Athenia (1923)

Builder:
Fairfield Shipbuilding &
Engineering Company, Ltd.
Govan, Scotland
Ordered:
N/A
Keel Laid:
N/A
Year Built:
1923
Launched:
January 28, 1922
Type:
Passenger (Refrigerated)
Completed:
April 1923
Fate:
Sunk Sept. 4, 1939 (a) by U-30 (Oberleutnant zur See Fritz-Julius Lemp)

Location: North Atlantic, 231 miles northwest of Erris Head, Ireland.
(56.44N-14.05W)

112 passengers and crew lost, 1,306 survivors removed by SS Knut Nelson, the yacht
Southern Cross, SS City of Flint (USA) and HM destroyers Electra H-27, Escort H-65 and
Fame H-78.
(Roll of Honour)
   
Notes
(a):
Torpedoed on Sept. 3rd, but did not sink until the 4th.


Dimensions, Machinery and Performance (as built)
Length:
526' 3" (OA)
Engines:
6 Double reduction geared steam turbines
Beam:
66'"
Boilers:
N/A
Draft:
38" 1" (depth)
Shafts:
2
Gross Tons:
13,465
HP:
N/A
DWT:
N/A
Speed:
15.5 knots
Passengers:
1,516 (1,552 in 1927)
   
Notes:
Engines built by Fairfield.


Owner
As built:
Anchor-Donaldson Line Ltd.
Glasgow, Scotland
1935:
Donaldson Atlantic Line Ltd.
Glasgow, Scotland


Masters
From
To
Name
N/A
Sept. 4, 1939
James Cook


Ship's History
Apr. 21, 1923:
Maiden voyage Glasgow to Montreal, Canada. Remained on this service until lost.
Note:
Athenia was the first British vessel sunk in World War II.
The Anchor-Donaldson Line owned another ship named Athenia which was lost in
the Great War on Aug. 16, 1917 when it was torpedoed and sunk by SMS U-53 only
a couple of hundred miles from where this Athenia was sunk.



 
 
Page published Sept. 3, 2008