1939

A 'Norwegian' class tanker. Per 1 (extensive data, Alar, image), 2 (Norwegian data, Alar, image), 3 (Norwegian & English data, Aslaug Røgenæs, image), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Alar), 5 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data re vessel from 1938/39 to 1945/46), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 483.6 ft. long (147.4 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 knots, signal letters LKBD. Built for 'Skibs A/S Preba', (Prebensen & Blakstad the owners/managers), of Risør, Norway. 83 WW2 convoy references. The vessel would seem to have spent the entire period serving the eastern seaboard of North America, & Caribbean & South American areas, (Curacao, Cuba, New York, Halifax, Trinidad). 1 covers many WW2 independent voyages, indeed entirely independent thru May 1942. In Oct. 1951, the vessel was sold, per the first two links above, to 'D/S A/S Theologos', 'Nils Rögenæs' of Haugesund, Norway, the manager, & renamed Aslaug Røgenæs. However, the 1957/58 edition of Lloyd's Register states 'Nils Rögenæs' to be the owner & lists the vessel as Asluag Rögenæs. In Feb. 1958, the vessel was laid up at Bøvågen, Norway. It was sold, in 1960, for £62,000, to British Iron & Steel Corporation ('BISCO') & allocated to Hughes Bolckow Ltd., of Blyth, Northumberland, to be broken up. On Apl. 12, 1960, the vessel arrived there for that purpose. Can you add to or correct the above?

159 British Prudence
8620 tons
Hull 723

167217
1939

A tanker. Per 1 ('uboat.net', data, British Prudence), 2 ('wrecksite.eu' data, images), 3 ('Wikipedia', extensive data), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert British Prudence), 5 (Lloyd's Register data, 1938/39 thru 1943/44, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 493.8 ft. long overall, 474.6 ft. long (144.7 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 or 12 knots, signal letters GPPP. Built for British Tanker Co. Ltd. & registered at London. 14 WW2 convoy references incl. 4 completed N. Atlantic crossings & U.K. local. On Mar. 21, 1942, the vessel, under the command of George A. (Albert) Dickson, with a total complement of 50, left Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, for the Clyde, with 11,500 tons of fuel oil ex Trinidad. Its 5th eastbound voyage to U.K. - in Convoy H-181. A straggler (along with Bayou Chico). Appalling conditions were met - gale force winds, hail & snow. It would seem that the vessel detoured ex convoy to or maybe towards St. John's, Newfoundland. Because of the weather? At 10.20 a.m. on Mar. 23, 1942, the vessel was hit amidships on the starboard side by a torpedo fired by U-754, Kapitänleutnant Hans Oestermann in command, & was almost immediately hit in the stern by a second torpedo. At 45.28N/56.13W, S. of 'St. Pierre & Miquelon', NE of Halifax or SW of Cape Race, Newfoundland. The engine room was severely damaged, as was No. 8 tank & midships accommodation areas. Fire broke out in the ship's bow. The ship sank by the stern & vanished beneath the surface, in a vertical position, at about 11.15 a.m. The remaining crew of 47, (other than 3 engine room staff killed in the attack), took to three lifeboats, to be later rescued, after a miserable 24 hours at sea, by HMS Witherington & landed at Halifax. Anything to add?

160 Athelcrest
6825 tons
Hull 725

166291
1940

A tanker intended to carry molasses. Per 1 (extensive data, #2 vessel of name, launch image, names of the 30 whose lives were lost), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Athelcrest), 3 (Godetia), 4 (U-48), 5 (Lloyds's Register ('LR') data re 1939/40 & 1940/41, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 6 ('u-boat.net', sinking detail, with list of those lost etc. available via a link), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 426 ft. 3 in. long (130.0 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 11 knots, signal letters GCZC, 256 HP engines by William Doxford & Sons Limited of Sunderland. Ordered by Athel Line Ltd., of Liverpool, a company formed in 1940 & a subsidiary of United Molasses Co. Ltd. ('Molasses'), of London, launched on Jan. 9, 1940 & delivered to Molasses on Apl. 5, 1940. This fine page covers the group of companies. But my data above may be incorrect - LR of 1940/41 states Athel Line Ltd. to be her then owner. Was registered at Liverpool it would appear. Its maiden voyage perhaps commenced on Apl. 9, 1940, in convoy FS.141 from the Tyne to Southend, Essex. 8 WW2 convoy voyages in its brief life in 1940, 2 across the N. Atlantic, i.e. a single completed crossing, also served in the Caribbean & in W. Africa (Casablanca). The vessel, under the command of Captain Vincent J. Evans (apparently Llewellyn Vincent J. Evans), left Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in convoy HX.65 (have also read HX.65A), on Aug. 12, 1940 with a cargo of 10,125 tons of 'dieso' (presumably diesel fuel), bound for Methil, Firth of Forth, Scotland & onwards to London, in a voyage that originated in Aruba. Details of the submarine attack en route are available (thanks!) at link 6 above. The vessel, modestly armed with one 12 pounder gun & one 4 in. gun, carried a crew of 29 & a single gunner, so 30 aboard in total. It never made its destination. At 2:45 a.m. on Aug. 25, 1940, the vessel was struck by a single torpedo fired by U-48 (Korvettenkapitän Hans Rudolf Rösing in command), at 58.24N/11.25W, 170 miles W. of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. The torpedo struck the vessel on the port side, an explosion ensued & flames enveloped the poop, main deck & bridge. The badly damaged ship settled by the stern such that only 20 ft. of her bow was above the surface. 30 lives were lost, a list of the names being available via links 1 & 6 above. The 6 who survived the attack, including the Captain, took to two ship's boats & were rescued after 4 hours by corvette HMS Godetia (K 72), one of the convoy escorts, & landed at Rosyth. Considered to be a danger to shipping, what was left of the vessel was deliberately sunk with gunfire by HMS Godetia. I note that U-48 was the most successful German submarine in WW2 with (per Wikipedia) 55 vessels sunk & 2 damaged in its 26 months of active service. Debra Wright has been in touch to advise that her great uncle, Daniel Gunn Nelson, then a 22 year old greaser, was one of those lost aboard Athelcrest. Debra wonders if any of the 30 bodies were recovered or later came ashore. Does anybody know? Is there anything you can add to this summary history?

161 Fishpool
4950 tons
Hull 732

160785
1940

A cargo vessel. Surely an unlucky one. Per 1 [data, Fishpool (2)], 2 (Lloyd's Register data, 1940/41 thru 1944/45, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 3 & 4 (WW2 attacks on ship), 5 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Fishpool. I presume that the vessel would have had convoy duty in WW2), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 418.0 ft. long (127.4 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 9 1/2 knots or maybe 12 knots, signal letters GNDG. Built for Pool Shipping Company Ltd., with Sir R. Ropner & Sons Ltd., the managers. Registered at West Hartlepool. On Nov. 14, 1940, in ballast & westbound in the N. Atlantic bound for Vancouver, Canada, on her maiden voyage indeed, she was bombed by German aircraft at 55.00N/17.04W, SW of Rockall (1 & 2). The Captain (Hill, likely T. M. Hill), 10 officers & 16 men were killed & the vessel was abandoned. One lifeboat with 15 crew members aboard was, I read, never seen again. The vessel did not sink & was later towed back to the Clyde by Assurance, a tug. And presumably was repaired. Where I wonder? On May 9, 1941, the vessel was badly damaged in an air raid at Barrow-in-Furness - one man was killed (or maybe 2) when a 'parachute mine' exploded. When in dock 2 days later a land mine, dropped 10 feet from the hull, exploded killing a crew member. Captain R. S. Hewitt & seven crew members were wounded. On Jul. 26, 1943, the vessel was bombed by enemy aircraft while moored at Syracuse Harbour, Sicily. Fishpool had arrived from Alexandria, Egypt, with 1,000 tons of aviation spirit in drums & 4,000 tons of ammunition. The vessel blew up & sank. At 37.03.5N/15.17.10E. I read that the Captain R. Cole, '27 of the crew and several passengers were killed and many of the survivors wounded'. Maybe 28 were killed. It would seem that 18 survived. Can you add anything!

162 Glenwood
4897 (or 4843) tons
Hull 728

167415

Durham Trader
Jag Sevak
1940

A cargo vessel. Per 1 (Durham Trader 1940), 2 (modest ref., 40% down, Captain HODGESON), 3 (Lloyd's Register data, 1939/40 thru 1944/45, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 4 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Glenwood), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 415.1 ft. long (131.6 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 431.8 ft. long overall, speed of 9 1/2 knots, signal letters GTKL. Built for John I. Jacobs & Co. Ltd., of London, which company seems to have been primarily a tanker company. 76 WW2 convoy references incl. at least 8 N. Atlantic crossings, service in the Mediterranean (Bari, Ancona, Brindisi, Port Said etc.), in the Caribbean (Guantanamo), to West Africa (Freetown, Takoradi, etc.) & U.K. local. The vessel was sold, in 1948, to Trader Navigation Co. Ltd., of London, & renamed Durham Trader. Carried iron ore from Newfoundland? It was sold again, in 1958, to Great Eastern Shipping Co. of Mumbai, India, & renamed Jag Sevak. On Jul. 15, 1965, the vessel ran aground & was wrecked in the entrance channel at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, while departing Visakhapatnam with a cement & general cargo. The vessel broke in two I read. It was considered to be a constructive total loss & the wreck was later removed & scuttled. No loss of life - the crew of 16 safely abandoned the ship. Can you add anything! The circumstances of the wreck perhaps?

