HMS LST 3041

Last updated

Lst3041.jpg
LST 3041 entering harbour in Malta
History
Name
  • LST 3041 (1944–48)
  • Empire Doric (1948–56)
  • LST 3041 (1956–60)
Owner
  • Royal Navy (1944–48)
  • Ministry of Transport (1948–60)
Operator
  • Royal Navy (1944–48)
  • Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (1948–56)
  • Royal Navy (1956–60)
Port of registry
  • Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy (1944–48)
  • Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg London, United Kingdom (1948–56)
  • Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy (1956–60)
Route Preston – Larne (1948–56)
Builder Harland and Wolff, Govan
Yard number1297
Launched31 October 1944
Commissioned1944–48, 1956–60
Decommissioned1948–56
FateScrapped 1960
General characteristics
Type Landing Ship, Tank
Tonnage2,256  GRT
Displacement4,223 long tons (4,291 t)
Length345 ft (105 m)
Beam54 ft (16 m)
Draught12 ft 5 in (3.78 m)
PropulsionSteam engine

LST 3041 was a Landing Ship, Tank that served in the Royal Navy at the end of World War II, before being converted to a commercial ferry. She was later requisitioned by the Navy during the Suez Crisis, and was scrapped in 1960.

Contents

Description

The ship was 345 feet (105 m) long, with a beam of 54 feet (16 m). She had a draught of 12 feet 5 inches (3.78 m) [1] and was assessed at 2,256  GRT. [2]

History

LST 3041 was built by Harland and Wolff at their Govan shipyard (yard number 1267) [1] and was launched on 31 October 1944. [3]

The crew joined her in Scotland and took part in shakedown trials in which they would run the ship ashore and use the stern anchor to pull themselves off. [4]

World War II

In the summer of 1945, LMS 3041 sailed to the Suez Canal carrying tanks, troops, and a troop landing craft. After unloading there, she transited the Canal and headed towards Japan to support the Allied invasion efforts. She was also used to transport rice from Thailand to Singapore. During this time, she made a port call at Bombay (now Mumbai) where she engaged in a tug-of-war with a tugboat, surprisingly emerging victorious and capsizing the tug. [5]

After returning through the Suez, she was refitted, and the rivets in the bottom of the hull that had been worn by repeated landings were replaced in drydock. She finally returned to England in 1947 via Malta and Gibraltar. [6]

Commercial ferry

In 1948, she was chartered to F. Bustard & Sons, the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company and was renamed Empire Doric. [7] Her port of registry was London. [8] The LSTs became one of the forerunners of the modern roll on-roll off (RO-RO) car ferries. She was placed into service on the Preston – Larne route. ASN was nationalized under the British Transport Commission in 1954. [7]

Suez

During the Suez Crisis, the ship was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and renamed LST 3041. [7] She sailed to Port Said where she offloaded Centurion tanks, and where she struck a sunken vessel. As a result of this collision, she had to call in at Naples on the way home for repairs and was in drydock until early January 1957. [9] She remained in use until 1960. LST 3041 arrived on 13 January 1960 at Glasgow for scrapping by Smith, Houston & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow. [1]

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>LST 3519</i>

HMS LST 3519 was a Landing Ship, Tank of the Royal Navy, entering service during the last months of the Second World War. She was chartered for civilian service as the Empire Baltic from 1946, serving as an early RO-RO ferry until the navy suspended the charter and requisitioned the ship during the Suez Crisis in 1956. She briefly returned to normal service, but was retired soon after and was eventually sold for breaking up.

Empire Cedric was the first ro-ro ferry. She was built for the Royal Navy as the Landing Ship, Tank, HMS LST 3534. She was commissioned in 1945 and converted for civilian use as a ferry in 1948. She was used in the Irish Sea on routes between Preston and Larne, and Preston and Belfast. In 1956, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for a few months during the Suez Crisis as HMS Empire Cedric. She served until 1960 when she was scrapped.

Empire Celtic was a ferry which was built in 1945 as Landing Ship, Tank LST 3512 for the Royal Navy. In 1946 she was chartered by the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company Ltd, converted to a ferry and renamed Empire Celtic. In 1956, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for a few months during the Suez Crisis as HMS Empire Cedric. She served until 1960 and was scrapped in 1965.

Empire Curlew was a 4,273 GRT ferry that was built in 1945 as LST Mk.3 HMS LST 3042 by Harland & Wolff, Govan, Scotland for the Royal Navy. In 1947, she was renamed HMS Hunter. During the Suez Crisis in 1956, she was transferred to the Ministry of Transport and renamed Empire Curlew. She served until 1962, when she was scrapped.

Empire Cymric was a 4,820 GRT Ferry that was built in 1944 by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast as LST (3) HMS LST 3010 for the Royal Navy. She was transferred to the Koninklijke Marine in 1945, serving as HNLMS LST 3010. In 1947, she was transferred back to the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Attacker. The ship was requisitioned by the Ministry of Transport in 1954 and renamed Empire Cymric. Requisitioned briefly during the Suez Crisis in 1956 as HMS Empire Cymric, she served until 1962, and was scrapped in 1963.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "LST 3041: HMS LST 3041". Clydeships. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  2. ↑ "Atlantic Steam Navigation Company, 1946–1971". The Ships List. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  3. ↑ Mitchell, W.H.; Sawyer, L.A. (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p. not cited. ISBN   1-85044-275-4.
  4. ↑ Mitchell, W.H.; Mitchell, W H.; Sawyer, L A. (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN   978-1-85044-275-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ "The Times of India: Archives". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  6. ↑ Mitchell, W.H.; Mitchell, W H.; Sawyer, L A. (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN   978-1-85044-275-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 3 "The 'Empire' Class, the pioneer ships of Roll on / Roll off ferries". The Maritime Steam Restoration Trust. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  8. ↑ "Empire Doric - 03". Photoship. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  9. ↑ Mitchell, W.H.; Mitchell, W H.; Sawyer, L A. (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN   978-1-85044-275-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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