SS Clan Matheson (1919)
Encyclopedia
Clan Matheson was a 5,613 GRT cargo ship
which was built in 1919 by William Hamilton & Co Ltd
, Port Glasgow
as Clan Morgan for Clan Line Steamers Ltd
. She was sold in 1948 and renamed Harmodius. A further sale in 1951 saw her renamed Claire T. In 1955, she was purchased by the Ministry of Transport
(MoT) and renamed Empire Claire. She was scuttled on 27 September 1955 with a cargo of obsolete war materiel.
The ship was 397 in 1 in (121.03 m) long, with a beam of 56 in 5 in (17.2 m) and a depth of 34 in 0 in (10.36 m). She had a GRT of 5,613 and a NRT of 3,453.
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 27 inches (68.6 cm), 44 inches (111.8 cm) and 73 inches (185.4 cm) diameter by 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke. The engine was built by D Rowan & Co Ltd, Glasgow
.
in 1917 as the 4,360 GRT Bogong. It was later decided to rename her You Yangs. The contract was sold to Clan Line Steamers Ltd on the orders of the British Shipping Controller. Her design was modified and she was lengthened.
Clan Matheson was placed under the management of Cayzer, Irvine & Co Ltd. Her port of registry was Glasgow. The United Kingdom Official Number 141086 was allocated. The Code Letters
JWPR were allocated. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to GQMW. Clan Matheson served as a cargo ship, but she was also used as a cadet training ship.
In 1924, the Coconut Moth (Levuana irridescens) was a serious pest in Fiji
and a biological solution was sought. A similar moth, Artona catoxantha was known to be parisitized by Ptychomyia and Apanteles. It was decided to use these parasites to eradicate the Coconut Moth. The parasites had to be imported from Singapore
to Fiji
. Most ships at that time did not sail direct, but via Australia
, which would have meant putting the parasites into quarantine
in Australia. Clan Line ships operated in the area. In July 1924, was sailing from Singapore to Fiji via other ports. Clan Matheson was also due to sail from Java to Fiji. The parasites were transported on Clan Mackay to Surabaya
, Java, where they were transferred to Clan Matheson for onward shipment to Fiji. Although no Apanteles survived, the introduction of the Ptychomia was a success and the Coconut Moth had been eradicated within two years.
During the Second World War, Clan Matheson was a member of a number of convoys.
OG 3
Convoy OG 3 formed at sea on 17 October 1939 bound for Gibraltar
. Clan Matheson was carrying general cargo bound for East Africa.
OG 22
Convoy OG 22 formed at sea on 18 March 1940 bound for Gibraltar. Clan Matheson was a member of this convoy.
HX 228
Convoy HX 228
departed New York
on 28 February 1943 and arrived at Liverpool
on 15 March. Clan Matheson was carrying a cargo of sugar
and general cargo. She was to have been a member of this convoy but returned to port.
HX 229
Convoy HX 229 departed New York on 8 March 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 23 March. Clan Matheson was carrying general cargo, mail
and a passenger, bound for Loch Ewe
. She was also carrying the convoy's Vice Commodore
. Clan Matheson was unable to maintain speed and put into Halifax, Nova Scotia
.
In 1948, Clan Matheson was sold to British & South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd and was renamed Harmodius. She was placed under the management of Houston Line Ltd. In 1951, she was sold to the Heron Steamship Co Ltd, London
and renamed Claire T. In 1953, she was sold to the Romney Steamship Co Ltd, serving until 1955 when she was purchased by the MoT and renamed Empire Claire. As part of Operation Sandcastle
, she was loaded with obsolete war materiel which included confiscated German munitions containing Tabun
. Loaded with 16,000 bombs, Empire Claire was towed out of Stranraer
on 27 July 1955. She was scuttled that day at .
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
which was built in 1919 by William Hamilton & Co Ltd
William Hamilton and Company
William Hamilton and Company was a British shipyard located in Port Glasgow, Scotland. The company was purchased by Lithgow Ltd., later to become Scott Lithgow which was nationalised into British Shipbuilders in 1977....
, Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow is the second largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16617 persons...
as Clan Morgan for Clan Line Steamers Ltd
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.-Foundation and early years:...
. She was sold in 1948 and renamed Harmodius. A further sale in 1951 saw her renamed Claire T. In 1955, she was purchased by the Ministry of Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
(MoT) and renamed Empire Claire. She was scuttled on 27 September 1955 with a cargo of obsolete war materiel.
Description
The ship was built by William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow as yard number 311 as a sister ship to SS Chronos and SS Macedon. She was laid down in 1917 and launched on 18 February 1919 as Clan Morgan, with completion in April that year.The ship was 397 in 1 in (121.03 m) long, with a beam of 56 in 5 in (17.2 m) and a depth of 34 in 0 in (10.36 m). She had a GRT of 5,613 and a NRT of 3,453.
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 27 inches (68.6 cm), 44 inches (111.8 cm) and 73 inches (185.4 cm) diameter by 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke. The engine was built by D Rowan & Co Ltd, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
History
Clan Matheson was ordered by Australian Steamship Ltd, SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1917 as the 4,360 GRT Bogong. It was later decided to rename her You Yangs. The contract was sold to Clan Line Steamers Ltd on the orders of the British Shipping Controller. Her design was modified and she was lengthened.
Clan Matheson was placed under the management of Cayzer, Irvine & Co Ltd. Her port of registry was Glasgow. The United Kingdom Official Number 141086 was allocated. The Code Letters
Code letters
Code letters were a method of identifying ships before the introduction of modern navigation aids. Later, with the introduction of radio, code letters were also used as radio callsigns.-History:...
JWPR were allocated. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to GQMW. Clan Matheson served as a cargo ship, but she was also used as a cadet training ship.
In 1924, the Coconut Moth (Levuana irridescens) was a serious pest in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and a biological solution was sought. A similar moth, Artona catoxantha was known to be parisitized by Ptychomyia and Apanteles. It was decided to use these parasites to eradicate the Coconut Moth. The parasites had to be imported from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. Most ships at that time did not sail direct, but via Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, which would have meant putting the parasites into quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
in Australia. Clan Line ships operated in the area. In July 1924, was sailing from Singapore to Fiji via other ports. Clan Matheson was also due to sail from Java to Fiji. The parasites were transported on Clan Mackay to Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Java, where they were transferred to Clan Matheson for onward shipment to Fiji. Although no Apanteles survived, the introduction of the Ptychomia was a success and the Coconut Moth had been eradicated within two years.
During the Second World War, Clan Matheson was a member of a number of convoys.
OG 3
Convoy OG 3 formed at sea on 17 October 1939 bound for Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. Clan Matheson was carrying general cargo bound for East Africa.
OG 22
Convoy OG 22 formed at sea on 18 March 1940 bound for Gibraltar. Clan Matheson was a member of this convoy.
HX 228
Convoy HX 228
Convoy HX 228
HX 228 was a North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was one of 4 convoy battles that occurred during the crisis month of March 1943 and is notable for seeing the loss of the Escort Group leader Cdr AA "Harry" Tait.-Prelude:HX 228 was...
departed New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 28 February 1943 and arrived at Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
on 15 March. Clan Matheson was carrying a cargo of sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
and general cargo. She was to have been a member of this convoy but returned to port.
HX 229
Convoy HX 229 departed New York on 8 March 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 23 March. Clan Matheson was carrying general cargo, mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
and a passenger, bound for Loch Ewe
Loch Ewe
Loch Ewe is a sea loch in the region of in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The shores are inhabited by a traditionally Gàidhlig speaking people living in or sustained by crofting villages, the most notable of which, situated on the north-eastern shore, is the Aultbea settlement...
. She was also carrying the convoy's Vice Commodore
Convoy commodore
A Convoy Commodore was the title of a civilian put in charge of the good order of the merchant ships in the British convoys used during World War II. Usually the convoy commodore was a retired naval officer or a senior merchant captain drawn from the RNVR...
. Clan Matheson was unable to maintain speed and put into Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
In 1948, Clan Matheson was sold to British & South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd and was renamed Harmodius. She was placed under the management of Houston Line Ltd. In 1951, she was sold to the Heron Steamship Co Ltd, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and renamed Claire T. In 1953, she was sold to the Romney Steamship Co Ltd, serving until 1955 when she was purchased by the MoT and renamed Empire Claire. As part of Operation Sandcastle
Operation Sandcastle
Operation Sandcastle was a British Ministry of Defence operation conducted in 1955-56 to dispose of chemical weapons at sea. It was the third of four 'phases' to dispose of unwanted chemical ordnance by the British government....
, she was loaded with obsolete war materiel which included confiscated German munitions containing Tabun
Tabun (nerve agent)
Tabun or GA is an extremely toxic chemical substance. It is a clear, colorless, and tasteless liquid with a faint fruity odor. It is classified as a nerve agent because it fatally interferes with normal functioning of the mammalian nervous system...
. Loaded with 16,000 bombs, Empire Claire was towed out of Stranraer
Stranraer
Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland...
on 27 July 1955. She was scuttled that day at .