EURYADES
(1) was built in 1913 by Chas. Connell & Co. at Glasgow
with a tonnage of 5713grt, a length of 430ft, a beam of 54ft
and a service speed of 10 knots. Sister of the Euryplus she
was built as the Indra for Thos. B. Royden's Indra Line and
renamed Euryades when acquired by Holt's for the Ocean Steam
Ship Co. on 1915. On 4th February 1918 she was missed by a torpedo
in the Irish Channel. She spent much of the inter-war years
laid up, survived the Second World War without incident, and
eventually arrived at Briton Ferry on 19th October 1948 where
she was broken up by Thos. W. Ward. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
EURYLOCHUS
was built in 1912 by London & Glasgow Ship Building Co.
at Glasgow with a tonnage of 5723grt, a length of 430ft 6in,
a beam of 53ft 11in and a service speed of 10 knots. Sister
of the Euryplus she was built as the Indraghira for Thos. B
Royden & Co. and acquired in 1915 when Alfred Holt purchased
the Indra Line. On 22nd July 1918 she was chased by a submarine
who opened fire but she managed to out distance her in rough
seas. At 19.55hrs on 29th January 1941, whilst on a voyage from
Liverpool to Takoradi in convoy OB 274, she was spotted by the
German Commerce Raider Kormoran (ex-Steiermark of the Hamburg
Amerika Line), off Freetown, Sierra Leone, who recognised her
as a Blue Funneller and signalled her 'Heave to and no wireless'
three times. Her Master, Captain A. M. Caird, ordered maximum
revolutions and began transmitting. The Kormoran fired star
shells to illuminate her prey and opened fire. The Eurylochus
retaliated with four shells before she was hit, her upper works
wrecked and the ship stopped. As the crew abandoned ship searchlights
on the Kormoran picked them out. A boarding party examined the
cargo in the holds of the Eurylochus and found 16 heavy bombers
without engines. The German captain, Theodore Detmets, gave
the order to sink the ship and as a high level of radio traffic
indicated that other ships were in the vicinity a torpedo was
to be used. As the torpedo was fired a searchlight spotted a
life boat with crew members trying to reboard. Detmets tried
to warn the boarders that the torpedo had been fired but the
'torpedo fired' message went unheeded. As the torpedo struck
the lifeboat and it's occupants disappeared. In all 38 crew
members perished and the remaining 42 were taken prisoner. According
to German records as the Eurylochus sank radio transmissions
recommenced and her name was sent. The Kormoran then opened
fire with AA guns and when the bridge was hit the transmissions
stopped. The cruiser HMS Norfolk and HMS Devonshire raced to
the scene but the German ship escaped to meet her eventual end
on 19th November 1941 when she was sunk by HMAS Sydney who also
sank. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
TYNDAREUS
was built in 1915 by Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11374grt, a length of 507ft
, a beam of 63ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. Launched
in December 1915 she was completed in 1916 for Ocean Steam Ship
Co's Trans-Pacific service. On 6th February 1917, during her
maiden voyage from Liverpool to Yokohama via Table Bay, she
struck a mine which had been laid by the German raider Wolf
10 miles off Cape Agulhas. The explosion blew a gaping hole
in her hull and she began to sink by the head. The Tyndareus
was transporting 1030 officers and men of the 25th Middlesex
Rifle regiment who, with exemplary discipline, took to the boats
and rowed to the hospital ship Oxfordshire and Blue Funnel's
Eumaeus who had answered her SOS call. It is understood that
improved hull design incorporated after the loss of the Titanic
prevented her from sinking and she was subsequently towed stern
first to Simonstown naval base where she was repaired . In 1927
she was used with the Bellerophon as a troop and horse carrier
during the 'China Affair'. She was requisitioned for troop ship
and supply ship duties during World War 2. In 1949 she was converted
into a Pilgrim ship at a cost of £126,650 and commenced
sailing on the Indonesia - Mecca (Jeddah) pilgrimage route in
1950. She had deck and dormitory accommodation for 2,500 pilgrims
and was known as the Hadj service. At the beginning of each
season she was freshly painted and spotlessly clean and despite
her age she never had a serious breakdown. Between seasons she
was laid up at Singapore. When the pilgrim passenger liner Gunang
Djati was acquired in 1960 the Tyndareus was put up for sale
and on 9th September 1960 arrived at Hong Kong where she was
broken up. (Photo: A. Duncan)
KNIGHT
OF THE GARTER was built in 1902 by Chas. Connell & Co. at
Greenock with a tonnage of 6689grt, a length of 456ft , a beam
of 55ft 2in and a service speed of 11 knots. One of four ships
built for the Knight Steamship Co. and managed by Greenshields,
Cowie & Co. of Liverpool. With her sisters she was chartered
to Holt's at the beginning of the First World War and purchased
by them in June 1917 for a massive £600,000. It is not
surprising that Greenshields, Cowie accepted the offer as government
service was not as well paid as the prevailing commercial rates.
Up until 1917 she saw service as a New Zealand Expeditionary
Transport and, twice, as an Expeditionary Force Transport. She
served under the French Government when she moved stores between
Marseilles and Salonika and under the British Government when
she carried wheat across the Atlantic. After acquisition and
allocation to the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. she became
Expeditionary Force Transport No. B 1068 moving stores in the
Mediterranean during which time she avoided three torpedoes
fired by German U-boats within a space of three weeks during
January and February 1918. In 1923 she was sold to W. R. Davies
& Co. of Swansea who initially intended to scrap her but
she was actually sold on to Emmanuel A. Stavroudis of Greece
and renamed Aspasia Stavroudi. She was sold again in 1926 to
N. V. S. M. 'Milligen' of Rotterdam who renamed her Hoffplein
and placed her under the management of G. A. Spliethoff. On
4th January 1930, during a voyage from Rotterdam to Narvik she
was wrecked on Skorpas Island in Norway. (Photo: Ian J Farquhar
Collection)
KNIGHT
OF THE THISTLE was built in 1903 by Chas. Connell & Co.
at Greenock with a tonnage of 6675grt, a length of 455ft 8in
, a beam of 55ft 2in and a service speed of 11 knots. Sister
of the Knight of the Garter and built for the Knight Steamship
Co. she was acquired by Holt's in 1917 for the Ocean Steam Ship
Co. On 26th April 1917 she was chased by a U-boat off south
west Ireland and on 10th December of the same year she foundered
in the North Atlantic (41.19N 56.50W) during a voyage from New
York to London. (Photo: Glasgow University Archives)
KNIGHT
TEMPLAR was built in 1905 by Chas. Connell & Co. at Greenock
with a tonnage of 7175grt, a length of 470ft , a beam of 58ft
and a service speed of 11 knots. Built for the Knight Steamship
Co. she was requisitioned during 1914 as an Expeditionary Force
Transport and in 1917 was redesignated as a Commissioned Escort
Ship. She was acquired by Holt's in 1917 and on 7th April 1918
was damaged by a torpedo fired by U-53 south west of the Eddystone
Lighthouse and was towed into Plymouth. In 1925 she was sold
to A/S Tonsberg Havlfangeri of Norway for conversion into a
whale oil carrier and floating refinery and renamed Orwell.
She continued in service for a further nineteen years until
February 1954 when she was sold for scrapping at Hamburg. (Photo:
John Clarkson Collection)
KNIGHT
COMPANION was built in 1913 by Chas. Connell & Co. at Greenock
with a tonnage of 7241grt, a length of 470ft , a beam of 58ft
and a service speed of 11 knots. Sister of the Knight Templar
she was built for the Knight Steamship Co. of Liverpool. On
11th June 1917, six days before the acquisition by Holt's was
concluded, she was damaged by a torpedo fired by UB-20 and towed
into Falmouth for repairs. Until then she had spent the entire
war in government service as an Indian Expeditionary Force Transport,
Royal Navy Collier No.1389 and as Expeditionary Force Transport
No. F 0186. During that period of service, on 10th January 1917,
she exchanged gunfire with U-79 off Cape Finisterre. After the
war she continued in service with the Ocean Steam Ship Co. until
1933 when she was broken up in Italy. Although the 'Knight'
ships were acquired as replacements for war losses and in order
to exploit the trading opportunities which followed the war
at no time did Holt's ever consider renaming the ships with
traditional Holt names. Some say that the management did not
think the ships were worthy of a Blue Funnel name. (Photo: Ian
J Farquhar Collection)
ACHILLES
(2) was built in 1920 by Scotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11426grt, a length of 507ft
4in, a beam of 63ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. Laid
down in 1916 on the slipway vacated by the Tyndareus she was
eventually launched on 8th January 1920 for the Ocean Steam
Ship Co. at a cost of £545,000 and placed on the Far East
to U. S. A. service. In December 1926 she was requisitioned
and used to transport 1000 horses and men during the 'China
Affair' steaming at full speed directly to Shanghai. She was
sold to the Admiralty in August 1940 and converted into a destroyer
depot ship. As there was already an HMS Achilles, a cruiser
which came to prominence during the Battle of the River Plate,
she was renamed HMS Blenheim. After the war, in 1948, she was
sold for breaking up at Barrow-in-Furness. (Photo: Fred Parkinson
Collection)
PHILOCTETES
(1) was built in 1920 by Scotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11446grt, a length of 511ft
10in , a beam of 63ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. Launched
for the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. on 25th May 1922 for
the trans-Pacific service she was one of two Holt vessels at
Yokohama in December 1923 when the city was devastated by an
earthquake. After narrowly missing a Japanese ship the master,
in order to avoid the chaos in the port, decided to take the
ship to Kobe, a decision which was later considered to be irresponsible.
In August 1940 she was sold to the Admiralty for conversion
into a destroyer depot ship and renamed HMS Philoctetes. She
was finally broken up at Newport in Monmouthshire during 1948.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
CALCHAS
(2) was built in 1921 by Workman Clark & Co. at Belfast
with a tonnage of 10304grt, a length of 490ft 10in, a beam of
62ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Costing £532,000
she was completed for Ocean Steam Ship Co's Liverpool - Far
East service on 4th June 1941. On 21st April 1941, during a
voyage from Sydney to Liverpool via freetown, she was torpedoed
by U-107 (KorvettenKapitan Gunter Hessler - Knights Cross) south
west of the Canary islands (23 50N 27.00W). The first torpedo
struck the engine room killing seven crew members. The ship
remained afloat, on an even keel but down by the stern with
the No.6 hold taking in water. The passengers and crew took
to the lifeboats while a skeleton crew under the command of
Captain Holden her master remained on board. The submarine surfaced
but kept the lifeboats between her and the ship to deter the
Calchas from opening fire. A second torpedo was fired and Captain
Holden and 23 crew members perished when the ship quickly sank.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
DIOMED
(4) was built in 1921 by Workman Clark & Co. at Belfast
with a tonnage of 10453grt, a length of 490ft 10in, a beam of
62ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Calchas
she was launched on 14th January 1922 and completed for the
China Mutual Steam Ship Co's Liverpool - Far East service on
16th May. She saw war service when she took part in the assault
on Sicily in July 1943. On 2nd September 1952 she arrived at
Dalmuir where she was demolished by W. H. Arnott Young after
30 years service. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
PERSEUS
(2) was built in 1923 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 10286grt, a length of 490ft
6in, a beam of 62ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Calchas she was built for the China Mutual Steam Navigation
Co's Liverpool to the Far East service and completed in February
1923. She was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-165 (Tai-i [Lieutenant]
T Shimizu) off Madras, India (12 00N 80 14E) on 16th January
1944 during an independent voyage from Trincomalee to Calcutta.
Captain G. G. Rumble and his crew were all saved, rescued by
an Royal Indian Navy corvette. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
MENELAUS
(3) was built in 1923 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 10278grt, a length of 490ft
10in, a beam of 62ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Calchas she was launched for the Ocean Steam Ship Co.
on 1st May 1923 and completed for the Liverpool - Far East service
on 11th October. In 1940 she collided with Ellerman's City of
London. On Christmas Day 1940 she had a close encounter with
the German warship Admiral Hipper in the Mediterranean but was
rescued by convoy escorts. In 1942, on 1st May and during a
voyage from Durban to Baltimore, she was attacked at dawn by
the German commerce raider Michel commanded by Capt. Helmut
von Ruckteschell when she was 700 miles south west of St. Helena.
Although von Ruckteschell used one of his motor torpedo boats
the Menelaus laid a smoke screen and escaped. She was fortunate
as von Ruckteschell was ruthless and sank his victims leaving
survivors to fend for themselves. After the war he admitted
that the Menelaus was the only ship to escape him and he was
the only the second German seagoing naval officer to be tried
for war crimes. He died in prison while serving a ten year sentence.
On 25th June 1952 the Menelaus arrived at Dalmuir where she
was broken up by W. H. Arnott Young & Co. (Photo: John Clarkson
Collection)
MACHAON
(2) was built in 1920 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 7806grt, a length of 459ft 2in,
a beam of 56ft 4in and a service speed of 11 knots. Completed
for Ocean Steam Ship Co. she was the first Holt vessel to have
a soft nosed stem. In 1935 she was transferred to Glen Line
and renamed Glenaffric but reverted to Ocean S.S. Co. and her
original name in September 1947. However, in January 1950 she
returned to Glen Line as Glenaffric and remained there until
14th January 1951 when she arrived at Briton Ferry for dismantling.
She had been sold for £55,000 and during demolition was
damaged by fire. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
DARDANUS
(3) was built in 1923 by Workman Clark & Co. at Belfast
with a tonnage of 7823grt, a length of 459ft 6in, a beam of
58ft 5in and a service speed of 11 knots. Sister of the Machaon
she was built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. In 1935 she was transferred
to Glen Line and renamed Flintshire but reverted to Ocean S.S.
Co. and her original name in 1939. On 5th April 1942 she was
damaged following a bombing attack by aircraft whilst off Vizagapatam
in the Indian Ocean. She was taken in tow by British India's
Gandara but on the following day both ships were shelled to
a standstill and sunk by a Japanese cruiser in the Bay of Bengal
off the coast of Golconda (16 00N 82 20E). (Photo: Ian J Farquhar
Collection)
EUMAEUS
(2) was built in 1921 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 7736grt, a length of 459ft 2in,
a beam of 56ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. First of
a class of eight vessels she was built for Ocean Steam Ship
Co. On 29th December 1940 she sailed from Liverpool bound for
Cape Town with 400 naval ratings and 90 crew members. Sixteen
days later, on 14th January 1941, she was south west of Freetown
(8 55N 15 03W) when the Italian submarine Cappellini (Capitano
di Covetta Salvatore Todaro) surface some 2000 yards away and
opened fire and gave chase. Her master, Captain J. E. Watson
ordered maximum revolutions and turned the ships stern towards
the submarine to narrow the target but four shells aimed at
the stern and bridge found their mark. Despite being continually
machine gunned from a range of 700 yards the Army gunners continued
firing until their ammunition was exhausted, scoring at least
one hit on the submarine. By this time the Eumaeus was well
ablaze and as the submarine positioned herself to fire the torpedo
which finally sank her she was abandoned. Twenty three lives
were lost in the action. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
GLAUCUS
(3) was built in 1921 by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. at Newcastle
with a tonnage of 7644grt, a length of 459ft 6in, a beam of
56ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Eumeaus
she was launched on 9th December 1920 and completed in the following
year for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. On 4th May 1943, whilst in
convoy, she hit the Shell tanker Macuba when trying to avoid
a collision with Ellerman's City of Florence. It was five years
before Shell Oil could sue for damages and win an appropriate
award. During the Sicily landings she was one of no less than
six Holt ships which took part of Operation Husky. On 26th July
1955 she was laid up at Bromborough Dock in Birkenhead pending
a sale which was not forthcoming and, consequently, she later
sailed for Milford haven where she arrived on 29th October 1955
for demolition by Thos. W. Ward. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
MERIONES
was built in 1921 by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. at Hebburn with
a tonnage of 7684grt, a length of 459ft 8in, a beam of 58ft
4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Eumaeus she
was built for the China Steam Navigation Co. On 22nd January
1941 during an independent voyage from London to Brisbane via
Hull she grounded on a wreck on the South Haisborough Bank east
of Cromer. Attempts to salvage her failed and the crew were
taken off by the Cromer lifeboat on the 25th. During the next
day the sitting target was bomber by German aircraft and set
on fire. Totally gutted she was abandoned on 27th January 1941.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
RHEXENOR
(1) was built in 1922 by Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Co.