163 Tynemouth
3182 (later 3168) tons
Hull 730

165785

Sandhoe
Andreas Panou
1940

A cargo vessel. Per 1 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Tynemouth), 2 (Spanish page, 1966 collision with Hoegh Aiglonne, image Tynemouth), 3 (Lloyd's Register data, 1940/41 thru 1945/46, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll'), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 343.3 ft. long (108.8 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 357.0 ft. long overall, speed of 9 1/2 knots, signal letters GLWL. Built for Burnett Steamship Company Ltd., of Newcastle. 163 WW2 convoy references, including 4 N. Atlantic crossings, returning, where the cargo is referenced, with pulp, lumber & steel, service in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, & W. Africa, but principally U.K. coastal. The vessel was sold, in 1952, for £325,000, to Sharp Steamship Co. Ltd., also of Newcastle, & renamed Sandhoe. It was sold again, in 1963, to 'Animoni Cia. Maritima SA', of Panama City, Panama, & renamed Andreas Panou.  At 5 a.m. on Jul. 3, 1966, the vessel, en route from Setubal, Portugal, to Sas van Ghent, southern Netherlands, with a cargo of pyrites, was hit, in dense fog, by the Norwegian Hoegh Aiglonne. Hit on its port side near the stern. At approx. 43.10.0N/09.12.0W, 5 miles W. of Cape Villano, NW Spain. 8 of the crew were lost, & the ship sank 11 minutes after the collision. The 11 who survived the collision were taken aboard Hoegh Aiglonne & landed at Corunna, (A Coruña or La Coruña), Galicia, Spain. It would appear that the 8 bodies were not found, at least not immediately, since Salvora & tug Finisterre searched the area for 24 hours after the collision & found no bodies. Hoegh Aiglonne, built in 1953, suffered bow damage, & was broken up 15 years later, in 1981. Can you add anything!

164   Wandby
4947 tons
Hull 729

160784
1940

A merchant ship. Per 1 [data, Wandby (2)], 2 (data), 3 (image available in Tyne & Wear archives), 4 (Convoy HX-79), 5 ('Southampton City Council/ Plimsoll', 1939/40 & 1940/41 Lloyd's Register data), 6 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Wandby. I presume that the vessel would have WW2 convoy duty recorded there), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 418.0 ft. long (127.4 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 knots, signal letters maybe GSBX (text at link 5 difficult to read). Built for Ropner Shipping Company Ltd., of Hartlepool (2nd fleet vessel of the name). On Oct. 19, 1940, Wandby had the misfortune to be torpedoed on the return portion of her maiden voyage, in the North Atlantic, in convoy HX-79, from Halifax to Middlesbrough, carrying lumber & metals. The voyage had originated in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada - via the Panama canal & Bermuda to Halifax. Torpedoed at 56.45N/17.07W just before midnight, at 23.46 hours. John Kenny in command. Off Rockall (1 & 2). 13 ships in the convoy were sunk by the German wolf-pack. The 34 crew all survived - picked up by HMS Angle & landed at Belfast. The vessel actually sank on Oct. 21, 1940. The vessel was attacked by both U-47, under the command of Korvettenkapitän Günther Prien, & U-46, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Engelbert Endrass, each of whom fired a torpedo. It would seem that the torpedo fired by U-47 was the hit which caused her loss. Is it possible that you have anything to add? An image?

165 Empire Coral
8602 tons
Hull 734 (or 733?)

168669

Derwent River
Derwentfield
1941

A 'Norwegian type' tanker. Per 1 (Wikipedia, Empire Coral), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Coral), 3 [Houlder Line, Derwent River (2)], 4 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', 1940/41 thru 1945/46 Lloyd's Register data), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 474.6 ft. long (144.7 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 493.8 ft. long overall, signal letters BCJG. Built for the Ministry of War Transport & managed by Eagle Oil & Shipping Co. Ltd. Later, in 1942, the vessel was managed by Houlder Bros. & Co. Ltd. 62 WW2 convoy voyages including 8 N. Atlantic crossings, served extensively in Indian Ocean & Persian Gulf (Bandar Abbas, Bombay, Colombo, Calcutta), Mediterranean (Egypt), Galveston, Texas, & U.K. coastal. Presumably carried various petroleum products. In 1946, the vessel was sold to British Empire Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., a Houlder Line company & renamed Derwent River, Houlder Bros & Co., or Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd., (also associated) were the managers. Possibly chartered to Shell Oil. In 1947, the vessel was sold to Northern Petroleum Tankship Co. Ltd., & renamed Derwentfield, with Hunting & Son Ltd., of Newcastle, the managers. On Sep. 1, 1952, while tank cleaning was underway at Balikpapan, Borneo, the ship was extensively damaged by explosions & subsequent fires. On Sep. 16, 1952, it was abandoned as a total loss. I have not read the circumstances. In 1953, the vessel was re-floated, sold to 'Compagnia Globo de Navigazione S.A.', of Panama, & on May 15, 1953 arrived as Osaka, Japan, for repairs. Repairs proved to be uneconomical so the vessel was beached in the Kitzu river at Osaka where break-up commenced on Aug. 21, 1953. Can you add anything?

166 Empire Druid
9813 (later 9811) tons
Hull 738

169002

Norholm
Haukefjell
Bluewater
1941

A 'Norwegian type' tanker. Per 1 (Wikipedia, Empire Druid), 2 (data, Norholm), 3 (data in Norwegian, Norholm, image), 4 (Vega), 5 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Druid), 6 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, Norholm), 7 & 8 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', 1941/42 thru 1945/46 Lloyd's Register data, Norholm), 9 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 484.0 ft. long (153.6 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 503.2 ft. long overall, signal letters LNAK, later HPBK. Have seen the vessel referenced as being 9829 tons, but was that so? Built for the Ministry of War Transport. Just 7 WW2 convoy voyages as Empire Druid, including 2 N. Atlantic crossings carrying petrol. On Apl. 25, 1942, (or maybe Mar. 25) the vessel was transferred to 'Nortraship', i.e. the Norwegian Shipping and Trade Mission owned by the Government of Norway, & renamed Norholm. The Lloyd's Registers from 1941/42 indicate however that the vessel was owned by 'Den norske Stat' (The Norwegian Government) with 'The Norwegian Shipping & Trade Mission' the managers. It is likely that Mar. 25, 1942 was the correct date since HX.182 (cannot give you a link, have used up my 'allowance' at 'convoyweb.org'), which convoy arrived at Liverpool on Apl. 9, 1942, references the change of name. 59 WW2 convoy voyages as Norholm, including 15 or 16 N. Atlantic crossings, including 6 ex Hampton Roads to Port Said, Egypt, service generally in the Mediterranean & to W. Africa etc. Presumably carried various petroleum products. In 1946, the vessel was sold to 'A/S Falkefjell', of Oslo, Norway, 'Olsen & Ugelstad', of Oslo, the managers, & renamed Haukefjell. The vessel was converted to a motor ship in 1949, by the installation of a second hand diesel engine ex Vega, a 7287 ton Bergen Line passenger ship built in Italy in 1938, seized by the Germans in 1940, later renamed Wega, & bombed, possibly by Russian aircraft, near Staberhuk on Fehmarn Island, (a small German island in the Baltic, now connected by a road & rail bridge with mainland Germany) on May 3, 1945, while en route from East Prussia to Lübeck, Germany, with refugees. Wega caught fire, was beached (May 4), & burned out completely. 1 life was lost. But ... Hans Meyer believes the vessel was not used to carry refugees & was in fact used as a 'target' for the training of German submarine torpedo crews. In Jul. 1946, the Wega wreck was taken over 'as-is', by 'Den Norske Krigsforsikring', i.e. Norwegian War Insurance, & in Oct. 1948 was sold again, also 'as-is', to Sigurd Skaugen, of Oslo. The ship was salvaged by Messrs. Freienhagen, of Lübeck, & divided into 3 sections. 2 of those sections were broken up in situ but the midship section was salvaged & towed to the 'Howaldtswerke AG', yard, (owned by the German government), at Kiel, Germany, which yard later became 'Kieler Howaldtswerke AG' (and in 2009 is owned by 'Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems', of Essen, Germany), where the two engines were removed before the section was broken up.  One of those 2 engines was re-installed in Haukefjell. The other was installed in another Sunderland built listed ship, Kollgrim ex Empire Pearl. In Dec. 1952, the vessel was sold to 'Compagnia Atlantica-Pacifica SA', ('Atlantica'), of Panama, & renamed Bluewater, with 'Tidewater Commercial Co. Inc.', of Baltimore, Maryland, the managers. 9811 tons in 1957/58. 4 references 'Industria Armamento Spa' ('Industria'), Alberto Ravanno, of Genoa, possibly the owners of Atlantica?) Paolo Piccardo, of Italy, confirms (thanks Paolo!) that Atlantica & Industria were two of the many companies owned by Alberto Ravanno, (there were brothers) who had a fleet of used ships well into the 1980s. Ravanno's Italian registered ships were normally named with Latin names but Bluewater was of Panama registration. On Jul. 27, 1959, Bluewater arrived at the Osaka facilities of 'Iwai & Co. Ltd.', to be broken up. The above includes data kindly provided by Hans Meyer, to be included in his upcoming book about 'Howaldtswerke AG'. Can you add anything?

167 Empire Opal
9811 tons
Hull 735

168910
533552

Southern Opal
1941

A  'Norwegian type' tanker which became a whale tanker/transport ship. Per 1 (Norwegian page, Southern Opal data & images, history in English), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Opal), 3, 4, 5 (images Southern Opal), 6 & 7 (Leith Harbour, South Georgia), 8 (Lloyd's Register data, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', 1940/41 thru 1945/46 Empire Opal), 9 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 484.0 ft. long (147.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 504 ft. (153.6 metres) long overall, speed of 10/11 knots, crew (whaling) of 51, signal letters BCLY. Built for the Ministry of War Transport with 'Gow, Harrison & Co.' the managers. 55 WW2 convoy voyages including 8 across the N. Atlantic, also served in the Indian Ocean, in the Mediterranean, also Caribbean & W. Africa. Carried various petroleum products, particularly aviation fuel. In 1942/43, the vessel became managed by 'Christian Salvesen & Co.' ('Salvesen'), of Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, & on Jan. 11, 1946 was purchased by Salvesen. Totally rebuilt as a 'tanker/transport' for the whaling industry, renamed Southern Opal, & put into service as a 'follower' at Leith Harbour Station, on the NE coast of South Georgia Island, in the S. Atlantic off Antarctica. Miramar has the name change as being in 1945 - Lloyd's Register of 1945/46 notes that name change. Modified again in the U.K. in 1949 & 1951 (1). The vessel was apparently very smart, like an opal indeed! Served the whaling fleet for 15 years, S. bound from Leith, Scotland, with bunker oil & other supplies, N. bound with whale oil. The vessel spent the summers, between whaling seasons, in the Tønsberg area of Norway. In 1961, the Leith Harbour Station off Antarctica closed down. The vessel was laid up at Melsomvik, Norway. In 1963, Salvesen exited the whaling business. The vessel was sold, in 1964. to German ship breakers & towed by tugs from Melsomvik to Hamburg, Germany, where she arrived on Jul. 17 or 19, 1964 to be broken up. At the 'W. Ritscher' ship-breaking facilities, I see. Can you add anything?

168 Empire Pearl
9816 (later, as ore carrier, 10429) tons
Hull 736

168977

Norheim
Kollgrim
Walton
James Hamel
Paget Trader
1941

A 'Norwegian type' tanker. Per 1 (extensive data Norheim), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Norheim), 4 (Vega), 5 & 6 (both Nortraship), 7 (Lloyd's Register data, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', 1941/42 Empire Pearl), 8 (Lloyd's Register data, ex 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', 1941/42 thru 1945/46 Norheim), 9 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 484.0 ft. long (147.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 153.6 metres long overall, speed?, signal letters BCPT, later LNAF & ZFBD. Built for the Ministry of War Transport as Empire Pearl with 'Eagle Oil & Shipping Co. Ltd.' the managers. It would seem that the shipyard tried to launch her on Jul. 10, 1941, but she stalled half way down the slip & could not be budged even with tugs. With insufficient time to try again the next day, she was launched on the next suitable tide, 14 days later on Jul. 24, 1941. The vessel was transferred to 'Nortraship' (Norwegian Shipping and Trade Mission) in 1942 & renamed Norheim. The Lloyd's Registers from 1941/42 indicate however that the vessel was owned by 'Den norske Stat' (The Norwegian Government) with 'The Norwegian Shipping & Trade Mission' the managers. 60 WW2 convoy references including 12 voyages to N. America ex U.K. Returning with petroleum products, most often aviation gas. And 6 voyages ex Port Said, Egypt, & Oran, Algeria, with return to Mediterranean (Port Said, Tripoli, Gibraltar). In 1946, the vessel was sold to 'Odd Bergs Tankrederi A/S', of Oslo, Norway, (OddBerg in Lloyd's Register 1945/46) & renamed Kollgrim. The vessel was converted to a motor ship in 1950. Where I wonder? It is interesting to note that the diesel engine installed in the ship was one of two engines salvaged from Vega, 7287 tons, a Bergen Line passenger ship seized by the Germans in 1940 & renamed Wega, & in 1945 bombed by the Russians & beached, on fire, at or near Fehmarn Island in the Baltic Sea. The other Wega engine was installed in another Sunderland built listed ship, Haukefjell, ex Empire Druid. In 1955, Kollgrim was sold to Dingwall Shipping Co. Ltd. ('Dingwall'), of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, (which company was a subsidiary of Scandinavian Ore Tankers Inc. of Stockholm, Sweden & an associate of Nordstrom & Thulin A/B, of Sweden, who were the ship's managers - or maybe Skaarup Shipping were instead), converted by 'Laing' to an ore carrier (6 large hatches added) & renamed Walton. The 1957/57 edition of Lloyd's Register advises that Dingwall was of Hamilton, Bermuda. Used to carry ilmenite (a titanium-iron oxide mineral) from Havre-Saint-Pierre to the smelters of 'Québec Iron and Titanium' (a Rio Tinto company) at Sorel, both places in Quebec, Canada. In 1963, the vessel was sold to United Shipping & Trading Co. Ltd., of Piraeus, Greece, or Nassau, Bahamas, & renamed James Hamel. Later in 1963 it was sold again, to Paget Traders Inc., of Liberia, (either i) Ship Services Ltd., of Bermuda, or ii) E. J. Smith & Co., were the managers), & renamed Paget Trader. In 1968, the vessel was sold to Pecos Steamship Co. Inc., of Liberia, (Elkan Ltd., of Bermuda, the managers). Was not then renamed. In Jan. 1969, the vessel was scrapped at the ship-breaking facilities of Desguaces Maritimos at Vinaroz, on the E. coast of Spain. Can you add to or correct the above? An image?

169 Empire Airman
9813 tons
Hull 739

169009

San Wenceslao
1942

A tanker. Per 1 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Empire Airman, thru 1945/46), 2 (Wikipedia data), 3 (Lloyd's data, Empire Airman, 4 up from bottom), 4 (modest image, San Wenceslao), 5 (data & image, Empire Airman), 6 (image, San Wenceslao), 7 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Airman), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 503 ft. 10 in. (or 8 in.) long overall, 484.0 ft. long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 14 knots, signal letters BCWX, later MASS. Built for the Ministry of War Transport & managed by Eagle Oil & Shipping Co. Ltd. Per 5, 'Shell Tankers U.K.' were the owners, but when I wonder? I read that from 1944, Empire Airman was under charter to an American oil company (which one?) to carry aviation fuel for planes on U.S. aircraft carriers. She operated between Williamstown (a suburb of Melbourne, Australia), & various Pacific islands, including New Guinea & the Solomon Islands. 2 references the ship in 5 WW2 convoys. But there are 55 such references in total including 13 N. Atlantic crossings, three of which were to Port Said, Egypt. The vessel also served in the Mediterranean, in the Caribbean & to W. Africa (Freetown). In 1946, the vessel was sold to 'Eagle Oil & Shipping Co. Ltd.', & renamed San Wenceslao. On Jul. 20, 1959, the vessel arrived at Hong Kong to be broken up at the facilities of Four Seas Enterprises Ltd. That is not very much data! Can you add anything?

170 Empire Cavalier
9891 (later 9889) tons
Hull 743

169033

British Cavalier
1942

A 'Norwegian' type standard tanker fitted with a wartime dummy funnel amidships. Per 1 (Wikipedia data), 2 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, Empire Cavalier, 1942/43 thru 1945/46), 3 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Cavalier), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 503.8 ft. (153.6 metres) long overall, 482.7 ft. long (147.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed?, signal letters BFCF, later MAGM. With rear kingposts acting as exhausts to disguise the silhouette. Built for the Ministry of War Transport & managed by 'Mungo, Campbell & Co. Ltd.', of Newcastle. 41 WW2 convoy references, including 11 or 12 N. Atlantic crossings, a number of which were to or from Mediterranean ports (Port Said, Oran), also U.K. local service & to France (Seine Bay). In 1944/45, British Tanker Co. Ltd. ('TankerCo') became the vessel's managers. In Oct. 1945, the vessel was sold to TankerCo, & renamed British Cavalier. It was rebuilt with funnel aft. The vessel visited Auckland, New Zealand, once, on Nov. 13, 1953. On Nov. 13, 1957, the vessel was laid up at Swansea, Wales. Transferred perhaps? Since when owned by 'BP Tanker Co. Ltd.', the vessel was sold to 'British Iron & Steel Corporation' for scrapping. On May 23, 1959, the vessel arrived at the Briton Ferry, Wales, ship breaking facilities of T. W. Ward, to be broken up. Can you add anything?

171 Empire Coleridge
9798 (or 9811) tons
Hull 741

169020

Esso Cheyenne
1942

A 'Norwegian' type tanker. Per 1 (Wikipedia data), 3 (Lloyd's Register data, 'Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Empire Coleridge, 1941/42 thru 1945/46), 4 (many images, Esso Cheyenne), 5 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Coleridge), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 503.8 ft. long (153.6 metres) overall, 484.0 ft. long (147.52 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 10 (have also read 11 1/2) knots, signal letters BDXQ. Built for the Ministry of War Transport & managed by 'Anglo-American Oil Co. Ltd.' ('Anglo'), of London. But registered at Sunderland. 63 WW2 convoy references, including, 18 or 19 N. Atlantic crossings, a number of which were independent and/or to or from Mediterranean ports, also service in Caribbean, & in Mediterranean (Augusta, Bari, Port Said, Malta, Haifa), in the Indian Ocean (Karachi, Abadan), to Antwerp in 1945, & U.K. local. It must have been a lucky ship to run the Atlantic gauntlet so very many times & survive! In 1946, the vessel was sold to Anglo & was renamed Esso Cheyenne. Anglo, owned by 'Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey' later, in 1951, became 'Esso Petroleum Co. Ltd.' At an unknown (to the webmaster) date in 1960, Imperial Transport, leaving her berth at Salt End, Humber River, Yorkshire, for the Isle of Grain, was in collision with Esso Cheyenne, arriving from Fawley. Imperial Transport suffered damage on her port side & proceeded to Smith's Dock, North Shields, for repairs. Esso Cheyenne was apparently not damaged. On May 2, 1961 (or on Apl. 14, 1961), the vessel, towed by ocean-going tug Gele Zee from the Tyne, arrived at the Boom, S. of Antwerp, Belgium, ship breaking facilities of 'Omar Bulens', to be broken up. Can you add anything?

