HMS Sansovino (F162)

Last updated

History
Name
  • Empire Cutlass (1943–45)
  • HMS Sansovino (1945)
  • Empire Cutlass (1945–60)
  • Hai Ou (1960–70)
Owner
  • United States Maritime Commission (1943)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1943–45)
  • Royal Navy (1945)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1945)
  • Ministry of Transport (1945–47)
  • United States Maritime Commission (1947–60)
  • China Merchants Steam Navigation Co Ltd (1960–70)
Operator
  • Furness, Withy & Co Ltd (1943–45)
  • Royal Navy (1945)
  • Furness, Withy & Co Ltd (1945–47)
  • United States Maritime Commission (1947–60)
  • China Merchants Steam Navigation Co Ltd (1960–70)
Port of registry
  • Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States (1943)
  • Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg London (1943–45)
  • Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy (1945)
  • Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg London (1945–47)
  • Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States (1947–60)
  • Civil Ensign of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan (1960–70)
Builder Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California
Launched29 July 1943
CompletedNovember 1943
CommissionedJanuary 1945
DecommissionedJune 1945
Maiden voyage21 November 1943
Out of service1948–60
Identification
  • United Kingdom Official Number 169740 (1943–45, 1945–47)
  • Code Letters MYMG (1943–45, 1945–47)
  • ICS Mike.svg ICS Yankee.svg ICS Mike.svg ICS Golf.svg
  • Pennant number F162 (1945)
FateScrapped in 1970
General characteristics
Tonnage7,177  GRT
Length
  • 418 ft (127 m) (overall)
  • 396 ft (121 m) (between perpendiculars)
Beam50 ft (15 m)
PropulsionSteam turbines
Speed14 knots (26 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried		sixteen Landing Craft Assault (HMS Sansovino)
Capacity1,458 troops
Complement250
Armament

HMS Sansovino was an infantry landing ship in service with the Royal Navy during the late stages of the Second World War.

Contents

She was built in 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California, as the Cape Compass for the United States Maritime Commission (USMC). She was transferred to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) on completion and renamed Empire Cutlass. In January 1945, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as HMS Sansovino, serving until June when she was returned to the MoWT, regaining her former name Empire Cutlass. In 1947, she was returned to the USMC. A proposed sale in 1948 to China fell through due to the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War and the ship was laid up in the James River, Virginia. In 1960, she was sold to Taiwan and renamed Hai Ou, serving until 1970 when she was scrapped at Kaohsiung. [1]

Description

The ship was built in 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California. [1] She was 418 feet (127 m) long overall, [2] 396 ft (121 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 50 ft (15 m).[ citation needed ] She was assessed as 7,177  GRT, [1] 11,650 DWT. [2]

The ship was powered by a geared steam turbine of 4,400 shp. This was supplied by two boilers and drove a single screw propeller. It could propel the ship at 14 knots (26 km/h). [2]

History

World War II

The ship was laid down at Cape Compass, but completed as Empire Cutlass. A Type C1-S-AY-1 ship, [3] she was completed in November 1943. [1] She was transferred to the MoWT under the terms of lend lease shortly after being completed, and renamed Empire Cutlass. [4] Her port of registry was London. The United Kingdom Official Number 169740 and Code Letters MYMG were allocated. [5] Furness, Withy & Co. [6]

Empire Cutlass departed from Los Angeles, California, on her maiden voyage on 21 November 1943, sailing to Balboa, arriving on 1 December. She then sailed to Cristóbal, Panama, where she joined Convoy ZG 52, which arrived at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba on 14 December. She then joined Convoy GN 102, which departed from Guantanamo Bay the next day and arrived at New York on 22 December. On 9 January 1944, Empire Cutlass departed from New York as a member of Convoy CU 11, [7] which arrived at Liverpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom on 20 January. [8] She left the convoy at the Clyde, arriving that day. On 30 January, she departed form the Clyde for Loch Ewe, where she joined Convoy WN 539, [7] which arrived at Methil, Fife on 2 February. [9] She left the convoy at Invergordon, Ross-shire on 1 February. [7]

