SS Laura (1908)

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see SS Laura and German ship Sylt.
"Georgios Matsas" redirects here. Not to be confused with
Georgios L Matsas
.

History
Name
  • Laura (1908–35)
  • Sylt (1935–45)
  • Empire Continent (1945–47)
  • Master Nicholas (1947–52)
  • Soussana II (1952–55)
  • Georgios Matsas (1955)
  • Sur (1955–65)
Owner
  • A/S Dampskibs Selskap Vesterhavet (1908–17)
  • unknown (1917–35)
  • Wendenhof Reederei (1935–40)
  • Kriegsmarine (1940–45)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1945)
  • Ministry of Transport (1945–47)
  • A G Tsavliris Ltd (1947–52)
  • N T Papadatos (1952–55)
  • Loucas G Matsas (1955)
  • Dabaco & Co (1955–65)
Operator
  • J Lauritzen (1908–17)
  • unknown (1917–35)
  • Wendenhof Reederei (1935–40)
  • Kriegsmarine (1940–45)
  • G R Cuthbert Brown & Co Ltd (1945–47)
  • A G Tsavliris Ltd (1947–52)
  • N T Papadatos (1952–55)
  • Loucas G Matsas (1955)
  • Dabaco & Co (1955–65)
Port of registry
  • Denmark Esbjerg (1908–17)
  • German Empire Germany(1917–19)
  • Weimar Republic Germany (1919–33)
  • Nazi Germany Germany (1933–35)
  • Nazi Germany Wismar (1935–40)
  • Nazi Germany Kriegsmarine (1940–45)
  • United Kingdom London (1945–52)
  • Greece Greece (1952–55)
  • Panama Panama City (1955–65)
BuilderKjøbenhavns Flydedok & Skibsværft
Launched1908
Identification
  • Code Letters NRDG (1908–17)
  • Code Letters GJBN (1945–52)
  • United Kingdom
    Official Number
    180805 (1945–52)
FateScrapped
General characteristics
Class and typeCoaster
Tonnage
Length
  • 211 ft 2 in (64.36 m) (1908–45)
  • 210 ft 0 in (64.01 m) (1945–65)
Beam30 ft 7 in (9.32 m)
Draught
  • 13 ft 1 in (3.99 m) (1908–45)
  • 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m) (1945–65)
Depth
  • 16 ft 2 in (4.93 m) (1908–45)
  • 13 ft 4 in (4.06 m) (1945–65)
Installed powerTriple expansion steam engine
PropulsionScrew propellor

Laura was an 842 GRT coaster that was built in 1908 by Kjøbenhavns Flydedok & Skibsværft, Copenhagen, Denmark for Danish owners. She was captured in 1917 by UC-79 and passed to German owners as a prize of war.

A sale in 1935 saw her renamed Sylt. She was seized by the Allies in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Continent., then Master Nicholas following a sale in 1947. In 1952, she was sold to Greece and renamed Soussana II. A further sale in 1955 saw her renamed Georgios Matsas.

On 18 April 1955, she struck a reef off Muros, Spain and sank. Although Georgios Matsas was refloated two months later, she was declared a constructive total loss. Despite this, she was sold to Panama, repaired and renamed Sur, serving until 1965 when she was scrapped.

Description

The ship was built in 1908 by Kjøbenhavns Flydedok & Skibsværft, Copenhagen.[1]

As built, the ship was 211 feet 2 inches (64.36 m) long, with a beam of 30 feet 7 inches (9.32 m). She had a depth of 13 feet 1 inch (3.99 m) and a draught of 16 feet 2 inches (4.93 m). As built the ship had a GRT of 787. She was 736 NRT, 1,135 DWT.[2]

The ship was propelled by a

triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 14 inches (36 cm), 23 inches (58 cm) and 37 inches (94 cm) diameter by 24 inches (61 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Kjøbenhavns Flydedok & Skibsværft.[2]

History

Laura was built for

Göteborg, Sweden to Hull, United Kingdom, when she was captured by the German U-boat UC-79 in the Skagerrak at 58°02′N 08°19′E / 58.033°N 8.317°E / 58.033; 8.317 and taken as a prize of war.[3]

In 1935, Laura was sold to Wendenhof Reederei

Official Number 180805 were allocated. She was placed under the management of G F Cuthbert Brown & Co Ltd. Empire Continent was recorded as 210 feet 0 inches (64.01 m) long, with a beam of 30 feet 7 inches (9.32 m), a depth of 13 feet 4 inches (4.06 m) and a draught of approximately 14 feet 0 inches (4.27 m).[5]

In 1947, Empire Continent was sold to A G Tsavliris Ltd, London and was renamed Master Nicolas. In 1952, she was sold to N T Papadatos, Greece and was renamed Soussana II. In 1955,

Santander, Spain in August 1965.[1]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-85044-275-4
    .
  2. ^ a b c "Officiel Fortegnelse over Danske Krigs- og Handelsskibe, Januar 1911" (PDF) (in Danish). Søfartens Bibliotek. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Laura". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  4. ^ "WBS 3/FRITZ HOMANN" (in German). Historisches Marinearchiv. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  5. ^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  6. ^ "Company history". Loucas G Matsas. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SS_Laura_(1908)&oldid=1214503149"