SS Letitia
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image = SS_Captain_Cook_at_Wellington.jpg |Ship caption = The ship as Captain Cook }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|civil}} {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} |Ship name=*Letitia (1924–39)
|Ship namesake= |Ship owner=*Anchor-Donaldson Line (1925–36)
|Ship operator=*Cunard Line and Anchor-Donaldson (1925–36)
|Ship registry =*{{flagicon|UK|civil}} Glasgow (1925–39)
|Ship ordered= |Ship builder= Fairfield SB and Eng Co, Govan |Ship yard number= 601 |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= 14 October 1924 |Ship acquired= |Ship completed= April 1925 |Ship commissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship identification=*UK official number 148847
|Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship honours= |Ship fate=Scrapped in 1960 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|13475|disp=long}}{{cite web |url= http://users.xplornet.com/~shipping/ShipsE1.htm |title=Register of Ships, Em-Ex |publisher=Gilbert Provost |access-date=19 April 2011}}
|Ship displacement= |Ship length=*{{convert|525.7|ft|abbr=on}} p/p
|Ship beam={{convert|66.4|ft|abbr=on}} |Ship depth={{convert|29.5|ft|abbr=on}} |Ship power=9,000 SHP |Ship propulsion=*6 × DR geared turbines by Brown-Curtis-Fairfield
|Ship speed=*{{convert|15|kn|km/h}} (service)
|Ship range= |Ship complement= |Ship capacity=
|Ship armament=*As an armed merchant cruiser:
|Ship armour= |Ship notes= }} |
SS Letitia was an ocean liner built in Scotland for service with the Anchor-Donaldson Line. She continued to serve with its successor company Donaldson Atlantic Line. At the start of the Second World War in September 1939, the British Admiralty requisitioned the ship for service and had it converted to serve as an armed merchant cruiser. She was withdrawn from this service in 1941 to become a troop ship.
Badly damaged in 1943, after being repaired the Letitia was used as a hospital ship in Canada. She was returned to civilian service in 1946 after the end of the war. She was bought by the Ministry of Transport, which renamed her as Empire Brent and assigned Donaldson Brothers and Black to manage her. She sailed on a number of voyages, at times carrying troops to the Far East, as well as being an emigration ship to Australia. She was briefly laid up in 1950. She was returned to service under charter to the Government of New Zealand as Captain Cook. She was withdrawn from service in 1960 and sold for scrap.
Career
=Pre-war service=
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Govan built Letitia, launching her on 14 October 1924{{csr |register=MSI |id=1148847 |access-date=4 March 2009}}{{cite web |title=Ship Descriptions – L |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsL.html |publisher=TheShipsList |access-date=4 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225082017/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsL.html |archive-date=25 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }} and completing her in April 1925. She initially sailed for the Glasgow-based Anchor-Donaldson Ltd, on their summer route between Liverpool, Quebec and Montreal with another Anchor-Donaldson steamer {{SS|Athenia|1922|2}}. In winter she sailed to Halifax and St John's, Newfoundland. Her maiden voyage was from Glasgow to Montreal on 24 April 1925.{{cite web |url= http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=886 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20041112022543/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=886 |url-status= usurped |archive-date= 12 November 2004 |last1=Cameron |first1=Stuart |last2=Stewart |first2=Gavin |last3=Biddulph |first3=Bruce |last4=Lucas |first4=Gary |title=SS Letitia |access-date=4 March 2009 |work=Clydebuilt Ships Database |publisher=clydesite.co.uk}} This was a joint venture between Cunard Line and Anchor-Donaldson Line.{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/cunard.html |title=Cunard Line / The British and North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company / Cunard Steamship Company, Limited |publisher=The Ships List |access-date=8 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216020451/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/cunard.html |archive-date=16 December 2009 |df=dmy-all }} She underwent a refit in 1927, and with the reforming of the company into the Donaldson Atlantic Line in 1935, Letitia was one of the assets retained.