at Hong Kong with a tonnage of 7957grt, a length of 459ft 7in,
a beam of 58ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of
the Eumaeus she was built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. On 3rd
February 1943 she was torpedoed and gun fired by U-217 (KapitanLeutnant
Kurt Reichenbach-Klinke) in the north Atlantic south east of
Bermuda (24 59N 43 37W) . She was on an independent voyage from
Durban to the UK via Takoradi, Freetown and St John. Many of
the crew members remained in the life boats and remained at
sea for several weeks. No.1 boat reached Guadaloupe on 20th
February, No.4 boat reached Antigua on 21st February, No.3 boat
was spotted by an aircraft and consequently rescued by ship
on 23rd February and No.5 boat reached Jost van Goyen Island,
Tobago on 23rd February. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) The
photographs below first appeared in the BFA Newsletter.
Survivors being picked up by the
U-Boat
The Fourth Officer (Graham Allen)
walking off the U-Boat to become a POW.
The last moments of the Rhexenor
AUTOMEDON
(1) was built in 1922 by Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co.
at Jarrow with a tonnage of 7628grt, a length of 459ft 4in,
a beam of 58ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of
the Eumaeus she was built for the Ocean Steam Navigation Co.
On 11th November 1940 when sailing between the Nicobar Islands
and Ceylon the German armed merchant cruise Atlantis under the
command of Kapitan Bernhard Rogge was spotted some 18 miles
distance in a sea that was like glass. The two ships converged
and when some 4600 yards apart the Atlantis swung to starboard,
cleared for action and fired a warning shot. Immediately, the
Automedon began to radio for assistance sending 'RRR Automedon
0416N' before the transmission was jammed and the Atlantis opened
fire. The Atlantis was an experienced AMC and her gunfire extremely
accurate. Her first shells demolished the bridge killing everybody
there including her master, Capt. W. B. Ewan. Three further
salvoes scored eleven hits before the Atlantis ceased firing.
The Automedon was still steaming at full speed and a man on
board attempted to reach the stern gun to return fire. Three
more salvoes hit the ship killing the gunner and stopping the
ship. A boarding party from the Atlantis found a complete shambles
with all the ships paper destroyed with the exception of those
in the safe. Examination of the holds revealed a cargo worth
millions to the Allied war effort. Bound for Penang, Singapore,
Hong Kong and Shanghai she was carrying aircraft , cars, machinery
spares, bicycles, microscopes, service uniforms, steel and copper
sheets, cameras, sewing machines as well as beer , whisky cigarettes
and food supplies. There were also 120 mail bags. Rogge was
concerned about the situation as both ships were stationary
in a relatively busy shipping lane and another ship observing
the scene would quickly guess what was happening and send a
radio message before any action could be taken by the Atlantis.
He therefore set a time limit of 3 hours during which time 31
British and 56 Chinese crew members, 3 passengers including
a woman, their possessions, all the frozen meat and food together
with the ship's papers and the mail bags. The British crew members
were appreciative of Rogge's gesture regarding possessions and
assisted with the transfer of food but nothing else. They did,
however, indicate where 550 cases of whisky were stored in the
No.3 hold as well as helping to locate 2.5 million Chesterfield
cigarettes. Among the 56 Chinese crew members were twenty or
so who had been picked up from Lawther & Latter's Anglo-Saxon
which had been sunk earlier in the North Atlantic. They were
on their way home to Hong Kong and Rogge was impressed by their
phlegmatic stoicism. As the stores were being loaded the safe
was forced and the contents extracted. Because the bridge party
were killed at the onset of the action the secret documents
could not be destroyed. Amongst the papers were Admiralty Sailing
Instructions, the Merchant Navy Code and Deciphering Tables
7, 8 and 9. To Rogge's further astonishment, when two mail bags
marked ' Safe Hand, British Master Only' were opened, he found
mail for the Commander-in-Chief, Far East which included Cabinet
papers suggesting a defence of the Far East and a review of
the European situation at the time. He also found detailed maps
of minefields, new fleet cipher tables plus a number of coded
documents. The contents of the two mail bags was so comprehensive
that the Japanese later believed them to be fakes, put on board
a British merchant ship in order to mislead the enemy. Rogge
then thought that he could tow the Automedon out of the shipping
but his engineers reported that the steering gear had been totally
wrecked so the concept had to be abandoned. Consequently, time
bombs were placed aboard the Automedon and at 15.07 hours she
became the thirteenth victim of the Atlantis as she sank by
the stern. The survivors eventually Bordeaux in the captured
Norwegian tanker Storstad. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
EURYADES
(1) was built in 1913 by Chas. Connell & Co. at Glasgow
with a tonnage of 5713grt, a length of 430ft, a beam of 54ft
and a service speed of 10 knots. Sister of the Euryplus she
was built as the Indra for Thos. B. Royden's Indra Line and
renamed Euryades when acquired by Holt's for the Ocean Steam
Ship Co. on 1915. On 4th February 1918 she was missed by a torpedo
in the Irish Channel. She spent much of the inter-war years
laid up, survived the Second World War without incident, and
eventually arrived at Briton Ferry on 19th October 1948 where
she was broken up by Thos. W. Ward. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
EURYLOCHUS
was built in 1912 by London & Glasgow Ship Building Co.
at Glasgow with a tonnage of 5723grt, a length of 430ft 6in,
a beam of 53ft 11in and a service speed of 10 knots. Sister
of the Euryplus she was built as the Indraghira for Thos. B
Royden & Co. and acquired in 1915 when Alfred Holt purchased
the Indra Line. On 22nd July 1918 she was chased by a submarine
who opened fire but she managed to out distance her in rough
seas. At 19.55hrs on 29th January 1941, whilst on a voyage from
Liverpool to Takoradi in convoy OB 274, she was spotted by the
German Commerce Raider Kormoran (ex-Steiermark of the Hamburg
Amerika Line), off Freetown, Sierra Leone, who recognised her
as a Blue Funneller and signalled her 'Heave to and no wireless'
three times. Her Master, Captain A. M. Caird, ordered maximum
revolutions and began transmitting. The Kormoran fired star
shells to illuminate her prey and opened fire. The Eurylochus
retaliated with four shells before she was hit, her upper works
wrecked and the ship stopped. As the crew abandoned ship searchlights
on the Kormoran picked them out. A boarding party examined the
cargo in the holds of the Eurylochus and found 16 heavy bombers
without engines. The German captain, Theodore Detmets, gave
the order to sink the ship and as a high level of radio traffic
indicated that other ships were in the vicinity a torpedo was
to be used. As the torpedo was fired a searchlight spotted a
life boat with crew members trying to reboard. Detmets tried
to warn the boarders that the torpedo had been fired but the
'torpedo fired' message went unheeded. As the torpedo struck
the lifeboat and it's occupants disappeared. In all 38 crew
members perished and the remaining 42 were taken prisoner. According
to German records as the Eurylochus sank radio transmissions
recommenced and her name was sent. The Kormoran then opened
fire with AA guns and when the bridge was hit the transmissions
stopped. The cruiser HMS Norfolk and HMS Devonshire raced to
the scene but the German ship escaped to meet her eventual end
on 19th November 1941 when she was sunk by HMAS Sydney who also
sank. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
TYNDAREUS
was built in 1915 by Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11374grt, a length of 507ft
, a beam of 63ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. Launched
in December 1915 she was completed in 1916 for Ocean Steam Ship
Co's Trans-Pacific service. On 6th February 1917, during her
maiden voyage from Liverpool to Yokohama via Table Bay, she
struck a mine which had been laid by the German raider Wolf
10 miles off Cape Agulhas. The explosion blew a gaping hole
in her hull and she began to sink by the head. The Tyndareus
was transporting 1030 officers and men of the 25th Middlesex
Rifle regiment who, with exemplary discipline, took to the boats
and rowed to the hospital ship Oxfordshire and Blue Funnel's
Eumaeus who had answered her SOS call. It is understood that
improved hull design incorporated after the loss of the Titanic
prevented her from sinking and she was subsequently towed stern
first to Simonstown naval base where she was repaired . In 1927
she was used with the Bellerophon as a troop and horse carrier
during the 'China Affair'. She was requisitioned for troop ship
and supply ship duties during World War 2. In 1949 she was converted
into a Pilgrim ship at a cost of £126,650 and commenced
sailing on the Indonesia - Mecca (Jeddah) pilgrimage route in
1950. She had deck and dormitory accommodation for 2,500 pilgrims
and was known as the Hadj service. At the beginning of each
season she was freshly painted and spotlessly clean and despite
her age she never had a serious breakdown. Between seasons she
was laid up at Singapore. When the pilgrim passenger liner Gunang
Djati was acquired in 1960 the Tyndareus was put up for sale
and on 9th September 1960 arrived at Hong Kong where she was
broken up. (Photo: A. Duncan) 
KNIGHT
OF THE GARTER was built in 1902 by Chas. Connell & Co. at
Greenock with a tonnage of 6689grt, a length of 456ft , a beam
of 55ft 2in and a service speed of 11 knots. One of four ships
built for the Knight Steamship Co. and managed by Greenshields,
Cowie & Co. of Liverpool. With her sisters she was chartered
to Holt's at the beginning of the First World War and purchased
by them in June 1917 for a massive £600,000. It is not
surprising that Greenshields, Cowie accepted the offer as government
service was not as well paid as the prevailing commercial rates.
Up until 1917 she saw service as a New Zealand Expeditionary
Transport and, twice, as an Expeditionary Force Transport. She
served under the French Government when she moved stores between
Marseilles and Salonika and under the British Government when
she carried wheat across the Atlantic. After acquisition and
allocation to the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. she became
Expeditionary Force Transport No. B 1068 moving stores in the
Mediterranean during which time she avoided three torpedoes
fired by German U-boats within a space of three weeks during
January and February 1918. In 1923 she was sold to W. R. Davies
& Co. of Swansea who initially intended to scrap her but
she was actually sold on to Emmanuel A. Stavroudis of Greece
and renamed Aspasia Stavroudi. She was sold again in 1926 to
N. V. S. M. 'Milligen' of Rotterdam who renamed her Hoffplein
and placed her under the management of G. A. Spliethoff. On
4th January 1930, during a voyage from Rotterdam to Narvik she
was wrecked on Skorpas Island in Norway. (Photo: Ian J Farquhar
Collection) 
KNIGHT
OF THE THISTLE was built in 1903 by Chas. Connell & Co.
at Greenock with a tonnage of 6675grt, a length of 455ft 8in
, a beam of 55ft 2in and a service speed of 11 knots. Sister
of the Knight of the Garter and built for the Knight Steamship
Co. she was acquired by Holt's in 1917 for the Ocean Steam Ship
Co. On 26th April 1917 she was chased by a U-boat off south
west Ireland and on 10th December of the same year she foundered
in the North Atlantic (41.19N 56.50W) during a voyage from New
York to London. (Photo: Glasgow University Archives) 
KNIGHT
TEMPLAR was built in 1905 by Chas. Connell & Co. at Greenock
with a tonnage of 7175grt, a length of 470ft , a beam of 58ft
and a service speed of 11 knots. Built for the Knight Steamship
Co. she was requisitioned during 1914 as an Expeditionary Force
Transport and in 1917 was redesignated as a Commissioned Escort
Ship. She was acquired by Holt's in 1917 and on 7th April 1918
was damaged by a torpedo fired by U-53 south west of the Eddystone
Lighthouse and was towed into Plymouth. In 1925 she was sold
to A/S Tonsberg Havlfangeri of Norway for conversion into a
whale oil carrier and floating refinery and renamed Orwell.
She continued in service for a further nineteen years until
February 1954 when she was sold for scrapping at Hamburg. (Photo:
John Clarkson Collection) 
KNIGHT
COMPANION was built in 1913 by Chas. Connell & Co. at Greenock
with a tonnage of 7241grt, a length of 470ft , a beam of 58ft
and a service speed of 11 knots. Sister of the Knight Templar
she was built for the Knight Steamship Co. of Liverpool. On
11th June 1917, six days before the acquisition by Holt's was
concluded, she was damaged by a torpedo fired by UB-20 and towed
into Falmouth for repairs. Until then she had spent the entire
war in government service as an Indian Expeditionary Force Transport,
Royal Navy Collier No.1389 and as Expeditionary Force Transport
No. F 0186. During that period of service, on 10th January 1917,
she exchanged gunfire with U-79 off Cape Finisterre. After the
war she continued in service with the Ocean Steam Ship Co. until
1933 when she was broken up in Italy. Although the 'Knight'
ships were acquired as replacements for war losses and in order
to exploit the trading opportunities which followed the war
at no time did Holt's ever consider renaming the ships with
traditional Holt names. Some say that the management did not
think the ships were worthy of a Blue Funnel name. (Photo: Ian
J Farquhar Collection) 
ACHILLES
(2) was built in 1920 by Scotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11426grt, a length of 507ft
4in, a beam of 63ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. Laid
down in 1916 on the slipway vacated by the Tyndareus she was
eventually launched on 8th January 1920 for the Ocean Steam
Ship Co. at a cost of £545,000 and placed on the Far East
to U. S. A. service. In December 1926 she was requisitioned
and used to transport 1000 horses and men during the 'China
Affair' steaming at full speed directly to Shanghai. She was
sold to the Admiralty in August 1940 and converted into a destroyer
depot ship. As there was already an HMS Achilles, a cruiser
which came to prominence during the Battle of the River Plate,
she was renamed HMS Blenheim. After the war, in 1948, she was
sold for breaking up at Barrow-in-Furness. (Photo: Fred Parkinson
Collection) 
PHILOCTETES
(1) was built in 1920 by Scotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11446grt, a length of 511ft
10in , a beam of 63ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. Launched
for the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. on 25th May 1922 for
the trans-Pacific service she was one of two Holt vessels at
Yokohama in December 1923 when the city was devastated by an
earthquake. After narrowly missing a Japanese ship the master,
in order to avoid the chaos in the port, decided to take the
ship to Kobe, a decision which was later considered to be irresponsible.
In August 1940 she was sold to the Admiralty for conversion
into a destroyer depot ship and renamed HMS Philoctetes. She
was finally broken up at Newport in Monmouthshire during 1948.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
CALCHAS
(2) was built in 1921 by Workman Clark & Co. at Belfast
with a tonnage of 10304grt, a length of 490ft 10in, a beam of
62ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Costing £532,000
she was completed for Ocean Steam Ship Co's Liverpool - Far
East service on 4th June 1941. On 21st April 1941, during a
voyage from Sydney to Liverpool via freetown, she was torpedoed
by U-107 (KorvettenKapitan Gunter Hessler - Knights Cross) south
west of the Canary islands (23 50N 27.00W). The first torpedo
struck the engine room killing seven crew members. The ship
remained afloat, on an even keel but down by the stern with
the No.6 hold taking in water. The passengers and crew took
to the lifeboats while a skeleton crew under the command of
Captain Holden her master remained on board. The submarine surfaced
but kept the lifeboats between her and the ship to deter the
Calchas from opening fire. A second torpedo was fired and Captain
Holden and 23 crew members perished when the ship quickly sank.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
DIOMED
(4) was built in 1921 by Workman Clark & Co. at Belfast
with a tonnage of 10453grt, a length of 490ft 10in, a beam of
62ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Calchas
she was launched on 14th January 1922 and completed for the
China Mutual Steam Ship Co's Liverpool - Far East service on
16th May. She saw war service when she took part in the assault
on Sicily in July 1943. On 2nd September 1952 she arrived at
Dalmuir where she was demolished by W. H. Arnott Young after
30 years service. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
PERSEUS
(2) was built in 1923 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 10286grt, a length of 490ft
6in, a beam of 62ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Calchas she was built for the China Mutual Steam Navigation
Co's Liverpool to the Far East service and completed in February
1923. She was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-165 (Tai-i [Lieutenant]
T Shimizu) off Madras, India (12 00N 80 14E) on 16th January
1944 during an independent voyage from Trincomalee to Calcutta.
Captain G. G. Rumble and his crew were all saved, rescued by
an Royal Indian Navy corvette. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
MENELAUS
(3) was built in 1923 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 10278grt, a length of 490ft
10in, a beam of 62ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Calchas she was launched for the Ocean Steam Ship Co.
on 1st May 1923 and completed for the Liverpool - Far East service
on 11th October. In 1940 she collided with Ellerman's City of
London. On Christmas Day 1940 she had a close encounter with
the German warship Admiral Hipper in the Mediterranean but was
rescued by convoy escorts. In 1942, on 1st May and during a
voyage from Durban to Baltimore, she was attacked at dawn by
the German commerce raider Michel commanded by Capt. Helmut
von Ruckteschell when she was 700 miles south west of St. Helena.
Although von Ruckteschell used one of his motor torpedo boats
the Menelaus laid a smoke screen and escaped. She was fortunate
as von Ruckteschell was ruthless and sank his victims leaving
survivors to fend for themselves. After the war he admitted
that the Menelaus was the only ship to escape him and he was
the only the second German seagoing naval officer to be tried
for war crimes. He died in prison while serving a ten year sentence.
On 25th June 1952 the Menelaus arrived at Dalmuir where she
was broken up by W. H. Arnott Young & Co. (Photo: John Clarkson
Collection) 
MACHAON
(2) was built in 1920 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 7806grt, a length of 459ft 2in,
a beam of 56ft 4in and a service speed of 11 knots. Completed
for Ocean Steam Ship Co. she was the first Holt vessel to have
a soft nosed stem. In 1935 she was transferred to Glen Line
and renamed Glenaffric but reverted to Ocean S.S. Co. and her
original name in September 1947. However, in January 1950 she
returned to Glen Line as Glenaffric and remained there until
14th January 1951 when she arrived at Briton Ferry for dismantling.
She had been sold for £55,000 and during demolition was
damaged by fire. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
DARDANUS
(3) was built in 1923 by Workman Clark & Co. at Belfast
with a tonnage of 7823grt, a length of 459ft 6in, a beam of
58ft 5in and a service speed of 11 knots. Sister of the Machaon
she was built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. In 1935 she was transferred
to Glen Line and renamed Flintshire but reverted to Ocean S.S.
Co. and her original name in 1939. On 5th April 1942 she was
damaged following a bombing attack by aircraft whilst off Vizagapatam
in the Indian Ocean. She was taken in tow by British India's
Gandara but on the following day both ships were shelled to
a standstill and sunk by a Japanese cruiser in the Bay of Bengal
off the coast of Golconda (16 00N 82 20E). (Photo: Ian J Farquhar
Collection) 
EUMAEUS
(2) was built in 1921 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 7736grt, a length of 459ft 2in,
a beam of 56ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. First of
a class of eight vessels she was built for Ocean Steam Ship
Co. On 29th December 1940 she sailed from Liverpool bound for
Cape Town with 400 naval ratings and 90 crew members. Sixteen
days later, on 14th January 1941, she was south west of Freetown
(8 55N 15 03W) when the Italian submarine Cappellini (Capitano
di Covetta Salvatore Todaro) surface some 2000 yards away and
opened fire and gave chase. Her master, Captain J. E. Watson
ordered maximum revolutions and turned the ships stern towards
the submarine to narrow the target but four shells aimed at
the stern and bridge found their mark. Despite being continually
machine gunned from a range of 700 yards the Army gunners continued
firing until their ammunition was exhausted, scoring at least
one hit on the submarine. By this time the Eumaeus was well
ablaze and as the submarine positioned herself to fire the torpedo
which finally sank her she was abandoned. Twenty three lives
were lost in the action. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
GLAUCUS
(3) was built in 1921 by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. at Newcastle
with a tonnage of 7644grt, a length of 459ft 6in, a beam of
56ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Eumeaus
she was launched on 9th December 1920 and completed in the following
year for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. On 4th May 1943, whilst in
convoy, she hit the Shell tanker Macuba when trying to avoid
a collision with Ellerman's City of Florence. It was five years
before Shell Oil could sue for damages and win an appropriate
award. During the Sicily landings she was one of no less than
six Holt ships which took part of Operation Husky. On 26th July
1955 she was laid up at Bromborough Dock in Birkenhead pending
a sale which was not forthcoming and, consequently, she later
sailed for Milford haven where she arrived on 29th October 1955
for demolition by Thos. W. Ward. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
MERIONES
was built in 1921 by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. at Hebburn with
a tonnage of 7684grt, a length of 459ft 8in, a beam of 58ft
4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Eumaeus she
was built for the China Steam Navigation Co. On 22nd January
1941 during an independent voyage from London to Brisbane via
Hull she grounded on a wreck on the South Haisborough Bank east
of Cromer. Attempts to salvage her failed and the crew were
taken off by the Cromer lifeboat on the 25th. During the next
day the sitting target was bomber by German aircraft and set
on fire. Totally gutted she was abandoned on 27th January 1941.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
RHEXENOR
(1) was built in 1922 by Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Co.
