SS Noemijulia
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = | Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name =*Barlby (1895–1926)
| Ship owner =*R Ropner & Co Ltd (1895–1916)
| Ship operator =*As for owners, except the following:
| Ship registry =*{{flagicon|UKGBI|civil}} West Hartlepool, UK (1895–1926)
| Ship renamed = | Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Ropner & Son Ltd (Stockton-on-Tees, England) | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = 312 | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 4 October 1895 | Ship completed = November 1895 | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = 6 January 1960 | Ship identification =*United Kingdom Official Number 99728 (1895–1926, 1930–40, 1943–45)
| Ship fate = Wrecked | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Cargo ship | Ship tonnage =*{{GRT|2,489}} (1895–1943)
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|290|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|47|ft|1|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship depth = {{convert|16|ft|6|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship range = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = Triple expansion steam engine | Ship speed = {{convert|8|kn|km/h}} | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = | Ship notes = | Ship armament = }} |
{{location map|Turkey|width=304
|lat=41.209
|long=30.268
|caption=Approximate location where Uman ran aground off Turkey.
}}
Noemijulia was a {{GRT|2,489}} cargo ship built in 1895 as Barlby by Sir R Ropner & Sons Ltd, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England, for their own use. She was sold to Greece in 1926 and renamed Noemi. In 1930, she was sold to a British company and renamed Noemijulia. Questions about the manner of her operation were raised in the British Parliament in 1935, and she was attacked by Spanish Nationalist aircraft in 1937 off Cape de Creus.
In 1940, she was sold to Panama, followed by a sale to Ireland in 1941 and renaming to Irish Hazel. She was requisitioned in 1943 by the British Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Don, In 1945, she was returned to her previous owners and renamed Irish Hazel. Sold in 1949 and renamed Uman, she served until 1960 when she ran aground and was wrecked.
Construction and design
Noemijulia, originally named Barlby, was built in 1895 by Ropner & Son Ltd, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham.{{cite book |last1= Mitchell |first1=W.H. |last2=Sawyer |first2=L.A. |year=1995 |title=The Empire Ships |page=not cited |publisher=Lloyd's of London Press Ltd |location= London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong |isbn=1-85044-275-4}} Barlby was built for R Ropner & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool. Yard number 312, she was launched on 4 October 1895 and completed in November. The United Kingdom Official Number 99728 was allocated.{{cite web |url=http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/ropner/barlby1895.htm |title=ROPNER & SON., STOCKTON-ON-TEES |publisher=Teesbuiltships |access-date=27 June 2011}} In 1916, Ropner & Son became Sir R Ropner & Co Ltd, and then Ropner Shipping Ltd in 1919.
Barlby was {{convert|290|ft|0|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|48|ft|0|in|m|2}}. She had a depth of {{convert|16|ft|6|in|m|2}} and a draught of {{convert|19|ft|2|in|m|2}}.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0857.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=15 July 2011}} As built, she was assessed at {{GRT|2,489}}, {{NRT|1,559}}. Her DWT was 3,750.{{cite book |last=Spong |first=H C |title=Irish Shipping Ltd |publisher=World Ship Society |location=Kendal |year=1982 |isbn=0-905617-20-7 |pages=26–27, 54}} The vessel was propelled by a 224 nhp triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of {{convert|22+1/2|in|cm}}, {{convert|43+1/2|in|cm}} and {{convert|73|in|cm}} diameter by {{convert|48|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by Blair & Co. Ltd. of Stockton on Tees.{{cite web|url=http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/ropner/barlby1895.htm |title=ROPNER & SON., STOCKTON-ON-TEES |publisher=Teesbuiltships |access-date=27 June 2011}} It drove a screw propeller and could propel the ship at {{convert|8|kn|km/h}}.
Service history
=Early history=
On 8 October 1924, Barlby departed from Dakar, Senegal for Bordeaux, France. A week after departure, the entire crew of Barlby were struck down by malaria. The British steamship {{SS|Boonah||2}} rendezvoused with her at {{coord|18|05|N|18|52|W}} and placed a crew on board in order to return her to Dakar.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Ship's Crew Stricken with Malaria |date=16 October 1924 |page=13 |issue=43784 |column=C }} In 1926, Barlby was sold to D A Mango, Piraeus, Greece and renamed Noemi. The Code Letters JGMC were allocated.
In 1930, Noemi was sold to the Noemijulia Steamship Co Ltd, London and renamed Noemijulia. She was operated under the management of W G Walton Ltd, London. Her port of registry was London. She regained her Official Number 99728 and the Code Letters GSJD were allocated.{{cite web |url=http://convoyweb.org.uk/signal/index.html?search_all.php~signalmain |title=Signal Letters Database |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=26 June 2011}} (Enter GSJD or Noemijulia in relevant search box) In 1935, management passed to S Catsell Ltd.
