Athenia (1923)

Builder:
Fairfield Shipbuilding &
Engineering Co. Ltd.
Govan, Scotland
Ordered:
N/A
Keel Laid:
N/A
Year Built:
1923
Launched:
January 28, 1922
Type:
Passenger
Completed:
April 1923
Fate:
Sunk September 3, 1939 by U-30 (torpedo).

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

112 passengers and crew killed, 1,306 survivors picked up by SS Knut Nelson, Southern Cross,
SS City of Flint, HMS Electra H-27, HMS Escort H-65 and HMS Fame H-78.
(Roll of Honour)


Owner
Donaldson Atlantic Line
Glasgow, Scotland
(Formerly Anchor-Donaldson Ltd.)


Dimensions, machinery and performance

Length:
538'
Engines:
2 triple expansion
Beam:
66' 2"
Boilers:
N/A
Draft:
38' (depth)
Shafts:
2
Gross Tons:
13,465
HP:
N/A
DWT:
N/A
Speed:
15.5 knots
Crew:
300
Funnels:
1
Passengers:
1,516 (1,552 in 1927)
Masts:
2


Captains
From
To
Name
Sept. 3, 1939:
James Cook


History
April 21, 1923:
Maiden voyage Glasgow - Liverpool - Montreal, Canada. Continued on this service until sunk.
Sept. 3, 1939:
Sunk by U-30. Athenia was the first ship sunk in combat in World War 2.
(Note, During World War 1 the Donaldson Line owned another ship named Athenia,
she was torpedoed and sunk Aug. 16, 1917 by U-53 only a couple hundred miles from
location of this attack.)


Builder's Data
Page published Sept. 3, 2008