SS Edna
From Our Contribution
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | SS Edna |
| Owner | British Admiralty during war years |
| Builder | Sunderland Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Sunderland. |
| Launched | 1902 |
| Completed | 1902 |
| In service | 1902 |
| Fate | sank in a storm 1952 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | cargo |
| Tonnage | 2,274 tons |
| Depth | 17' 4½" (4.38m) |
| Propulsion | Single screw |
| Speed | 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h) |
Remarks
Several small ships named Edna existed around the time of ww2, one had been the cause of a dispute between the US and British Governments post WW1, the US claiming on behalf of the ship's owner that it had been seized without reason by the Briish in 1916 near the Falkland Islands, and that they then detained it for an unreasonable length of time. The ship's previous name was Mazatlan which had previously flown both German and then Mexican flags. Germain to the British argument was the belief that Mazatlan was a collier that was supplying the German Cruiser Leipzig. Requisitioned by the British, the Edna's ownership and damages were still being argued in 1927, although the ship was returned to its owners in 1919.
Little is known about the ship between wars but during WW2, from 1941 until 1945 SS Edna was under the control of the Admiralty and plied the Australian east and northern coasts with numerous visits to the islands to Australia's north, and the US West coast. While under Admiralty control she was fitted with 1 x 12 pounder and 2 AA guns.
Again the ship fades nto the background until on a voyage from Trondheim to Preston, the Finnish steamship Edna sprang a leak during heavy weather and foundered about 47 miles NE of Flugga on 7 Mar 1952 with the loss of 18 lives. This ship was said to have been built in 1905 so it might be the same vessel.