SS Dieppe (1905)
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image = HMHS Dieppe (1905).jpg |Ship image size = 300px |Ship caption = HMHS Dieppe (1905) }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header = |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|civil}} {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} |Ship name =*SS Dieppe (1905– )
|Ship owner =*London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (1905– )
|Ship operator = |Ship registry =*{{flagicon|UK|civil}} Newhaven(1905– )
|Ship route = Newhaven — Dieppe (1905–33) |Ship ordered = |Ship builder = Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Govan |Ship original cost = |Ship yard number = 439 |Ship way number = |Ship laid down = |Ship launched = 5 April 1905 |Ship completed = May 1905 |Ship christened = |Ship acquired = |Ship maiden voyage = |Ship in service = |Ship out of service = 18 March 1941 |Ship identification =*UK official number 105655
|Ship fate = Struck a mine and sank | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header = |Header caption = |Ship class = |Ship tonnage =*{{GRT|1210}} (1905– )
|Ship displacement = |Ship length = {{convert|273|ft|5|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |Ship beam = {{convert|34|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |Ship height = |Ship draught = |Ship depth = {{convert|13|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |Ship decks = |Ship deck clearance = |Ship power =*3 × steam turbines (1905–33)
|Ship propulsion =*Triple propellers (1905–33)
|Ship speed =*{{convert|22|kn|km/h}} (1905–33)
|Ship capacity = |Ship crew = |Ship notes = }} |
Dieppe was a steam passenger ferry that was built in 1905 for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. She was requisitioned during the First World War for use as a troopship and later as a hospital ship HMS Dieppe, returning to her owners postwar. She passed to the Southern Railway on 1 January 1923. In 1933 she was sold to W E Guinness and converted to a private diesel yacht, Rosaura. She was requisitioned in the Second World War for use as an armed boarding vessel, HMS Rosaura. She struck a mine and sank off Tobruk, Libya on 18 March 1941.
Description
The ship was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Govan. She was yard number 439 and was launched on 6 April 1905 with completion in May 1905.{{csr|register=MSI|id=1105655|accessdate=6 January 2010}} The ship was {{convert|273|ft|5|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|34|ft|8|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|13|ft|8|in|m|2}}. She was powered by three steam turbines, which were made by Fairfield.{{cite web |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0328.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |accessdate=6 January 2010}} The turbines could propel her at a speed of {{convert|22|kn|km/h}}. When converted to a private yacht, the turbines were replaced by two 8-cylinder Atlas diesel engines. One of her propellers was removed as was one of her funnels. Her speed was reduced to {{convert|15|kn|km/h}}. As built, her GRT was 1,210.{{cite web |url= http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=796 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20041108162710/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=796 |url-status= usurped |archive-date= 8 November 2004 |title=Launched 1905: tss DIEPPE |publisher=Clydesite |accessdate=6 January 2009}} This had increased to 1,426 by 1930, and further increased to 1,536 in 1933.
History
Dieppe was built for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. She was used on their Newhaven — Dieppe route. She was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in the First World War for use as a troopship and a hospital ship. On 27 February 1916 she took aboard over 100 survivors from the {{GRT|12431}} P&O passenger liner {{SS|Maloja||2}}, which was sunk by a mine off Dover.{{cite web |url= http://www.ssmaloja.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=11 |title=SS Maloja, A Terrible Sunday Morning Disaster – February 27th 1916 |work=SS Maloja |year=1916 |accessdate=27 November 2013}}
Dieppe was returned to her owners after the war and passed to the Southern Railway at 1923 grouping.{{cite web |url=http://website.lineone.net/~tom_lee/dieppeimg.htm |title=TSS Dieppe (IV) |publisher=Tom Lee |accessdate=6 January 2010 |archive-date=9 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209093356/http://website.lineone.net/~tom_lee/dieppeimg.htm |url-status=dead }} On 27 November 1924 Dieppe had a mishap in which she ended up hitting the breakwater at Newhaven Harbour stern first. The tugs Alert and Richmere were sent to her aid. Richmere became disabled when a cable became entangled around her propeller. The Newhaven lifeboat Sir Fitzroy Clayton was sent to her aid. Richmere ended up being dashed against the harbour wall and sank. Her crew were rescued by the lifeboat and the tug was later raised and repaired. Dieppe managed to dock some five hours after the drama began.{{cite web |url=http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/527/China-souvenirs-for-the-paddle.1596992.jp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505040756/http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/527/China-souvenirs-for-the-paddle.1596992.jp |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |title=China souvenirs for the paddle steamer trippers |publisher=Peterborough Evening Telegraph |date=29 June 2006 |accessdate=6 January 2010 }}
In September 1933, Dieppe was sold to W E Guinness for conversion to a private yacht. She was renamed Rosaura, replacing {{ship|MY|Roussalka}} which had been lost earlier that year.{{cite web |url= http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?31682 |title=MV Rosaura (+1941) |publisher=Wrecksite |accessdate=6 January 2010}} In August 1934, the Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson took a cruise on Rosaura. According to Wallis, it was on this cruise that she fell in love with the Prince.{{cite web |url=http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/a/kingedward_2.htm |title=King Edward VIII Abdicated for Love (Page 2) |publisher=About.com |accessdate=6 January 2009 |archive-date=10 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610155412/http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/a/kingedward_2.htm |url-status=dead }} Also in 1934, Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine cruised on Rosaura in the eastern Mediterranean.{{cite web |url=http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/reference/churchill-trivia/542-miscellaneous |title=Churchill & Miscellaneous Information |publisher=Churchill |accessdate=6 January 2010 |archive-date=2 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002013654/http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/reference/churchill-trivia/542-miscellaneous |url-status=dead }} On 26 September 1936, Rosaura was in collision with the Dutch coaster {{MV|Henca||2}} at Amsterdam, Netherlands and was severely damaged.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty Reports |date=22 September 1936 |page=19 |issue=47491 |column=G }} She was subsequently repaired.
Rosaura was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in the Second World War for use as an armed boarding vessel in the Contraband Control Service.{{cite web |url= http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4006-15RNOverseas-Dominion.htm |title=ROYAL, DOMINION and INDIAN NAVY SHIPS, June 1940, Part 4 of 4 |publisher=Naval History |accessdate=6 January 2010}} In February 1941, Rosaura was involved in Operation Abstention.{{cite web |url= http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Bonaventure1.htm |title=HMS Bonaventure |publisher=Naval History |accessdate=6 January 2009}} On 18 March 1941 Rosaura struck a mine off Tobruk and sank, claiming the lives of 78 people.{{cite web |url= http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4103-30MAR02.htm |title=Naval Events, March 1941, Part 2 of 2, Saturday 15th – Monday 31st |publisher=Naval History |accessdate=7 December 2011}}
Official number and code letters
Official numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. Dieppe and Rosaura had the UK Official Number 105655. Dieppe used the code letters HCRB.
Legacy
The yacht Rosaura is commemorated in the scientific name of a species of Honduran gecko, Sphaerodactylus rosaurae.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. ("Rosaura", p. 226).
References
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{{LBSC Ships}}
{{SR ships}}
{{1924 shipwrecks}}
{{1936 shipwrecks}}
{{March 1941 shipwrecks}}
{{coord missing|Mediterranean}}
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Category:Ships built on the River Clyde
Category:Hospital ships in World War I
Category:Hospital ships of the Royal Navy
Category:Maritime incidents in 1924
Category:Maritime incidents in 1936
Category:Maritime incidents in March 1941
Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Ships of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
Category:Ships of the Southern Railway (UK)
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom