when named Signe
Official Number: 123188
Laid down:
Builder: A Rodger & Co. Port Glasgow
Pennant No:
Launched: 11 September 1907
Into Service: 1944
Out of service: 1945
Fate: Broken up 12 August 1945
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1 for use as a trasport and collier and then acquired by the Admiralty during WW2 to serve as a block ship
Career Data:
11 September 1907 launched by A Rodger & Co, Port Glasgow as Yard Nr: 403 named Helmsdale for Strath Steamship Co Ltd., Cardiff
October 1907 completed
10 March 1916 requisitioned by the Admiralty for deployment as an Expeditionary Force Transport – name unchanged – until 22 June 1916
30 January 1917 off the River Plate spoke to HMS MACEDONIA
10 February 1917 re-deployed as a wheat transport from the River Plate until 13 April 1917
14 April 1917 re-deployed as a collier until 30 May 1917
31 May 1917 re-deployed as a wheat transport from Canada until 13 July 1917
14 July 1917 re-deployed again as a collier
27 September 1917 at Sierra Leone alongside HMS BACCHANTE and also HMS MONTAGUE delivering stores
29 September 1917 at Sierra Leone alongside HMS AFRICA delivering stores
HMS AFRICA
11 October 1917 & 12 October 1917 at Sierra Leone alongside HMS BRITANNIA supplying 206 tons of bunker coal
13 October 1917 at Sierra Leone alongside HMS BRITANNIA supplying 100 tons of bunker coal
30 October 1917 at Sierra Leone alongside HMS HIMALAYA supplying 574 tons of bunker coal
31 March 1918 & 1 April 1918 at Sierra Leone alongside HMS BACCHANTE delivering stores and supplying 214 tons of bunker coal
1 June 1918 sailed Dakar in convoy escorted by HMS MACEDONIA
6 November 1918 together with Steamship Emerald and escorted by HMS TENBY CASTLE sailed from Longhope to Peterhead
15 November 1918 at Deer Sound with HMS TENBY CASTLE
30 November 1918 at Ismid with a working party from HMS SEVERN onboard
1931 purchased by W H van der Zee, Istanbul and renamed Carol
1932 purchased by Euxine Shipping Co Ltd., London and renamed Carol Dorian
1938 purchased by Chas Strubin & Co Ltd., London and renamed Lake Hall Will
1939 purchased by A Inkapool E Jackobson & Others, Pamu – name unchanged
1940 purchased by Rederi A/B Ingman, Stockholm and renamed Signe
1941a renamed Ingman by her owners
1941b came under the auspices of MoWT with Chr. Salvesen & Co as Managers
1 October 1941 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy EC80 to Harwich arriving the same day then onto the River Tyne arriving 3 October 1941
8 October 1941 sailed the River Tyne to Methil arriving the next day
10 October 1941 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EC83 to Loch Ewe arriving 13 October 1941 then independently to Sydney, Cape Breton arriving 3 November 1941
11 November 1941 sailed Sydney, Cape Breton independently to Clarke City arriving 13 November 1941
26 November 1941 sailed Clarke City independently to Sydney, Cape Breton arriving 28 November 1941
4 December 1941 sailed Sydney, Cape Breton in escorted convoy SC58 to the River Clyde arriving 20 December 1941
27 December 1941 sailed the River Clyde independently to Oban
1944 purchased by the Admiralty for use as a block ship
29 May 1944 arrived at Oban as one of 56 intended block ships gathered there
5 June 1944 arrived Poole Bay Anchorage along with other British and Allied ships from Oban
9 June 1944 scuttled as part of Gooseberry 3 off Gold Beach, Arromanches
12 August 1945 after raising was towed to Newport, Mon for demolition by J Cashmore Ltd.
Notes:
Was one of a group of nearly 60 elderly, uneconomic or damaged merchantmen plus 4 old warships who formed part of Operation Corncob – the vital Gooseberry Breakwaters which were sunk to provide protection against the weather in the English Channel for the ships supporting Operation Overlord – the D-Day Landings.