SS Patroclus (1923)

SS ''Patroclus'' was a British steam turbine passenger and refrigerated cargo liner launched in 1923. She was the third of five ships to bear the name.

In the Second World War ''Patroclus'' served as an armed merchant cruiser. A U-boat sank her in November 1940 with the loss of 76 of her complement.

Building

Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company built ''Patroclus'' at Greenock, Scotland. She was launched on 17 March 1923 and completed on 11 June that year.

''Patroclus'' was the second of a set of four sister ships built for Alfred Holt and Company of Liverpool, who owned Blue Funnel Line and other shipping lines including China Mutual Steam Navigation Company. Her sisters were launched in 1923, and and launched in 1924. All were named after characters in Homer's ''Iliad''.

''Patroclus'' was long, beam and had a depth of . She had a counter stern, slightly raked stem, one funnel and two masts. She had accommodation for first class passengers only. At the request of the UK Government the four ships were built with berths for 155 first class passengers for services to the Far East. Blue Funnel Line did not expect carrying passengers to be profitable.

''Patroclus''s tonnages were and . She had two steam turbines driving twin screws via single-reduction gearing, which gave her a service speed of . By 1934 she had been fitted with wireless direction finding equipment.

Naval service

On 12 September 1939 the Admiralty requisitioned ''Patroclus'' and had her converted into an armed merchant cruiser, HMS ''Patroclus''. Her primary armament was six BL 6-inch Mk XII naval guns and her secondary armament included two QF 3-inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft guns. Her conversion was completed on 2 January 1940.

In 1940 HMS ''Patroclus'' served on the Northern Patrol from January to April, the South Atlantic Station in May and June and the Northern and Western Patrol from July onwards.

Loss

At 2140 hrs on 3 November 1940 torpedoed the Elders and Fyffes banana boat ''Casanare'' in the Western Approaches west of Bloody Foreland in Ireland. ''Patroclus'' and another AMC, HMS , responded to ''Casanare''s wireless distress message. When they arrived, ''U-99'' attacked ''Laurentic'' but ''Patroclus'' concentrated on searching for survivors from ''Casanare''.

''U-99'' damaged ''Laurentic'' and then attacked ''Patroclus'' from a range of only 300 metres. ''U-99'' hit ''Patroclus'' with torpedoes at 0002 hrs, 0022 hrs and 0044 hrs. Then at 0058 hrs ''U-99'' fired four rounds from her deck gun, two of which hit ''Patroclus''. ''U-99'' then herself came under fire and took evasive action. ''U-99'' hit ''Patroclus'' with a fourth torpedo at 0118 hrs, and then withdrew to search for ''Casanare''. At 0239 hrs an RAF Short Sunderland flying boat passed overhead, forcing ''U-99'' to dive.

At 0404 hrs ''U-99'' resurfaced and resumed her attack. At 0453 hrs she fired a torpedo that hit and sank ''Laurentic''. At 0516 hrs ''U-99'' torpedoed ''Patroclus'' again, but the impact seemed to have little effect. At 0525 hrs ''U-99'' hit ''Patroclus'' with a final torpedo, which broke the ship's back. Her stern capsized and her bow slowly sank. 76 of her complement were lost, including her commander, Captain Gerald Wynter. The destroyer then arrived, drove ''U-99'' away and rescued survivors from ''Laurentic''. The destroyer rescued 230 survivors from ''Patroclus''.

References

Bibliography

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External links

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* – interview with a survivor

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patroclus (1923)
1923 ships
World War II Auxiliary cruisers of the Royal Navy
Maritime incidents in November 1940
Ocean liners of the United Kingdom
Ships built on the River Clyde
Ships of the Blue Funnel Line
Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II
Steamships of the United Kingdom
World War II cruisers of the United Kingdom
World War II passenger ships of the United Kingdom
World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean