SS Keltier

Last updated

History
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
NameKeltier
OwnerCie. Maritime Belge - CMB - Lloyd Royal S.A.
Port of registry Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sunderland, United Kingdom
BuilderThompson Robert & Sons Ltd.
Yard number282
Launched4 July 1913
CompletedAugust 1913
FateTorpedoed and sunk 2 October 1918
General characteristics
Type Cargo ship
Tonnage2,360  GRT
Length91.44 metres (300 ft)
Beam13.72 metres (45 ft)
Installed powerTriple expansion steam engine
PropulsionScrew propeller
Speed10 knots
Crew25

SSKeltier was a Belgian cargo ship that was torpedoed by U-55 in the Atlantic Ocean while she was travelling from Milford Haven, Wales, United Kingdom, to New York, United States, in ballast.

Contents

Construction

Keltier was constructed in 1913 with yard no. 282 at the Thompson Robert & Sons Ltd. shipyard in Sunderland, United Kingdom. She was completed in 1913 and sailed under the Belgian flag until her sinking in 1918.

The ship was 91.44 metres (300 ft) long, with a beam of 13.72 metres (45 ft). The ship was assessed at 2,360  GRT. She had a triple expansion steam engine driving a single screw propeller.

The 1916 incident

On 7 December 1916, SS Keltier was torpedoed by UB-29 in the Atlantic Ocean, 40 nautical miles (74 km) west of the Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom. She was badly damaged but remained afloat long enough to reach safe waters. She was then towed to Falmouth, Cornwall, where she was beached at the East side of the harbour entrance. She was repaired shortly after and returned to service on 12 December 1916. There were no casualties.

The sinking

Keltier left Milford Haven on 29 September 1918 for New York in ballast in a convoy. She was last seen leaving the convoy on 1 October 1918. The following day, Keltier was struck by a torpedo from U-55 in the North Atlantic. [1] The 25 crew members took to the lifeboats and left the ship, but were never heard from or seen again.

Wreck

The wreck lies at 46°16′N9°52′W / 46.267°N 9.867°W / 46.267; -9.867 Coordinates: 46°16′N9°52′W / 46.267°N 9.867°W / 46.267; -9.867 in the North Atlantic.

Related Research Articles

SS Castilian was a British cargo steamship and is now a dangerous wreck in the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales. She was built in 1919 to a standard First World War design. In 1943 while carrying munitions she struck rocks off The Skerries, Isle of Anglesey and sank.

German submarine <i>U-96</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-96 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II. It was made famous after the war in Lothar-Günther Buchheim's 1973 bestselling novel Das Boot and the 1981 Oscar-nominated film adaptation of the same name, both based on his experience on the submarine as a war correspondent in 1941.

SS <i>Stalingrad</i>

SS Stalingrad was a steamship of the Soviet Union, named after the Soviet city of Stalingrad, itself named after Joseph Stalin. She was built at Soviet Shipyard No. 189 (Ordzhonikidze) in Leningrad and operated by Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route (GUSMP), who homeported her in Vladivostok. She had entered service in 1933.

SS <i>James Longstreet</i> United States Liberty ship

SS James Longstreet was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. Named after the Confederate general James Longstreet, she entered service in 1942, but was wrecked in a storm on 26 October 1943 and was subsequently used as a target hulk by the United States Navy.

SS <i>Empire Simba</i> British steam-powered cargo ship

SS Empire Simba was a British steam-powered cargo ship. She was originally an American ship, launched in 1918 as SS West Cohas. During a stint in the United States Navy from 1918 to 1919, she was called USS West Cohas (ID-3253).

USS <i>West Lianga</i> (ID-2758) Cargo ship for the United States Navy

USS West Lianga (ID-2758) was a cargo ship for the United States Navy during World War I. She was later known as SS Helen Whittier and SS Kalani in civilian service under American registry, as SS Empire Cheetah under British registry, and as SS Hobbema under Dutch registry.

Empire Celt was an 8,032 GRT tanker which was built in 1941 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). Completed in January 1942, she had a short career, being torpedoed and sunk on 24 February 1942 by U-158.

USS West Mead (ID-3548), also spelled Westmead, was a United States Navy cargo ship in commission from 1918 to 1919.

Empire Cromwell was a 5,970 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1941 by William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was torpedoed and sunk off Trinidad on 28 November 1942 by U-508.

HMS <i>Vanquisher</i> Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Vanquisher (D54) was a V-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War I and World War II.

HMS <i>Volunteer</i> (D71) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

The fourth HMS Volunteer (D71), later I71, was a Modified W-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War II.

HMS <i>Whitehall</i> Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Whitehall, pennant number D94, later I94, was a Modified W-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in the Second World War.

Prins Harald was a 7,244 GRT cargo ship that was built as Empire Field in 1941 by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was transferred to the Norwegian Government in October 1942 and renamed Prins Harald. She was torpedoed and sunk on 20 November 1942 by U-263 with the loss of three of her crew.

SS <i>Espagne</i> (Anversois, 1909) Belgian cargo ship sunk in English Channel

The SS Espagne was a Belgian cargo ship that was torpedoed by the Imperial German Navy submarine SM UC-71 in the English Channel off St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom while she was travelling from Le Havre, France to Newport, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom.

<i>Fuso Maru</i>

SS Fuso Maru was a Japanese ocean liner that was torpedoed by the United States Navy submarine USS Steelhead (SS-280) in the South China Sea 280 nautical miles (520 km) northwest of Cape Mayraira, Luzon, the Philippines, at, while she was travelling in Convoy MI-11 from Moji, Japan, to Miri, Borneo.

SS <i>Hopestar</i>

SS Hopestar was a 5,267 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1936 by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland for the Wallsend Shipping Co Ltd. She sank off the coast of Newfoundland in 1948 with the loss of all 40 crew.

SS Tolten was a Chilean Cargo ship that was torpedoed by the German submarine U-404 in the Atlantic Ocean 32 nautical miles (59 km) off Barnegat, New Jersey, United States on 13 March 1942 while she was travelling from Baltimore, United States to New York City, New York (state), United States in ballast.

SS Thistlegarth was a British armed merchant Cargo ship that the German Submarine U-103 torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) west-northwest of Rockall while she was travelling in Convoy OB 228 from Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom to Father Point, New Brunswick, Canada in ballast.

SS Tregarthen was a cargo steamship that was built in Scotland for the Hain Steam Ship Co in 1936. She was sunk with all hands by a U-boat in 1941 in the Battle of the Atlantic.

References

  1. "Keltier". Wrecksite. Retrieved 31 August 2015.