SS Irish Pine (1919)
Encyclopedia
Irish Pine was a 5,621 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1919 for the United States Maritime Commission
(USMC). She was chartered
in 1941 by Irish Shipping Ltd. On 16 November 1942, Irish Pine was torpedo
ed and sunk by .
as West Hematite by J. F. Duthie & Company
, Seattle, Washington
. Yard number 23, she was launched on 26 April 1919 and completed in June. The ship was 409 in 7 in (124.84 m) long, with a beam of 54 in 2 in (16.51 m) and a depth of 27 in 2 in (8.28 m). She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 24.5 inches (62.2 cm), 41.5 inches (105.4 cm) and 72 inches (182.9 cm) bore and 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke. It was built by the Llewellyn Iron Works, Los Angeles
. She could make 10.5 knots (20.6 km/h).
Irish Pine was recorded in Lloyd's Register
as being 410 in 4 in (125.07 m) long, with a beam of 54 feet (16.46 m) and a depth of 30 in 2 in (9.19 m).
- Rotterdam
- Le Havre
- New York
route. By 1933, she had passed to the United States Shipping Board
(USSB). She was later withdrawn from service and placed in the reserve fleet.
On 26 September 1941, West Hematite was chartered from the USSB by Irish Shipping Ltd and renamed Irish Pine. was also chartered from the USSB. On 4 August 1942, the Union-Castle Line's
was torpedoed and sunk by off Cape Farewell
. Irish Pine rescued 15 of the 50 survivors. They were landed at Kilrush
. At 00:15 on 16 November 1942, Irish Pine was hit by a single torpedo from U-608. Although the 33 crew started to take to the lifeboats
, the ship sank at 00:17 with the loss of all on board. Her position was 42°45′N 58°00′W. Ireland
had not declared war on Germany
, and therefore Irish Pine was a neutral vessel.
s. West Hematite had the United States Official Number 218111. Irish Pine had the United Kingdom Official Number 159843.
West Hematite used the Code Letters
LRGF from 1930 and KLCS from 1934. Irish Pine used the Code Letters EINQ.
United States Maritime Commission
The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and replaced the U.S. Shipping Board which had existed since World War I...
(USMC). She was chartered
Bareboat charter
A bareboat charter is an arrangement for the chartering or hiring of a ship or boat, whereby no crew or provisions are included as part of the agreement; instead, the people who rent the vessel from the owner are responsible for taking care of such things....
in 1941 by Irish Shipping Ltd. On 16 November 1942, Irish Pine was torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
ed and sunk by .
Description
The ship was built to Design 1013Design 1013 ship
The Design 1013 ship , also known as the Robert Dollar type, was a steel-hulled cargo ship design approved for mass production by the United States Shipping Boards Emergency Fleet Corporation in World War I...
as West Hematite by J. F. Duthie & Company
J. F. Duthie & Company
J. F. Duthie & Company was a small shipyard in Seattle, Washington. It was organized in 1911 and expanded in World War I to build cargo ships for the . In 1928 its name was changed to Wallace Bridge Company. Some 27 of the 37 ships ship built at J. F...
, Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. Yard number 23, she was launched on 26 April 1919 and completed in June. The ship was 409 in 7 in (124.84 m) long, with a beam of 54 in 2 in (16.51 m) and a depth of 27 in 2 in (8.28 m). She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 24.5 inches (62.2 cm), 41.5 inches (105.4 cm) and 72 inches (182.9 cm) bore and 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke. It was built by the Llewellyn Iron Works, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. She could make 10.5 knots (20.6 km/h).
Irish Pine was recorded in Lloyd's Register
Lloyd's Register
The Lloyd's Register Group is a maritime classification society and independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment and mitigation services and management systems certification. Historically, as Lloyd's Register of Shipping, it was a specifically maritime organisation...
as being 410 in 4 in (125.07 m) long, with a beam of 54 feet (16.46 m) and a depth of 30 in 2 in (9.19 m).
History
West Hematite was built for the USMC. She was initially chartered to Cosmo Shipping Co and was used the BordeauxBordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
- Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
- Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
- New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
route. By 1933, she had passed to the United States Shipping Board
United States Shipping Board
The United States Shipping Board was established as an emergency agency by the Shipping Act , 7 September 1916. It was formally organized 30 January 1917. It was sometimes referred to as the War Shipping Board.http://www.gwpda.org/wwi-www/Hurley/bridgeTC.htm | The Bridge To France by Edward N....
(USSB). She was later withdrawn from service and placed in the reserve fleet.
On 26 September 1941, West Hematite was chartered from the USSB by Irish Shipping Ltd and renamed Irish Pine. was also chartered from the USSB. On 4 August 1942, the Union-Castle Line's
Union-Castle Line
The Union-Castle Line was a prominent British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and cargo ships between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. It was formed from the merger of the Union Line and Castle Shipping Line...
was torpedoed and sunk by off Cape Farewell
Cape Farewell, Greenland
Cape Farewell , is a headland on the southern shore of Egger Island, Greenland. Located at it is the southernmost extent of Greenland, projecting out into the North Atlantic Ocean and the Labrador Sea on the same latitude as Stockholm and the Scottish Shetland Islands. Egger and the associated...
. Irish Pine rescued 15 of the 50 survivors. They were landed at Kilrush
Kilrush
Kilrush is a coastal town in County Clare, Ireland. It is located near the mouth of the River Shannon in the south-west of the county. Kilrush is a town of great historical significance, being one of the listed Heritage Towns of Ireland.-History:...
. At 00:15 on 16 November 1942, Irish Pine was hit by a single torpedo from U-608. Although the 33 crew started to take to the lifeboats
Lifeboat (shipboard)
A lifeboat is a small, rigid or inflatable watercraft carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard ship. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors sometimes...
, the ship sank at 00:17 with the loss of all on board. Her position was 42°45′N 58°00′W. Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
had not declared war on Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, and therefore Irish Pine was a neutral vessel.
Official number and code letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO NumberIMO ship identification number
The IMO ship identification number is made of the three letters "IMO" followed by the seven-digit number assigned to all ships by IHS Fairplay when constructed. This is a unique seven digit number that is assigned to propelled, sea-going merchant ships of 100 GT and above...
s. West Hematite had the United States Official Number 218111. Irish Pine had the United Kingdom Official Number 159843.
West Hematite used the Code Letters
Code letters
Code letters were a method of identifying ships before the introduction of modern navigation aids. Later, with the introduction of radio, code letters were also used as radio callsigns.-History:...
LRGF from 1930 and KLCS from 1934. Irish Pine used the Code Letters EINQ.