SS Gedania
![]() SS Gedania, built in 1919
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History | |
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Name |
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Namesake | Danzig (in Latin) |
Owner |
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Operator |
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Builder | Howaldtswerke, Kiel |
Yard number | 587 |
Launched | September 1919 |
Completed | October 1920 |
Out of service | 25 July 1960 |
Homeport |
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Identification | |
Fate | Broken up in Inverkeithing by Thos. W. Ward |
General characteristics | |
Type | Tanker |
Tonnage | |
Length | 499 ft 0 in (152.10 m) |
Beam | 64 ft 0 in (19.51 m) |
Depth | 31 ft 7 in (9.63 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | quadruple expansion |
Speed | 10+1⁄4 knots (19.0 km/h; 11.8 mph) |
SS Gedania was an oil tanker built in 1919-1920 at
Construction
The steam tanker Gedania was launched in September 1919 by
As built, Gedania had a length of 499 ft 0 in (152.10 m), a beam of 64 ft 0 in (19.51 m), and a depth of 31 ft 7 in (9.63 m). The tanker measured 8,966
Registry and civilian career
In 1919, before the two ships were completed, they were transferred to Baltisch-Amerikanische Petroleum Import Gesellschaft (BAPIG), a Standard Oil subsidiary in the Free City of Danzig, and registered there in order not to be included in the war reparations arrangements under the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 which caused DAPG to lose their German-flag ships.[4]
During her service with BAPIG, the vessel was largely used to transport oil from the ports of Gulf Coast of the United States and Mexico to Germany. Wilhelm Anton Riedemann was one of Standard Oil's partners in DAPG,
In 1922 a Bauer-Wach low pressure
Requisition
When World War II started, Gedania was sailing from Aruba to Germany. To avoid capture, the ship was forced to seek refuge in the Port of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. On 1 October 1940 Gedania was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine and ordered to sail on 15 October 1940 to Saint-Nazaire to be outfitted, arriving on the 2 November 1940.[1]
In Saint-Nazaire, the ship was converted into a supply oiler for the German battleship Bismarck and given the code name "Maikäfer" (cockchafer).[1][9][10]
Crew
At the start of her military life, Gedania had a crew of 101 men of which 45 were Kriegsmarine sailors. The senior naval officer aboard was the ship's doctor.[1]
Outfitting and supplies
The ship underwent extensive modification to expand the available space for supplies.[1] The following structural changes were made:
- Store rooms were to be built below the main deck, for'ard.
- A refrigerator was supplied and installed.
- In the rear, store rooms for prisoners were created. Initially rooms for 300 prisoners were requested by the naval architect, Wilhelm Meyer, but the decision was made to only provide space for 120 people.
- An ammunition store was created in the forward cargo space.
- Two motorboats for use as escape craft were installed.
- Two 7.5 cm guns with large stereoscopic rangefinders along with four 2cm anti-aircraft gunswere fitted to the after extended boat deck.
- An Anschütz gyrocompass was fitted on the bridge.
The following supplies were taken on in Saint-Nazaire in preparation for sailing:[1]
- 48 torpedoes with fitted warheads
- 48 torpedo pistols, detonators and primers
- 200 gallons of lubricating oil and a similar amount of torpedo fuel.
- 500 shells and 500 cordite charges for 15 cm guns.
- 1600 rounds of fixed 10.5cm ammunition
- 1000 rounds of fixed 7.5cm ammunition
- 2000 rounds of fixed 2.0cm ammunition
- Large cargo of diesel and bunker oil
- A collection of engineers tools and two 8inch lathes
- A wireless transmitter (WT), a direction finder and two portable WT sets for use ashore.
- A collection of canned provisions that included butter, sausages and fruit
- A collection of frozen meat and vegetables that included bacon and potatoes that had started to rot by the time the ship was captured.
Wartime operational cruise
The Gedania sailed from Saint-Nazaire on 0800 on the 25 May 1941 and arrived at
Although the Gedania was a veteran of many cruises, her first military cruise was her last.[1] The mission of the ship was initially thought to be as a supply ship for U-boats in the Southern Atlantic Ocean.[1] However it was noticed that she held specific ammunition that could only be used by surface vessels as well as containing space for 120 prisoners, all indicative of a mission to supply surface craft.[1] When the crew were questioned, some believed that the Gedania would rendezvous, if necessary with the Bismarck and cruiser Prinz Eugen, although no specific instructions were provided.[1] Certainly the initial mission of the ship seemed to be to sail into the Central Atlantic, then find and takeover the patrol of the supply tanker SS Egerland. The Gedania would have remained on position until all the torpedoes were transferred. Further orders were then to be issued by Western Command to both ships.[1]
British-flag service
After capture, Gedania was taken to
While en route to the UK, Empire Garden was purchased from MoWT by the South Georgia Company, a subsidiary of
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p C.B. 4051(28) Report of Interrogation of Prisoners of War from German Supply Ships. London: The Admiralty, Naval Intelligence Division. September 1941. p. 25. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c "Gedania (1168211)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
- ^ "Vistula (2232943)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
- ^ S2CID 247203527. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1930. p. u/n. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ISBN 978-3-406-50276-7. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ a b Lloyd's Register of Ships: Steamers & Motor Ships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1933. p. u/n. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d Gustavsen, Ulf W. "1947 DS Southern Garden". Lardex (in Norwegian and English). Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-7509-1556-4. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ISBN 0-09-179516-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8108-7377-3. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
- ^ Lloyd's Register of Ships: Steamers & Motor Ships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1945. p. u/n. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ a b "Ship with a Jinx?". Liverpool Echo. No. 21303. 21 May 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 23 December 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Shipping Intelligence". Western Morning News. No. 27309. Plymouth. 2 August 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 23 December 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "News". The Shipbuilder and Marine Engine-builder. London: Shipbuilder Press. 1948. p. 420.
- ISBN 0859552411.
- ^ "Whalers are rolling in the barrels". Shields Evening News. No. 28001. North Shields. 18 January 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 23 December 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Fairplay Weekly Shipping Journal. Vol. 196. London: Fairplay Publications. 4 August 1960. p. 49.