SS Runic (1900)
.png) SS Runic at harbour
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Runic (1900–1930) |
| Owner | White Star Line (1900–1930) |
| Builder | Harland and Wolff, Belfast, UK |
| Yard number | 332 |
| Launched | 25 October 1900 |
| Completed | 22 December 1900 |
| Maiden voyage | 19 January 1901 |
| History | |
 Norway | |
| Name | New Sevilla |
| Owner | A/S Sevilla |
| Port of registry | Oslo, Norway |
| Acquired | 1930 |
| Fate | Sold, 1931 |
| History | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | New Sevilla (1931–1940) |
| Owner | Christian Salvesen (1931–1940) |
| Out of service | 20 September 1940 |
| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk by U-138, 21 September 1940 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Jubilee-class ocean liner |
| Tonnage | 12,482 GRT |
| Length | 550 ft (170 m) |
| Beam | 63.4 ft (19.3 m) |
| Installed power | Two four-cylinder quadruple-expansion steam engines |
| Propulsion | Two propellers |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) service speed |
| Capacity |
|
The SS Runic was a steamship built at
She was the second White Star ship to be named Runic, an earlier ship of that name had served the company between 1889 and 1895.
In 1930 Runic was sold and converted into a whaling factory ship and renamed New Sevilla, she remained in service in this role until September 1940 when she was torpedoed and sunk off the Irish coast with the loss of two lives.[1]
Design and construction
When
White Star Line career
Runic started her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Sydney on 19 January 1901, she quickly proved to be popular on the route. On 25 November that year she went to the assistance of the Union-Castle liner Dunottar Castle which had broken down, and towed the liner to the port of Dakar in West Africa.[2]
_-_SLV_H91.250-532_(crop).jpg)
Runic initially remained in commercial service after the outbreak of the
In October 1921 Runic was sent back to Harland & Wolff for her passenger accommodation to be reconditioned. She spent most of the rest of the 1920s operating on the Australia service in tandem with Medic, Suevic and Ceramic. On 3 November 1928 when she was on an extended voyage to Glasgow, Scotland she collided with HMS London causing minor damage to her stern.[2]
Runic made her last voyage to Australia for White Star in December 1929, following her return she was laid up for disposal after nearly 29 years of service.[2]
New Sevilla
_2018_190.jpg)
In July 1930 Runic was sold to the Sevilla Whaling Co. Of London, a subsidiary of A/S Sevilla of Norway, who converted her into a whaling factory ship at the Germania shipyard in Kiel. She was renamed New Sevilla. Following the rebuild she had an increased gross tonnage of 13,801. Soon after she entered service in her new role A/S Sevilla was taken over by the Scottish firm Christian Salvesen in April 1931.[2]
After nearly a decade in this role, on 20 September 1940 during World War II New Sevilla was sailing as part of the convoy OB 216 from Liverpool to Antarctica when she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-138. She initially remained afloat and was taken in tow, but sank the next day, 30 miles (48 km) off Malin Head, Galway, Ireland at the position (55°48′N 07°22′W / 55.800°N 7.367°W). 282 crew were saved, but two people died. The survivors were picked up by HMS Arabis and the Icelandic trawler Belgaum and landed at Belfast.[5][2]
References
- ^ a b "S/S Runic (2), White Star Line". Norway Heritage. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7110-3366-5.
- ^ "His Majesty's Australian Transports [HMAT] Ships". Retrieved 10 July 2018.
- ^ "HORST MARTINI". Historic England. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
- ^ "New Sevilla British Whale factory ship". uboat.net. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in September 1940 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
|
| Other incidents |
|
