British cargo ship ss Doric Star lost in December 1939

 

German Admiral Graf Spee original appearance. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

German Admiral Graf Spee disguised appearance. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that the 10,086 tons cargo ship ss Doric Star (1) loaded with general and refrigerated cargo departed Capetown, South Africa on 28 November bound for Freetown, Sierra Leone was reported as being by artillery fire from a battleship 600 miles east south east of St. Helena in the afternoon of 2 December and presumed to be lost.(1)

Notes

1. Launched by Lithgows, Port Glasgow, Scotland with yard number 731 on 24 February 1921, completed in 1922, taken into service as Doricstar in 1922, renamed Doric Star in 1929 and sunk on 2 December 1939 after leaving Auckland, New Zealand in November 1939.

2. She was destroyed by the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee and not by her sister ship Admiral Scheer. Part of Of the Deutschland-class panzerschiffe, nicknamed pocket battleships by the Allied forces, later classified as heavy cruisers preceded by the Admiral Hipper-class. Main armament 2x3-28cm/11” guns, on fore and aft ship one turret. Building ordered as the Ersatz Braunschweig. Laid down on the Reichmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven, Germany with yard number 125 on 1 October 1932, launched on 30 June 1934, commissioned on 6 January 1936, successful in destroying 50.089 gross tonnage of merchant ships, participated in the Battle of the Rio de La Plata on 13 December 1939 and finally scuttled to prevent capture on 17 December1939. Her captain was mislead believing that a large Allied naval force was approaching which was not true. Despite being damaged in the battle was she still superior to the Allied ships waiting outside Montevideo, Uruguay who were far more damaged. She was however lacking enough ammunition and had severe problems while the oil purification and desalination plants destroyed.

Sources

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.

Lloyd’s Register 1939-1940. 

German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee harrassing Allied merchant shipping in the South Atlantic in November-December 1939

Admiral Graf Spee. Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

German Admiral Graf Speein 1939 disguise. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer(1) was again active in the South Atlantic presumably sinking two British merchant ships on a position about 500 miles south east of St. Helena. Two hunting groups were to sent to the southward of Cape Town, South Africa when the British merchant ships were attacked. After immediately refueling the groups went to search. The Dutch ship "Mfria" was halted by the Admiral Graf Spee around 500 miles east of Durban, South Africa on 16 November. The pocket battleship would be able to cover the distance at economical speed. Several of the German merchant ships lying in South American harbors seemed to prepare their departure possible connected with the movements of the pocket battleship.

Note

1. This can’t be the Admiral Schee whice she was refitted. Her sister ships Admiral Graf Spee and Deutschland were at that moment active as commerce raiders in respectively South and North Atlantic. Building ordered from Admiral Graf Spee as the Ersatz Braunschweig. Laid down on the Reichmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven, Germany with yard number 125 on 1 October 1932, launched on 30 June 1934, commissioned on 6 January 1936, successful in destroying 50.089 gross tonnage of merchant ships, participated in the Battle of the Rio de La Plata on 13 December 1939 (1) and finally scuttled to prevent capture on 17 December1939. Her captain was mislead believing that a large Allied naval force was approaching which was not true. Despite being damaged in the battle was she still superior to the Allied ships waiting outside Montevideo, Uruguay who were far more damaged. She was however lacking enough ammunition and had severe problems while the oil purification and desalination plants and galley were destroyed. Her opponents were the British cruisers HMS Ajax, Exeter and Achilles. Two of the Allied ships searching for her were the French fast battleships also called battle cruisers Strassbourg and Dunkerque.

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. 

American whaler Columbus returned home according to the newspaper Nantucket Inquirer dated Wednesday 18 March 1835

Biodiversity Heritage Library

An item reported the arrival at New Bedford on 15 March of the American whaler Columbus master Pease returning from the South Atlantic Ocean leaving St. Helena on 25 January 800 barrels sperm oil 600 barrels whale oil to Gibbs&Jenny, Fairhaven. 

