Leander-class cruiser. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
HMS Cumberland. Drawing by G.J.F. Naerebout in Van Zee tot Zee
An item reported that the British cruiser HMS Ajax (1) stopped on 5 December 1939 south east of Cape Corrientes the 7,834 tons German cargo ship ss Ussukuma (2). Loaded with wool left she on 4 December Montevideo, Uruguay on 4 December. Despite that her crew opened the sea cocks keep she floating until early on 6 December. The Ajax took over her crew numbering 23 officers and 84 sailors later tranferred to the British heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland (3) and transported to the Falkland Isles. There were already 140 German prisoners waiting for a new destination.(4)
Notes
1. Pennant 22. Part of Leander-class light cruisers preceded by Emerald-class succeeded by Arethusa-class, laid down by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness, England on 7 February 1933, launched on 1 March 1934, commissioned on 3 June 1935, last time decommissioned in February 1948 and broken up in 1949.
2. Passenger ship. Launched by Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany on 20 December 1920, completed on 8 July 1921, taken over by the Abwehr after the outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939. Owner Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie.
3. Pennant 57. Part of County-class Kent-sub-class preceded by Hawkins-class succeeded by York-class. Laid down by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness-England on 18 October 1924, launched on 16 March 1926, commissioned on 23 February 1928, part of reserve 1946-1951, converted into a gunnery trials ship and sold to be broken up arriving at Newport on 3 November 1958.
4. In 1940 transported to Camp Baviaanspoort near Pretoria, South Africa.
Source
The National Archives, Kew Gardens, England CAB-66-4-1 Weekly Résumé (No. 14) of the naval, military and air situation from 12 noon 30 November to 12 noon 7 December 1939.
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