Letitia ran aground twice in 1935. The first time was on 11 April at Cape Pappas, Patras, Greece,{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The stranding of the Letitia |date=12 April 1935 |page=27 |issue=47037 |column=G }} where she was refloated on 13 April.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Letitia refloated |date=15 April 1935 |page=24 |issue=47039 |column=E }} The second was on 16 August on the South Briggs Reef at the entrance to Belfast Lough.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Liner aground in fog |date=16 August 1935 |page=10 |issue=47145 |column=F }} The passengers were disembarked,{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Downland for the nation: Lady Buxton's gift |date=19 August 1935 |page=14 |issue=47146 |column=A-G }} and on 20 August she was refloated.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Letitia refloated |date=21 August 1935 |page=7 |issue=47148 |column=D }}
Second World War
The Admiralty requisitioned Letitia on 9 September 1939, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War.{{cite book |last=Colledge |title=Ships of the Royal Navy, Vol. 2 |page=209}}{{cite web |url= http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3358.html |title=HMS Letitia (F 16) |access-date=4 March 2009 |first=Guðmundur |last=Helgason |date=1995–2014 |work=Allied Warships |publisher=Uboat.net}} She was refitted to arm her with eight {{convert|6|in|adj=on}} and two {{convert|3|in|adj=on}} guns, and entered Royal Navy service on 6 November 1939 with the pennant number F16.
She spent most of her time in the Atlantic; initially between October 1939 and January 1940 deploying with the Halifax Escort Force. On 6 January 1940, Convoy HX 15 left Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving at Liverpool on 19 January. Letitia was an escort for the convoy.{{cite web |url= http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hx15.html |title=Convoy HX 15 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=8 December 2009}} Most of 1940 was spent with the Northern Patrol, followed by the period of November 1940 to February 1941 with the Northern and Western Patrol. On 13 January 1941, Letitia ran aground at Halifax, Nova Scotia and was badly damaged.{{cite web |url= http://janda.org/ships/SHIPSL.doc |title=New York Ships Through Foreign Ports 9.1838 thru 9.1945 |publisher=Janda |access-date=8 December 2009}} She was briefly with the Bermuda and Halifax Escort Force, before returning to the North Atlantic Escort Force between May and June 1941. By now however it had become clear to the Admiralty that using liners such as Letitia as armed merchant cruisers left them too exposed to attack, without offering substantially increased protection.{{cite web |title=SS Athenia |url=http://smmlonline.com/articles/athenia/athenia.html |publisher=Plastic Ship Modeler |access-date=4 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905123627/http://www.smmlonline.com/articles/athenia/athenia.html |archive-date=5 September 2008 |df=dmy-all }} The remaining merchant cruisers were withdrawn from service, Letitia being withdrawn on 7 June 1941, and were instead used as troop ships by the Ministry of War Transport.
On 10 January 1942 part of Convoy WS 15 sailed from Liverpool, with another part sailing from the Clyde on 11 January. The two parts combined off Orsay on 12 January. Letitia was with the Liverpool part and was destined for Durban.{{cite web |url= http://www.naval-history.net/xAH-WSConvoys05-1942A.htm |title=WS Convoys – January to June 1942 Sailings, including one DM Convoy, WS 15 to 20B |publisher=Naval History |access-date=8 December 2009}} On 29 March 1942 Letitia arrived at Glasgow from Cape Town. On 22 August 1942, Convoy AT 20 sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia{{cite web |url= http://www.daileyint.com/seawar/seawar4.htm |title= Collision at Sea, "Close the convoy" Orders Take Heavy Toll in WW II Fog off Halifax |publisher=Franklin E Dailey |access-date=8 December 2009}} During the evening of 22 August, Letitia failed to react to an order to perform an emergency zig-zag and {{USS|Buck|DD-420|6}} was sent to correct Letitia's actions. This set in motion a chain of events that led to a collision between {{USS|Ingraham|DD-444|6}} and {{USS|Chemung|AO-30|6}}, which sank Ingraham. There was a further collision between HMT Awatea and {{USS|Buck|DD-420|6}}.{{cite web |url= http://www.daileyint.com/seawar/apejtwas.htm |title=No 'Abandon Ship' for Ingraham, USS Philadelphia, Buck, Bristol Logs, and USS Chemung Court of Inquiry, Fill Convoy AT-20 Record Gaps |publisher=Franklin E Dailey |access-date=8 December 2009}} In November 1942, Convoy MFK 1Y left Gibraltar for the United Kingdom.{{cite web |url= http://www.leatherheadweb.org.uk/warmemorials/kebbell_df_151142.htm |title=Leatherhead War Memorials: Donald Frederick Kebbell |publisher=Leatherhead web |access-date=8 December 2009}}
On 23 January 1943, Convoy WS 26 sailed from the Clyde, destined for Durban, South Africa via Freetown, Sierra Leone and Cape Town, South Africa. Letitia left the convoy at Freetown.{{cite web |url= http://www.naval-history.net/xAH-WSConvoys06-1943.htm |title=WS Convoys – 1943 Sailings, WS 26 to 33 |publisher=Naval History |access-date=8 December 2009}} On 27 February, Convoy KMF 10A formed off Orsay in conjunction with Convoy WS 27. On 18 May 1943, Convoy WS 30 left Liverpool, combining with Convoy KMF 15 off Orsay on 21 May. Letitia was a member of both these convoys.
File:Letitia 4233321.jpg in Halifax]]
On 4 November 1943, Convoy KMS left the United Kingdom for the Mediterranean. Letitia joined the convoy at Algiers and left at Philippeville.{{cite web |url= http://warsailors.com/convoys/kmsconvoys.html |title=KMS Convoys – 1942–1945, KMS 1 through KMS 30 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=8 December 2009}} Letitia served in this role until 1943, when she was badly damaged. She was able to sail to the United States for repairs, after which she was used by the Canadian government as a hospital ship, carrying 200 medical personnel and with a capacity for 1,000 patients. She spent the remainder of the war carrying wounded Canadian personnel to the Pier 21 terminal at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was due to be reassigned to the Pacific Ocean when the war ended. She continued in service in the immediate aftermath of the war, repatriating Canadian service personnel. She was sold in 1946, during this period as a transport, to the Ministry of Transport, which renamed her Empire Brent. The Ministry assigned her to be operated on their behalf by her previous owners, now trading as Donaldson Bros & Black Ltd.{{cite web |url=http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/EmpireB.html |last=Finch |first=Ted |title=Empire – B |work=The 'Empire' Ships |publisher=Mariners |date=2001 |access-date=4 March 2009}}
=Post-war service=
While sailing for Halifax from Britain in 1946, Empire Brent collided with {{SS|Stormont||2}} in the River Mersey on 20 November 1946, sinking Stormont and requiring Empire Brent to sail to Birkenhead to be dry-docked for repairs to her bow.{{cite book |last=Plowman |title=Australian Migrant Ships|page=72}} A complete overhaul on the Clyde followed in December that year, during which time she was refitted again to be a troop ship. She sailed between India, the UK and the Far East for the next two years, before transferring to run an emigration service between the UK and Australia in 1949. She was on this service until being withdrawn and laid up in late 1950. After six months out of service she was refitted to carry emigrants from the UK to New Zealand, and renamed Captain Cook. She worked under charter to the Government of New Zealand, who paid for her in a series of instalments. She began her voyages in early 1952, sailing between Glasgow and Wellington via the Panama Canal. She briefly returned to her pre-war sailing route across the Atlantic from the UK to Canada in 1955, but then resumed the New Zealand route. A fire while in harbour at Wellington in 1957 caused extensive damage, but she was able to sail to the UK where she was repaired. The New Zealand government bought her outright by 1959. She made her final voyage to Glasgow in early 1960, and was then laid up at Falmouth, Cornwall. Captain Cook was then sold to BISCO, who towed her to Inverkeithing, where she arrived on 29 April 1960 to be scrapped.
Official numbers and code letters
Official numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. Letitia had the United Kingdom Official Number 148847. She had the code letters KSLT until 1933,{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/33/33b0526.pdf |year=1933 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=8 December 2009}} and the Call sign GLBX from 1934.{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/34/34b0501.pdf |year=1934 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=8 December 2009}}
Notes
{{Commons category|Letitia (ship, 1925)}}
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book |last=Colledge |first=JJ |author-link=J. J. Colledge |year=1970 |title=Ships of the Royal Navy: An Historical Index |volume=2: Navy-built Trawlers, Drifters, Tugs and Requisitioned Ships |place=Newton Abbot |publisher=David & Charles }}
- {{cite book|last1=Osborne|first1=Richard|last2=Spong|first2=Harry|last3=Grover|first3=Tom|title=Armed Merchant Cruisers 1878–1945|year=2007|publisher=World Warship Society|location=Windsor, UK|isbn=978-0-9543310-8-5|name-list-style=amp}}
- {{cite book |last=Plowman |first=Peter |year=2006 |title=Australian Migrant Ships 1946–1977 |publisher=Rosenberg Publishing |isbn=1-877058-40-8 }}
External links
- [https://www.gjenvick.com/OceanTravel/SteamshipLines/Anchor-DonaldsonLine.html Anchor-Donaldson Line History and Ephemera (Letitia and Athenia) at the GG Archives]
{{Empire ships}}
{{Cunard ships}}
{{1935 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letitia}}
Category:World War II Auxiliary cruisers of the Royal Navy
Category:Ships built on the River Clyde
Category:Hospital ships in World War II
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Passenger ships of New Zealand
Category:Steamships of New Zealand
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Troop ships of the Royal Navy
Category:World War II passenger ships of the United Kingdom