British cruiser HMS Lowestoft cruising along the West African coast according to the Weekly Intelligence Summary (W.I.S.) No. 44 dated 5 November 1921

Town-class light Birmingham sub-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that the British cruiser HMS Lowestoft proceeded her cruise on the West African coast intending to visit St. Helena in early January 1922.

Note

1. Part of Town-class light cruisers Birmingham sub-class succeeded by Arethusa-class, ordered under 1911 Naval Estimates, laid down at Chatham Dockyard on 29 July 1912, launched on 23 April 1913, commissioned on 21 April 1914 and sold to be broken up on 8 January 1931.

Source

The National Archives, Kew Gardens, England CAB-24-129-73

American whaler Delta visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 16 March of the American whaler Delta master C.W. Payne returning from a whaling cruise bound for Greenpoint, USA. 

American whaler Thames visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 21 March of the American whaler Thames master R.B. Green returning from a whaling cruise bound for Sag Harbour, USA. 

Enemy raider active between St. Helena and Africa according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 6 August 1942

An item reported that the enemy attack on 17 July between St. Helena and Africa as mentioned in Summary No. 229 by a surface raider was at least partly done by motor torpedo boats of this raider. Speed of the raider was at least 20 knots and the supply ship which accompanied her had the same speed.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No.239 dated 6 August 1942.

American whaler Cadmus visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 20 March of the American whaler Cadmus master D. Hand returning from a whaling cruise bound for Sag Harbour, USA. 

American whaler Marcus visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 18 March of the American whaler Marcus master A. Eldridge returning from a whaling cruise bound for Sag Harbour, USA.

American whaler George visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 18 March of the American whaler George master J.C. Congdon returning from a whaling cruise bound for Groton, USA. 

Enemy surface raiders operating on the South Atlantic Ocean according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 10 August 1942

An item reported that an enemy surface raider was sighted by daylight on 9 August about midway between St. Helena and Rio de Janeiro. She was not identified. In the South Atlantic seemed to surface raiders to be active.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 243 dated 10 August 1942

British whaler Marquis Lanadown visited St. Helena according to the newspaper The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated 13 January 1837

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

An item reported the arrival at St. Helena on 1 October 1836 of the whaler Marquis Lanadown master W.F. Plant coming from Timor, Dutch East Indies bound for London.(1)

Note

1. Launched by John Scott&Co., Fort Gloucester, Calcutta, British Indies on 30 March 1824, last mentioned in 1847. Tonnage 208-225-225 78/94 or 233 tons builder measurement and as dimensions 28.2 x 7.0 metres or 92.5 x 22.10 feet. Made 4 voyages as a southern whaler between 1829 and 1845. She returned home on 20 December 1836 loaded with 500 casks whale oil. 

American whaler Columbus visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

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

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 16 March of the American whaler Columbus master W. Hedges returning from a whaling cruise bound for New London, USA.

American whaler Liverpool visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

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

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 12 March of the American whaler Liverpool master F. Fisher returning from a whaling cruise towards New Bedford, USA.

American whaler Herald visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

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

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 12 March of the American whaler Herald master N. Nye returning from a whaling cruise towards New London, USA.

American whaler George Porter visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 22 April 1836

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

An item reported the arrival at the island of St. Helena on 9 March of the American whaler George Porter master E. Poole returning from a whaling cruise towards New London, USA.

American whaler Good Return visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 19 February 1836

An item reported the arrival on 13 January at the island St. Helena of the American whaler Good Return master W. Howland on a whaling cruise bound for New Bedford. 

American whaler Washington visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 19 February 1836

An item reported the arrival on 13 January at the island St. Helena of the American whaler Washington master E. Russell on a whaling cruise bound for Dartmouth.

American whaler Atlantic visited St. Helena according to the The Cape of Good Hope Gazette dated Friday 19 February 1836

An item reported the arrival on 8 January at the island St. Helena of the American whaler Atlantic master W. Mason on a whaling cruise bound for Warren.

British whaler Renard 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 18 December 1836 of the whaler Renard master Rudout on a whaling cruise underway towards London, England.