In July 1935, questions were asked in Parliament by Vice-Admiral Campbell as to the number of British subjects working on board Noemijulia and their rates of pay. In reply, the President of the Board of Trade, Leslie Burgin replied that there was only one British subject on board the ship, and he was paid £7 per month. The ship had not visited the United Kingdom since her transfer from the Greek to the British Flag in 1930, and had not been inspected since 1930.{{cite hansard |jurisdiction=United Kingdom | url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1935/jul/29/steamship-noemijulia#S5CV0304P0_19350729_HOC_201 | house=House of Commons|title=Hansard | date=29 July 1935 | column_start=2295 | column_end=2296 |speaker=Gordon Campbell |position=MP for Burnley }} On 16 October, Noemijulia ran aground in the Danube at Brăila, Romania.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty Reports |date=17 October 1935 |page=25 |issue=47197 |column=G }} She was refloated on 18 October.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty Reports |date=19 October 1935 |page=21 |issue=47199 |column=E }} On 16 November 1935, she ran aground in the Brăiţa River, Romania, some {{convert|45|nmi|km}} from the mouth of the river.{{Cite newspaper The Times|title=Casualty Reports |date=17 November 1935 |page=25 |issue=47197 |column=G}} She was refloated on 18 November and sailed to Sulina for inspection.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty Reports |date=19 November 1935 |page=21 |issue=47199 |column=E }}
In November 1935, the operation of Noemijulia was again raised in Parliament. George Oliver asked whether the Board of Trade was aware that Noemijulia{{'}}s radio installation was defective, and what measures were being taken to correct this. Leslie Burgin replied that the Board was aware, and had requested that the ship be detained should she visit certain countries which had adopted the 1929 Safety Convention, but so far she had not docked at any port belonging to one of the signatories.{{cite hansard |jurisdiction=United Kingdom | url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1935/dec/18/steamship-noemijulia-wireless#S5CV0307P0_19351218_CWA_23 | house=House of Commons|title=Hansard | date=18 December 1935 | column_start=1769W | column_end=1769W |speaker=George Oliver |position=MP for Ilkeston}} In January 1936, Noemijulia arrived at Antwerp, Belgium, where she was detained. She was still detained in March as the defects in her radio and other defects had not been remedied.{{cite hansard |jurisdiction=United Kingdom | url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1936/mar/03/steamship-noemijulia#S5CV0309P0_19360303_HOC_86 | house=House of Commons|title=Hansard | date=3 March 1936 | column_start=1168 | column_end=1168 |speaker=James Hall |position=MP for Whitechapel and St Georges}}
=Spanish Civil War=
On 23 August 1937, Noemijulia was on a voyage from Marseilles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France to Barcelona, Spain when she was bombed by two Spanish Nationalist aircraft, coded ME 528 and ME 529, some {{convert|15|nmi|km}} off Cape de Creus ({{coord|42|07|N|3|32|E}}). Both bombs missed, and Noemijulia proceeded to Port-Vendres, Pyrénées-Orientales, France,{{Cite newspaper The Times|title=British ship attacked |date=24 August 1937 |page=10 |issue=47771 |column=E}} escorted by the {{sclass|Saphir|submarine|||1928}} {{ship|French submarine|Diamant|1933|2}}, which had answered her SOS.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Captain's statement |date=24 August 1937 |page=10 |issue=47771 |column=E }} This was the second attack on a British ship that month, following the attack on {{SS|British Corporal||2}} on 6 August.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Second Attack on a British Ship |date=24 August 1937 |page=10 |issue=47771 |column=E }} On 2 January 1938, Noemijulia rescued the crew of the French schooner La Bougeotte, which had sunk on 31 December 1937.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty Reports |date=1 January 1938 |page=23 |issue=47881 |column=F }} They were landed in Marseilles.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty Reports |date=3 January 1938 |page=19 |issue=47882 |column=E-F }} On 15 August 1938, Noemijulia was in port at Valencia, Spain when she was caught in an air raid and bombed. The bomb landed 14 feet from the bow on her port side, leaving "about 50 holes."{{Cite newspaper The Times|title=British Ships Bombed |date=16 August 1938 |page=12 |issue=48074 |column=D}}
=World War II=
Noemijulia was sold in 1939 to the Compagnia Maritima de Panama Ultrama, Panama City, Panama, remaining under Catsell's management. On 19 September 1939 she delivered 1,130 Jewish refugees from Europe into Haifa, Mandatory Palestine, one of many ships delivering Jews into Palestine in defiance of the 1939 White Paper.{{Cite web|title=Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, The Far East; The Near East and Africa, Volume IV - Office of the Historian|url=https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1939v04/d847|access-date=2020-12-15|website=history.state.gov}} The ship was boarded and the immigrants detained by the Palestine Police Force under threat of deportation.{{Cite web|title=Holocaust Survivors and Victims Database -- [Applications for an Order of Deportation for passengers of the S.S. Naomi Julia]|url=https://www.ushmm.org/online/hsv/source_view.php?SourceId=19543|access-date=2020-12-15|website=ushmm.org}} After one month in detention, the refugees were released.{{Cite web|title=The Irgun's Role in Clandestine Immigration|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-irgun-rsquo-s-role-in-illegal-immigration|access-date=2020-12-15|website=jewishvirtuallibrary.org}}
