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Επιστροφή στο Forum : Βασίλισσα Σοφία (1915) [Vasilissa Sophia, Leasowe Castle]



Nicholas Peppas
25-04-2010, 19:07
Ψαχνοντας για κατι αλλο, βρηκα μια ανακοινωση της Εθνικης Ατμοπλοιας του Εμπειρικου για ενα αγνωστο Ελληνικο υπερωκεανειο....

Να πω την αληθεια, το πλοιο αυτο ειναι πολυ γνωστο αλλα δεν το βλεπω στο nautilia.gr εκτος απο μια μικρη περιληψη ολων των Ελληνικων υπερωκεανειων απο τον φιλο τοξοτη στο http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showpost.php?p=292835&postcount=302.

Ιδου λοιπον το ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑ ΣΟΦΙΑ, το Ελληνικο υπερωκεανειο της Εθνικης Ατμοπλοιας το Εμπειρικου που δεν μπορεσε ποτε να ταξιδεψει παρα μονο σαν πολεμικο και που βυθιστηκε εξω απο την Αλεξανδρεια το 1917...

Αρθρο του Εμπρος της 2ας Ιουνιου 1914

86666




Ιδου λοιπον το ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑ ΣΟΦΙΑ, το Ελληνικο υπερωκεανειο της Εθνικης Ατμοπλοιας το Εμπειρικου που δεν μπορεσε ποτε να ταξιδεψει παρα μονο σαν πολεμικο και που βυθιστηκε εξω απο την Αλεξανδρεια το 1917...


I am writing the rest in English, as this article is of interest to all nautilia.gr readers.

I found the above ***** article in a June 1914 ***** newspaper that was announcing the eminent arrival of Vasilissa Sophia (Queen Sophia), sister ship of Vasileus Konstantinos (King Constantine), who was of course the real life husband of the queen... The ship was being built for the Ethniki Atmoploia of G. Embiricos at Laird in 1915 when World War I changed her fate... She was requisitioned by the British Navy and completed as Leasowe Castle (to be managed by the Union-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd

I will let various documents present her short life and tragic end....

From Miramar



Year: 1917
Name: LEASOWE CASTLE Keel:
Type: Passenger/cargo Launch Date: 16.3.15
Flag: GBR Date of completion: 3.17
Tons: 9737 Link: 1611
DWT: Yard No: 806
Length overall: Ship Design:
LPP: 148.9 Country of build: GBR
Beam: 17.7 Builder: Cammell Laird
Material of build: Location of yard: Birkenhead
Subsequent History: [L as VASILISSA SOPHIA]
Disposal Data: sm/t 104nm WxN?N Alexandria 27.5.18 (92*)




Name Tons Change Registered Owner
LEASOWE CASTLE 9737 1915 Union-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd
VASILISSA SOPHIA 9737 1915 National SN Greece

Nicholas Peppas
25-04-2010, 19:39
Here is the only photograph of the ship I could find

86669

And it comes from a very strange source!
http://www.histarmar.com.ar/ArchivoFotosGral-2/BuquesSudAfrica-IL.htm
________________________

From this site
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=130199 we know the following



Has anybody in this Forum done or seen any detailed research into the loss of HMT Leasowe Castle which was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side at 12.25 am on May 27th 1918 about one hundred miles from Alexandria?
____________________
The casualties are recorded in Adderley's History of 'The Warwickshire Yeomanry in the Great War' as 102 of all ranks including Capt Holt (the ship's Captain) and 8 of his crew. The WY lost 2 officers and 9 O.R.s. The South Notts Hussars lost 8 Officers and 44 O.R.s 5 Officers and 25 O.R.s of other units on board were also lost. There is a short account of what transpired in Adderley's book. Survivors being rescued by the Japanese Destroyer R and H.M. Sloop Lily among other vessels.

_______________________


Some information from 'Dictionary of Disasters at Sea'.

LEASOWE CASTLE
Shipping Controller (Union-Castle Mail S.S. Co.); 1915; Cam-mell
Laird; 9,737 tons; 488-5x58-2x32-9'; 1,759 n.h.p.; 14 knots;
quadruple-expansion engines. The Union-Castle liner Leasowe
Castle was built to the order of ***** owners as the Vasilissa
Sophia, but never delivered to them.

She was taken over by the British government in 1917. Soon after
going into service she was torpedoed off Gibraltar on April 20th,
1917. but managed to reach port and effect repairs. On May 27th,
1918. she was in convoy from Egypt to Marseilles when she was
torpedoed and sunk 104 miles W. by N. % N. of Alexandria. On
this occasion she was carrying some 3,000 troops, and was under
command of Capt. E. J. Holl. Ninety-two persons, including the
captain, were killed.




We have a fair amount of material on the loss of the Leasowe Castle in the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum Archives in Warwick and the intention is to make better use of this - hence my question for any further info to complement what we already know.

The Regiment like others had the misfortune to be torpedoed on the way out in the Transport Wayfarer on 10th April 1915 60 miles N.W. of the Scillies and again some years later when the Leasowe Castle was torpedoed on 27th May 1918.

The Wayfarer had 6 Officers and 189 O.R.s and 763 horses and mules onboard. Fortunately help was at hand and the vessel was got in tow with the result that only 3 WY men lost their lives and 760 animals were landed safely in Queenstown, Ireland.

The Leasowe Castle was torpedoed at 12.25 am on the 27th May - the after part of the ship gave way at 2am and sank rapidy by the stern, the bows rearing straight on end. The Lily had a narrow escape as the hawsers connecting her to the sinking ship were cut with an axe in the nick of time, otherwise the loss of life might well have been even greater.





LEASOWE CASTLE
23rd May
At 0915 the Battalion paraded at Sidi Bisr Camp for the last time and marched to Victoria Station, entraining there at 1100, in the train along with 543 other ranks of the Warwickshire & South Nottinghamshire Yeomanry MG Battalion.

The train arrived at the docks at about 1200, and embarkation on H.M. Transport Leasowe Castle was commenced following the embarkation of the Warwickshire & South Nottinghamshire Yeomanry detachment. There was only one gangway and embarkation of the men was complete by 1530, and baggage stowed in hold by 1630. Embarkation strength of the Battalion 51 officers and 984 other ranks.

The Leasowe Castle was a 10,000 ton ship which having bee built in England for a ***** firm, was requisitioned by the Admiralty and handed over to the Union Castle Company. Commanded by Captain Holl, she had eight troop decks and carried 42 boats.4

Also on board along with Warwickshire and S Notts Yeomanry Battalion of machine gunners, were another company of Machine Gun Corps and a few attached officers and details. On completion of embarkation the ship was taken out in to the middle of the harbour where it anchored.

Major F Lawson, previously 2ic of the Bucks Yeomanry left on appointment as second in command of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. Many of the Appointments were now duplicated, and so also leaving at this time.

24th May
On board ship emergency stations were allotted. I slept on a huge rope Cot. Fred Marshall

24 May 1918
Embarked on the "Leasowe Castle". Private Alfred William Patrick South Nottinghamshire Hussars

25th May
On board ship all day, still in harbour.

26 May 1918 Sailed for Marseilles. Private Alfred William Patrick South Nottinghamshire Hussars

26th May
At anchor; remaining until 5.00pm, when SS Leasowe Castle cast off and proceeded in company with five other troopships convoyed by Japanese destroyers, and other vessels such as trawlers and even a captive kite balloon for observation. Several sea-planes accompanied the convoy for some distance. The balloon was towed aloft until dark when it was hauled down.
The convoy steamed in line ahead until it came to the end of the swept channel and then came in to "T" formation, with the Leasowe Castle 3rd in the leading line. Every precaution was taken to prevent light showing after dark, and as many men as possible were ordered to sleep on deck at their emergency station (Warwickshire History)

The Battalion was duty Battalion this day and found all the guards until 1600 when it was relieved by the Warwickshire and S Notts Battalion,

TORPEDOED
27th May
It was a brilliant moonlight evening, with a calm sea, and from the decks every ship in the convoy and it's protective ring of trawlers and destroyers could be seen An obvious target for any submarines in the area.
All had gone well, but at 12.25 am, about 100 miles from Alexandria, the Leasowe Castle was hit by a torpedo on the starboard side a little forward of amidships. (under the after funnel.) The engines were stopped practically at once: she remained on an even keel, settling slightly by the stern.

Troops paraded and fell in at their emergency stations immediately: rolls called. Men berthed in the lower decks had been encouraged to sleep on deck and as near as their emergency stations as far as was possible, and this was in practice on this night to roughly half to 80% of company strengths of our Battalion. The amount of movement was thus reduced and there was no confusion.

The order was given by the master of the ship to lower the boats and this was done and rafts flung overboard by the crew assisted by parties previously told off from troops on board, and largely from the Battalion.
Meanwhile the remainder of the convoy had disappeared, leaving the Japanese destroyer Katsura (also lettered R) and HM Sloop LILY to render assistance.

As soon as the first batch of boats was on the water they were ordered to be filled while the remainder were being lowered: troops going over the side down ropes and ladders. Boats were ordered by the master to pull over to the sloop and destroyer, discharge troops and pull back to the ship. This order was carried out by some boats but not by all; some boats left empty and drifting!

The total number of troops on board including officers amounted to 2903. After all the boats had been filled and left the ship, time 0130, there were still roughly 800-1000 men left on board. These were mostly troops stationed in the forecastle and on the starboard side; in the latter case in the latter case owing to there being slightly more men that side and to some of the boats hanging outboard being smashed by columns of water from the explosion. The remainder of those on board were taken off partly by the boats which came back after discharging; partly by the sloop LILY which came along side the forecastle of the Leasowe Castle and made fast with ropes up to within a few seconds of the final plunge. Many men jumped in to the sea during the last few moments and were picked up from rafts, amongst those being the Battalion commander Major Sir St J Gore Bt.

At 0150 the Battalion adjutant Captain CH Bennett M.C. reported to the commanding officer, Major Sir St J Gore Bt on the ship's bridge, that all the Battalion were, as far as could be seen, off the ship. The C.O. ordered him to go himself, and he was never seen again.

The ship sank stern first suddenly at 0200 having roughly about 150 men on board nearly all on the forecastle.

Captain Sutton described his experience,
"We had got about 9 hours out. nearly all of us were asleep in bed. I was subconsciously aware of a sudden jar, but what I do remember was sitting on my berth and asking what happened, and was told if I didn't get out pretty quickly I should pretty soon know what it was. I pulled on a pair of shoes and tying on my lifebelt scuttled along the corridor, and slipped up at the foot of the stairs. I went straight to our emergency station and found the other men arriving. They were awfully good on the ship, and there was no panic. The yeoman is a downright good fellow and I take off my hat to him. The ship soon stopped. There was a very slight list. The boats were got off and the rafts too and when all the men were off the ship and I said to about half a dozen still there "Well we'll go now" The water was then awash in the after well deck. So clad in pyjamas, canvas shoes and a wrist watch, I climbed down about six feet of ladder, held my breath, looked at the black water, and dropped quietly in. I had a swim of about 30 to 50 yards. I had a life belt on, a splendid thing. When we got the life raft (a collapsible canvas sided boat), we rowed and rowed round in circles till a motor launch came and took us in tow, and then we arrived in an auxiliary ship of war. while we were getting on board the auxiliary had 2 torpedoes launched at her but both were misses thank God. A few minutes after, the ship went down with a rush. we made of back towards Alexandria with over 1,100 survivors on board. The night was wonderfully warm and I never felt cold, even in wet pyjamas. However some kind naval officer fitted me out in a naval tunic and a pair of trousers, and of course I was the butt of many jests. All were fitted up with blankets or something to keep the warm and some food. About ten hours afterwards we arrived back in Alex. On the quay we were give clothes, army issue, and the red cross gave us tea and biscuits. "

The above account was written 2 days after. The following from Fred Marshall was told to me some 70 years after.

"We were on transports going to France, actually to Marseilles. Six transports and about 2 cruisers 7 destroyers and a couple of sloops named The Lily and The Ladybird. When we got 150 miles from Alexandria which would have put us somewhere opposite Cyprus, we were torpedoed, it was just midnight. I think we had left Alexandria about teatime, 4 o'clock. The officer in charge of us on board, Lawson, came round to ask for volunteers to lower the rafts and all that sort of thing after the crew had got the lifeboats down. Then once finished he stepped up to me and my mate "Come on boys the decks are awash, every man for himself. So we scrambled over the side and the ship stood up. The deck was above water. We had life jackets on which was just as well since I couldn't swim very well. Well once in the water I kicked myself off the side of the ship and got my legs tangled round a piece of rope. So I pulled myself back, kicked myself clear and out I went into the blue. Sixteen minutes past one when my watch stopped, course they wouldn't go in those days, they weren't waterproof. I swam about out there, and we were anxious that we couldn't get as far as we would want because of the suction of the ship (when it went down.) The crew consisted of a load of Lascars, took the life boats to the rescue ships, the lily and ladybird and all those others. When they got their they and got onto the ships themselves they let the lifeboats go. And it was one of these which I swam out to. Well as we were being trained as Hotchkiss machine gunners and our horses taken away, we'd lost our breeches and putties and all that sort of thing. We just wore shorts. The sergeants and the sergeant majors they kept their breeches as did the officers. So through the movement of this boat up came somebody in the dark beside of me, my Sergeant Major Legg. We went to clamber up in to the boat together, and he said to me "let go of me you bloody fool, I cant get up there with you hanging on to my breeches." So when we eventually rolled in to the boat, I was free minus one sock and one shoe. He had his breeches full of 2 or 3 gallons of water which had held him down from getting in the boat. That made me laugh did that. Having got into the boat there was only one oar left. About 5 or 6 other fellows gathered together and got into the boat, and we tried to get away with only one oar. The Leasowe Castle with 3000 of us on board, big ship she was. As she was going down we tried to get the boat 50 yards from her so she wouldn't suck us down. Anyway eventually round came this motor-boat with 2 sailors in and chucked us a line and towed us round to where we got on the Ladybird. I think there was two more ships in attendance while the rest of the convoy had gone on, otherwise they'd be in danger too. I think it was the lady bird I got on, and luck for us they stayed. There was so many of us on this little sloop that the Captain of the ship asked us to get more equally spread all over the ship to keep her balanced."
The sloop lily having about 1100 survivors on board started back to Alexandria immediately. The Destroyer R with about 400 on board remained in the vicinity of the ships boats which numbered about 34 and carried the remainder of the survivors.

At about 1200 H.M. torpedo boat Chelmer (34), H.M. monitor LADYBIRD and H.M. auxiliary Lychnis arrived and took over the survivors from the Katsura and the ships boats. The officers and men of the Royal Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy did everything in their power to assist the survivors many of whom were almost without clothes. The rescuing vessels arrived at Alexandria at times between 1400 and 1830. There all arrangements had been made for their reception: men of the Battalion were sent straight to Sidi Bishr transit camp and officers to various hotels for the night.
Throughout all ranks behaved well.

27 May 1918 Torpedoed at 12.30 mid night. Private Alfred William Patrick South Nottinghamshire Hussars

Nicholas Peppas
25-04-2010, 19:44
More information from this one:

http://www.shipwrecksofegypt.com/images/shippages/leasowecastle.html



The Leasowe Castle was a Passenger Steamship of 9.737 Grt built at Cammell, Laird & Co., Ltd. Originally laid down as the Vasilissa Sophia for the National Steam Navigation Co. of Greece with management by Embiricos Bros.

However, work was suspended for some months and during that time she was transferred to the British subsidiary, Byron Steam Ship Co. of London, in anticipation that she could be finished in time to be requisitioned by the government for trooping duties.

