HMT Cardiganshire
From Our Contribution
 | |
 1930's photo as SS Salvestria | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMT Cardiganshire |
| Owner | Royal Mail Steam Packet Company |
| Builder | Workman, Clark & Co, Belfast |
| Yard number | 324 |
| Launched | 30 September 1913 |
| In service | 1913 |
| Fate | sun k by acoustic mine |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | cargo / passenger ship |
| Tonnage | 11,936 tons |
| Length | 520 ft (158.50m) |
| Beam | 62 ft 5 in (19.02m) |
| Depth | 42 ft 6 in (12.95m) |
| Speed | 14 knots (25.93 km/h) |
Remarks
Owned by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, allocated to the Shire Line and used for the Far East run. In September 1914 used to ferry troops from England to France, and taken over by the Admiralty in February 1915 for a voyage to Zeebruge with troops and war supplies.
As the ship approached Zeebruge the Belgian pilot ordered full speed ahead and steered her into the mole causing damage to the bow. The pilot was subsequently arrested, investigated and shot for sabotage. In April of 1915 she participated in the Dardanelles campaign. On 14th January 1917, a submarine in the Mediterranean chased her, but she escaped.
In May of 1929 she was sold to Christian Salvesen's South Georgia Co. and converted into a whale factory ship with a stern ramp and the name SS Salvestria. On 27th July 1940 while approaching Rosyth she activated one of the British defensive minefield's acoustic mines and sank 5 kms off Inchkeith Light in the Firth of Forth. There were 10 men killed during the sinking.