SS Thuringia (1922)

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History
Name
  • Thuringia (1922–30)
  • General San Martin (1930–46)
  • Empire Deben (1946–49)
Owner
  • Hamburg Amerikanische Paketfahrt AG (1922–36)
  • Hamburg-Südamerikanische Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft (1936–40)
  • Kriegsmarine (1940–45)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1945)
  • Ministry of Transport (1945–49)
Operator
  • Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt AG (1923–34)
  • Hamburg-Südamerikanische Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft (1934–40)
  • Kriegsmarine (1940–45)
  • Shaw, Savill & Albion Line (1945–49)
Port of registry
  • Weimar Republic Hamburg, Germany (1922–33)
  • Nazi Germany Hamburg (1933–45)
  • Nazi Germany Kriegsmarine (1940–45)
  • United Kingdom London, United Kingdom (1945–49)
BuilderHowaldtswerke
Launched12 August 1922
Completed10 January 1923
Commissioned20 January 1940
Decommissioned26 June 1945
Maiden voyage22 January 1923
Out of serviceMarch 1949
Identification
  • Code Letters RDFC (1922–34)
  • Code Letters DHIR (1934–45)
  • Code Letters GQXY (1945–49)
FateScrapped
General characteristics
Type
  • Ocean liner (1922–40)
  • Barracks ship (1940–45)
  • Tender (1945)
  • Hospital ship (1945)
  • Troopship (1945–49)
Tonnage
Length150.90 m (495 ft 1 in)
Beam18.50 m (60 ft 8 in)
Depth8.50 m (27 ft 11 in)
Installed power5,300 shp (4.0 MW)
PropulsionSteam turbine
Speed13.5 kn (25.0 km/h)
Range13,500 nmi (25,000 km)
Capacity158 Cabin class passengers and 380 3rd class passengers (Thuringia)
Complement164

Thuringia was an 11,251 GRT

evacuation of civilians from the Baltic
.

She was seized in May 1945 by the British at Copenhagen, Denmark, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Deben. She served as a troopship until 1949, when she was scrapped.

Description

The ship was built in 1922 by Howaldtswerke, Kiel.[1] She was yard number 610.[2]

The ship was 150.90 metres (495 ft 1 in) long, with a beam of 18.50 metres (60 ft 8 in). She had a draft of 8.50 metres (27 ft 11 in).[2] She was assessed at 11,251 GRT,[1] 6,579 NRT.[3]

The ship was propelled by a steam turbine, driving a single screw propeller . The turbine was made by Brown, Boveri & Compagnie, Mannheim. Rated at 5,300 shp (4.0 MW), it could propel her at 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h). Steam was supplied by five boilers. Her range was 11,500 nautical miles (21,300 km)[2]

History

Thuringa was built for the

Halifax – New York route.[5]

In 1930, she was refitted for service on the

Hamburg-Südamerikanische Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft (Hamburg Süd). General San Martin was bought by Hamburg Süd on 30 June 1936.[5]

On 20 January 1940, General San Martin was requisitioned by the

evacuation of civilians from the Baltic.[1] She transported over 30,000 people in eleven voyages. From 4 April 1945, she served as a hospital ship.[2]

General San Martin was seized by the British in May 1945 at

Code Letters GQXY were allocated. Her port of registry was London.[10] She was operated under the management of the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line.[1] In 1946, she was renamed Empire Deben. She was used as a troopship, serving in this role until 1949.[2] Her departure from Southampton, Hampshire on 14 September 1948 for Gibraltar, Malta and Port Said, Egypt was delayed due to engine defects.[11] One of the apprentices who served on board Empire Deben was Dennis Scott-Masson, who was the captain of Canberra during the Falklands War.[12] Empire Deben was scrapped in March 1949 at Newport, Monmouthshire.[2]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-85044-275-4
    .
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Lazarettschiffe General San Martin". Feldgrau. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  3. ^ a b "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  4. ^ "Hamburg-American Packet Company / Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfarhrt Aktien-Gesellschaft (HAPAG) / Hamburg-American Line / Hamburg-Amerika Linie". The Ships List. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "THURINGIA ( 1923 - 1949 )" (in German). Schiffe Maxim. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  6. ^ "Hamburg-American Line". Timetable images. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  7. ^ "German Liner Aground". The Times. No. 45902. London. 15 August 1931. col C, p. 8.
  8. ^ "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 46237. London. 28 December 1932. col D, p. 17.
  9. ^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  10. ^ "Signal Letters Database". Convoyweb. Retrieved 5 June 2011. (Enter GQXY or Empire Deben in relevant search box)
  11. ^ "Troopship delayed". The Times. No. 51177. London. 15 September 1949. col C, p. 3.
  12. ^ "Captain 'DJ' Scott-Masson". London: Telegraph Group Newspapers. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2011.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SS_Thuringia_(1922)&oldid=1214703128"