It was one of several ships used by Marconi for his experimental broadcasts.
On troopship duty early in 1941 between Liverpool & Cape Town
On May 11th 1941 during the invasion of Holland the ship was captured by the German Navy and renamed MS Strassburg, serving as a hospital ship.
On September 1st 1943 the Strassburg collided with a mine off Ijmuiden whilst on a voyage from Rotterdam to Hamburg and was beached. Three weeks later British bombers (or torpedo boats?) set the vessel on fire, becoming a total loss (wreck site 52.32.63N, 04.32.35E), preventing salvage of the wreck. One source says the ship despite is hospital status was equipped with anti-aircraft guns.
Sister ship 'Dempo' built by De Schelde, Vlissingen. Torpedoed March 17th 1944 near Algiers during the Allied invasion of North Africa.
Details:
Built: Fijenoord NV, Rotterdam 1929/30
Launched: Maiden voyage April 16th 1930, Rotterdam to India
Tonnage: 16,981 tons
(Lloyds: Gross tons 17,001; below deck 12,123; nett 10,173.)
Length: 167.98 metres (551 ft)
Breadth: 21.44 metres (70.4 ft)
Draught: 9.10 metres (41.6 ft)
Propulsion: Two single acting Schelde Sulzer 10ST76 ten cylinder engines producing 7,000hp each at 100rpm
Auxiliary engines: Four x 6SS38 engines totalling 3,120hp at 170rpm
Screws: 2
Speed: 18 knots
Passengers: 236 1st class, 253 2nd class, 30 3rd class, 68 4th class & 27 convertible to 1st or 2nd class.
Page added June 3rd 2006
Last updated May 29th 2007
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