SS Eaglescliffe Hall
Encyclopedia
The SS Eaglescliffe Hall was a bulk freighter initially built to serve for the Canadians
on the Great Lakes
. She had an active life, leaving the lakes during the Second World War to transport goods around Britain.
, Middlesbrough
. She was sailed across the Atlantic to enter service with Hall Corporation, based in Canada.
which sailed from Sydney
, Nova Scotia
on 5 October 1940. She was carrying a cargo of timber. The poorly escorted convoy came under heavy u-boat
attack, and a number of the ships were sunk. Eaglescliffe Hall was straggling behind the main convoy and was able to pick up survivors from the torpedoed Greek merchant SS Aenos. She safely reached port.
She was soon busy on a number of local convoys, including trips from Seaham
to London
, carrying coal for the London power stations. Whilst at anchor off Sunderland on 10 August 1941 the Eaglescliffe Hall was attacked by German bombers. One bomb fell into the hold but did not detonate, the second hit the side and fell into the water. A third bomb struck the engine room, killing two people, including the chief engineer, and wounding several others. The Eaglescliffe Hall was towed to Sunderland on 13 August and from there to the Tyne
on 20 August for repairs. Eaglescliffe Hall again found herself in trouble later that year, when the Sheringham
lifeboat
Foresters' Centenary had to rescue 15 men from her on 29-30 October 1941. The lifeboat's coxwain, a man named Dumble, was awarded the RNLI's
Bronze Medal for the rescue.
David Barclay was sold to Scott Misener of Canada in 1959 and returned to service on the Great Lakes
for two years.
She was sold to Kingcome Navigation Ltd., Vancouver
in 1961 and was converted to a log barge. She sank later that year whilst under tow in waters off British Columbia
on 25 October 1961.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. She had an active life, leaving the lakes during the Second World War to transport goods around Britain.
Pre-war service
The Eaglescliffe Hall was built in 1928 at the yards of Smith's Dock Co., South BankSouth Bank, Middlesbrough
South Bank is a small town which forms part of the Middlesbrough urban area that lies 2.3 miles from Middlesbrough centre, in North East England. As the name suggests, it lies on the south bank of the River Tees. Although it is part of the Middlesbrough conurbation, it is a ward of Redcar and...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
. She was sailed across the Atlantic to enter service with Hall Corporation, based in Canada.
World War II service
On the outbreak of war she was fitted to cross the Atlantic to support the merchant navy in British waters. She joined the ill-fated convoy SC-7Convoy SC-7
SC-7 was the code name for a large Allied World War II convoy of 35 merchant ships and six escorts which sailed eastbound from Sydney, Nova Scotia for Liverpool and other United Kingdom ports on 5 October 1940. While crossing the Atlantic, the convoy was intercepted by one of the German Navy's...
which sailed from Sydney
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, 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...
on 5 October 1940. She was carrying a cargo of timber. The poorly escorted convoy came under heavy u-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
attack, and a number of the ships were sunk. Eaglescliffe Hall was straggling behind the main convoy and was able to pick up survivors from the torpedoed Greek merchant SS Aenos. She safely reached port.
She was soon busy on a number of local convoys, including trips from Seaham
Seaham
Seaham, formerly Seaham Harbour, is a small town in County Durham, situated south of Sunderland and east of Durham. It has a small parish church, St Mary the Virgin, with a late 7th century Anglo Saxon nave resembling the church at Escomb in many respects. St Mary the Virgin is regarded as one of...
to 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...
, carrying coal for the London power stations. Whilst at anchor off Sunderland on 10 August 1941 the Eaglescliffe Hall was attacked by German bombers. One bomb fell into the hold but did not detonate, the second hit the side and fell into the water. A third bomb struck the engine room, killing two people, including the chief engineer, and wounding several others. The Eaglescliffe Hall was towed to Sunderland on 13 August and from there to the Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
on 20 August for repairs. Eaglescliffe Hall again found herself in trouble later that year, when the Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
Foresters' Centenary had to rescue 15 men from her on 29-30 October 1941. The lifeboat's coxwain, a man named Dumble, was awarded the RNLI's
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
Bronze Medal for the rescue.
Post-war service
Eaglescliffe Hall remained in service, and in 1955 was sold to Colonial Steamships Ltd, where she was renamed David Barclay.David Barclay was sold to Scott Misener of Canada in 1959 and returned to service on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
for two years.
She was sold to Kingcome Navigation Ltd., Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
in 1961 and was converted to a log barge. She sank later that year whilst under tow in waters off British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
on 25 October 1961.