SS Rajputana
Encyclopedia
The SS Rajputana was a British passenger and cargo carrying ocean liner
. She was built for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company
at the Harland and Wolff
docks on the River Clyde
near Glasgow
, Scotland
in 1925. She was one of the P&O 'R' class liners from 1925 that had much of their interiors designed by Lord Inchcape's
daughter Elsie Mackay
. Named after the Rajputana
region of western India
, she sailed on a regular route between England
and British India.
She was requisitioned into the Royal Navy
on the onset of World War II
and commissioned in December 1939 as the armed merchant cruiser HMS Rajputana.
The installation of eight six-inch guns gave her the firepower of a light cruiser
without the armoured
protection.
She was torpedoed and sunk off Iceland
on 13 April 1941, after escorting a convoy
across the North Atlantic.
s from Bermuda
and Halifax
under Captain F. H. Taylor, including
BHX 42,
BHX 45,
BHX 49,
BHX 52,
BHX 54,
BHX 61,
BHX 64,
BHX 71,
BHX 83,
BHX 94,
BHX 101,
BHX 111 and
BHX 117
Her sister ships SS Rawalpindi
, SS Ranchi
and SS Ranpura
were also converted to armed merchant cruisers. Except for small corvettes
, the converted passenger ships like HMS Rajputana were the only armed protection for most of the early convoys. With their six-inch guns, they were the only escorts that could engage German surface ships. Very few convoys received the protection of the larger cruiser
s or battleship
s.
On 13 April 1941, four days after parting company with convoy HX 117, she was torpedoed by U-108 in the Denmark Strait
west of Reykjavík
, Iceland
. She sunk over an hour later with the loss of 42 men, including her last civilian captain Commander
C.T.O. Richardson. http://www.warsailors.com/gb5.html A total of 283 of her crew were saved by the destroyer HMS Legion, some of them after spending 12 hours in overcrowded lifeboats. Among the survivors was Daniel Lionel Hanington
, who later become a Rear Admiral
in the Royal Canadian Navy
.
Of her sister ships two survived the war. On 23 November 1939, while on "Northern Patrol" guarding the GIUK gap
, HMS Rawalpindi engaged in battle against the German small battleship
s Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau
. She prevented the breakthrough of the ships, but was herself sunk southeast of Iceland in the Iceland-Faroe passage.
http://home6.inet.tele.dk/ron/greenland/amc_rawalpindi.htm
HMS Ranchi (F15) survived the war and was scrapped at Newport
in 1953. http://www.rijskamp.com/indonesie%20fotoos/photos/photo_34.html HMS Ranpura (F93) was sold to the Admiralty
in 1943 and converted to a repair ship. She served in the Royal Navy
as a fleet depot ship until 1961, when she was broken up. http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/7295.html She took part in the 1956 British invasion of Egypt
. http://www.totalcatholic.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?p=25206&sid=6f043dcfa76965d8ce86681ec0d5af1f
Singapore Straits Times Page 11. 18 December 1937
Prince Birabongse the renowned racing driver,known as B.Bira, en route to England from Bangkok gave an interview to the Straits Times when the Rajputana made a call at Penang on Dec 11th 1937. He was on his way to London to marry his fiancee ,Miss Ceril Heycock.
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
. She was built for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, is a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...
at the Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
docks on the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
near 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...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1925. She was one of the P&O 'R' class liners from 1925 that had much of their interiors designed by Lord Inchcape's
James Mackay, 1st Earl of Inchcape
James Lyle Mackay, 1st Earl of Inchcape, GCSI, GCMG, KCIE was a British colonial administrator in India.Mackay was the second son of James Mackay of Arbroath and his wife, Deborah Lyle...
daughter Elsie Mackay
Elsie Mackay
For the American actress Elsie Mackay please see Elsie Mackay The Honourable Elsie Mackay was a British actress, interior decorator and pioneering aviatrix who died attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean with Walter G. R...
. Named after the Rajputana
Rajputana
Rājputāna was the pre-1949 name of the present-day Indian state of Rājasthān, the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. George Thomas was the first in 1800 A.D., to term this region as Rajputana...
region of western India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, she sailed on a regular route between England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and British India.
She was requisitioned into the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
on the onset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and commissioned in December 1939 as the armed merchant cruiser HMS Rajputana.
The installation of eight six-inch guns gave her the firepower of a light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
without the armoured
Vehicle armour
Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, missiles, or shells, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include tanks, aircraft, and ships....
protection.
She was torpedoed and sunk off Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
on 13 April 1941, after escorting a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
across the North Atlantic.
World War II
In the Battle of the Atlantic HMS Rajputana escorted several North Atlantic convoyConvoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s from Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
and Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
under Captain F. H. Taylor, including
BHX 42,
BHX 45,
BHX 49,
BHX 52,
BHX 54,
BHX 61,
BHX 64,
BHX 71,
BHX 83,
BHX 94,
BHX 101,
BHX 111 and
BHX 117
Her sister ships SS Rawalpindi
HMS Rawalpindi
HMS Rawalpindi was a British armed merchant cruiser that was sunk during the Second World War.-Merchant service:...
, SS Ranchi
SS Ranchi
The SS Ranchi was a British passenger and cargo carrying ocean liner. During World War II she served as an armed merchant cruiser HMS Ranchi.-P&O career:...
and SS Ranpura
SS Ranpura
The SS Ranpura was a British passenger and cargo carrying ocean liner built by R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company at Newcastle upon Tyne for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company in 1924. She was the first of the P&O 'R' class liners that had much of their interiors designed by Lord...
were also converted to armed merchant cruisers. Except for small corvettes
Flower class corvette
The Flower-class corvette was a class of 267 corvettes used during World War II, specifically with the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoy escorts during the Battle of the Atlantic...
, the converted passenger ships like HMS Rajputana were the only armed protection for most of the early convoys. With their six-inch guns, they were the only escorts that could engage German surface ships. Very few convoys received the protection of the larger cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s or battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s.
On 13 April 1941, four days after parting company with convoy HX 117, she was torpedoed by U-108 in the Denmark Strait
Denmark Strait
The Denmark Strait or Greenland Strait |Sound]]) is an oceanic strait between Greenland and Iceland...
west of Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. She sunk over an hour later with the loss of 42 men, including her last civilian captain Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
C.T.O. Richardson. http://www.warsailors.com/gb5.html A total of 283 of her crew were saved by the destroyer HMS Legion, some of them after spending 12 hours in overcrowded lifeboats. Among the survivors was Daniel Lionel Hanington
Daniel Lionel Hanington (Admiral)
Daniel Lionel Hanington was a Canadian Rear Admiral. In 1942, while serving on the HMCS Wetaskiwin, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross...
, who later become a Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
.
Of her sister ships two survived the war. On 23 November 1939, while on "Northern Patrol" guarding the GIUK gap
GIUK gap
The GIUK gap is an area in the northern Atlantic Ocean that forms a naval warfare chokepoint. Its name is an acronym for Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom, the gap being the open ocean between these three landmasses...
, HMS Rawalpindi engaged in battle against the German small battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
and Gneisenau
German battleship Gneisenau
Gneisenau was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the second vessel of her class, which included one other ship, Scharnhorst. The ship was built at the Deutsche Werke dockyard in Kiel; she was laid down on 6 May 1935...
. She prevented the breakthrough of the ships, but was herself sunk southeast of Iceland in the Iceland-Faroe passage.
http://home6.inet.tele.dk/ron/greenland/amc_rawalpindi.htm
HMS Ranchi (F15) survived the war and was scrapped at Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
in 1953. http://www.rijskamp.com/indonesie%20fotoos/photos/photo_34.html HMS Ranpura (F93) was sold to the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
in 1943 and converted to a repair ship. She served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as a fleet depot ship until 1961, when she was broken up. http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/7295.html She took part in the 1956 British invasion of Egypt
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
. http://www.totalcatholic.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?p=25206&sid=6f043dcfa76965d8ce86681ec0d5af1f
Famous passengers
The P&O R-class ships could carry 307 first class and 288 second class passengers.- On 12 January 1929 Lawrence of ArabiaT. E. LawrenceLieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, CB, DSO , known professionally as T. E. Lawrence, was a British Army officer renowned especially for his liaison role during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule of 1916–18...
boarded the ship in KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, British India, arriving in PlymouthPlymouthPlymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
in February 1929. - On 29 August 1931 Indian spiritual teacher Meher BabaMeher BabaMeher Baba , , born Merwan Sheriar Irani, was an Indian mystic and spiritual master who declared publicly in 1954 that he was the Avatar of the age....
departed Bombay for LondonLondonLondon 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...
on the SS Rajputana. Onboard he met with Mahatma Gandhi who was sailing to the second Round Table ConferenceRound Table Conferences (India)This article is about the Anglo-Indian Round Table Conferences. For the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference, see Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference. For other uses of Round Table, see Round Table ....
in London. It was here Baba showed him several pages of his missing book. - On 7 September 1931 Egyptian Essayist and Author Muhammad Loutfi GoumahMuhammad Loutfi GoumahMuhammad Loutfi Goumah , is an Egyptian patriot, essayist, author, and barrister, he studied law and became one of Egypt's most famous lawyers and public speakers...
boarded the ship in Port SaidPort SaidPort Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
to meet with Mahatma Gandhi, the meeting lasted for eight hours.
Singapore Straits Times Page 11. 18 December 1937
Prince Birabongse the renowned racing driver,known as B.Bira, en route to England from Bangkok gave an interview to the Straits Times when the Rajputana made a call at Penang on Dec 11th 1937. He was on his way to London to marry his fiancee ,Miss Ceril Heycock.