She was converted to a LSI (L), [10] carrying sixteen Landing Craft Assault (LCA) for the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944. On D-Day she carried the South Lancashire Regiment for Sword Beach. [11] She carried 16 × LCA, 2 × LCVP, 1 × LCSM or 1 × LCM. She could carry 1,458 troops in addition to her complement of 250 officers and men. [2] Armament consisted 1 × 4-inch gun, 1 × 12 pdr gun, 12 × 20mm guns.[ citation needed ]

During the Normandy Landings, she had near misses from two torpedoes and suffered heavy shelling from Le Havre.[ citation needed ]Empire Cutlass lost eight of her sixteen LCAs. [12] On 13 June, Empire Cutlass transported members of the 712th Railway Operating Battalion, Transportation Corps, United States Army to France. Although the ship arrived the next day, it was not until 16 June that the troops were able to disembark, due to the weather. [13]

Later in June while in the Solent, a V-1 flying bomb brought down by her barrage balloon exploded on her starboard side. [14] She continued to ferry troops from England to France after repairs. On 21 November she was damaged by an oyster mine off the Digne Light, Le Havre, France, [1] but no casualties were reported. [15] She was sent for repairs in Falmouth.[ citation needed ]

In 1945 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and commissioned as HMS Sansovino, under which name she served out the remainder of the war. [4] Sansovino participated in Operation Zipper in September 1945. [16]

Post-war

On 18 January 1946 she was in the Pacific when the Highland Brigade, carrying two thousand Indian troops, struck a mine off Singapore. [17] The Sansovino, which was carrying troops of the 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment from Soerabaja, came to the aid of the stricken Highland Brigade, and took 110 Indian troops off with her landing craft. [17] The Highland Brigade was subsequently towed into Singapore. [17] She was returned to the Ministry of War Transport in June 1946, which returned her to Furness, Withy & Co under her original name of Empire Cutlass. [4] [18] She was returned to the US Navy in 1947 and operated by the United States Maritime Commission. [18]

In 1947, she was returned to the USMC. [1] On 8 October 1947, she was allocated to the Reserve Fleet and laid up in the James River, Virginia. [19] In 1948, an attempt was made by China to purchase the ship, [1] and she was renamed Hai Ou in preparation. [18] Although Empire Cutlass was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet on 29 April 1948 and delivered to Norfolk, Virginia, [19] the sale fell through due to the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War. [1] The ship was arrested as it had not been paid for. It was held by Dichman, Wright & Pugh awaiting disposal. [20] Empire Cutlass re-entered the Reserve Fleet on 28 August 1950. On 21 December 1951, a recommendation was made that the ship be scrapped. She was reported to be slightly damaged, with repairs estimated at $35,000 and conversion costs estimated at $395,000. She remained in the Reserve Fleet on the James River. [21]

In 1960, she was sold to Taiwan, and was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet on 27 July. [21] Empire Cutlass was renamed Hai Ou, and entered service with the China Merchants Steam Navigation Co., of Taiwan. [18] On 8 March 1962, Hai Ou collided with the Japanese steamship Tomoshima Maru at Kobe. [22] She sailed with them until 1970, when she was sold for breaking up, being scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan by 15 October 1970. [18] [23]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Landing Ship Infantry's, Empire Battleaxe class". Uboat. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "United States Maritime Commission C1 and C1-M Type Ships used in World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War". United States Maritime Commission. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 70.
  5. ↑ "Signal Letters Database". Convoyweb. Retrieved 15 May 2011. (Enter MYMG or Empire Cutlass in relevant search box)
  6. ↑ "Furness Withy & Company". The Ships List. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 "EMPIRE CUTLASS". Convoyweb. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  8. ↑ "Convoy CU.11". Convoyweb. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  9. ↑ "Convoy WN.539". Convoyweb. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  10. ↑ "HMS Empire Cutlass (F 162)". Uboat. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  11. ↑ "D-Day : Normandy 1944 - SWORD BEACH : British Troops".
  12. ↑ Hough, Stan. "H.M.S. Princess Astrid: D-Day and After". BBC People's War. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  13. ↑ "A HISTORY OF THE 712TH RAILWAY OPERATING BATTALION" . Retrieved 15 May 2011– via Scribd.
  14. ↑ "Ours or Theirs..." Archived from the original on 19 October 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  15. ↑ Neill. Infantry Soldier. p. 66.
  16. ↑ "Brock, Able Seaman J.D." Royal New Zealand Navy Museum. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  17. 1 2 3 "MV HIGHLAND BRIGADE". Imperial War Museum Collection Search. Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "EMPIRE – C". mariners-l.co.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
  19. 1 2 "Front of Card 1". United States Maritime Administration. Retrieved 15 May 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  20. ↑ "Back of Card 1". United States Maritime Administration. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  21. 1 2 "Front of Card 2". United States Maritime Administration. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  22. ↑ "Picture Gallery". The Times. No. 55335. London. 9 March 1962. col D, E, p. 10.
  23. ↑ "Search result for "1169740"". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 26 November 2008.

Related Research Articles

Landing ship, infantry British troopship class

A infantry landing ship was one of a number of types of British Commonwealth vessels used to transport landing craft and troops engaged in amphibious warfare during the Second World War. LSIs were operated by the Royal Navy, British Merchant Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Indian Navy, and Royal Australian Navy. They transported British Commonwealth and other Allied troops in sea assaults and invasions throughout the war.

HMS <i>Empire Battleaxe</i>

Empire Battleaxe was a British ship of the Second World War and as HMS Donovan in service with the Royal Navy just after the Second World War. Built as a Type C1-S-AY1 Landing Ship, Infantry named Cape Berkeley she then saw merchant service as Empire Battleaxe before being commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Empire Battleaxe and then Donovan. After she was decommissioned she returned to merchant service as Empire Battleaxe and was returned to the USA where she was renamed Cape Berkeley once again. A proposed sale in 1948 to China and renaming to Hai C fell through and she was scrapped in 1966.

SS Empire Javelin was an Infantry Landing Ship designated an "LSI (Large)" in service with the UK in the latter part of World War II. Launched on 25 October 1943, she was a United States Maritime Commission C1-S-AY1 subtype, one of thirteen similar ships built by Consolidated Steel Corporation.

HMS <i>Arrow</i> (H42) A-class destroyer

HMS Arrow was an A-class destroyer of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers-Armstrongs at their Barrow-in-Furness between 1928 and 1930, being launched on 22 August 1929. Arrow served in the Mediterranean Fleet in the 1930s, rescuing refugees and taking part in neutrality patrols during the Spanish Civil War.

HMS <i>Sainfoin</i> (F183)

HMS Sainfoin was a landing ship, infantry of the Royal Navy that was built in 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California, United States as the merchant vessel Cape Washington. She was transferred to the Ministry of War Transport in 1944 and renamed Empire Crossbow. Later that year, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and commissioned as HMS Sainfoin, with the pennant number F183. In 1946, she was returned to merchant service as Empire Crossbow. She was transferred to the United States in 1947 and renamed Cape Washington. The ship was then laid up until scrapped in 1964.

HMS <i>Hilary</i> (1940) Amphibious warfare ship of the Royal Navy

SS Hilary was a British steam passenger liner that was built in 1931 and scrapped in 1959. She spent much of her career on a scheduled service between Liverpool in England and Manaus in Brazil.

HMS <i>Cicero</i> (F170)

HMS Cicero was an infantry landing ship in service with the Royal Navy during the late stages of the Second World War.

HMS <i>Rocksand</i> (F184)

HMS Rocksand was an infantry landing ship in service with the Royal Navy during the late stages of the Second World War. She was launched in 1943 as Cape Argos and renamed Empire Anvil before being taken into Royal Navy service. Postwar she reverted to Empire Anvil and then Cape Argos and back to Empire Anvil again. She spent ten years laid up before resuming service as Hai Ya and Fu Ming before being scrapped in 1974.

SS Empire Bunting was a 6,318 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1919. She saw service between the wars under the US flag and was transferred to the UK Ministry of War Transport in the Second World War. She made a number of cross-Atlantic voyages, often sailing in convoys. She ended her career by being sunk as a blockship on the Normandy coast, supporting the allied landings there in 1944.

RFA <i>Wave Victor</i> 1946 Wave-class oiler of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Wave Victor (A220) was an 8,187 GRT Wave-class fleet support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary built at Haverton Hill-on-Tees by Furness Shipbuilding Company. She was built in 1942 as Empire Bounty for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1946 and renamed Wave Victor with Pennant number X130. Her pennant number was later changed to A220. She served until scrapped in 1981.

HMS <i>Empire Spearhead</i>

HMS Empire Spearhead was a Type C1-S-AY-1 Infantry Landing Ship (LSI) chartered by the British Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) during World War II. She was built by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California. She was launched as Cape Girardeau and completed as Empire Spearhead. In 1945, she was transferred to the Royal Navy and was later renamed HMS Ormonde. Later that year she was transferred back to the MoWT and renamed Empire Spearhead. In 1947, she was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission and renamed Cape Girardeau. The ship was laid up in 1950 and renamed Empire Spearhead. She was scrapped in 1966.

SS Robin Doncaster was a 7,101 GRT cargo liner that was built in 1940 as a Type C2-S cargo ship by Bethlehem Steel Co, Sparrows Point, Maryland, United States for the United States Maritime Commission (USMC). On completion in April 1941, she was transferred to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Curlew. In 1942, she was transferred to the USMC, regaining her former name Robin Doncaster. She was rebuilt as a troop transport, and entered service with the War Shipping Administration in January 1944. She was returned to the USMC in April 1946 and was sold to Seas Shipping Co Inc in 1948. In 1957, she was sold to Isbrandtsen Lines and was renamed Flying Gull. Sold to American Export Lines in 1962, she served until she was scrapped in 1968.

MV Empire Day was a 7,241 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1941 as a CAM ship by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1943, she was converted to a standard cargo ship. She served until August 1944 when she was torpedoed and sunk by U-198.

Guiding Star was a 7,248 GRT troopship that was built in 1939 as the Type C2 cargo ship Nightingale by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co, Newport News, Virginia, United States for Grace Lines Inc, New York. In 1941, she was transferred to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Egret. In 1942, she was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission (USMC) and renamed Nightingale. She was returned to Grace Lines later that year and renamed Santa Isabel. In 1943, she was converted to a troopship. She was transferred to the USMC in 1946 and renamed Guiding Star, serving until she was scrapped in 1973.

SS <i>Empire Endurance</i> German steam cargo liner

Empire Endurance was a 8,514 GRT steam cargo liner that was built in 1928 as Alster by Deschimag Werk Vulkan, Hamburg, Germany for the shipping company Norddeutscher Lloyd. In the years leading up to the Second World War Alster carried cargo and passengers between Germany and Australia. After the outbreak of war she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine for use as a supply ship.

Empire Explorer was a 5,985 GRT cargo ship that was built as the cargo liner Inanda in 1925 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, United Kingdom for a British shipping line. She was hired by the Royal Navy in 1940 for use as an ocean boarding vessel but was sunk in an air raid London in September 1940. She was salvaged, rebuilt as a cargo ship, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Explorer. She served until 9 July 1942, when she was torpedoed and sunk by U-575 in the West Indies.

MV <i>Empire Faith</i> World War II merchant ship of the United Kingdom

Empire Faith was a 7,061 GRT CAM ship that was built in 1941 by Barclay Curle & Co, Glasgow, Renfrewshire, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). Converted to a cargo ship in 1943, she was sold to a British company in 1946 and renamed Jessmore. In 1958, she was sold to a Panamanian company and renamed Antiope. A further sale in 1964 saw her renamed Global Venture. She served until 1971, when she was scrapped.

SS Hatarana was a cargo steamship that was built as part of an emergency shipbuilding programme during the First World War, and sunk without loss of life in the Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War. She was built as War Sailor, one of a batch of cargo ships that the United Kingdom ordered from Japanese shipyards. She was renamed Hatarana in 1919 when she changed owners.

SS <i>Fort Stikine</i> British Fort ship

Fort Stikine was a British Fort ship which was built in Canada in 1942. Owned by the American War Shipping Administration, she was leased under charter to the Ministry of War Transport under the Lend-Lease scheme and operated under the management of the Port Line. Fort Stikine only had a short career, and was destroyed in an explosion at Bombay, India, in April 1944 that caused the loss of a further thirteen ships.

SS Verdala was a cargo and passenger steamship that was built in Scotland in 1913. Several times she changed owners and was renamed: as Mongolian Prince in 1917, Istok in 1928 and finally Maycrest in 1940.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.