Noemijulia was a member of Convoy HG 32, which departed from Gibraltar on 31 May 1940 and arrived at Liverpool, Lancashire on 10 June. She was bound for Sharpness, Gloucestershire.{{cite web |url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hg32.html |title=CONVOY HG 32 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=27 June 2011}} On 17 June 1941, Noemijulia was sold to Irish Shipping Ltd, Dublin, Ireland for £67,500 and renamed Irish Hazel. She was originally being offered for sale as scrap, with the Hammond Lane Foundry, Dublin as prospective buyers. She was described as "fit for nothing but the scrap yard", and needed extensive repairs. Seventy percent of the ship was condemned. This included all decks. On 29 October 1941, the subject of the purchase of Irish Hazel was raised in the Dáil Éireann by James Hickey, who asked specific questions as to the purchase cost, state and operational costs of the ship. In reply, Minister for Supplies Seán Lemass stated that he would not answer specific questions such as those posed, but that the purchase price of the ship took into account her condition and the cost of the necessary repairs.{{cite web |url=http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/1941/10/29/00029.asp |title=Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. – Purchase of Ship "Irish Hazel". |publisher=Oireachtas |date=29 October 1941 |access-date=28 June 2011}}
Due to a lack of steel in Dublin, and the MoWTs refusal to release the steel to a Dublin shipyard, it was decided to send Irish Hazel to the United Kingdom for the repairs to be carried out. She departed from Dublin on 13 January 1942 for the yard of C H Bailey, Newport, Monmouthshire. Bailey's were to repair her on an "as and when" basis.{{cite book |title=The Long Watch |last=Forde |first=Frank |publisher=New Island Books |location=Dublin| page=60 |isbn=1-902602-42-0|orig-year=1981|year=2000 }} The ship was almost completely rebuilt, with {{convert|610|LT|t|0}} of new steel needed.{{cite book|title=Liffey Ships & Shipbuilding |first=Pat |last=Sweeney |publisher=Mercier Press |location=Dublin |year=2010 |pages=228–31 |isbn=978-1-85635-685-5}}
Irish Hazel was requisitioned by the MoWT on 17 November 1943 whilst under repair at Newport, Monmouthshire and renamed Empire Don. The requisitioning was partly offset by the granting of a warrant that allowed Irish Shipping Ltd to operate the Italian steamer Caterina Gerolimich. She had been trapped in Dublin port since the outbreak of the war. She was purchased by Irish Shipping Ltd. following the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces and renamed {{SS|Irish Cedar||2}}. She sailed under the Irish flag on 26 October 1943. The Empire Don's port of registry was London and the Code Letters GCGT were allocated.{{cite web |url=http://convoyweb.org.uk/signal/index.html?search_all.php~signalmain |title=Signal Letters Database |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=28 June 2011}} (Enter GCGT or Empire Don in relevant search box) She was operated under the management of the Stanhope Steamship Co Ltd. Little is known of her wartime service. Empire Don was a member of Convoy EN 423, which departed from Methil, Fife on 17 August 1944 and arrived at Loch Ewe three days later.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/en/index.html?en.php?convoy=423!~enmain |title=Convoy EN.423 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=28 June 2011}} She was also a member of Convoy FN 1489, which departed from Southend, Essex on 23 September and arrived at Methil two days later.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/fn/index.html?fn.php?convoy=1489!~fnmain |title=Convoy FN.1489 = Convoy FN.89 / Phase 15|publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=28 June 2011}} She is recorded as having departed from Falmouth, Cornwall on 3 December 1944 and arriving at Gibraltar a week later. On 18 May 1945, she departed from Genoa, Italy under escort, arriving at Livorno the next day.{{cite web |url=http://convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index.html?search.php?vessel=EMPIRE%20DON~armain |title=EMPIRE DON |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=27 June 2011}}
=Postwar service=
On 5 September 1945, Empire Don was returned to Irish Shipping Ltd and regained her former name Irish Hazel. She was operated under the management of the Wexford Steamship Co Ltd.
Irish Hazel was sold on 17 May 1949 to Turk Silepcilik Limitet Sirketi, Istanbul, Turkey and renamed Uman. She served until 6 January 1960, when she ran aground in the Black Sea at Kefken Point, Turkey whilst on a voyage from Zonguldak to Istanbul. She was declared a total loss.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/ropner/BARLBY1895HA.jpg Photo of Barlby]
{{Empire ships}}
{{Irish Shipping}}
{{1935 shipwrecks}}
{{1937 shipwrecks}}
{{1960 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Noemijulia}}
Category:Ships built on the River Tees
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Category:World War I merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Maritime incidents in 1935
Category:Maritime incidents in 1937
Category:Maritime incidents in 1938
Category:Merchant ships of Greece
Category:Merchant ships of Panama
Category:Steamships of the Republic of Ireland
Category:World War II merchant ships of the Republic of Ireland
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships