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HMT Cardiganshire

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HMT Cardiganshire
HMT Cardiganshire.jpg
HMT Cardiganshire 1.jpg
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.

Soldiers carried

Alexandria to Gallipoli 8 - 10 June 1915