Having been acquired under the Liner Acquisition Scheme, she was eventually launched on 05 April 1917 as the Leasowe Castle with a length of 148.9 meters and beam of 17.7 meters and was placed under Union-Castle management but never being owned by them. She was defensively armed and conducted trooping service between Alexandria and Marseilles.

On 20 April 1917 the ship under the command of Captain H.B. Harvey, was attacked at Gibralter by German submarine U-35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la Periere) which carried away the ship's rudder, however, the ship's propellers were not damaged and the ship was able to reach Gibralter. The following year, on 27 May 1918, under the command of Captain Holl, the ship was part of a convoy of six transporters accompanied by a number of destroyer escorts, and was carrying 2900 troops plus crew. The weather conditions were considered good, with the sea calm and a full moon in a clear sky. At 0130 the Leasowe Castle was struck on the starboard side by a torpedo fired from German submarine U-51 (Ernst Krafft)approximately 104 miles West-by-North 1/2 North from Alexandria at position 31.30N/27.56E. The engines were immediatley stopped and the troops mustered to their stations. About 40 boats and rafts were lowered into the water over a 45 minute period. The ship remained fairly steady at this point, though sinking slightly by the stern with a slight port list. The HMS Lily had separated from the convoy at 0145 and returned to assist the stricken ship. The Lily ran her bows up to the starboard side of the Leasowe Castle and made fast, so that troops were able to pass quickly on board. Meanwhile, the Japanese Destroyer "R" put up a smoke screen for protection. At approximately 0300 a bulkhead in the after part of the ship gave way and the ship sank suddenly by the stern. The HMS Lily barely had time to cut her hawswers, using an axe, from the sinking ship. The remainder of the boats and rafts in the water remained guarded by a smoke screen put up by two destroyers and were picked up towards noon that day and brought into port. 92 troops and 9 of the crew lost their lives and no attempt to recover their bodies was made.



This seems to have been copied, almost verbatim, from
http://www.red-duster.co.uk/UNION16.htm



LEASOWE CASTLE was built in 1917 by Cammell Laird & Co at Birkenhead with a tonnage of 8106 grt, a length of 488 ft 6 in, a beam of 58 ft 2 in and a service speed of 17 knots. She was laid down in 1915 as the Vasilissa Sophia for the National Steam Navigation Co. of Greece for management by Embericos Bros. However, work was suspended for some months and during that time she was transferred to the British subsidiary, Byron Steam Ship Co. of London, in anticipation that she could be finished in time to be requisitioned by the Government for trooping duties. Having been acquired under the Liner Acquisition Scheme she was eventually launched on 5th April 1917, named Leasowe Castle and placed under Union-Castle management but never being owned by them. She began service trooping between Alexandria and Marseilles. On 20th April 1918 she was torpedoed by U-35 off Gibraltar while serving as an ambulance transport ship but managed to reach port for repairs. Five weeks later, on 27th May, 1918 she was torpedoed by UB-51 whilst in a convoy 104 miles north-west of Alexandria and sank within 90 minutes. Bound for Marseilles she was carrying troops of the Warwickshire Yeomanry and 102 lives were lost including that of her Master Captain Holl. It is said that Lt. Col H Gray-Cheape gave his life jacket to a crew member.

Nicholas Peppas
25-04-2010, 19:48
This site has a lot about the actual loss
http://www.prescot-rollofhonour.info/54.html



“The "Leasowe Castle" was one of a convoy of six transporters and they were accompanied by a number of destroyers. The weather was good, the sea was calm and a brilliant moon shone in the night sky.