172 Empire Marvell
9812 (later 9240) tons
Hull 740

169015

Bloomfield
Letizia Montanari
Panaghia T.
1942

A tanker. Per 1 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, 1941/42 thru 1945/46, Empire Marvell), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Marvel), 3 (Andrew Weir, 80% down, Empire Marvell), 4 (Bloomfield, bottom name), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 484.0 ft. long (147.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 503.8 ft. long (153.6 metres) overall, speed of 10 knots, signal letters BDRQ, later ILBM. Built for the Ministry of War Transport, managed by Andrew Weir & Co. (Bank Line). 61 WW2 convoy references including at least 13 N. Atlantic crossings, service to South Africa (Cape Town & Durban), & Mediterranean & Caribbean service. In 1946, the vessel was sold, I read, to Northern Petroleum Tank Steamship Co. Ltd., & renamed Bloomfield, (Hunting & Son Ltd. ('Hunting'), of Newcastle, the managers). However the 1945/46 edition of Lloyd's Register states that 'Field Tank S. S. Co. Ltd.', correctly 'The Field Tank Steamship Company Limited' (a Hunting company) were the vessel's owners. In 1954, it was sold again, to D. B. & E. A. Montanari, of Trieste, Italy, renamed Letizia Montanari & converted in 1955 into a bulk carrier, 503 ft. 10 in. long. The vessel's gross tonnage became 9240 tons. Lloyd's Register in 1957/58 records 'Bruno & Eredi Arturo Montanari' as the vessel's owner. The vessel had engine trouble at the very end of 1955 & was towed to Hampton Roads, Virginia, U.S.A., by Marion Moran. I have not read the detail. In 1959, the vessel was sold to Pacific Ruler Corporation, of Liberia (or perhaps of Panama), Tsakalotos Navigation Corp., of New York, the manager, & renamed Panaghia T. On Aug. 8, 1960, while en route from Hampton Roads, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a fire broke out in the vessel's engine room, 6 (have also read 8) miles S. of Tamandaré, Brazil. The vessel ran aground and/or was beached. I have not read the circumstances. The vessel was re-floated, I read, on Sep. 5, 1960, perhaps with the help of tug Cycloop, & towed to Recife, Brazil. It stayed there for a while since on Aug. 31, 1961, the vessel left Recife in tow for Ymuiden, Netherlands, where it arrived Oct. 7, 1961. Presumably it could not be repaired - on Dec. 12 (or 19), 1961 the vessel arrived, under tow, at Vigo, Spain, to be broken up. It was broken up there in 1962. WWW data is most limited re any of the above references. Can you add to or correct the above?

173 Thamesfield
9801 (later, in 1955, 10420) tons
Hull 750

169172

Stanfield
August Moon
1943

A tanker. Per 1 (data, Thamesfield, at list bottom), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Thamesfield), 3 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, 1943/44 thru 1945/46, Thamesfield), 4 (Billmeir), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 484.0 ft. long (147.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 503.8 ft. long (153.6 metres) overall, speed?, signal letters GDGK. Built for Northern Petroleum Tank Steamship Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, owned by 'Hunting & Son Ltd.'. 25 WW2 convoy references including 8 N. Atlantic crossings, 4 of which were eastbound  to Port Said, Egypt, & 1 to southern France, service in Mediterranean & U.K. local. In 1955, the vessel was sold to 'J. A. Billmeir & Company Ltd.' (Stanhope Line), (Stanhope Steamship Co. Ltd. ('Stanhope'), the managers), for about £225,000, converted into an ore carrier & renamed Stanfield. I note that in the 1957/58 edition of Lloyd's Register Stanhope was recorded as the owner & Stanhope Line as the manager. The vessel became of 10,420 gross tons & 477 ft. 9 in & 503 ft. 10 in. long (perpendicular to perpendicular & overall). J. A. Billmeir was, it would seem, Jack Albert Billmeir (1900/1963), ship broker, ship owner & the owner of Stanhope. In 1961, the vessel was sold to 'East Sun Shipping Co. Ltd.', of Hong Kong (Gibson Shipping Co. the managers?) & renamed August Moon. Registered at London it would seem. On Sep. 15, 1966, while en route from Calcutta, India, to Yokohama, Japan, with 13,000 tons of iron ore, the vessel ran aground & was wrecked at Pratas Reef. In the South China Sea. At or about 20.47N/116.53E, 175 miles SE of Hong Kong. The vessel broke in two & was a total loss. WWW data is limited despite the above details. Can you add to or correct the above?

174 Wearfield
9795 tons
Hull 746

165853

Transmars
1943

A 'Norwegian type' tanker. Per 1 (limited data, Wearfield), 2 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Wearfield), 3 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, 1942/43 thru 1945/46, Wearfield), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 484.0 ft. long (147.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 503.8 ft. long (153.6 metres) overall, speed of 11 knots, signal letters GDFS, later ELUC. Built for Northern Petroleum Tank Steamship Co. Ltd., of Newcastle, owned by 'Hunting & Son Ltd.' ('Hunting'). 17 WW2 convoy references, including at least 3 N. Atlantic crossings carrying petrol, service in Indian Ocean (Bandar Abbas, Aden, Bombay, Colombo), & service in the Mediterranean (Bizerta, Oran). In 1953, the vessel was transferred into the name of Hunting. In 1955, the vessel was sold to 'Transatlantic Navigation Corporation', of Liberia, 'Pan-Atlantic Development Co.' the managers?, & renamed Transmars. On Aug. 1, 1960, Miramar advises me, the vessel arrived at Onomichi, Japan, to be broken up. WWW data is almost non-existent re this vessel. Can you add to or correct the above?

175 Empire Inventor
9912 tons
Hull 749

180053

Vivien Louise
Stanloch
1944

A 'Norwegian type' tanker. Per 1 (data, images, Empire Inventor), 2 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, 1943/44 thru 1945/46, Empire Inventor), 3 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Inventor), 4 (Stanhope Steamship, Stanloch), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 482.7 ft. long (147.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 503.8 ft. long (153.6 metres) overall, speed of 12 knots, signal letters BPKY, later MATV. Built for the Ministry of War Transport, & managed by Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd. 32 WW2 convoy references, including 6 N. Atlantic crossings carrying aviation gas or petrol, a voyage to Antwerp in Apl. 1945 & mainly in the Indian Ocean after Jun. 1945. In 1945, the vessel was sold to 'British Oil Shipping Co. Ltd.', of London, managed by 'A. A. Rapp' (have also read 'Stevenson, Hardy & Company Ltd.'). In 1946 the vessel was renamed Vivien Louise. The name of Vivian Louise is often referred to instead, however the 1957/58 edition of Lloyd's Register refers to Vivien Louise as an earlier name of Stanloch. In 1955, the vessel was sold to 'Stanhope Steamship Co. Ltd.', of London, J. A. Billmeir & Co. Ltd. the managers, & renamed Stanloch. On Mar. 20, 1959, the vessel arrived at the Savona, Italy, ship breaking facilities of A.R.D.E.M., to be broken up. WWW data is modest re this vessel. Can you add to and/or correct the above?

176 Empire Paragon
9892 (later 9888) tons
Hull 751

180138

Pinjarra
Hongkong Importer
1944

A cargo ship. Per 1 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Paragon), 2 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, 1943/44 thru 1945/46, Empire Paragon), 3 (Wilson Line, Empire Paragon nr. page bottom), 4 (data & images, Pinjarra), 5 (data & image, Pinjarra), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 475.4 ft. long (144.9 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 500.3 ft. long (152.5 metres) overall, speed of 15 1/2 knots, accommodation for 12 passengers, signal letters GBYF, later ZFPA.  Built for the Ministry of War Transport (managed by Ellerman's Wilson Line Limited). 11 WW2 convoy references including 2 voyages to N. America ex U.K., & another 3 attempted N. Atlantic crossings in which the vessel returned to the U.K. (Milford Haven on 2 occasions) with 'defects' or 'engine defects'. On one such convoy the vessel was noted to be a 'straggler'. And a couple of voyages to Gibraltar in one of which the vessel also had defects. May have gone to Bombay, India, in Feb. 1945, with fighter aircraft. On Jul. 3, 1946, the vessel was sold to The Peninsular & Orient Steam Navigation Company, of London, & renamed Pinjarra. Used on the U.K. to Australia service with a crew of 93. On Jan. 8, 1962, under the command of Captain Roy S. (Spencer) Freakes, & with a crew of 69, the vessel fouled a mooring line of another vessel & in a cross wind ran aground on a sandbank at the mouth of the Tees River - opposite Lackenby Quay, at Teesport. It proved difficult to tow her free - 6 tugs were needed to free her a day later. In 1962, the vessel was sold to International Export Lines Ltd. (Orient Overseas Line), of Hong Kong, C. Y. Tung, the manager, & renamed Hongkong Importer. The vessel was however registered at Nassau, Bahamas. On Dec. 26, 1969, the vessel arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to be broken up, & was broken up in 1970. Can you add to or correct the above? An image?

177 Empire Mars
8199 tons
Hull 755

180153

Wave Duke
1945

A fast tanker, which became a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ('RFA') oiler. Per A (e-Bay image, Empire Mars), 1 ('convoyweb.org', WW2 convoy duty, click on 'SHIP SEARCH' then insert Empire Mars), 2 (extensive data, thanks so much!, Wave Duke), 3 (text & images, of re-fueling at sea), 4 (data, Wave Duke), 5 (data & image, Wave Duke, 50% down), 6 (limited data), 7 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, 1944/45 thru 1945/46, Empire Mars), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 473.0 ft. long (142.0 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 493.8 ft. long (150.5 metres) overall, speed of 14 1/2 knots, signal letters GBRL. On Nov. 22, 1944, the vessel was towed from Sunderland to the Tyne. I wonder what for? X-138. Built for the Ministry of War Transport & managed by British Tanker Co. Ltd., of London, (or could it have been Hadley Shipping Co. Ltd. which was a tanker company?). Career voyage data at 2. Just 3 WW2 convoy references, including one N. Atlantic crossing in Apl/May 1945. In 1946, the vessel was transferred to the Admiralty RFA as a fleet support tanker & used as an 'underway replenishment oiler'. Renamed Wave Duke. 'Capable of fuelling three warships at sea at the same time: one on each beam and one astern.' Pennant A246. On Jul. 29, 1948, the vessel collided with Esperance Bay, in thick fog, about 50 miles SE of Land's End. Both vessels suffered slight damage - no one was hurt. The vessel served in the Korean War, from 1950 to 1953, supporting United Nations' ships. On Mar. 25, 1957, the vessel, bound for the U.K. with a full cargo of oil ex Houston, Texas, struck a submerged wreck in the Houston Channel & was damaged. Her cargo was transhipped to RFA Derwentdale. I read that on Apl. 30, 1960, the vessel was laid up at Devonport. But was soon, in 1961, laid up at Rosyth, Scotland. On Nov. 1, 1969, the vessel was offered for sale, 'as is' or 'as was', at Devonport. I presume it was quickly sold by the Secretary of State for Defence, since on Dec. 25, 1969 it arrived, ex Plymouth & in tow, at the 'Hierros Ardes' ship breaking facilities at Bilbao, Spain, to be broken up. I thank 2 for their extensive data. Can you correct the above and/or add anything?

