Official Number:                      146419

Pennant No:

Signal Letters:                        GMJY                     

Laid down:

Builder:                                     Ardrossan Drydock & Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Ardrossan

Launched:                               25 March 1924

Into Service:                            1939

Out of service:                         4 September 1940

Fate:                                          4 September 1940 sank after a collision

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of a group of additional requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

25 March 1924 launched by Ardrossan Drydock & Shipbuilding Co Ltd., Ardrossan as Yard No: 329 named Lady Limmerick for British & Irish Steam Packet Co Ltd., Dublin

September 1924 completed

1930 transferred to Burns & Laird Lines Ltd., Glasgow and renamed Lairdscastle

24 May 1930 the Dundee Courier newspaper reported –

30 June 1933 the Dundee Courier newspaper reported –

1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a Transport/Stores Carrier – name unchanged

4 September 1940 sank in tow in the Firth of Clyde after a collision with Vernon City between Cumbraes and the Mull of Kintyre. All 72 passengers and 29 crew were saved

Steamship Vernon City

30 May 1941 Mr Justice Langdon gave judgement in the Admiralty Division of the High Court following claims and counter claims arising from the collision of 4 September 1940 (details above). The Judge dismissed both claims and counter claims finding no negligence in either vessel and stated he could find no one to blame for the collision

16 January 1942 The Scotsman newspaper reported –

10 October 1967 the unverified wreck of Lairdscastle was detected by HMS MERMAID and it’s position was reported as 55º11 27N, 05º 31 23W.

Notes:

The Coast Lines Group was originally formed in 1913 and consisted of a large group of Companies which were brought together in subsequent years. Transfers of ships between the constituent members were quite common after 1920 and Coast Lines retained all the previous Company names. Some of these were as follows with year of acquisition; British & Irish Steam Packet Co Ltd in 1917; City of Dublin Steamship Co Ltd, City of Cork Steamship Co Ltd and Belfast Steamship Co Ltd in 1918/19; Burns & Laird Lines Ltd in 1922; British Channel Islands Shipping Co Ltd in 1937 and Tyne-Tees Steamship Co Ltd., in 1943