Clyde (1871 ship)
34°40′16″S 19°25′33″E / 34.67111°S 19.42583°E
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | City of Poona |
| Owner | Smith George and Company |
| Builder | Charles Connell and Company, Scotstoun |
| Laid down | 1870 |
| Launched | 1871 |
| Out of service | Sold 1878 |
| History | |
| Name | Clyde |
| Owner | Temperleys, Carter and Drake |
| Acquired | 1878 |
| Fate | Sunk 3 April 1879 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 2256 grt |
| Length | 99.06 metres (325.0 ft) |
| Beam | 10.97 metres (36.0 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2-cylinder compound steam engine driving a single screw |
The SS Clyde was a steamship, launched as the SS City of Poona in 1871. She was operated by Smith George and Company until 1878 when she was sold to Temperleys, Carter and Drake and renamed. Clyde served as a troopship in 1879, taking British Army reinforcements to Southern Africa for the Anglo-Zulu War. She ran aground on a reef off Dyer Island of 3 April and sank. Her entire complement were saved, being ferried to the mainland by the Clyde's boats. HMS Tamar arrived the following day to embark the troops for the front.
Construction
The City of Poona was built by
City of Poona entered into service with Smith George and Company in 1871.[2] In 1878 she was bought by Temperleys, Carter and Drake and renamed Clyde.[2][1]
Wreck
The 1st battalion of the
The Clyde reached Dyer Island located 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) off the African mainland and around 110 kilometres (70 mi) south-east of Simon's Town on the morning of 3 April.[1][3] At around 4:30 am she ran aground on a reef between the island and the mainland. The situation was quickly seen to be serious and the ship's boats were used to ferry men to the mainland from 6:20 am, starting with the sick. Calm sea helped the evacuation and all troops, bar a working party kept aboard, were off by 11:30 am. The remaining men worked to rescue the troops' baggage until 1:30 pm when it was judged that the ship was sinking beyond recovery. The last men were then ferried ashore. None of the passengers or crew were lost in the sinking. The men chose a campsite some 3.2 kilometres (2 mi) inland, to which the surviving baggage was carried using a local farmer's waggon.[4]
At 8:00 am the chief officer of the Clyde had set off in a boat for Simon's Town to raise the alarm. He reported to the senior Royal Navy officer there at 10:30 pm and HMS Tamar was dispatched to the scene.[4] The Tamar arrived at 9:00 am on 4 April to see only the masts and funnel of the Clyde now visible. The troops were embarked on the Tamar with the process almost complete by 1:30 pm when HMS Tenedos arrived on the scene.[5]
Aftermath
The sinking of the Clyde was the second maritime incident to affect the second invasion; the
All of the stores aboard Clyde, which included large quantities of small arms ammunition, were lost.[6][4] The incident also caused a delay in the arrival of the reinforcements to Natal.[3] Tamar and Tenedos had to return to Simon's Town before carrying the men to Durban, arriving on 7 April.[5][3]
One of the draft, Lieutenant
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8108-6300-2.
- ^ a b c d "SS Clyde". Wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ ISBN 067-1-63108-X.
- ^ OL 8980321M– via Quartermaster General's Department, Intelligence Branch, War Office.
- ^ OL 8980321M– via Quartermaster General's Department, Intelligence Branch, War Office.
- ^ ISBN 0-670-91474-6.