178 Empire Herald
8197 tons
Hull 761

181127

Wave Prince
1946

A fast tanker, which became a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ('RFA') oiler. Per 1 (data & images, page bottom, Wave Prince), 2 (text & images, of re-fueling at sea), 3 (data), 4 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, 1945/46, Empire Herald), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). There is, as this listing is corrected in Jul. 2021, an image of Wave Prince eBay available. Forgive me when I invite you to find it for yourself - it has what I consider to be an excessive logo across the image & I prefer not to reward the vendor by a link to his item. 473.0 ft. long (142.0 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 493.8 ft. long (150.5 metres) overall, speed of 14 1/2 or 15 knots, signal letters GDNX. Built for the Ministry of War Transport & managed by Athel Line Limited, of London. In 1946 or 1947, but I believe on Jan. 15, 1947, the vessel was transferred to the RFA as a fleet support tanker & used as an 'underway replenishment oiler'. And renamed Wave Prince. 'Capable of fuelling three warships at sea at the same time: one on each beam and one astern.' Pennant A207. From 1950 to 1953, the vessel served in the Korean War, supporting United Nations' ships. In 1961, the ship was extensively refitted & modernised & from Dec. 1961 to Feb. 1962 was part of a special squadron which circumnavigated South America. It then, in Feb. 1962, assisted Royal Navy ships during unrest off British Guiana. In Feb. 1963, the vessel accompanied Royal Yacht Britannia on her cruise to Australia & New Zealand. In Aug. 1966 (have also read 1965), the vessel was laid up at Devonport. In 1971, the vessel was sold to Spanish ship breakers for scrap. On Dec. 5, 1971, the vessel left Plymouth in tow, & on Dec. 16, 1971 it arrived at Burriana, eastern Spain (Castellón, Valencia), to be broken up at the ship breaking facilities of 'Aguilar y Peris'. The WWW record for the vessel is not extensive. Can you correct the above and/or add anything?

179 Empire Maldon
3734 tons
Hull 766

181129

Imperial Halifax
Congar
1946

A tanker. Per 1 (Imperial Oil Ltd., fleet), 2 (extensive data & many images, Congar & Imperial Halifax), 3 (ref. Empire Maldon, 55% down), 4 (Willowbranch, court case), 5 (1972 image Congar), 6 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Lloyd's Register data, 1945/46, Empire Maldon), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 343.5 ft. long (109.0 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 357.6 ft. long (102.4 metres) overall, speed of 12 knots, signal letters GKVN, later VGDC, oil engines by Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd. of Sunderland. Built for Ministry of War Transport & intended to be managed by British Tanker Co. Ltd., of London. 3 however advises that the vessel, in fact, was managed by 'Anglo-American Oil Company'. In 1946 she was sold to Imperial Oil & renamed Imperial Halifax, but the data differs as to who actually owned her. The 1945/46 Lloyd's register available at link 6 states that the vessel was then owned by 'Imperial Oil Ltd. Marine Department' with 'T. S. Johnston' the managers. Miramar indicates that from 1946 to 1954, the vessel was owned by Imperial Oil Shipping Co. Ltd. ('Shipping') & in 1954 the owner became Imperial Oil Ltd. Subsidiaries of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. All other sites do not refer to Shipping. The 1957/58 edition of Lloyd's Register states 'Imperial Oil Ltd. Marine Division' to be the owner with W. R. Smeltzer, of Halifax, the managers. Used in the Canadian Maritime Provinces & East Coast trade. In dense fog, on Jul. 16, 1959, Imperial Halifax, outbound from Halifax, Nova Scotia, for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, was in collision, at a speed of 4 knots, with 2,153 ton Willowbranch, inbound from Montreal. The court held that responsibility was shared 50/50. On May 3, 1960, the ship was damaged in berthing at No. 4 Imperial Oil Dock, (where is it?). In 1969, the vessel was sold to 'Johnstone Shipping Limited', of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, (an affiliate of 'Ship Repairs & Supplies', of Toronto) & renamed Congar. The 'Con' being after Constance Johnstone. The vessel commenced Great Lakes service on Apl. 16, 1970. On Sep. 29, 1970, the vessel struck & destroyed No. 2 fender boom, at the Eisenhower Lock, St. Lawrence Seaway, holding up traffic for a few hours. The vessel grounded in Lake St. Clair on Christmas Eve 1970 & 'McQueen' tugs Amherstberg & Atomic went to her assistance. Congar also ran aground in the St. Lawrence River, near Wilson, Ont., on Dec. 18, 1971. The vessel was idle at Toronto in the 1976 shipping season & was then partially stripped of her navigational equipment. In Nov. 1977, the vessel was sold to United Metals Ltd. of Strathearne Terminals, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, & on Oct. 26, 1977 departed Toronto, in tow, for the short trip to Hamilton, where demolition commenced in Jan. 1978. Is my ref. to 'Strathearne Terminals', likely 'Strathearne Terminals (Hamilton) Limited', correct? Anything you can add? Or correct?

180 Empire Tedilla
947 tons
Hull 773

181122
532219

Forskalia
Danesdale H.
Shell Driller
1946

A small coastal tanker, to carry bulk petroleum. Per 1 ('Southampton City Council/Plimsoll', Empire Tedilla, Lloyds Register data re 1945/46), 2 (data, images, Empire Tedilla), 3 (data, images, Forsakalia), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 193.0 ft. long (58.8 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 201.6 ft. long (61.45 metres) overall, speed of 10 knots, signal letters GQWM. Built for the Ministry of War Transport & managed by 'Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd.' ('Anglo-Saxon'), of London. In 1947, the vessel was sold to Anglo-Saxon & renamed Forskalia (a marine animal). In 1949, the vessel was sold to 'John Harker (Coasters) Ltd.' of Knottingley, Yorkshire, & renamed Danesdale H. The ship was registered at London, it would seem. In 1952, the vessel was sold again, to 'Shell-Mex & B.P. Ltd.' of London, & renamed Shell Driller. On Aug. 23, 1966, the vessel arrived at the Faslane, near Glasgow, ship breaking facilities of Shipbreaking Industries Ltd. to be broken up. All said and done, the WWW available data re this vessel is modest. I have read nothing about her actual service. Anything you can add? Or correct?

181 British Princess
8582 tons
Hull 768

180928
1946

A tanker. Per A (e-Bay images, British Princess launch), 1 (1948 Melbourne, Australia, arrival), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 490.0 ft. long (149.3 metres) overall, speed of 12 knots, signal letters GTWZ. Named in honour of & launched (with a bottle of Australian wine) by HRH Princess Elizabeth, later, in 1952, to become Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Built for British Tanker Co. Ltd., of London. It would seem that the vessel was named only after the princess had agreed to launch the ship. Have not read what the vessel was to be named had she declined. Do you happen to know what it was? Later transferred perhaps? Since in 1957/58 it was owned by 'BP Tanker Co. Ltd.', I presume that the vessel would have carried petroleum products from the Persian Gulf. The vessel was repaired in 1949. And visited New Zealand on Mar. 27, 1952. On Feb. 8, 1962, the vessel arrived at the ship breaking facilities of T. W. Ward Ltd. at Briton Ferry, Wales, to be broken up. Miramar advises that actual break-up commenced on Feb. 26, 1962. The WWW record for the vessel is most limited. Anything to add?

182 Arabia
8720 (later 8632) tons
Hull 774

182394
5407605

Onshun
1947

A refrigerated cargo ship. Per 1 [Cunard Line, Arabia (3)], 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 480 ft. 0 in. long (146.3 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 508 ft. 10 in. long (155.1 metres) overall, speed of 15 1/2 knots, signal letters GLKF later 5MNT, it would seem with some passenger capacity, probably 12. Built for 'Cunard-White Star Ltd.', of Liverpool, for their U.K. to Canada trade. Her maiden voyage was to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1949, the owner's name was restyled 'Cunard Steam-Ship Co. Ltd.' In 1963, the vessel was sold to Neptune Marine Corp., of Monrovia, Liberia, & renamed Onshun. Four years later, in 1967, the vessel was sold again, to 'Cosmos Marine Development Corp.' ('Cosmos') also of Monrovia, with no change of vessel name. Cosmos, I have read, was Panamanian owned, however Miramar refer to 'Cosmos Marine Development Corp. & Showa Kaiun KK'. So perhaps Cosmos was truly owned by Japanese interests. The 1968/69 edition of Lloyd's Register records 'Showa Shipping Co. Ltd.' as the second name. On May 10, 1972, the vessel arrived at the Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ship breaking facilities of Jui Long Steel & Copper Works, to be broken up. Anything you can add?

183 Asia
8723 (later 8361) tons
Hull 769

181080

Shirley
1947

A refrigerated cargo liner. Per 1 [Cunard Line, Asia (2)], 2 ('pdf' file, data at p.#22/23), 3 (Stuart Jones (thanks!) account of the 1956 Asia/Wolfgang Russ collision, 75% down), 4 & 5 (images, 1956 collision, but you must register to access), 6 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 480 ft. 0 in. long (146.3 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, 508 ft. 9 in. long (155.1 metres) overall, speed of 15 1/2 or 16 knots, accommodation for 12 first class passengers, signal letters GLJV, later BMFQ. Is the passenger accommodation correct as above stated? Link 2 states that Asia had no accommodation for passengers. Built for 'Cunard White Star, Ltd.', of Liverpool, for their London & Liverpool to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada trade. The first 'Cunard' cargo vessel it would appear, & the first of 3 such post-war cargo vessels (Arabia & Assyria are the others). Her maiden voyage was to Canada on Apl. 15, 1947. On Aug. 25, 1948, the vessel was in collision with Ciclope, an Italian 7,207 ton cargo ship, in the English Channel. I have read no detail as to the circumstances, however Asia was extensively damaged & had to be dry-docked at Southampton to effect repairs. What happened to Ciclope, I wonder? In 1949, the owner's name was restyled 'Cunard Steam-Ship Company, Ltd.'. In darkness, at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 19, 1956, with F. E. Patchett, known as 'Foggy Patchett' in command, in his last trip before retirement, Asia was in an almost head-on collision with the German Wolfgang Russ, 2,963 tons, in the St. Lawrence River, off the S. shore of Orleans Island, near Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. 4 tugs attended the scene. Asia had just left Quebec City bound for London with a cargo that included bagged dried peas in No. 1 hold - which peas expanded when soaked & created enormous pressures on the ship's bulkheads & hatches. Asia was towed to Wolf Cove, but soon had to be dry-docked at the nearby 'Davie Shipbuilding and Repairing Company Limited' ('Davie') yard at Lauzon, Lévis, Quebec, to temporarily repair massive bow damage. Temporary repairs effected, & with winter fast approaching, Asia went down the ice covered St. Lawrence to Halifax where it spent 3 months in the Navy Dockyard being permanently repaired. Wolfgang Russ also suffered major hull damage in the collision. She was initially run aground so she wouldn't sink, but soon also ended up at the Davie yard for repair. She was repaired with speed so she could depart for Hamburg (on Nov. 28, 1956) before the St. Lawrence iced over for the winter. Who was at fault? Was there an Inquiry into the collision, I wonder? On May 17, 1963, the vessel was sold to Waywiser Navigation Corporation Ltd., of Keelung, Taiwan, with Eddie Steamship Co., of Taipeh, Taiwan, the managers, & renamed Shirley. On Dec. 16, 1968, the vessel was paid off at Osaka, Japan, & sold for scrap. On Jan. 14, 1969, the vessel arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to be broken up. Anything you can add?

184 British Fern
8582 tons
Hull 771

181663
1947

A tanker. Per 1 (image, British Fern, leaving River Fal), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 463 ft. 5 1/2 in. long perpendicular to perpendicular, 490 ft. 0 in. long overall, speed of 11 1/2 knots, signal letters GWMN. Built for British Tanker Co. Ltd. ('Tanker'), of London. Tanker, the ship owning & operating subsidiary of British Petroleum Company, Ltd., was later (1956) restyled as 'BP Tanker Company Ltd.' Visited Auckland, New Zealand, once on Dec. 2, 1957. No WWW word about her service history, indeed no WWW word whatsoever about the vessel - that I was able to find. The vessel was laid up at River Fal, (Falmouth), Cornwall, (how long for?) & left from there on Aug. 23, 1961 bound for the 'Bisco' facilities of Hughes Bolckow Ltd. at Blyth, Northumberland, where she arrived on Sep. 1, 1961, to be broken up. Anything you can add?

185 Sussex Trader
4221 tons
Hull 777

181621

Janani
1947

A cargo ship. Per 3 (image, Sussex Trader on sea trials, but you must be registered to access it), 4 (ship model, sold in 2003 at Christies, London), 5 & 6 (Trader Line), 7 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 390.5 ft. long perpendicular to perpendicular, 407 ft. 1 in. long (124.1 metres) overall, signal letters GNQC later VWCZ. Built for Trader Navigation Co. Limited, of London. In 1954, the vessel was sold to Malabar Steamship Co., of Bombay, & renamed Janani. She arrived at Bombay, India, in Oct. 1963 to be broken up at the ship breaking facilities of Steel Corp of Bombay. Anything to add?

186 Athelknight
9087 tons
Hull 779

182449
1948

A tanker. Per 1 (Athelknight 2, 50% down, 2 images), 2 (Athel Line Limited), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 493 ft. 6 in. long overall, speed of 12 knots, signal letters MTFN. Built for Athel Line Limited (or maybe Ltd.) ('Athel'), of Liverpool. From what I could find on the WWW, (many references), I cannot figure out the history of Athel but it would seem that it was later, (from 1961), owned by United Molasses Ltd. (or Company Ltd.) of London, which company (related to Tate & Lyall) was in the sugar business. The vessel accordingly carried molasses, but from early in 1952 the vessel carried fuel instead for the U.S. 7th fleet. On Dec. 24, 1966, the vessel arrived at Onomichi, on the Inland Sea of Japan, to be broken up. Can you add to or correct the above?

187 Matadian
6246 tons
Hull 776

175873

Matadi Palm
1948

A steam powered tanker which carried general cargo also. Per 1 [Palm Line, Matadian (2)], 2 (United Africa Co. Ltd./Palm Line/Unilever history), 3 (image Matadian available but you must register to see it), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 431 ft.  4 in. long (131.5 metres) overall, speed of 10 1/2 knots, signal letters GCMP. Built for United Africa Co. Ltd., of London (a 100% subsidiary of 'Unilever', known as Palm Line, formed in Liverpool in 1929) ('United'), as Matadian. It would seem, however, that 'Elmina Ltd.', of Freetown, Sierra Leone, a subsidiary of United, were technically the owners of Matadian, which was registered at Freetown, while United were the managers. The vessel was soon transferred, in 1949, to Palm Line Ltd., of London, a United subsidiary company formed in 1949, & renamed Matadi Palm. A vessel that in its lifetime was principally involved in the shipment of bulk vegetable oils (palm oils) from West Africa to Europe. The vessel was sold to Spanish ship breakers, at £10 8s. a ton light displacement, & on Feb. 20, 1963, the vessel arrived at Burriana, Castellón/Valencia, in Eastern Spain, to be broken up. A short life therefore. Less than 15 years. My auto is almost that old! And is still going strong! Can you add to and/or correct the abov8?

188 Athelduke
9089 (or 9087) tons
Hull 780

182472
1949

A tanker. Per 1 [Athel Line/United Molasses extensive history, Athelduke (2)], 2 (Athelduke 2, 50% down, image), 3 (ship's bell & image, 50% down), 5 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 493 ft. 6 in. long (150.4 metres) overall, 465 ft. 10 in. long (142.0 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 knots, signal letters GBLR. Built for Athel Line Ltd. ('Athel') of Liverpool. Athel, formed in 1940, was a 100% owned subsidiary of United Molasses Co. Ltd., of London, which company, engaged in the sugar & molasses business, & was in 1965 taken over by Tate & Lyall Ltd. While the story is fragmentary, it would seem that on an un-stated date in Sep. 1952, while returning to the U.K., the ship was given orders to proceed to the U.S.A. The vessel left Gibraltar for New Orleans on Sep. 5, 1952, with Colville Ferguson in command. On Sep. 6, 1952, the crew refused to work & after crew unrest (mutinous conduct including, it would seem assaulting the Captain & the ship's officers), HMS Alacrity, a modified Black Swan class sloop, came to the assistance of the master, put a 24 man armed boarding party aboard Athelduke to restore order, & escorted the vessel to Gibraltar. Those concerned (7 crew members) were imprisoned & tried at Gibraltar on Sep. 8, 1952. A long gone web site stated - 'the sentence at that time for this kind of crime was hanging. they had to pass a new law on this at the time of the trial. All those involved were later returned to the UK on board a Union-Castle Liner and discharged the' Merchant Navy. Documents re the matter exist, I read, in the National Archives at Kew. I read that a major contributing factor was that the crew had not been let ashore in almost a year. Louis Triay, legal counsel for the crew at their trial, remembers that 'most of them got off'. The vessel clearly visited the Great Lakes. On Jun. 6, 1967, the vessel arrived at the Hirao, Yamaguchi, Japan, ship breaking facilities of 'Matsukura Kaiji KK', to be broken up. Can you add to or correct the above?

189 Höegh Rover
10092 (10047 in 1966/67) tons
Hull 781

529205
317537

Norefoss
Regina
Doris
1949

A tanker. Per 1 (ex a large 'Fleet of the Höegh Group' 'pdf' file that used to be available. Data & image, Höegh Rover, at item #35 on p#10), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 503 ft. 6 in. long (153.4 metres) overall, 475 ft. 0 in. (144.8 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 1/2 knots, signal letters ZBQG. When built the vessel was the largest built on the River Wear in 34 years. And because of her size, the vessel travelled down-river for the first time stern first. Built for 'Skibs A/S Arcadia' ('Arcadia'), of Oslo, Norway, at a cost of NOK 10,100,000, Leif Höegh & Co. A/S, the managers. Did 'Leif Höegh & Co. A/S' own Arcadia, I wonder? In 1954, the vessel was sold, for NOK 13,199,000, to 'Skibs A/S Thor Thoresens Linje', also of Oslo, Thor Thoresen the managers, & renamed Norefoss. In Sep. 1960, (Miramar indicate 1961), the vessel was sold to 'Hansen-Tangens Rederi A/S', Yngvar Hansen-Tangen, the managers, of Kristiansand, Norway, & renamed Regina. In 1964, the vessel was sold to 'Regina Sea Transports Corporation SA', of Piraeus, Greece, & renamed Doris. That sounds like a transfer perhaps. Also in 1964, or maybe in 1965, the vessel was sold, 'as-is', for GBP 65,000, to 'Levantine Sea Transport Corp. S.A.', of Valletta, Malta, or, as per Lloyd's Register of 1966/67 'Levantine Sea Transport Co. Ltd.'. On Aug. 15, 1966, the vessel, en route from Ravenna, Italy, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, ran aground, in the Straits of Gibraltar. Can anybody tell us exactly where she ran aground & the circumstances? The vessel freed herself & proceeded to Tangier, Morocco, & then on to Lisbon, Portugal. There she was examined & found to have severe bottom damage & damage also to her propeller & rudder. The vessel was declared a constructive total loss, & was laid up at Lisbon. On May 31, 1968 the vessel arrived, in tow, at the Bilbao, Spain, ship breaking facilities of 'Revalorizacion de Materiales', to be broken up. 'The Motor Ship', in its Jun. 1949 issue, published a 5 page article about the ship with plans. Such data was later republished as a reprint & such reprint will hopefully some day be available thru these pages. Can you provide that article or otherwise add to and/or correct the above?

