SS Empire Simba
launching on 4 June 1918
| |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USS West Cohas (ID-3253) |
Builder |
|
Yard number | 24[2] |
Laid down | 2 April 1918[1] |
Launched | 4 June 1918[1] |
Completed | 29 June 1918[1] |
Commissioned | 29 June 1918[3] |
Decommissioned | 9 May 1919[3] |
Fate | Returned to USSB |
History | |
Name | West Cohas |
Owner |
|
Route | 1926: Galveston – London[6] |
Identification |
|
Fate | Scuttled 11 September 1945[7] |
General characteristics | |
Type | Cargo ship |
Tonnage | |
Displacement | 12,225 t[3] |
Length | |
Beam | 54.2 ft (16.5 m)[4] |
Draught | 24 ft 2 in (7.37 m) (mean)[3] or 27.1 ft (8.3 m)[4] |
Installed power | 2,700 bhp (2,000 kW)[citation needed] |
Propulsion | General Electric double reduction-geared steam turbine[4] |
Speed | 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h) (1918)[3] |
Capacity | 56 passengers (1919)[8] |
Complement | 73[3] |
Armament |
|
SS Empire Simba was a British
West Cohas was built in 1918 for the
West Cohas ran aground off Sable Island in 1925 while trying to assist a vessel in distress, but otherwise had a relatively uneventful merchant career for the USSB. In 1933, she was sold to the Lykes Brothers Steamship Company. In 1939, she collided with the Irish passenger ship Munster, which damaged both vessels. In June 1940, West Cobalt was sold to British interests and renamed Empire Simba.
During convoy service in
Design and construction
The West ships were
West Cohas (Skinner & Eddy No. 24, USSB No. 1177)
The ship was 409.6 ft (124.8 m) long between perpendiculars[4] and 423 ft 9 in (129.16 m) overall,[3] and had a beam of 54.2 ft (16.5 m).[4] Her draught was 24 feet 2 inches (7.37 m) (mean)[3] or 27.1 ft (8.3 m)[4] and her depth of hold was 29 ft 9 in (9.07 m).[3] Her tonnages were 5,647 GRT,[4] 5,173 tons under deck;[4] 3,465 NRT[4] 8,554 DWT[12] 12,225 displacement.[3]
The ship had a double reduction-geared
Military career
USS West Cohas (ID-3253) was
After her return, West Cohas made two post-war more voyages to
Civilian career
After her return to the USSB, West Cohas sailed on a France – Southampton – New York route through 1920.[13] In September 1919, West Grama carried 56 passengers from Bassens to New York.[8]
Little is known about West Cohas's subsequent civilian career until 1925. On 20 July,
In 1933, West Cohas was sold to the
World War II
On 21 June 1940, Lykes Brothers sold West Cohas to British interests for transfer to British registry. The crew for the newly British ship was shipped from Liverpool on the Cunard Line ocean liner Scythia to New York via Halifax and bussed to Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the ship. Sailing from that port, they took on a load of scrap iron and headed for Bermuda.[19][20] At Bermuda, West Cohas joined a convoy to Halifax and then on to Liverpool. At about 1030 hrs on 19 August West Cohas lost track of the convoy but continued on independently,[21] arriving at Liverpool on 23 August. West Cohas sailed for Methil five days later and arrived on 1 September.[19]
The ship was transferred to the
After two weeks in Baltimore, Empire Simba headed to
By mid-August 1941, Empire Simba, with a completely new crew,[20] had been repaired enough to set out in a Liverpool – Freetown convoy, but evidently returned to Liverpool the same day. After making her way to Oban on 9 September, she began the first of seven roundtrips to Freetown over the next 18 months, including convoy SL 125.[22] Twice, when setting out with convoys, Empire Simba had to return to port with unspecified problems.[26][27] In a third convoy sailing, a problem with her steering gear caused her to collide with another convoy ship, Empire Scott,[28] and on 1 August Empire Simba straggled and dropped out of the convoy.[26][29]
In February and March 1944, Empire Simba made an extended round trip from the United Kingdom to Gibraltar. During this time, she called in
Scuttling
By August 1945, Empire Simba was at anchor in the harbour of
Empire Simba was one of four redundant cargo ships that the
Notes
References
- ^ OCLC 2449383.
- ^ a b c Colton, Tim. "Skinner & Eddy, Seattle WA". Shipbuildinghistory.com. The Colton Company. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Naval Historical Center. "West Cohas". DANFS.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Lloyd's Register of Shipping (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
- ^ a b Lloyd's Register of Shipping (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1945. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
- ^ a b "Texas grain tonnage assured". The Wall Street Journal. 11 November 1926. p. 2.
- ^ a b c "West Cohas". Miramar Ship Index. R.B. Haworth. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ a b "Passengers for Voyage of West Grama". The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. 2000. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ Crowell & Wilson 1921, pp. 358–59.
- ^ Hurley 1920, pp. 92–93.
- ^ Shipping Board Operations, p. 624.
- ^ a b Crowell & Wilson 1921, p. 595
- ^ "West Cohas". The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. 2000. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ "Steamer strikes shoal seeking stranded ship". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 20 July 1925. p. 5.
- ^ "Labrador". Miramar Ship Index. R.B. Haworth. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ a b "The 'Empire' ships: M". Mariners. Ted Finch. 14 June 2001. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ Kleiner, Diana J. "Lykes Brothers". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
- Chicago Daily Tribune. 20 July 1938. p. 7.
- ^ a b "Port Arrivals/Departures: West Cobalt". Arnold Hague's Ports Database. Convoy Web. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f Harrison, David (15 June 2005). "Empire Simba". WW2 People's War: An archive of World War Two memories. BBC. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ Lawson, Siri. "Convoy HX 64". Ships in Atlantic Convoys. WarSailors.com. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f "Port Arrivals/Departures: Empire Miniver". Arnold Hague's Ports Database. Convoy Web. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ "Convoy HX.108". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ "Convoy SC.22". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1941, Marz". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Convoy OS.19". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ "Convoy SL.114". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ Hutson 2006, p. 85.
- ^ "Convoy SL.116". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ "Poison-gas dumped in the sea". News in Brief. The Times. No. 50241. London. 7 September 1945. col D, p. 2.
- ^ a b Bowles, R. British Isles Explosive Dumping Grounds. London: Ministry of Defence. p. 2.
- ^ Lettens, Jan; Allen, Tony (27 December 2010). "Pentridge Hill SS (1936~1939) Lambridge SS [+1945]". The Wreck Site. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
Bibliography
- OCLC 18696066.
- Hurley, Edward Nash (1920). The New Merchant Marine. New York: Century. OCLC 751444.
- Hutson, Harry C. (2006) [1997]. Arctic Interlude (Third Merriam ed.). ISBN 978-1-57638-059-8.
- Naval Historical Center. "West Cohas". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- OCLC 64558341.
External links
- Photo gallery of West Cohas (ID 3253) at NavSource Naval History