SS Rjev

Not to be confused with Empire Gaelic.
History
Name
  • Hendrik Fisser VII (1944-45)
  • Empire Gallic (1945-46)
  • Rjev or Rzhev (1946-70)
Owner
  • Fisser & Van Doornum (1944-45)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1945-46)
  • Soviet Government (1946-70)
Operator
  • Fisser & Van Doornum (1944-45)
  • Ellerman's Wilson Lines Ltd (1945-46)
  • Murmansk Shipping Company (1946-70)
Port of registry
BuilderT U K Smit / Deutsche Werft
Yard number796
LaunchedJuly 1944
CompletedNovember 1944
Out of service1970
Identification
FateScrapped
General characteristics
Class and typeHansa A type Cargo ship
Tonnage1,944 GRT, 985 NRT, 3,120 DWT
Length85.19 m (279 ft 6 in)
Beam13.49 m (44 ft 3 in)
Depth4.78 m (15 ft 8 in)
Installed powerCompound steam engine, 1,200IHP
PropulsionSingle screw propeller
Speed10.5 knots (19.4 km/h)

Rjev or Rzhev (Russian: Ржев) was a Hansa A Type cargo ship which was built as Hendrik Visser VII in 1944 by T U K Smit, Kinderdijk, Netherlands and completed by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg, Germany for Fisser & Van Doornum, Emden, Germany. She was seized as a prize of war in 1945, passing to the Ministry of War Transport and renamed Empire Gallic. She was allocated to the Soviet Union in 1946 and renamed Rjev. She served until 1970 when she was scrapped.

Description

The ship was 85.19 m (279 ft 6 in) long, with a beam of 13.49 m (44 ft 3 in). She had a depth of 4.78 m (15 ft 8 in). She was assessed as 1,925 GRT, 985 NRT,[1] 3,120 DWT.[2]

The ship was propelled by a compound steam engine, which had two cylinders of 42 cm (169⁄16 inches) and two cylinders of 90 cm (357⁄16 inches) diameter by 90 cm (357⁄16 inches) stroke. The engine was built by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Tegel, Germany.[1] Rated at 1,200IHP, it drove a single screw propeller and could propel the ship at 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h).[2]

History

Hendrik Fisser VII was a Hansa A Type cargo ship built in 1944 as yard number 796 by T U K Smit, Kinderdijk, Netherlands for Fisser & Van Doornum, Emden, Germany. She was launched in July 1944 and completed by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg Germany in November. Her port of registry was Emden.[2][3] Hendrik Fisser VII participated in the evacuation of East Prussia, carrying troops of the 21st Infantry Division from Hela to Kiel.[4] On 12 March 1945, she collided with the vorpostenboot V 315 Bris off Rixhöft. The vorpostenboot sank.[5]

In May 1945, Hendrik Fisser VII was seized as a prize of war at Kiel. She was passed to the Ministry of War Transport. She was renamed Empire Gallic.[3] The Code Letters GLLS and United Kingdom Official Number 180615 were allocated.[6] Her port of registry was London and she was operated under the management of the Ellerman's Wilson Lines Ltd, Hull.[2]

In 1946, Empire Gallic was allocated to the Soviet Union and was renamed Rjev (sometimes spelled Rzhev).[3] She was operated under the management of the Murmansk Shipping Company. Her port of registry was Murmansk.[7] With their introduction in the 1960s, Rjev was allocated the IMO Number 5297335. She served until 1970, arriving at Hamburg on 13 July for scrapping by Eisen & Metall.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships" (PDF). Lloyd's List. Lloyd's of London. 1945. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Hendrik Fisser VII (Ty.)" (in Danish). J Marcussen. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p. not cited. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Garnisonsstadt Deutsch-Eylau" [Garrisontown Eylau, Germany] (in German). Gerhard Templin. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  5. ^ Gröner, Erich (1993). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945 (in German). Vol. 8/I: Flußfahrzeuge, Ujäger, Vorpostenboote, Hilfsminensucher, Küstenschutzverbände (Teil 1). Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. p. 166. ISBN 3-7637-4807-5.
  6. ^ "SIGNAL LETTERS OF BRITISH SHIPS". Convoyweb. Retrieved 8 June 2020. (enter GLLS or Empire Gallic in relevant search box)
  7. ^ "Class Hansa I / Волочаевск, проект (Германия), шифр "Hansa-A"" (in Russian). Fleetphoto. Retrieved 8 June 2020.