German passenger-cargo ship ss Watuss scuttled and destroyed by British Royal Navy on 2 December 1939

An item reported that the German 9,531 tons passenger-cargo ship ss Watussi (1) which was lying at Mozambique, Portuguese East Africa since the outbreak of the Second World War, departed on 22 November 1939 and was seen by an plane patrolling 60 miles south of Cape Point on the morning of 2 December 1939. Her own crew set her on fire and scuttled her. The entire crew of 155 men and 42 passengers including 16 women and children escaped with the boats, picked up by the British heavy cruiser HMS Sussex (2) and brought to Simonstown, South Africa.

Notes

1. Built by Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany in 1928. Owner Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie (DOAL). The British battle cruiser HMS Renown was a battle cruiser,  sunk the Watussi by gunfire, assisted by the Sussex with picking up the people.

2. Pennant 96. Part of County-class London-sub-class preceded by Hawkins-class succeeded by York-class. Laid down by Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn-on-Tyne, England on 1 February 1927, launched on 22 February 1928, commissioned on 19 March 1929, decommissioned on 3 January 1950 and breaking up at Dalmuir, Scotland begun on 23 February 1950.

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. 

Portuguese gunboat Patria 1903-1931

©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Built with the funds of the Great National Subscription after the 1890 British Ultimatum when Portugal claimed a large area between her colonies Mozambique and Angola covering most of Zimbabwe and Zambia and a large part of Malawi resulting in witdrawing Portuguese forces from areas which both countries claimed. Launched at Lisbon, Portugal on 27 June 1903, sent to the Macau Naval Station in 1908 and sold to China in 1931. 

British cargo ship (ex-Arckwear 1934-1936) Lord Cochrane 1936-1950 (Frieden 1950-1958, Martha 1958-164, Boston L 9161-1966, Helene 1966-1968)

Lord Byron. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Similar Lord Byron and Lord Cochrane. Call sign GWRM. Built by Short Bros Ld., Pallion Yard Sunderland, England with yard number 443 in January 1934, German owned 1950-1958, Greek owned 1958-1966, Italy owned 1966-1968, stranded off Inhaca Island underway from Constantza towards Jeddah on 25 July 1968, towed to Lourenco Marques (nowdays Maputo), (Republic of) Portuguese Mozambique and sold to be broken up starting at Durban, South Africa in 15 September 1968. Gross tonnage 4,157 tons, under deck 3,815 tons, netto tonnage 2,503tons and as dimensions 362.7 x 57.5 x 24.7 feet. 

British steam paddle launch Ma Robert 1858-1863

©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Built with a steel hull for the British Government by MacGregor, Birkenhead, England with yard number 228 in 1858. Propulsion consisted of a wood fired boiler and a 10hp steam engine. Dimensions 22,9 x 2.4 metres. Built for the Zambezi expedition of Dr. Livingstone. Disassembled in 3 parts sent to the Zambezi delta, Mozambique with HMS Pearl arriving in March 1858, reassembed in May 1858, operational in January 1860, grounded and sunk on the Kongoni River on 21 December 1860. Efforts to salvage her in May 1863 were fruitless while she was burned 3 months earlier.

Dutch cargo ship Brastagi 1936-1947

©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Laaid down by Kon.Mij. De Schelde, Vlissingen, Netherlands with yard number 203 on 19 February 1936, launched on 6 February 1937, delivered to manager Firma Wm Ruys & Zonen, owner N.V. Rotterdamsche Lloyd, both at Rotterdam, Netherlands on 6 April 1937, converted into a troop transport in the Second World War, reconverted into a cargo ship in 1947, grounded underway from Lourenco Marques to Dar es Salaam on 31 October 1947, fire broke out on 20 November 1947 and total loss.

According to the list and supplements 1-2 on 13 September 1945 BDZ No. 673sent by the office of armament the Royal Netherlands Navy located at 41 East 42nd Street, New York 17, USA. There were no complete records available, so there were several sources used to compile the list. Sometimes the kind of guns gave indirect information regarding the origin such as 4”/BL and 12 pounder guns were British mostly supplied in the United Kingdom, Canada or Curacao. The 4.7” guns were old Japanese guns placed on some vessels in the begin of the war at Singapore and some 4” guns in the same period at Surabaya, Dutch East Indies. The trade in which the ship was used gave also an indication were the guns were supplied, for example involved in the Pacific trade means supplied at the West Coast.

Armed with 2-2cm guns supplied at Norfolk on 25 March 1942

Armed with 2-2cm guns supplied at New York.

