AUTOLYCUS
(2) was built in 1922 by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. Ltd at Hebburn-upon-Tyne
with a tonnage of 7736grt, a length of 459ft 2in, a beam of
56ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Eumaeus
she was built for the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. On 6th
April 1942, whilst on a voyage from Calcutta to the UK via Sandheads
and Durban, she was shelled and sunk by Japanese warships some
50 miles east of Puri in the Bay of Bengal. Sixteen lives were
lost and the survivors landed on the coast of Orissa on 8th
April 1942. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
ADRASTUS/EURYADES
(2) was built in 1923 by Scott's Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 7905grt, a length of 459ft
6in, a beam of 58ft 1in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Eumeaus she was built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. and
at one stage during her career, when she operated as a pilgrim
ship to jeddah, she had her boat deck lifeboats paired one above
the other. In June 1927 her master hanged himself in his cabin
as she approached Penang. Surviving the war she was renamed
Euryades in July 1951to release her name for a new building.
At the beginning of 1954 she was briefly deployed on the US
Pacific coast ports - Philippines - East Indies route before
being laid up at Holy Loch in February of that year. On 10th
August 1954 she arrived at Faslane where she was broken up by
Metal Industries. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
PHEMIUS
(2) was built in 1921 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 7669grt, a length of 459ft
1in, a beam of 56ft 2in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Eumaeus she was built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. In
November 1932 whilst in the Caribbean she encountered a severe
hurricane and for six days she took a severe pounding eventually
losing her funnel. However, this was the least of her Master's
problems but being a solidly built Holt vessel enabled Captain
Evans to bring her into the relative safety of Kingston, Jamaica.
For this action Evans was given a civic reception by the Mayor
of Liverpool on the ship's return as well as several awards
for courage. Unfortunately, Lawrence Holt, nephew of the founder,
saw things differently and reprimanded Capt Evans for taking
his ship into the path of the storm. Captain Evans also had
to forfeit the £200 insurance deposit which the company
required all masters to lodge as a reminder that the ships were
uninsured. When Capt Evans retired in 1944 Lawrence Holt had
a change of heart and returned the £200 to him. A temporary
funnel was fitted and the Phemius sailed to Hong Kong where
her tall funnel was reinstated. During 1942 she operated between
Port Said and Malta under the command of Capt. J. L. W. Johnstone.
On 19th December 1943 during a voyage from Liverpool and Glasgow
to Beira via Takoradi and Lagos she was torpedoed and sunk by
U-515 (KapitanLeutnant Werner Henke - Knights Cross with Oakleaves
) off the coast of west Africa (05 01N 06 47E). Twenty three
lives were lost and the radio officer was taken prisoner. (Photo:
John Clarkson Collection)
TROILUS
(3) was built in 1921 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 7669grt, a length of 459ft
1in, a beam of 56ft 2in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Phemius she was built for the China Mutual Steam Navigation
Co. On 5th June 1942 a convoy of six ships, code name Operation
Harpoon, sailed from the Clyde with vital supplies for Malta.
At the same time Operation Vigorous, a convoy made up of 11
ships sailed from Alexandria. The convoy of six ships which
included Troilus passed Gibraltar during the night of 11th-12th
June and from then on the escort was made up of one battleship,
two aircraft carriers, two cruiser and eight destroyers. As
the convoy got closer to Malta another cruiser, nine destroyers,
four fleet minesweepers and six minesweeping launches joined
the escorting ships. Apart from the Troilus the other ships
in the convoy were the Burdwan and Orari from Britain, the Tanimbar
from Holland and the Chant and Kentucky from the USA carrying
in total 43,000 tons of cargo and oil. Air attacks increased
in frequency and the Tanimbar was sunk on 14th June followed
by the Chant during the following day. The Kentucky, after being
hit, was taken in tow and the Burdwan was disabled. Rather than
slow down both the Kentucky and the Burdwan were sunk. Of the
remaining ships the Orari struck a mine and managed to limp
into port while the Troilus arrived as the only unscathed ship.
Of the eleven ships that sailed from Alexandria only six arrived
safely in Malta after Admiral Vian's group was recalled to base.
However, two years later she became the company's last war casualty
when, on 31st August 1944 during a voyage from Colombo to Liverpool
she was torpedoed and sunk by U-859 (KapitanLeutnant Johann
Jebsen) 250 miles east of Socotra in the Indian Ocean (14 10N
61 04E) .As the boats were being lowered further torpedoes were
fired causing more casualties, a total of twenty four in all.
After five days afloat ninety five survivors were recovered
from the lifeboats by HMS Taff and HMA Nadder who then took
them to Aden. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
HECUBA
(2) was built in 1901 by Bremer Vulcan at Vegesack, Germany
with a tonnage of 7540grt, a length of 430ft, a beam of 54ft
4in and a service speed of 10 knots. She was built for Norddeutscher
Lloyd of Bremen and spent the whole of World War One interned
at Trondheim. She came to Britain as a war prize on 6th May
1919 and was placed under Holt management. She was purchased
by the Ocean Steam Ship Co. in 1922 for the Australasian services
and renamed Hecuba. However, before she could enter service,
the British Government, fearing a potential crisis in the Near
East, requisitioned her as a transport and she sailed on 24th
August 1923 from Constantinople with cavalry bound for Egypt.
When she returned to Blue Funnel she was in a poor condition
and was subsequently sold to Italian shipbreakers in August
1924 and renamed Ada for her final voyage to the scrap yard.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
SARPEDON
(4) was built in 1923 by Cammell Laird & Co. at Birkenhead
with a tonnage of 11321grt, a length of 499ft, a beam of 62ft
4in and a service speed of 15.5 knots. One of four sisters she
was built to accommodate 155 First Class passengers after a
request from the British Government to provide additional passenger
accommodation on cargo vessels on the Far East service . Holts
never expected it to pay and nothing relating to the cargo operations
of these vessels was forsaken as the idea had been considered
long before WW 1 and dismissed by the company. It was basically
done to further the goodwill of the rubber and other planters
and merchants who were the big shippers in the Far East. In
1927 she carried supplies and ammunition to Hong Kong during
the second Sino-Japanese war. She survived WW2 and returned
to commercial service on 5th January 1946 when she made the
first post war sailing to Australia from Liverpool to Brisbane
with 48 passengers. On 5th June 1953 she arrived at Newport
in Monmouthshire where she was broken up by John Cashmore and
Co. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
PATROCLUS
(3) was built in 1923 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11314grt, a length of 498ft
10in, a beam of 62ft 4in and a service speed of 15.5 knots.
Sister of the Sarpedon she was built for the China Mutual Steam
Navigation Co. On 3rd November, 1940 she was torpedoed by U-99
(KorvettenKapitan Otto Kretschmer -Knights Cross with Oakleaves
and Swords) off Bloody Foreland, Ireland (54 43N 14 41W) whilst
picking up survivors of the British Ship Casanare, with the
loss of 76 of her crew. She was serving as an Armed Merchant
Cruiser with the Royal Navy at the time. The U-boat had, moments
earlier, attacked and sunk the Laurentic which was also serving
as an AMC. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
HECTOR
(4) was built in 1924 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11198grt, a length of 498ft
10in, a beam of 62ft 2in and a service speed of 15.5 knots.
Sister of the Sarpedon she commenced her maiden voyage from
Liverpool to the Far East on 24th September 1924. In 1940 she
was converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser but on 5th April
1942, while she was being de-commissioned at Colombo, she was
bombed and set on fire by Japanese aircraft and subsequently
sank. As she was of no further use to the Admiralty they kindly
returned her to Ocean Steam Ship Co. on 20th April 1942. She
was refloated and beached in 1946 but was condemned and sold
for demolition where she lay. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
ANTENOR
(3) was built in 1925 by Palmers Ship Building & Iron Co.
at Jarrow with a tonnage of 11174grt, a length of 487ft 8in,
a beam of 62ft 2in and a service speed of 15.5 knots. Sister
of the Sarpedon she was launched on 30th September 1924 for
deployment with the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co and commenced
her maiden voyage on 15th January 1925 from Liverpool to the
Far East. In September 1937 she was used to carry five giant
pandas from Hong Kong to London. During the voyage the four
adults ate their wooden cages and had to be relocated in the
potato lockers on the poop deck. On arrival in London the pandas
were in excellent condition but the potato lockers had been
wrecked. In September 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty
and converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser. She was further
converted into a troopship in 1942 and was involved in the invasion
of Normandy in 1944. She returned to commercial service with
Ocean Steam Ship Co. in February 1946 and continued to serve
until 1953 when she was sold to Hughes Bolckow for demolition,
arriving at the breakers yard on 19th July. (Photo: John Clarkson
Collection)
TANTALUS
(2) was built in 1923 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 7777grt, a length of 458ft 4in,
a beam of 58ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. She was
built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. and in 1936 was transferred
to Glen Line and renamed Radnorshire. Three years later she
reverted to Ocean Steam Ship Co. and her original name. In early
December 1941 she was in Hong Kong for a refit when the Japanese
invaded. She was taken in tow and, through hazardous waters,
was taken to Manila where she arrived during a Japanese bombardment.
In an attempt to avoid the daily bombing she was then moved
to Bataan and was abandoned by her crew on Boxing Day 1941 just
prior to Japanese aircraft setting her on fire. She subsequently
capsized and sank. When the Japanese forces entered Manila on
3rd January 1942 the crew were captured and two of them were
executed for attempting to escape. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
MEDON
(1) was built in 1923 by Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co.
Ltd. at Jarrow with a tonnage of 5915grt, a length of 406ft
6in, a beam of 52ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. The
company's first motorship she was owned by Ocean Steam Ship
Co. On 10th August 1942 she was on an independent voyage from
Mauritius to New York via Table bay and Trinidad in ballast
when she was attacked by the Italian submarine Reginaldo Giuliani
(Capitano di Fregata Giovanni Bruno) in the south Atlantic between
Freetown and Trinidad (9 26N 38 26W). She was attacked both
by gunfire and torpedo sustaining substantial damage. During
the hours of darkness the crew abandoned ship in four lifeboats
and stood of until the next day when some crew members reboarded
her to collect some supplies before the submarine open fire
with more shells and eventually sank her with another torpedo.
The No.4 lifeboat was rescued 7 days later by the Norwegian
motor ship Tamerlane, the No.1 boat was rescued after 8 days
by the Panamanian steam ship Rosemount, the No.2 boat was rescued
after 35 days by the Portuguese steam ship Luso and the No.3
boat was rescued after 36 days by the British steamship Reedpool.
The Reedpool, with 34 crew and 16 survivors of the Medon, was
torpedoed and sunk by U-515 on 20th September 1942 150 miles
of Georgetown in British Guayana. All 50 survivors crowded into
one remaining lifeboat and were rescued by the British schooner
Millie M. Masher the next day. Following the sinking of the
Medon no lives were lost even though some crew members were
in a life boat for five weeks. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
DOLIUS
was built in 1924 by Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. Ltd. at Greenock with a tonnage of 5994grt, a length of
406ft 6in, a beam of 52ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots.
She was unique inasmuch that she was the first vessel to be
fitted with part steam and part diesel engines. The downstroke
was powered by diesel and the upward stroke by steam. Although
speed was not increased there was a considerable saving in fuel
costs, so much so that the Eurybates was fitted with a larger
installation. On 24th April 1941 she was damaged when straffed
and bombed by German aircraft in the approaches to the Firth
of Forth. She was less fortunate on 5th August 1943 when, during
a voyage from Avonmouth and Milford Haven to New York in convoy
ONS5, she was torpedoed and sunk by U-638 east of Belle Isle
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The survivors were rescued by HMS
Sunflower and U-638 was later sunk by the escorting vessels.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
EURYMEDON
(2) was built in 1924 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 6223grt, a length of 431ft
9in, a beam of 54ft 8in and a service speed of 12 knots. She
was the first of a three ships built for Ocean Steam Ship Co.
On 25th September 1940, during a voyage from Liverpool to Java
via Cape Town in Convoy OB 217, she was hit by two torpedoes
fired by U-29 (KapitanLeutnant Otto Schuhart - Knights Cross)
whilst in the North Atlantic (53 34N 26 23W). The first torpedo
hit the engine room on the port side and the second blew a hole
in the starboard side of the engine room wrecking a lifeboat
which was being lowered killing the passengers and crew in it
During the following morning Captain J. F. Webster and some
crew members reboarded the Eurymedon and discovered that the
water in the engine room was at sea level and that the ship
was settling on an even keel. But nothing could be done and
a lifeboat from Donaldson's Sularia which had been sunk by U-43
took them off. On 27th September , two days after being hit,
she finally sank. Twenty eight lives were lost and other survivors
in the other lifeboats were picked up by HMCS Ottawa. (Photo:
John Clarkson Collection)
POLYDORUS
(1) was built in 1924 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 6256grt, a length of 429ft
11in, a beam of 54ft 10in and a service speed of 12 knots. Sister
of the Eurymedon she was operated by N.S.N.'Oceaan' flying the
Dutch flag and was the company's first new ship although it
had been operating for 34 years. During a voyage from Liverpool
to Freetown, initially in convoy ON 145, she, on 25th November
1942, began a running battle with U-176 (KorvettenKapitan Reiner
Dierksen). The German submarine mounted six unsuccessful torpedo
attacks before inflicting severe damage with her guns. The Polydorus
was finally sunk off the coast of Africa (9 01N 25 38W) on 27th
November 1942 when two torpedoes sent her to the bottom. Eighty
survivors took to the boats and were rescued two days later
by the Spanish steamship Eolo. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
MELAMPUS
(1) was built in 1924 by Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co.
Ltd at Newcastle with a tonnage of 6321grt, a length of 449ft
6in, a beam of 54ft 10in and a service speed of 12 knots. She
was built for N. S. M. 'Oceaan' and registered in Rotterdam
flying the Dutch ensign. In 1940 registry was transferred to
Willemstad and she came under Allied control. After uneventful
wartime duties she was transferred to the Ocean Steam Ship Co.
and British registry in 1950. In 1955 she was laid up in Holy
Loch and on 1st October 1957 she arrived at Inverkeithing where
she was broken up by Thos.W. Ward. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
CENTAUR
(2) was built in 1924 by Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 3066grt, a length of 315ft
7in, a beam of 48ft 2in and a service speed of 14 knots. Built
for Ocean Steam Ship Co's, Singapore to Australia service she
was converted into a hospital ship for the Australian Government
in 1940. . She was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-177
(Shosa [Lieutenant Commander] H.Nakagawa) of the east coast
of Australia (27 17S 154 05E) on 14th May 1943 even though she
was fully rigged and fully illuminated as a hospital ship. The
Australian hospital ship sunk in 170 meters of water after being
set on fire by a torpedo from the Japanese submarine near Cape
Moreton, off the Queensland coast. The Centaur was on her way
to New Guinea when the attack occurred. The ship sank in three
minutes taking the lives of 268 people, including 18 doctors,
11 nurses, 193 other medical personnel and 30 members of her
crew. Of the 12 nursing sisters on board, only one survived.
The Centaur had been converted from a passenger/cargo liner
into a hospital ship over a two month period at Williamstown
at the mouth of Melbourne’s Yarra River. On completion
her silhouette had changed very little but her appearance had
as she had been completely repainted to identify her as a hospital
ship. Her sombre all over passenger/cargo battleship grey had
been replaced by vivid white, green, red black and dark yellow.
The hull and upperworks were completely white. On the hull a
green band 2 metres wide stretched from stem to stern interspersed
in three places by red crosses two metres high by two metres
wide. On each bow above the green band was a black square on
which the ship’s hospital identification number, 47, was
stencilled in white. A red cross six metres by six metres was
painted on the monkey island deck above the wheelhouse, another
one 7.3 metres by 7.3 metres was painted on the docking bridge
aft with yet a further one hanging from the rear of the docking
bridge facing aft. The now dark yellow funnel had a 1.2 metre
red cross on each side and the life boats were painted white
with a green band to identify them as being from a hospital
ship. The Red Cross flag was flown from the foremast and the
Blue Ensign at the stern. By night internal red neon lights
illuminated the red crosses on the funnel and the one facing
aft from the docking bridge. Floodlights illuminated the red
crosses on the ship’s side and a row of green lights the
green band round the hull. The only concession was that when
the ship was at sea at night the forward floodlights on the
starboard side were left off as the interfered with the vision
of the watchkeepers. Regardless of this minor infringement the
Centaur could not have been identified as anything but a non-combatant
hospital ship. After the war, the captain of the I-177, Lt-Cdr
Hajime Nakagawa, was arrested and tried as a war criminal. He
spent four years in Sugamo prison for atrocities committed in
the Indian Ocean such as shooting survivors of torpedoed ships.
In 1990, the ship was declared a historic wreck. (Photo: John
Clarkson Collection)
ASPHALION
(1) was built in 1924 by Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 6274grt, a length of 431ft
8in, a beam of 54ft 8in and a service speed of 12 knots. She
was the last coal burner built for Holt's and operated by the
China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. On 11th February 1944 she
had a narrow escape when she was damaged by a torpedo fired
by an unidentified submarine when off Vizagapatam in the Bay
of Bengal and was subsequently towed to Calcutta for repairs.
On 27th June 1959 she was sold to Dah Cheong Hong Ltd who broke
her up in Hong Kong. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
ALCINOUS
(2)/PHEMIUS (3) was built in 1925 by Scott's Shipbuilding &
Engineering Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 6639grt, a length
of 429ft 10in, a beam of 54ft 10in and a service speed of 14
knots. The first of three sister ships she was operated by N.
S. M. 'Oceaan' and registered at Amsterdam. In 1950 ownership
was transferred to the Ocean Steam Ship Co. who renamed her
Phemius. After a further seven years service she arrived at
Hong Kong on 26th July 1957 where she was broken up. (Photo:
John Clarkson Collection)
STENTOR
(3) was built in 1926 by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 6634grt, a length of 430ft 10in,
a beam of 55ft 10in and a service speed of 14 knots. On 31st
May 1933 she collided with and sank the Union-Castle steamship
Guildford Castle both vessels being deemed to be equally to
blame. She had a second collision when on 16th September 1939,
as part of the first westbound Mediterranean convoy, she collided
with and slightly damaged British India's Dilwara. Whilst in
Jeddah she was attacked by British aircraft on 3rd April 1941,
her master consequently demanding protection from a British
destroyer against "friendly" fire. On 27th October
1942 during a voyage from Freetown to the UK as part of convoy
SI 125 she was torpedoed by U-509 (Kapitan Leutnant Werner Witte)
west of the Canary Islands (29 13N 20 53W). The Stentor was
the lead ship in a convoy of 40 ships and the torpedo hit her
on the starboard side. Her Master, Capt Williams, together with
21 crew members and 23 passengers were killed. The convoy Commodore,
Gastin, later died when the ship sank within eight minutes.
Survivors were picked up by HMS Woodruff. (Photo: John Clarkson
Collection)
PHRONTIS
(1) was built in 1925 by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 6635grt, a length of 429ft 6in,
a beam of 54ft 10in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Alcinous she was built for N. S. M. 'Oceaan' with Dutch
registry and flag. She was sold to M. Bakhashab of Saudi Arabia
in 1958, renamed Ryad and on 25th August in the same year arrived
in Hong Kong where she was broken up. (Photo: John Clarkson
Collection)
AUTOLYCUS
(2) was built in 1922 by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. Ltd at Hebburn-upon-Tyne
with a tonnage of 7736grt, a length of 459ft 2in, a beam of
56ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Eumaeus
she was built for the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. On 6th
April 1942, whilst on a voyage from Calcutta to the UK via Sandheads
and Durban, she was shelled and sunk by Japanese warships some
50 miles east of Puri in the Bay of Bengal. Sixteen lives were
lost and the survivors landed on the coast of Orissa on 8th
April 1942. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
ADRASTUS/EURYADES
(2) was built in 1923 by Scott's Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 7905grt, a length of 459ft
6in, a beam of 58ft 1in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Eumeaus she was built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. and
at one stage during her career, when she operated as a pilgrim
ship to jeddah, she had her boat deck lifeboats paired one above
the other. In June 1927 her master hanged himself in his cabin
as she approached Penang. Surviving the war she was renamed
Euryades in July 1951to release her name for a new building.
At the beginning of 1954 she was briefly deployed on the US
Pacific coast ports - Philippines - East Indies route before
being laid up at Holy Loch in February of that year. On 10th
August 1954 she arrived at Faslane where she was broken up by
Metal Industries. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
PHEMIUS
(2) was built in 1921 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 7669grt, a length of 459ft
1in, a beam of 56ft 2in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Eumaeus she was built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. In
November 1932 whilst in the Caribbean she encountered a severe
hurricane and for six days she took a severe pounding eventually
losing her funnel. However, this was the least of her Master's
problems but being a solidly built Holt vessel enabled Captain
Evans to bring her into the relative safety of Kingston, Jamaica.
For this action Evans was given a civic reception by the Mayor
of Liverpool on the ship's return as well as several awards
for courage. Unfortunately, Lawrence Holt, nephew of the founder,
saw things differently and reprimanded Capt Evans for taking
his ship into the path of the storm. Captain Evans also had
to forfeit the £200 insurance deposit which the company
required all masters to lodge as a reminder that the ships were
uninsured. When Capt Evans retired in 1944 Lawrence Holt had
a change of heart and returned the £200 to him. A temporary
funnel was fitted and the Phemius sailed to Hong Kong where
her tall funnel was reinstated. During 1942 she operated between
Port Said and Malta under the command of Capt. J. L. W. Johnstone.
On 19th December 1943 during a voyage from Liverpool and Glasgow
to Beira via Takoradi and Lagos she was torpedoed and sunk by
U-515 (KapitanLeutnant Werner Henke - Knights Cross with Oakleaves
) off the coast of west Africa (05 01N 06 47E). Twenty three
lives were lost and the radio officer was taken prisoner. (Photo:
John Clarkson Collection) 
TROILUS
(3) was built in 1921 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 7669grt, a length of 459ft
1in, a beam of 56ft 2in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Phemius she was built for the China Mutual Steam Navigation
Co. On 5th June 1942 a convoy of six ships, code name Operation
Harpoon, sailed from the Clyde with vital supplies for Malta.
At the same time Operation Vigorous, a convoy made up of 11
ships sailed from Alexandria. The convoy of six ships which
included Troilus passed Gibraltar during the night of 11th-12th
June and from then on the escort was made up of one battleship,
two aircraft carriers, two cruiser and eight destroyers. As
the convoy got closer to Malta another cruiser, nine destroyers,
four fleet minesweepers and six minesweeping launches joined
the escorting ships. Apart from the Troilus the other ships
in the convoy were the Burdwan and Orari from Britain, the Tanimbar
from Holland and the Chant and Kentucky from the USA carrying
in total 43,000 tons of cargo and oil. Air attacks increased
in frequency and the Tanimbar was sunk on 14th June followed
by the Chant during the following day. The Kentucky, after being
hit, was taken in tow and the Burdwan was disabled. Rather than
slow down both the Kentucky and the Burdwan were sunk. Of the
remaining ships the Orari struck a mine and managed to limp
into port while the Troilus arrived as the only unscathed ship.
Of the eleven ships that sailed from Alexandria only six arrived
safely in Malta after Admiral Vian's group was recalled to base.
However, two years later she became the company's last war casualty
when, on 31st August 1944 during a voyage from Colombo to Liverpool
she was torpedoed and sunk by U-859 (KapitanLeutnant Johann
Jebsen) 250 miles east of Socotra in the Indian Ocean (14 10N
61 04E) .As the boats were being lowered further torpedoes were
fired causing more casualties, a total of twenty four in all.
After five days afloat ninety five survivors were recovered
from the lifeboats by HMS Taff and HMA Nadder who then took
them to Aden. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
HECUBA
(2) was built in 1901 by Bremer Vulcan at Vegesack, Germany
with a tonnage of 7540grt, a length of 430ft, a beam of 54ft
4in and a service speed of 10 knots. She was built for Norddeutscher
Lloyd of Bremen and spent the whole of World War One interned
at Trondheim. She came to Britain as a war prize on 6th May
1919 and was placed under Holt management. She was purchased
by the Ocean Steam Ship Co. in 1922 for the Australasian services
and renamed Hecuba. However, before she could enter service,
the British Government, fearing a potential crisis in the Near
East, requisitioned her as a transport and she sailed on 24th
August 1923 from Constantinople with cavalry bound for Egypt.
When she returned to Blue Funnel she was in a poor condition
and was subsequently sold to Italian shipbreakers in August
1924 and renamed Ada for her final voyage to the scrap yard.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
SARPEDON
(4) was built in 1923 by Cammell Laird & Co. at Birkenhead
with a tonnage of 11321grt, a length of 499ft, a beam of 62ft
4in and a service speed of 15.5 knots. One of four sisters she
was built to accommodate 155 First Class passengers after a
request from the British Government to provide additional passenger
accommodation on cargo vessels on the Far East service . Holts
never expected it to pay and nothing relating to the cargo operations
of these vessels was forsaken as the idea had been considered
long before WW 1 and dismissed by the company. It was basically
done to further the goodwill of the rubber and other planters
and merchants who were the big shippers in the Far East. In
1927 she carried supplies and ammunition to Hong Kong during
the second Sino-Japanese war. She survived WW2 and returned
to commercial service on 5th January 1946 when she made the
first post war sailing to Australia from Liverpool to Brisbane
with 48 passengers. On 5th June 1953 she arrived at Newport
in Monmouthshire where she was broken up by John Cashmore and
Co. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
PATROCLUS
(3) was built in 1923 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11314grt, a length of 498ft
10in, a beam of 62ft 4in and a service speed of 15.5 knots.
Sister of the Sarpedon she was built for the China Mutual Steam
Navigation Co. On 3rd November, 1940 she was torpedoed by U-99
(KorvettenKapitan Otto Kretschmer -Knights Cross with Oakleaves
and Swords) off Bloody Foreland, Ireland (54 43N 14 41W) whilst
picking up survivors of the British Ship Casanare, with the
loss of 76 of her crew. She was serving as an Armed Merchant
Cruiser with the Royal Navy at the time. The U-boat had, moments
earlier, attacked and sunk the Laurentic which was also serving
as an AMC. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
HECTOR
(4) was built in 1924 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 11198grt, a length of 498ft
10in, a beam of 62ft 2in and a service speed of 15.5 knots.
Sister of the Sarpedon she commenced her maiden voyage from
Liverpool to the Far East on 24th September 1924. In 1940 she
was converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser but on 5th April
1942, while she was being de-commissioned at Colombo, she was
bombed and set on fire by Japanese aircraft and subsequently
sank. As she was of no further use to the Admiralty they kindly
returned her to Ocean Steam Ship Co. on 20th April 1942. She
was refloated and beached in 1946 but was condemned and sold
for demolition where she lay. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
ANTENOR
(3) was built in 1925 by Palmers Ship Building & Iron Co.
at Jarrow with a tonnage of 11174grt, a length of 487ft 8in,
a beam of 62ft 2in and a service speed of 15.5 knots. Sister
of the Sarpedon she was launched on 30th September 1924 for
deployment with the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co and commenced
her maiden voyage on 15th January 1925 from Liverpool to the
Far East. In September 1937 she was used to carry five giant
pandas from Hong Kong to London. During the voyage the four
adults ate their wooden cages and had to be relocated in the
potato lockers on the poop deck. On arrival in London the pandas
were in excellent condition but the potato lockers had been
wrecked. In September 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty
and converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser. She was further
converted into a troopship in 1942 and was involved in the invasion
of Normandy in 1944. She returned to commercial service with
Ocean Steam Ship Co. in February 1946 and continued to serve
until 1953 when she was sold to Hughes Bolckow for demolition,
arriving at the breakers yard on 19th July. (Photo: John Clarkson
Collection) 
TANTALUS
(2) was built in 1923 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 7777grt, a length of 458ft 4in,
a beam of 58ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. She was
built for the Ocean Steam Ship Co. and in 1936 was transferred
to Glen Line and renamed Radnorshire. Three years later she
reverted to Ocean Steam Ship Co. and her original name. In early
December 1941 she was in Hong Kong for a refit when the Japanese
invaded. She was taken in tow and, through hazardous waters,
was taken to Manila where she arrived during a Japanese bombardment.
In an attempt to avoid the daily bombing she was then moved
to Bataan and was abandoned by her crew on Boxing Day 1941 just
prior to Japanese aircraft setting her on fire. She subsequently
capsized and sank. When the Japanese forces entered Manila on
3rd January 1942 the crew were captured and two of them were
executed for attempting to escape. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
MEDON
(1) was built in 1923 by Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co.
Ltd. at Jarrow with a tonnage of 5915grt, a length of 406ft
6in, a beam of 52ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. The
company's first motorship she was owned by Ocean Steam Ship
Co. On 10th August 1942 she was on an independent voyage from
Mauritius to New York via Table bay and Trinidad in ballast
when she was attacked by the Italian submarine Reginaldo Giuliani
(Capitano di Fregata Giovanni Bruno) in the south Atlantic between
Freetown and Trinidad (9 26N 38 26W). She was attacked both
by gunfire and torpedo sustaining substantial damage. During
the hours of darkness the crew abandoned ship in four lifeboats
and stood of until the next day when some crew members reboarded
her to collect some supplies before the submarine open fire
with more shells and eventually sank her with another torpedo.
The No.4 lifeboat was rescued 7 days later by the Norwegian
motor ship Tamerlane, the No.1 boat was rescued after 8 days
by the Panamanian steam ship Rosemount, the No.2 boat was rescued
after 35 days by the Portuguese steam ship Luso and the No.3
boat was rescued after 36 days by the British steamship Reedpool.
The Reedpool, with 34 crew and 16 survivors of the Medon, was
torpedoed and sunk by U-515 on 20th September 1942 150 miles
of Georgetown in British Guayana. All 50 survivors crowded into
one remaining lifeboat and were rescued by the British schooner
Millie M. Masher the next day. Following the sinking of the
Medon no lives were lost even though some crew members were
in a life boat for five weeks. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
DOLIUS
was built in 1924 by Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. Ltd. at Greenock with a tonnage of 5994grt, a length of
406ft 6in, a beam of 52ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots.
She was unique inasmuch that she was the first vessel to be
fitted with part steam and part diesel engines. The downstroke
was powered by diesel and the upward stroke by steam. Although
speed was not increased there was a considerable saving in fuel
costs, so much so that the Eurybates was fitted with a larger
installation. On 24th April 1941 she was damaged when straffed
and bombed by German aircraft in the approaches to the Firth
of Forth. She was less fortunate on 5th August 1943 when, during
a voyage from Avonmouth and Milford Haven to New York in convoy
ONS5, she was torpedoed and sunk by U-638 east of Belle Isle
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The survivors were rescued by HMS
Sunflower and U-638 was later sunk by the escorting vessels.
(Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
EURYMEDON
(2) was built in 1924 by Caledon Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 6223grt, a length of 431ft
9in, a beam of 54ft 8in and a service speed of 12 knots. She
was the first of a three ships built for Ocean Steam Ship Co.
On 25th September 1940, during a voyage from Liverpool to Java
via Cape Town in Convoy OB 217, she was hit by two torpedoes
fired by U-29 (KapitanLeutnant Otto Schuhart - Knights Cross)
whilst in the North Atlantic (53 34N 26 23W). The first torpedo
hit the engine room on the port side and the second blew a hole
in the starboard side of the engine room wrecking a lifeboat
which was being lowered killing the passengers and crew in it
During the following morning Captain J. F. Webster and some
crew members reboarded the Eurymedon and discovered that the
water in the engine room was at sea level and that the ship
was settling on an even keel. But nothing could be done and
a lifeboat from Donaldson's Sularia which had been sunk by U-43
took them off. On 27th September , two days after being hit,
she finally sank. Twenty eight lives were lost and other survivors
in the other lifeboats were picked up by HMCS Ottawa. (Photo:
John Clarkson Collection) 
POLYDORUS
(1) was built in 1924 by Scotts Ship Building & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 6256grt, a length of 429ft
11in, a beam of 54ft 10in and a service speed of 12 knots. Sister
of the Eurymedon she was operated by N.S.N.'Oceaan' flying the
Dutch flag and was the company's first new ship although it
had been operating for 34 years. During a voyage from Liverpool
to Freetown, initially in convoy ON 145, she, on 25th November
1942, began a running battle with U-176 (KorvettenKapitan Reiner
Dierksen). The German submarine mounted six unsuccessful torpedo
attacks before inflicting severe damage with her guns. The Polydorus
was finally sunk off the coast of Africa (9 01N 25 38W) on 27th
November 1942 when two torpedoes sent her to the bottom. Eighty
survivors took to the boats and were rescued two days later
by the Spanish steamship Eolo. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
MELAMPUS
(1) was built in 1924 by Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co.
Ltd at Newcastle with a tonnage of 6321grt, a length of 449ft
6in, a beam of 54ft 10in and a service speed of 12 knots. She
was built for N. S. M. 'Oceaan' and registered in Rotterdam
flying the Dutch ensign. In 1940 registry was transferred to
Willemstad and she came under Allied control. After uneventful
wartime duties she was transferred to the Ocean Steam Ship Co.
and British registry in 1950. In 1955 she was laid up in Holy
Loch and on 1st October 1957 she arrived at Inverkeithing where
she was broken up by Thos.W. Ward. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
CENTAUR
(2) was built in 1924 by Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 3066grt, a length of 315ft
7in, a beam of 48ft 2in and a service speed of 14 knots. Built
for Ocean Steam Ship Co's, Singapore to Australia service she
was converted into a hospital ship for the Australian Government
in 1940. . She was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-177
(Shosa [Lieutenant Commander] H.Nakagawa) of the east coast
of Australia (27 17S 154 05E) on 14th May 1943 even though she
was fully rigged and fully illuminated as a hospital ship. The
Australian hospital ship sunk in 170 meters of water after being
set on fire by a torpedo from the Japanese submarine near Cape
Moreton, off the Queensland coast. The Centaur was on her way
to New Guinea when the attack occurred. The ship sank in three
minutes taking the lives of 268 people, including 18 doctors,
11 nurses, 193 other medical personnel and 30 members of her
crew. Of the 12 nursing sisters on board, only one survived.
The Centaur had been converted from a passenger/cargo liner
into a hospital ship over a two month period at Williamstown
at the mouth of Melbourne’s Yarra River. On completion
her silhouette had changed very little but her appearance had
as she had been completely repainted to identify her as a hospital
ship. Her sombre all over passenger/cargo battleship grey had
been replaced by vivid white, green, red black and dark yellow.
The hull and upperworks were completely white. On the hull a
green band 2 metres wide stretched from stem to stern interspersed
in three places by red crosses two metres high by two metres
wide. On each bow above the green band was a black square on
which the ship’s hospital identification number, 47, was
stencilled in white. A red cross six metres by six metres was
painted on the monkey island deck above the wheelhouse, another
one 7.3 metres by 7.3 metres was painted on the docking bridge
aft with yet a further one hanging from the rear of the docking
bridge facing aft. The now dark yellow funnel had a 1.2 metre
red cross on each side and the life boats were painted white
with a green band to identify them as being from a hospital
ship. The Red Cross flag was flown from the foremast and the
Blue Ensign at the stern. By night internal red neon lights
illuminated the red crosses on the funnel and the one facing
aft from the docking bridge. Floodlights illuminated the red
crosses on the ship’s side and a row of green lights the
green band round the hull. The only concession was that when
the ship was at sea at night the forward floodlights on the
starboard side were left off as the interfered with the vision
of the watchkeepers. Regardless of this minor infringement the
Centaur could not have been identified as anything but a non-combatant
hospital ship. After the war, the captain of the I-177, Lt-Cdr
Hajime Nakagawa, was arrested and tried as a war criminal. He
spent four years in Sugamo prison for atrocities committed in
the Indian Ocean such as shooting survivors of torpedoed ships.
In 1990, the ship was declared a historic wreck. (Photo: John
Clarkson Collection) 
ASPHALION
(1) was built in 1924 by Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 6274grt, a length of 431ft
8in, a beam of 54ft 8in and a service speed of 12 knots. She
was the last coal burner built for Holt's and operated by the
China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. On 11th February 1944 she
had a narrow escape when she was damaged by a torpedo fired
by an unidentified submarine when off Vizagapatam in the Bay
of Bengal and was subsequently towed to Calcutta for repairs.
On 27th June 1959 she was sold to Dah Cheong Hong Ltd who broke
her up in Hong Kong. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection) 
ALCINOUS
(2)/PHEMIUS (3) was built in 1925 by Scott's Shipbuilding &
Engineering Co. at Greenock with a tonnage of 6639grt, a length
of 429ft 10in, a beam of 54ft 10in and a service speed of 14
knots. The first of three sister ships she was operated by N.
S. M. 'Oceaan' and registered at Amsterdam. In 1950 ownership
was transferred to the Ocean Steam Ship Co. who renamed her
Phemius. After a further seven years service she arrived at
Hong Kong on 26th July 1957 where she was broken up. (Photo:
John Clarkson Collection) 
STENTOR
(3) was built in 1926 by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 6634grt, a length of 430ft 10in,
a beam of 55ft 10in and a service speed of 14 knots. On 31st
May 1933 she collided with and sank the Union-Castle steamship
Guildford Castle both vessels being deemed to be equally to
blame. She had a second collision when on 16th September 1939,
as part of the first westbound Mediterranean convoy, she collided
with and slightly damaged British India's Dilwara. Whilst in
Jeddah she was attacked by British aircraft on 3rd April 1941,
her master consequently demanding protection from a British
destroyer against "friendly" fire. On 27th October
1942 during a voyage from Freetown to the UK as part of convoy
SI 125 she was torpedoed by U-509 (Kapitan Leutnant Werner Witte)
west of the Canary Islands (29 13N 20 53W). The Stentor was
the lead ship in a convoy of 40 ships and the torpedo hit her
on the starboard side. Her Master, Capt Williams, together with
21 crew members and 23 passengers were killed. The convoy Commodore,
Gastin, later died when the ship sank within eight minutes.
Survivors were picked up by HMS Woodruff. (Photo: John Clarkson
Collection) 
PHRONTIS
(1) was built in 1925 by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering
Co. at Dundee with a tonnage of 6635grt, a length of 429ft 6in,
a beam of 54ft 10in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Alcinous she was built for N. S. M. 'Oceaan' with Dutch
registry and flag. She was sold to M. Bakhashab of Saudi Arabia
in 1958, renamed Ryad and on 25th August in the same year arrived
in Hong Kong where she was broken up. (Photo: John Clarkson
Collection) 
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