At 1.30 am on May 27th 1918 when the ship was about 104 miles from Alexandria, the "Leasowe Castle" was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side. The engines were immediately stopped. The troops mustered to their stations, rolls were called, boats lowered and rafts flung overboard. The Japanese destroyer "R" stood by, while the remainder of the convoy continued on their journey at full speed. We are informed that perfect order was maintained on board, the men standing quietly at their stations as if on parade, while those detailed for the work assisted in lowering the boats. Lifeboats were launched in the course of forty five minutes and the rescue attempt continued smoothly. The "Leasowe Castle" remained fairly steady, though sinking a little at the stern, with a slight list to port. All of 'B' (Warwickshire Yeomanry) Company of the Battalion went over the port side and were picked up in the water. About 1.45am. HM sloop "Lily" appeared having turned back from the convoy to assist in the work of rescue. She ran her bows up to the starboard side of the "Leasowe Castle" and made fast, so that troops were able to pass quickly on board. Meanwhile the Japanese destroyer put up a smoke screen for protection. Suddenly about 3.00 am. a bulkhead in the aft part of the ship gave way, and with a loud noise the "Leasowe Castle" sank rapidly. The "Lily" had a narrow escape, as the hawsers connecting her with the sinking ship were cut with an axe just in time.



Otehr survivors accounts in
http://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/380917/HMT_Leasowe_Castle_Troopship.html



The Leasowe Castle was built by Cammell Laird in 1917. Her keel was laid in 1915 for the National Steam Navigation Company of Greece. Work was suspended on her for some time and she was eventually transferred to the Byron steam ship company. It was thought she could be requisitioned for trooping duties. Having been acquired by the government, she was launched in 1917 and named the Leasowe Castle and placed under the management of Union Castle, who never actually owned her. She began the movement of troops between Alexandria and Marseilles in April 1918 and off Gibraltar she was torpedoed by U-boat35. She was then an Ambulance ship, she made it back to port for repairs.
In May 1918 She was carrying troops of the Warwickshire Yeomanry,South Notts Hussars, the Bucks and Berks, MG BTN all companies of machine gunners, again she was torpedoed 104 miles North west of Alexandria and sank by U-boat51 with the loss of 102 lives, including the ships master Captain Holl.


Survivors accounts

27th May (1917)
It was a brilliant moonlight evening, with a calm sea, and from the decks every ship in the convoy and it's protective ring of trawlers and destroyers could be seen An obvious target for any submarines in the area.
All had gone well, but at 12.25am, about 100 miles from Alexandria, the Leasowe Castle was hit by a torpedo on the starboard side a little forward of amidships. (under the after funnel.) The engines were stopped practically at once: she remained on an even keel, settling slightly by the stern.
Troops paraded and fell in at their emergency stations immediately: rolls called. Men berthed in the lower decks had been encouraged to sleep on deck and as near as their emergency stations as far as was possible, and this was in practice on this night to roughly half to 80% of company strengths of our Battalion. The amount of movement was thus reduced and there was no confusion.
The order was given by the master of the ship to lower the boats and this was done and rafts flung overboard by the crew assisted by parties previously told off from troops on board, and largely from the Battalion.
Meanwhile the remainder of the convoy had disappeared, leaving the Japanese destroyer Katsura (also lettered R) and HM Sloop LILY to render assistance.
As soon as the first batch of boats was on the water they were ordered to be filled while the remainder were being lowered: troops going over the side down ropes and ladders. Boats were ordered by the master to pull over to the sloop and destroyer, discharge troops and pull back to the ship. This order was carried out by some boats but not by all; some boats left empty and drifting!
The total number of troops on board including officers amounted to 2903. After all the boats had been filled and left the ship, time 0130, there were still roughly 800-1000 men left on board. These were mostly troops stationed in the forecastle and on the starboard side; in the latter case in the latter case owing to there being slightly more men that side and to some of the boats hanging outboard being smashed by columns of water from the explosion. The remainder of those on board were taken off partly by the boats which came back after discharging; partly by the sloop LILY which came along side the forecastle of the Leasowe CASTLE and made fast with ropes up to within a few seconds of the final plunge. Many men jumped in to the sea during the last few moments and were picked up from rafts, amongst those being the Battalion commander Major Sir St J Gore Bt.
At 0150 the Battalion adjutant Captain CH Bennett M.C. reported to the commanding officer, Major Sir St J Gore Bt on the ship's bridge, that all the Battalion were, as far as could be seen, off the ship. The C.O. ordered him to go himself, and he was never seen again.
The ship sank stern first suddenly at 0200 having roughly about 150 men on board nearly all on the forecastle.