190 British Reliance
11201 (later 11026) tons
Hull 784

183186

Bangor Bay
Ocean Princess
1950

A tanker. Per 1 (data 60% down), 2 (British Reliance, a Robert G. Lloyd artwork), 3 (image, British Reliance), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 547 ft. 0 in. long (166.7 metres) overall, 516 ft. 0 in. long (157.3 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 1/2 (or maybe nearly 14) knots, signal letters GFCC. A famous ship indeed. The biggest ship ever built on the Wear at the time. Built at a cost of 'not far short of £750,000', for British Tanker Co. Ltd., of London, which company was owned by Anglo-Iranian Oil Company & became 'BP Tanker Co. Ltd.' in 1955. The vessel was sold, in Jun. 1973, to 'Atlantic Research Ltd.' of Hamilton, Bermuda, H. P. Lenaghan and Sons Ltd. the managers, & renamed Bangor Bay. In 1974, it was sold again, to Suffolk Navigation Co., of Piraeus, Greece, 'Dover Navigation Company' the managers, & renamed Ocean Princess. The vessel arrived at the Castellon, Spain, ship breaking facilities of 'Industrial y Comercial de Levante', on Mar. 24, 1975, to be broken up. Is it possible that you have anything to add?

191 Daleby
5148 tons
Hull 787

180091
5197822

Kupres
1950

A tramp ship. Per 1 [Daleby (3)], 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 445 ft. 2 in. long (135.7 metres) overall, 418 ft. 3 in. long (127.5 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 1/2 knots, signal letters MFBV, later YTIR. The vessel was built for Ropner Shipping Company Ltd. (the 3rd fleet vessel of that name), owned by Ropner Holdings Ltd., for cargo liner service (not a success) between Europe & the Gulf of Mexico. Sir R. Ropner & Co. (Management) Ltd. were the managers. The vessel was sold, in 1961, to 'Jugoslavenska Oceanska Plovidba' of Kotor, Yugoslavia, & renamed Kupres. On May 25, 1972, the vessel arrived at the Split, Croatia, ship breaking facilities of 'Brodospas' to be broken up. We thank Marijan Zuvic for his input re this vessel. Is it possible that you have anything to add?

192 Deerpool
5169 (or 4915 or 5170) tons
Hull 788

180093
5193670

Kordun
1950

A cargo/passenger vessel. Per 1 [Deerpool (2)], 2 (16 page 'doc' file, Ropner, available via this link), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Accommodation for 12 passengers. 445 ft. 2 in. long (135.7 metres) overall, 127.5 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 1/2 knots, signal letters GKDY. Built for Pool Shipping Company Ltd., of West Hartlepool, (owned by Ropner Holdings Ltd.), for cargo liner service (not a success) between Europe & the Gulf of Mexico. The vessel was registered at West Hartlepool & managed by 'Sir R. Ropner & Co. (Management) Ltd.' Was originally on the London, U.K.  to New Orleans, U.S.A., service. In 1961, the vessel was sold to 'Jugoslavenska Oceanska Plovidba' ('Jugoslavenska'), of Kotor, Montenegro, & renamed Kordun. Marijan Zuvic advises (thanks!) that Kordun was sold by Jugoslavenska to Brodospas in late Apl. 1972 & on May 17, 1972 it arrived at the Sveti Kajo, near Split, Croatia, ship breaking facilities of Brodospas. It would seem that the vessel was actually scrapped in Oct. 1972. 3 references vessel being broken up at Tivat (Montenegro), on Mar. 3, 1972, & at Split in Oct. 1972. Can anyone explain the reference to Tivat?

193 Marietta
10009 tons
Hull 785

5265588

Butanga
Oro
Harilaos
1950

A tanker. Per 1 (data & image, Marietta, Norwegian), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 503 ft. 4 in. long (153.4 metres) overall, 475.8 ft. long (144.8 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 knots, signal letters LHXX. Built for 'A/S Tanktransport', of Tønsberg, Norway, Thorvald Berg the manager. In 1960, the vessel was sold to 'N. R. Bugge Skibs A/S', also of Tønsberg, 'N. R. Bugge' the manager, & renamed Butanga. The vessel was sold again, in 1963, to Oro Co. Ltd., of Monrovia, Liberia, & renamed Oro. In 1964, the vessel was sold to 'Theo. Papadimitriou', of Piraeus, Greece, & renamed Harilaos. The vessel was laid up at Piraeus from Sep. 11, 1968. On Aug. 18, 1969, the vessel arrived at the Valencia, Spain, ship breaking facilities of 'Industrial y Comercial de Levante', to be broken up. WWW data about the vessel is modest. Can you add anything?

194 Hollywood
11447 tons
Hull 789

184361
5508738

Arctic
Dealbrook
1951

A tanker. Per 1 (extensive data incl. voyage data, Hollywood), 2 (data, 3 images, Hollywood, 45% down), 3 (image, Arctic), 4 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 521.4 ft. long (158.9 metres) overall, 152.1 metres perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 1/2 knots, signal letters MLPJ. Built for 'Oil & Molasses Tankers Ltd.', of London, with 'John I. Jacobs & Co. Ltd.' ('Jacobs'), of London, the managers, but soon, also in 1951, per Miramar at least, the vessel became owned by 'Jacobs', primarily a tanker company. A number of voyages to Mena al Ahmadi, Kuwait, presumably to load oil. The vessel arrived on Feb. 2, 1960 in the River Blackwater, Essex, & was laid up there until Jun. 10, 1960. The vessel was then sold to 'Federal Sea Equipment Ltd.' ('SeaEquipment'), of Nassau, the Bahamas, modified for Arctic service at Husbands shipyard at Southampton, & renamed Arctic. Still registered at London perhaps. I read that the vessel was chartered, likely in the early 1960s, by Federal Commerce & Navigation, Watts, Watts the managers, to make trips to the Canadian Arctic to re-supply the DEW line radar bases & other outports & act as a supply/mother ship to smaller tankers. Is that data consistent with SeaEquipment being the registered owner? The vessel was sold again, in 1962, to 'Dealship Ltd.' of London, 'J. & J. Denholm (Management) Ltd.', of Glasgow the managers, & renamed Dealbrook. On Aug. 20, 1964, the vessel arrived at the Hong Kong ship breaking facilities of 'Hong Kong Rolling Mills Ltd.', to be broken up. Can you add anything?

195 London Endurance
10081 tons
Hull 794

184615

Erato
1952

A tanker. Per 1 (data, London Endurance, 30% down), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 505.6 ft. long (154.1 metres) overall, 475.0 ft. long (144.8 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 (or 12 1/2) knots, signal letters GNYQ later SZOZ. Single screw, designed to carry petroleum in bulk. One of three sister ships (the other two were London Glory & London Spirit) built for London & Overseas Freighters Ltd., of London. The vessel visited Auckland, New Zealand, once - on Sep. 30, 1952. The vessel was sold, in 1965, to 'Mayfair Tankers Ltd.', Mavroleon Brothers Ltd. the managers, & renamed Erato. The vessel was registered at Piraeus, Greece, however the owners would seem to have been Liberian. On Jul. 16, 1969, the vessel arrived at the Castellon, Spain, ship-breaking facilities of 'I. M. Varela Davalillo' to be broken up. WWW data about the vessel is almost non-existent. Can you add anything?

196 London Glory
10081 tons
Hull 793

184574
5211226

Giannina
1952

A tanker. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 505 ft. 6 in. long (154.1 metres) overall, 475 ft. 0 in. long (144.8 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 knots, signal letters GNLL later SZPF. Single screw, designed to carry petroleum in bulk. One of three sister ships (the other two were London Endurance & London Spirit) built for London & Overseas Freighters Ltd., of London. The vessel was sold, in 1965, to 'Mayfair Tankers Ltd.', of Piraeus, Greece, Mavroleon Brothers Ltd. the managers, & renamed Giannina. And sold on Sep. 15, 1969 to 'Salvamento Y Demolicion Naval S. A.', of Villanueva Y Geltru, NE Spain, to be broken up. Actual break up commenced in Oct. 1969. Can you add anything?

197 London Spirit
10176 tons
Hull 795

184665
5211329

Salamis
1952

A tanker. Per 1 (data & image, 50% down), 2 (image), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 505 ft. 6 in. long (154.1 metres) overall, 475 ft. 0 in. long (144.8 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 12 knots, signal letters MPDS later SZOJ. Single screw, designed to carry petroleum in bulk. One of three sister ships (the other two were London Endurance & London Glory) built for London & Overseas Freighters Ltd., of London. The vessel was sold, in 1965, to 'Mayfair Tankers Ltd.', of Piraeus, Greece, Mavroleon Brothers Ltd. the managers, & renamed Salamis. On May 5, 1970, the vessel was sold to 'Ya Chou Steel Manufacturing Co. Ltd.', of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to be broken up, actual demolition commencing on Jun. 15, 1970. Anything you can add?

