SS Redesmere (1911)

History
Name	Redesmere
Namesake	Redes Mere
Owner	Watson Steamship Co. (1911–1916); Bromport Steamship Co. (1916–1917);
Port of registry	Liverpool
Builder	Sunderland Shipbuilding Co., Sunderland, England
Launched	7 September 1911
Completed	5 October 1911
Identification	Official number: 124298
Fate	Sunk by submarine, 28 October 1917
General characteristics
Type	Freighter
Tonnage	2,123 gross register tons (GRT); 1,323 net register tons (NRT);
Length	290 ft (88.4 m)
Beam	42.7 ft (13.0 m)
Draught	19.5 ft (5.9 m)
Installed power	226 nhp; 1,200 ihp (890 kW);
Propulsion	1 screw propeller; 1 triple-expansion steam engine
Speed	9.75 knots (18.06 km/h; 11.22 mph)

SS Redesmere was a small freighter built during the First World War. Completed in 1915, she was intended for the West African trade. The ship was sunk by the German submarine SM U-70 in October 1917.

Description

Redesmere had an overall length of 290 feet (88.4 m), with a beam of 42.7 feet (13.0 m) and a draught of 19.5 feet (5.9 m). The ship was assessed at 2,123 gross register tons (GRT) and 1,323 net register tons (NRT). She had a vertical triple-expansion steam engine driving a single screw propeller. The engine was rated at a total of 226 nominal horsepower and produced 1,200 indicated horsepower (890 kW). This gave her a maximum speed of 9.75 knots (18.06 km/h; 11.22 mph).^[1]

Construction and career

Redesmere, named after Redes Mere,^[2] was laid down as yard number 266 by the Sunderland Shipbuilding Co. at its shipyard in Sunderland for the Watson Steamship Co. The ship was launched on 7 September 1911 and completed on 5 October. She was sold to the Lever Brothers' newly formed Bromport Steamship Co. on 11 May 1916. Redesmere was enroute to Southampton from Barry, with a load of coal when she was torpedoed and sunk by UB-40 6 miles (9.7 km) west of St Catherine's Point on 28 October 1917^[3] with the loss of 19 crewmen.^[4]

References

^ Fenton, p. S646
^ Fenton, p. S651
^ Fenton, pp. S642, S646
^ Admiralty, p. 71

Bibliography

Admiralty (1988) [1919]. "Merchant Shipping (Losses): British Merchant Vessels Captured or Destroyed by the Enemy". British Vessels Lost at Sea, 1914-18 and 1939-45 (3rd ed.). Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens. pp. 1–99. ISBN 1-85260-134-5.
Fenton, Roy (December 2022). "Levers' Early Shipping Ventures: Bromport Steamship Co., Ltd. and its Predecessors". Marine News Supplement. 76 (12): S340–S352. ISSN 0966-6958.