Armed with 4-2cm guns supplied at San Francisco on 22 March 1943

Armed with 1-10,16cm/4” 50 Mk.9 gun

Armed with 3-7,62cm/3” 50 dual purpose guns.

Source

Archieven van hoofd handelsbescherming en diverse handelsbeschermingsofficieren 1941-1946 inv.no. 53 (Nationaal Archief, The Hague, Netherlands.

British sailing barque Lady Elizabeth 1879-

Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas, January 2025

Launched as a barque with yard number 98 by Robert Thompson Jr., Southwick, Sunderland, England on 6 June 1879, homeport London, since 1886 Castletown, Isle of Man and since 1906 Tvedestrand, Norway (owner Skibasaktiegeselskabet, Sundet, Boroen), departed Vancouver, Canada on 4 December 1912 destined for Delagoa Bay, [Portuguese] Mozambique, damaged off Cape Horn and afterwards striking Uraine Rock arrived she at Port Stanley, Falkland Island, there condemned and in June 1913 converted into a coal hulk, new owner Crown Receiver of Wrecks, drifted away to Whalebone Cove on 17 February 1936

Colliers Yeddo and Cleaverly unloaded their cargoes at Port Said, Egypt acccording to the Dutch newspaper De Sumatra Post dated 30 December 1904

An item dated London, England 25 December reported that the colliers Yeddo and Cleaverly underway towards Mozambique with 10,000 tons coal un loaded their cargoes at Port Said, Egypt. A German ship loaded part of this coal in her holds and departed with unknown destination.(1)

Note

1. Russo-Japanese War 8 February 1904-5 September 1905

Colliers Yeddo and Cleaverly unloading coal at Port Said, Egypt acccording to the Dutch newspaper Soerabijasch handelsblad dated 27 December 1904

An item reported that colliers coming from Yedo [probably meaning the colliers Yeddo and Cleaverly] bound for Mocambique loaded with 10,000 tons of coal were unloaded at Port Said, Egypt. Part of the coal was loaded on a German ship with an unknown destination.(1)

Note

1. Russo-Japanese War 8 February 1904-5 September 1905

Colliers waiting at Lourenço Marques for Russian fleet acccording to the Dutch newspaper De Sumatra Post dated 21 December 1904

An item dated Singapore 21 December reported that 4 colliers were lying at Lourenço Marques (Maputo), Mocambique [then Portuguese Mozambique or Portuguese East Africa] waiting for the Russian Baltic Sea squadron.(1)

Note

1. Russo-Japanese War 8 February 1904-5 September 1905

The armament of the Dutch merchant ship Brastagi in the Second World War

According to the list and supplements 1-2 on 13 September 1945 BDZ No. 673sent by the office of armament the Royal Netherlands Navy located at 41 East 42nd Street, New York 17, USA. There were no complete records available, so there were several sources used to compile the list. Sometimes the kind of guns gave indirect information regarding the origin such as 4”/BL and 12 pounder guns were British mostly supplied in the United Kingdom, Canada or Curacao. The 4.7” guns were old Japanese guns placed on some vessels in the begin of the war at Singapore and some 4” guns in the same period at Surabaya, Dutch East Indies. The trade in which the ship was used gave also an indication were the guns were supplied, for example involved in the Pacific trade means supplied at the West Coast.

Armed with 2-2cm guns supplied at Norfolk on 25 March 1942

Armed with 2-2cm guns supplied at New York.

Armed with 4-2cm guns supplied at San Francisco on 22 March 1943

Armed with 1-10,16cm/4” 50 Mk.9 gun

Armed with 3-7,62cm/3” 50 dual purpose guns.

Laid down with yard number 203 by the Kon.Mij. De Schelde, Vlissingen, Netherlands on 19 February 1936, launched on 2 February 1937, delivered on 6 April 1937, owner N.V. Rotterdamsche Lloyd and managed by Firma Wm Ruys&Zonen, both at Rotterdam, Netherlands converted into a troop transport, after the Second World War converted back into a cargo ship, on 31 October 1947 underway from Seattle, USA towards Calcutta, British Indies stranded on Caldeira, 60 miles of Mozambique, and finally declared a total loss on 25 November. Gross tonnage 9,246 tons, net tonnage 5,561 tons, deadweight 11,700 tons, grain capacity 633,00 cubic feet, bale capacity 557,000 cubic feet and as dimensions 147.34 x 19.14 x 11.55 metres.

Source

Archieven van hoofd handelsbescherming en diverse handelsbeschermingsofficieren 1941-1946 inv.no. 53 (Nationaal Archief, The Hague, Netherlands

British whaler Grasshopper visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 27 January 1836

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 1 December 1836 of the whaler Grasshopper master J. Billingshorst (?) underway from Mozambique towards London, England. 

American whaler American spoken according to the newspaper Nantucket Inquirer dated Wednesday 11 March 1835

An item reported that the American whaler Pacific spoke on 6 September 1834 on lat 24.23 lon 48.5 east the American whaler American master Coffin 90 days from Nantucket no oil bound to the Mozambique Channel. 

British warships HMS Doris and Tartar active along the African east coast according to the Dutch newspaper De Tijd dated 16 July 1899

HMS Doris

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY DIGITAL COLLECTIONS

An item dated Lorenço Marques, Mozambique dated 14^th July reported the departure the same day of the British flagship HMS Doris (1) towards Zanzibar [British protectorate nowadays autonomous region of Tanzania]. The British cruiser HMS Tartar (2) returned at Lorenço Marques [nowadays Maputo].

Notes

1. Of the Eclipse-class 2nd class protected cruisers, consisting of the Doris, Diana, Dido, Eclipse, Isis, Juno, Minerva, Talbot and Venus, preceded by the Astraea-class and succeeded by the Arrogant-class. Laid down at N.C.&A. Barrows (Naval Construction and Armaments Company/Vickers) on 29 August 1894, launched on 13 March 1896, completed for service on 18 November 1897 and sold at Bombay 20 February 1919 to be broken up.

2. Part of the Archer-class torpedo cruisers, preceded by Scout-class and succeeded by Marthon-class laid down by J.&G. Thomson, Glasgow, Scotland on 2 March 1885, launched on 28 October 1886, completed on 30 June 1901 and sold in 1906.

German cruiser SMS Condor arrived at Lourenço Marques, Portuguese East Africa according to the Dutch newspaper Het nieuws van den dag dated 15 September 1899

An item dated Lourenço Marques, Portuguese East Africa [Maputo, Mozambique] dated 13^th reported the arrival of the German cruiser SMS Condor.(1)

Note

Of the Bussard-class unprotected cruisers designed for service in the German colonies, preceded by Schwalbe-class, succeeded by Gefion, laid down by Blohm&Voss,  Hamburg, Germany in 1891, launched on 23 February 1892, commissioned on 9 December 1892 and broken up in 1921.

American whaler Pacific visited St. Helena in 1831

Made by John Heaviside Clark (circa 1771-1863) Flensing in progress around 1814

The American whaler Pacific, master D. M’Kinzie,  arrived on 27 September 1831, coming from Delagoa Bay [Maputo Bay, Mozambique], bound for New Bedford, USA and departed on 2 October 1831.

Source

The St. Helena Calendar and directory for 1832. William Bateman, St. Helena, 1832. 

American whaler Anna Maria visited St. Helena in 1831

Made by John Heaviside Clark (circa 1771-1863) Flensing in progress around 1814

The American whaler Anna Maria, master J. Chester, arrived on 19 September 1831, coming from Delagoa Bay [Maputo Bay, Mozambique], bound for New London, USA and departed on 20 September 1831.  

Source

The St. Helena Calendar and directory for 1832. William Bateman, St. Helena, 1832. 

American whaler Congress visited St. Helena in 1831

Made by John Heaviside Clark (circa 1771-1863) Flensing in progress around 1814

The American whaler Congress, master T. Brock, arrived on 10 August 1831,  coming from Mozambique,  bound for Nantucket, USA and departed on 16 August 1831.  

Source

The St. Helena Calendar and directory for 1832. William Bateman, St. Helena, 1832.

French whalers captured by Dutch brig according to the Dutch newspaper Amsterdamse courant dated 4 January 1794

An item reported that a Dutch brig coming from Cape Good Hope, South Africa captured three French whalers loaded and crewed with Americans in the Delagoa Bay, Mozambique and bound for Europe.

Portuguese passenger annex cargo twin screw ship Quanza 1929-1968

Owned by Companhia Colonial de Navegacao. Launched by Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany with yard number 480 as the Portugal on 1 June 1929, completed on 5 September 1929, the same year renamed Quanza, and broken up in Spain in 1968. Most of the time active on the route Lisbon (Portugal)-Angola-South Africa-Mozambique and incidental towards South America. Gross register tonnage 6.636 ton, net register tonnage 3.944 tons and as dimensions 127,5 x 16,0 x 8,7 metres or 418.2 x 52.6 x 28.6 feet. Speed 14 knots.

German merchant ships seized in Portuguese East Africa according to the Dutch newspaper De Tijd dated 13 March 1916

An item dated Beira, Portuguese East Africa [nowadays Mozambique] 11th reported that all Germans were interned and the German merchant ships and tugs seized.