198 Alva Star
12223 tons
Hull 798

185914

Angel Gabriel
1953

A tanker. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). Now I used to provide links which described the wreck of the vessel in 1969, at the 'Times of Malta' website, but their archives are no longer available without fee. So I have, at this point, no web site to offer for a description of the wreck circumstances & history. 543 ft. 11 in. long (165.8 metres) overall, 512.0 ft. long (156.06 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 14 1/2 knots, signal letters GQMN later ZFDQ. The vessel carried petroleum in bulk. Built for Alva Steamship Co. Ltd., of London. I have previously indicated in this spot that 'Vlasov Group' were the managers however Lloyd's Register of 1957/58 states that 'Navigation & Coal Trade Co. Ltd.' were then the vessel's managers. On Apl. 3, 1955, the vessel collided with Frank H. Dodd a Liberty ship ('Dodd'), at Southampton. Have not read the circumstances. Dodd was however, I read, badly damaged & had to be beached. In 1958, the vessel was sold or transferred to 'Alvada Shipping Co. Ltd.', of Hamilton, Bermuda - but perhaps was registered at London. In 1967, the vessel was sold to 'Cherouvim Cia Maritima SA', of Piraeus, Greece, (D. Lemos the managers), & renamed Angel Gabriel. On Sep. 23, 1969, the vessel, en route in ballast from Venice, Italy, to Malta to be dry-docked, was caught in a violent storm that in fact lasted 5 days. It would seem that her engines failed & her anchors gave way. She went aground on a rocky shore at 'il-Gżira point', or maybe St. Thomas Point, or 'is-Siberja', at Marsascala (Wied-il-Ghajn), Malta, suffered an explosion & fire & broke in two. At 35.52N/14.34E. There were 50 or so aboard. One life was lost - a crewman who panicked & jumped overboard. A UH-2B Sea Sprite helicopter from CLG-3 Galveston, a U.S. missile cruiser, rescued 15 crewmen & passengers. Others were rescued by a human chain or by breeches buoy. The vessel's fuel tanks did not rupture & there was no pollution. The vessel was later broken up in situ by local contractors. I read that a number of artefacts of the vessel still exist in private collections.  It must have been a sad sight indeed. John Buchanan's colour image of the wreck is at left (thanks John!). Can you correct the above or add anything? Many thousands of people visited the dramatic wreck scene & surely took photographs. An image by Frank Attard, internationally acclaimed as one of the best 10 photos of 1969, was republished in the 'Times of Malta's' 2007 calendar. But that image seems not to be WWW available, even in a small size. Some wreck images perhaps? Now, thanks to Joe Mercieca of Malta, we have five splendid images of the Angel Gabriel wreck & of that human chain, back in 1969.

199 Laurelwood
12402 (later 12407) tons
Hull 800

185988
5069697

Cherryleaf
Agios Constantinos
Aeas
Irene's Fortune

1953

A tanker. Per 1 [John I. Jacobs, Laurelwood (2)], 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 544.0 long (165.8 metres) overall, 512.0 ft. long (156.06 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 or 13 1/2 knots, signal letters GQZQ later 5B2176, carried petroleum in bulk. Built for Molasses and General Transport Company Ltd. ('Molasses'), of London, John I. Jacobs & Co. Ltd. ('Jacobs'), of London, the managers. Re her sea trials (in green). In the Lloyd's Register of 1957/58, Jacobs were the registered owners - the vessel had been sold to them in 1956. Bare boat chartered to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, commissioned (A82) on May 15, 1959, & renamed Cherryleaf, same managers. Described as a Leaf-Class fleet support tanker, & used to transport petroleum products. Decommissioned on Feb. 4, 1966, the vessel was returned to Jacobs, sold to 'Aeas Cia Naviera SA', N. Pateras, of Greece likely the managers, & renamed Agios Constantinos. In 1967 (no ownership change) she was renamed Aeas. In 1972, the vessel was sold to 'Silver Pine Maritime Co. Ltd.', Tsakos Shipping & Trading Ltd. of Famagusta, Cyprus, the managers, & renamed Irene's Fortune. (Miramar refers to Irenes Fortune). Indeed the first owned 'Tsakos' tanker. On Dec. 13, 1975, the vessel left Piraeus, Greece, for demolition at nearby Lavrion/Laurium (Lavrio or Λαύριον), on the SE coast of Attica, Greece. Can you add anything?

200 Huntfield
11113 (in 1967 became 11038) tons
Hull 799

169257
5156866

Cosmo Trader
Winfield Trader
1954

Built as a tanker but converted in 1967 into a bulk carrier. Per 1 (Typhoon Rose), 2 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 529 ft. 1 in. long (161.3 metres) overall, 495 ft. 0 in. long (150.9 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 14 knots, signal letters GRPW. Built for Hunting Steamship Co. Ltd., (Hunting & Son Limited the managers), of Newcastle-upon-Tyne & launched (in red) on Dec. 21, 1953. Visited Auckland, New Zealand, once, on Oct. 11, 1955. In 1965, the vessel was sold for approximately £197,500 to 'Oriental Trader Navigation Co. S.A.' of Panama (Miramar states 'Eastern Navigation & Commerce Co. Ltd.' of Panama) & in 1966 renamed Cosmo Trader. In 1967 the vessel was sold to 'Winfield Navigation Co. SA', of Panama, converted (where?) into a bulk carrier of 11,038 gross tons, & in 1968 renamed Winfield Trader. In mid Aug. 1971, Typhoon Rose, a category 4 typhoon, battered the northern Philippines & eastern China including the Hong Kong area, with high winds, high seas & heavy rainfall. Two large vessels were capsized or sunk, one of them, the Hong Kong-Macau ferry Fatshan sinking (3 says capsized) with the loss of 88 lives. There was major damage to vessels of all sizes, multiple merchant ship collisions & an amazing 25 merchant vessels driven ashore, including Winfield Trader, then under repair, driven aground on Aug. 16, 1971 at NE Lantau island. I read that the overall damage due to the typhoon was incalculable, that 133 people lost their lives & thousands were made homeless. Can anyone tell us the extent of damage to Winfield Trader? Which was, however, re-floated on Sep. 28, 1971. I presume that the damage must have been severe because on Dec. 20, 1971, the vessel was at Hong Kong to be broken up, & was broken up there in 1972, or per Miramar on Dec. 20, 1971 at the ship breaking facilities of 'Leung Yau Shipbreaking Co. Ltd.' WWW data about the ship is essentially non-existent. Is it possible that you have anything to add?

201 Somersby
5893 (became 8460 tons - have also read  7298 & 8438 tons)
Hull 801

180097
529264
5292646

Reliant
1954

Built as a grain carrier & refrigerated - but had a change of career! Per 1 [Somersby (3)], 2 (extensive data & image, Reliant, 50% down page), 3 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 468 ft. 10 in. long (140.8 metres) overall, 440 ft. 0 in. (139.5 metres) long perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 16 knots, signal letters GRLK, with capacity for 12 passengers. Built for Ropner Shipping Co. Ltd. (the 3rd fleet vessel named Somersby), managed by Sir R. Ropner & Co. (Management) Ltd., of West Hartlepool. The vessel traded initially between U.K., Persian Gulf & Mexico. It was purchased, in 1957 or 1958, by the Admiralty, extensively modified & converted at Smith's Dock, North Shields, into the first 'Air Victualing Stores Issuing Ship', RFA Reliant, A84, to service & replenish aircraft carriers at sea. Lloyd's Register of 1968/69 states that the 'Secretary of State for Defence' to be the vessel's then owners. Complement of 110, speed of 17 or 18 knots, with helicopter deck. Reliant was first deployed on Nov. 4, 1958 - Chatham to the Far East. In Aug. 1960, the vessel was further converted by Henry Robb Limited, of Leith, Scotland. The vessel was known affectionately, I have read, as 'the Yacht', the pride of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Served mainly with the Eastern Fleet. You can read more of her RFA service at link 2. The vessel visited Auckland, New Zealand twice. In 1972, it was placed in reserve at Rosyth (Firth of Forth). And in Aug. 1977, was scrapped at the T. W. Ward Ltd. ship breaking facilities at nearby Inverkeithing. Is it possible that you have anything to add?

202 Border Reiver
11356 tons
Hull 805

186846

Nicea
1955

A tanker. Per 1 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 547 ft. 1 in. long (166.8 metres) overall, 515 ft. 0 in. long (156.97 metres) perpendicular to perpendicular, speed of 13 1/2 knots, signal letters MSDJ later 5MSE. Built for 'The Lowland Tanker Co. Ltd.' ('Lowland'), of Newcastle, Common Brothers Ltd., the managers, also of Newcastle. A 'BP' tanker, it would seem, since Lowland was 50% owned by The British Petroleum Company (with the other 50% being split equally by 'Jardine Matheson' & 'Common Brothers Ltd.'), Lowland being formed to operate 10 chartered tankers, presumably including Border Reiver. Have read nothing about her service except for a 'snippet' 1958 reference to Caripito in eastern Venezuela. In 1971, the vessel was sold to 'Nicea Shipping Corporation' of Monrovia, Liberia, Southern Shipping & Finance Company Ltd. the managers, & renamed Nicea. On Apl. 20, 1976, the vessel arrived at San Esteban de Pravia, Asturias, northern Spain, to be broken up at the shipbreaking facilities there of 'Desguaces Aviles'. WWW data is most limited. Anything you can add?

The first page, with 100 'Laing' vessels, is available here. And the third advancing page is here.

The list continues re 'Doxford & Sunderland Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. or maybe 'Group''

TO END THE PAGE

Almost certainly unrelated to the shipbuilding 'Laings', but a visually interesting item indeed. A beer bottle label which advertises 'Laing Brothers', wine & spirit merchants, of 98 High Street West & 31 Green Street, in Sunderland. An eBay item in Jul. 2012, but with the listing image rotated & roughly straightened for inclusion on this page.

There clearly is a lot of interest in such labels. This one sold for GBP 23.09 or U.S. $36.06 on Jul. 15, 2012. After 4 bids.

Is it possible that you can advise us about 'Laing Brothers'. How long were they in business? Could they be still in business? How old is the label? If you can help any, so do please contact the webmaster here.

An old glass bottle marked 'Laing Brothers' is here, saved from a site now long gone. Re black beer. With their distinctive logo.

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. [ ] £ ü ö

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