Nicholas Peppas
25-04-2010, 19:49
A model of the ship exists!

http://union-castle.net/ship_Leasowe_Castle_01.html



There is indeed a large model of the Leasowe Castle at the Williamson Art Gallery and Museum, the information there is that she was launched in 1916 as the Vasilissa Sofia, but was renamed Leasowe Castle on completion in 1917.


The German Wikipedia has a whole detailed article!!!!

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leasowe_Castle_(1917)

Among others:



Das 9737 BRT / 5381 NRT große Dampfschiff wurde für die griechische Reederei National Steam Navigation Company auf Kiel gelegt (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiellegung) und lief am 16. März 1915 als Vasilissa Sofia vom Stapel (Baunummer 806, Registrierungsnummer 140272).



Das 148,9 Meter lange und 17,7 Meter breite Schiff wurde auf der Werft Cammell, Laird & Company (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cammell,_Laird_%26_Company) im englischen Birkenhead (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkenhead) gebaut. Die National Steam Navigation Company war 1908 gegründet worden und betrieb einen Passagierverkehr von griechischen Häfen nach New York (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City). Sie war ein Teil des Konzerns Embiricos Bros., dem noch andere ********** gehörten.


Der Dampfer war mit Vierfachexpansions-Dampfmaschinen (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dampfmaschine) ausgestattet, die 1759 PS (6500 PSi (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indizierte_Leistung)) leisteten und eine Höchstgeschwindigkeit von 17 Knoten ermöglichten. Er hatte einen Schornstein, zwei Masten und zwei Schrauben.



Die fertige Vasilissa Sofia wurde von der Bauwerft im September 1915 aufgelegt und kam nicht in den Dienst der Reederei. Im selben Jahr wurde mit der Byron Steamship Company ein britischer Ableger der National Steam Navigation Company gegründet und die Vasilissa Sofia sollte diesem neuen Unternehmen zugeführt werden.


Im März 1917 wurde das Schiff jedoch im Rahmen des Liner Acquisition Scheme (Dampferanschaffungsprogramm) von der britischen Regierung als Truppentransporter (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truppentransporter) angefordert und als HMT Leasowe Castle (His Majesty's Troopship) unter das Management der Union-Castle Line gestellt. Namenspatron war das Schloss Leasowe Castle (http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leasowe_Castle&action=edit&redlink=1) bei Moreton (http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moreton&action=edit&redlink=1) (Merseyside (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merseyside)) aus dem späten 16. Jahrhundert. Das Schiff wurde aber nie von der Reederei genutzt. Es wurde gleich nach der Übernahme bewaffnet und als Truppentransporter zwischen Alexandria (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria) und Marseille (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille) eingesetzt.


Am 20. April 1917 wurde die Leasowe Castle 90 Meilen nordwestlich von Gibraltar (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar) unter dem Kommando von Kapitän H. B. Harvey von dem deutschen U-Boot (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_deutscher_U-Boote_%281906%E2%80%931919%29) U 35 (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/SM_U_35) (Kapitänleutnant Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothar_von_Arnauld_de_la_Peri%C3%A8re)) torpediert. Dabei verlor das Schiff sein Ruder (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruder), konnte aber den Hafen von Gibraltar (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar) anlaufen. Es gab keine Todesopfer.



The end of our ship according to the New York Times

86674

Ellinis
03-10-2013, 21:37
Μιας και οι φωτογραφίες το πλοίου σπανίζουν, ας δούμε το μοντέλο που παρέδωσε το ναυπηγείο. Μιας και το πλοίο είναι βαμμένο γκρι και αναφέρεται ως ΗΜΤ (Ηis Majesty Transport) στην πλακέτα, πιστεύω οτι το ναυπηγείο εκτός από το ίδιο το πλοίο προσάρμοσε σε οπλιταγωγό και το μοντέλο που ετοίμαζε για να δώσει στην "Εθνική" των Εμπειρίκων.

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