at Hong Kong with a tonnage of 7957grt, a length of 459ft 7in,
a beam of 58ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of
the Eumaeus she was built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. On 3rd
February 1943 she was torpedoed and gun fired by U-217 (KapitanLeutnant
Kurt Reichenbach-Klinke) in the north Atlantic south east of
Bermuda (24 59N 43 37W) . She was on an independent voyage from
Durban to the UK via Takoradi, Freetown and St John. Many of
the crew members remained in the life boats and remained at
sea for several weeks. No.1 boat reached Guadaloupe on 20th
February, No.4 boat reached Antigua on 21st February, No.3 boat
was spotted by an aircraft and consequently rescued by ship
on 23rd February and No.5 boat reached Jost van Goyen Island,
Tobago on 23rd February. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) The
photographs below first appeared in the BFA Newsletter.
AUTOMEDON
(1) was built in 1922 by Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co.
at Jarrow with a tonnage of 7628grt, a length of 459ft 4in,
a beam of 58ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of
the Eumaeus she was built for the Ocean Steam Navigation Co.
On 11th November 1940 when sailing between the Nicobar Islands
and Ceylon the German armed merchant cruise Atlantis under the
command of Kapitan Bernhard Rogge was spotted some 18 miles
distance in a sea that was like glass. The two ships converged
and when some 4600 yards apart the Atlantis swung to starboard,
cleared for action and fired a warning shot. Immediately, the
Automedon began to radio for assistance sending 'RRR Automedon
0416N' before the transmission was jammed and the Atlantis opened
fire. The Atlantis was an experienced AMC and her gunfire extremely
accurate. Her first shells demolished the bridge killing everybody
there including her master, Capt. W. B. Ewan. Three further
salvoes scored eleven hits before the Atlantis ceased firing.
The Automedon was still steaming at full speed and a man on
board attempted to reach the stern gun to return fire. Three
more salvoes hit the ship killing the gunner and stopping the
ship. A boarding party from the Atlantis found a complete shambles
with all the ships paper destroyed with the exception of those
in the safe. Examination of the holds revealed a cargo worth
millions to the Allied war effort. Bound for Penang, Singapore,
Hong Kong and Shanghai she was carrying aircraft , cars, machinery
spares, bicycles, microscopes, service uniforms, steel and copper
sheets, cameras, sewing machines as well as beer , whisky cigarettes
and food supplies. There were also 120 mail bags. Rogge was
concerned about the situation as both ships were stationary
in a relatively busy shipping lane and another ship observing
the scene would quickly guess what was happening and send a
radio message before any action could be taken by the Atlantis.
He therefore set a time limit of 3 hours during which time 31
British and 56 Chinese crew members, 3 passengers including
a woman, their possessions, all the frozen meat and food together
with the ship's papers and the mail bags. The British crew members
were appreciative of Rogge's gesture regarding possessions and
assisted with the transfer of food but nothing else. They did,
however, indicate where 550 cases of whisky were stored in the
No.3 hold as well as helping to locate 2.5 million Chesterfield
cigarettes. Among the 56 Chinese crew members were twenty or
so who had been picked up from Lawther & Latter's Anglo-Saxon
which had been sunk earlier in the North Atlantic. They were
on their way home to Hong Kong and Rogge was impressed by their
phlegmatic stoicism. As the stores were being loaded the safe
was forced and the contents extracted. Because the bridge party
were killed at the onset of the action the secret documents
could not be destroyed. Amongst the papers were Admiralty Sailing
Instructions, the Merchant Navy Code and Deciphering Tables
7, 8 and 9. To Rogge's further astonishment, when two mail bags
marked ' Safe Hand, British Master Only' were opened, he found
mail for the Commander-in-Chief, Far East which included Cabinet
papers suggesting a defence of the Far East and a review of
the European situation at the time. He also found detailed maps
of minefields, new fleet cipher tables plus a number of coded
documents. The contents of the two mail bags was so comprehensive
that the Japanese later believed them to be fakes, put on board
a British merchant ship in order to mislead the enemy. Rogge
then thought that he could tow the Automedon out of the shipping
but his engineers reported that the steering gear had been totally
wrecked so the concept had to be abandoned. Consequently, time
bombs were placed aboard the Automedon and at 15.07 hours she
became the thirteenth victim of the Atlantis as she sank by
the stern. The survivors eventually Bordeaux in the captured
Norwegian tanker Storstad. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
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