The Cameron-class steamships were a

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

of UK cargo twin- screw

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

s. They were designed for

Clan Line The Clan Line was a passenger and cargo shipping company that operated in one incarnation or another from the late nineteenth century and into the twentieth century. History Foundation and early years The company that would become the Clan Lin ...

and were also used by Scottish Shire Line and the Royal Navy. The

Greenock Dockyard Company The Greenock Dockyard Company was a Scottish shipbuilding and ship repair firm located at Greenock, on the River Clyde. History The company was established by J E Scott of Greenock, with the yard at Cartsdyke being taken over in 1879 by Russell ...

built all members of the class except ''Ocean Courier'', which the Todd-Bath Iron Shipbuilding Corporation built in Maine, USA. Most members of the class had two triple-expansion engines, each coupled to a low-pressure exhaust

steam turbine A steam turbine is a machine that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and uses it to do mechanical work on a rotating output shaft. Its modern manifestation was invented by Charles Parsons in 1884. Fabrication of a modern steam turbin ...

. The exceptions were ''Lanarkshire'', which was built with six turbines and no reciprocating engines, and ''Ocean Courier'', which was built with two reciprocating engines but no turbines.

Clan Line ships

Clan line owned 16 Cameron-class ships. Ten were sunk in the Second World War. *, launched in 1935, sunk in the Indian Ocean by in August 1943. *''Clan Macaulay'', launched in 1936, damaged by bombing at Malta, scrapped in 1963. *''Clan Buchanan'', launched in 1937, sunk in the Indian Ocean by the in 1941. *''Clan Cameron'', launched in 1937, scrapped 1959. SS Clan Campbell SLV Green

*, launched in 1937, sunk by bombing off Malta 1942. *''Clan Chattan'', launched in 1937, sunk by bombing off Crete in 1942. *, launched in 1937, sailed in convoy from

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and torpedoed and sunk by in October 1939. *''Clan Cumming'', launched in 1937, convoy duties to Malta and Piraeus, torpedoed off Piraeus in January 1941 but reached port, sunk by mine in the

Gulf of Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

April 1941. *''Clan Ferguson'', launched in 1938, torpedoed and sunk by aircraft on a Malta convoy August 1942. *, launched in 1938, convoy duties to Malta and Piraeus disguised as the depot ship with a dummy funnel, scrapped in 1959. *, launched in 1938, convoy duties to Malta and Piraeus. Hit by aerial bombs in Piraeus harbour in April 1941 whilst carrying a cargo of ammunition, exploded and sunk. *''Clan Menzies'', launched in 1938, sunk by torpedo off Ireland in 1940. *''Clan Macdonald'', launched in 1939, war service as Convoy Commodore ship on Mediterranean convoy to Piraeus 1941, thence to Brisbane and back to United Kingdom, bombed in UK, transferred to Houston Line in 1960, scrapped in China 1970. *''Clan Lamont'', launched in 1939, served as a Landing Ship Infantry for the Normandy Landings in 1944 making six crossings carrying troops, was commissioned as HMS ''Lamont'' in July 1944 and served in the Far East. She was restored to Clan Line 1947 and scrapped in Japan in 1961. *''Ocean Courier'', launched in 1942, completed at Portland, Maine for the Ministry of War Transport, damaged by E-boat torpedo in English Channel 1944, transferred to Clan Line in 1948 and renamed ''Clan Macbean'', scrapped 1960.

Shire Line ships

Two members of the class were built for Scottish Shire Line, which was closely associated with Clan Line: *''Perthshire'', launched in 1936, suffered an engine room fire in 1963 and was scrapped in Japan in 1965. *''Lanarkshire'', launched in 1940, became Bullard, King's ''Umgazi'' in 1959. She was renamed ''Grysbok'' in 1960. Safmarine acquired her in 1961 and renamed her ''South African Farmer''. She was scrapped in Japan in 1963.

Empire ships

Three members of the class were launched and owned as Empire ships. *''Empire Song'', launched in 1940, owned by the Ministry of Shipping and managed by Cayzer, Irvine. Taking part in the

Malta convoy The Malta convoys were Allied supply convoys of the Second World War. The convoys took place during the Siege of Malta in the Mediterranean Theatre. Malta was a base from which British sea and air forces could attack ships carrying supplies f ...

Operation Tiger she was sunk by a mine in the Mediterranean in 1942. *''Empire Might'', launched in 1942, owned by the Ministry of War Transport and managed by

Blue Star Line The Blue Star Line was a Merchant Navy (United Kingdom), British passenger and cargo shipping company formed in 1911, being in operation until 1998. Formation Blue Star Line was formed as an initiative by the Vestey Brothers, a Liverpool-ba ...

. Became Clan Line's ''Clan MacRae'' in 1946. Became Bullard, King's ''Umgeni'' in 1959. Renamed ''Gemsbok'' in 1960, ''South African Financier'' in 1961 and ''Santa Maria de Ordaz'' in 1962, then scrapped in 1962. *''Empire Wisdom'', launched in 1942, owned by the Ministry of War Transport and managed by Cayzer, Irvine. Blue Star Line took over management in 1944, and renamed her ''Royal Star'' in 1946. Renamed ''Caledonia Star'' in 1961. Scrapped in 1972.

Royal Navy ships

The

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral * Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings *Admiralty, Tr ...

requisitioned three members of the class for the Royal Navy in 1942 while they were being built: * ( seaplane depot ship), launched in 1940, returned to Clan Line in 1946 as ''Clan Brodie'', and scrapped in Hong Kong in 1963. * (seaplane depot ship), launched in 1941, returned to Clan Line in 1946 and renamed ''Clan Buchanan'', and scrapped in Spain in 1962. * (

submarine depot ship A submarine tender is a type of depot ship that supplies and supports submarines. Development Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and ...

for

X-craft The X class was a World War II midget submarine class built for the Royal Navy during 1943–44. It was substantially larger than the original Chariot manned torpedo. Known individually as X-Craft, the vessels were designed to be towed to thei ...

) launched in 1942, returned to Clan Line in 1948 as ''Clan Davidson'', and scrapped in Hong Kong in 1963.

References

External links

* *{{cite web , url=http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/clanline5rev.html , last1=Bax , first1=John , last2=Robins , first2=Terry , title=Part Six , work=Clan Line , publisher=Merchant Navy Officers , access-date=26 February 2008 , archive-date=5 March 2012 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305084806/http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/clanline5rev.html , url-status=dead