SS Bardic

SS Bardic

History
Name	War Priam (1918-1919) Bardic (1919-1925) Hostilius (1925-1926) Horatius (1926-1933) Kumara (1933-1937) Marathon (1937-1941)
Owner	White Star Line (1919-1925) Aberdeen Line (1925-1933) Shaw, Savill & Albion Co. Ltd. (1933-1937) Fatsis M. (1937-1941)
Port of registry	Piraeus, Greece
Builder	Harland & Wolff Ltd.
Yard number	542
Launched	19 December 1918
Completed	13 March 1919
Identification	SVVL Official number: 904
Fate	Shelled and sunk by battleship Scharnhorst, 9 March 1941
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship
Tonnage	8,010  GRT
Length	137.3 metres (450 ft 6 in)
Beam	17.8 metres (58 ft 5 in)
Depth	11.3 metres (37 ft 1 in)
Installed power	2 x Triple expansion engines
Propulsion	Two screw propellers
Sail plan	Liverpool - New York City
Speed	11 knots

SS Bardic was a Greek cargo ship that was shelled and sunk by the German battleship Scharnhorst in the Atlantic Ocean northwest of Cape Verde on 9 March 1941. ^[1]

Construction

Bardic was launched on 19 December 1918 and completed on 13 March 1919 at the Harland & Wolff Ltd. shipyard in Belfast, United Kingdom. ^[2] The ship was 137.3 metres (450 ft 6 in) long, had a beam of 17.8 metres (58 ft 5 in) and had a depth of 11.3 metres (37 ft 1 in). She was assessed at 8,010  GRT and had 2 x Triple expansion engines driving two screw propellers. The ship could generate 1138 n.h.p. with a speed of 11 knots. ^[1]

1924 incident

While Bardic was on route from Australia to the United Kingdom on 31 August 1924, she ran aground on Stag Rock off Lizard Point, Cornwall. Her crew evacuated the ship yet her officers remained onboard until 8 September. The ship was eventually refloated on 29 September and towed to Falmouth, Cornwall where she was beached to await repairs. ^[3]

Sinking

On 9 March 1941, Bardic (then named Marathon) encountered the German battleship Scharnhorst in the Atlantic Ocean northwest of Cape Verde. The German battleship shelled and sunk the Marathon, with all the crew being taken as prisoners of war. ^[4]

Wreck

The wreck of Bardic lies approx. at ( 21°N25°W / 21°N 25°W / 21; -25 ). ^[5]

References

1. "SS Marathon (+1941)". wrecksite.eu. 29 January 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
2. "Bardic (1140607)" . Miramar Ship Index . Retrieved 6 July 2020.
3. "Arrival of the Bardic at Falmouth". The Times. No. 43770. London. 30 September 1924. col B, p. 19.
4. "S/S Bardic, White Star Line". norwayheritage.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
5. "NAVAL EVENTS, MARCH 1941 (Part 1 of 2)". naval-history.net. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2020.