HMT Briton
From Our Contribution
 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMT Briton |
| Owner | Union Steam Ship Company (later Union-Castle Line) |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff, Belfast |
| Launched | 5 Jun 1897 |
| Completed | 1897 |
| In service | 4 Decemebr 1897 |
| Out of service | 1926 |
| Fate | scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Royal Mail Ship |
| Tonnage | 10,248 tons |
| Length | 530 ft (161.54m) |
| Beam | 60 feet (18.29m) |
| Propulsion | twin screw |
| Speed | 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h) |
| Capacity | 280 x 1st class; 182 x 2nd; 122 x 3rd |
Remarks
Originally built for the Union Steamship Company and transferred to the Union Castle Line in 1900, and scrapped in 1926. Many of her voyages, both in peacetime and wartime, were between Great Britain and South Africa, and she served as a troopship during both the Boer War and World War I. In June 1898 she ran aground briefly on the Shambles, off Portland Bill, Dorset but was refloated.
October 1899 carried 1,500 troops to Capetown in less then 15 days at the beginning of the Boer War. 1900 transferred to ownership of the newly formed Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company 11th August to 25th September 1914 requisitioned as a troopship, then returned to commercial service. 16th December 1915 requisitioned as troopship, mainly on Mediterranean service. 1918 carried Nigerian troops from Mombasa to Lagos. Later carried U.S. troops between Liverpool and the USA.
On 25 Dec 1918 she departed Dervonport for Australi and New Zealand. 1920 returned to commercial service. January 1925 laid up at Netley. October 1925 made final voyage to Capetown during the seamen's strike and in May 1926 arrived at La Spezia for scrapping.