SS Michael E

Career
Name:	SS Michael E
Owner:	Bury Hill Shipping Co Ltd[1]
Operator:	Counties Ship Management Co Ltd, London[2]
Port of registry:	London
Builder:	William Hamilton & Co, Port Glasgow[2]
Launched:	1941
Completed:	May 1941[2]
Out of service:	2 June 1941[2]
Identification:	Code Letters BCKB United Kingdom Official Number 168165
Fate:	Sunk by torpedo[2]
General characteristics
Type:	cargo ship
Tonnage:	7,628 GRT 5,508 NRT
Length:	421 ft 1 in (128.35 m) between perpendiculars 434 ft 5 in (132.41 m) overall
Beam:	60 ft 4 in (18.39 m)
Draught:	23 ft 2.25 in (7.07 m)
Depth:	35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Propulsion:	Triple expansion steam engine
Crew:	46 Merchant Navy men & officers, 12 RAF personnel, three Royal Navy gunners[2]
Aircraft carried:	1 Hawker Sea Hurricane
Aviation facilities:	aircraft catapult

SS Michael E was a 7,628 ton CAM ship which was built in 1941 and was sunk on her maiden voyage.

Description

Michael E was built by William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow. Launched in 1941, she was completed in May of that year. She was the United Kingdom's first CAM ship, armed with a catapult on her bow to launch a Hawker Sea Hurricane.^[2]

Michael E was 421 feet 1 inch (128.35 m) long between perpendiculars (434 feet 5 inches (132.41 m) overall), with a beam of 60 feet 4 inches (18.39 m). She had a depth of 35 feet 8 inches (10.87 m) and a draught of 23 feet 2.25 inches (7.07 m). She was 7,628 GRT and 5,508 NRT.^[3]

Michael E was powered by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 24 inches (61 cm), 39 inches (99 cm) and 68 inches (170 cm) diameter by 48 inches (120 cm) stroke. The engine was built by D. Rowan & Co Ltd, Glasgow.^[3]

History

Michael E was owned by the Bury Hill Shipping Co Ltd.^[3] She was placed under the management of Counties Ship Management Ltd of London, an offshoot of the Rethymnis & Kulukundis shipbroking company.^[4] She was named after Michael E Kulukundis, a member of the Kulukundis family that had a major shareholding in her.^[4] Michael E was allocated the Code Letters BCKB and the United Kingdom Official Number 163168. Her port of registry was London.^[3]

Sinking

On 28 May 1941 Michael E sailed in ballast on her maiden voyage from Belfast, Northern Ireland bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia with convoy OB 327.^[2] The convoy was dispersed on 1 June and at 2043 hours on 2 June Michael E was in the North Atlantic several hundred miles southwest of Cape Clear when U-boat Dutch cargo ship edit] Replacement ship

In September 1941 William Hamilton & Co completed a second CAM ship of the same class for CSM. She was launched as the Primrose Hill and effectively replaced the Michael E. The Primrose Hill survived until October 1942 when a German-operated submarine sank her by torpedo and shellfire.

References

1. ^ Slader, 1988, page 143
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Helgason, Guðmundur (1995-2010). "Michael E.". uboat.net. Guðmundur Helgason. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/964.html. Retrieved 1 July 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d} "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS". http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name=40a1093.pdf. Retrieved 12 July 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Fenton, Roy (2006). "Counties Ship Management 1934-2007". LOF-News. p. 1. http://www.lof-news.co.uk/CountiesHistory/Counties1.htm. Retrieved 30 June 2010. 

Sources & further reading

• Sedgwick, Stanley (1993) [1992]. Kinnaird, Mark; O'Donoghue, K.J.. eds. London & Overseas Freighters, 1948-92: A Short History. World Ship Society. ISBN 0905617681. 
• Sedgwick, Stanley; Sprake, R.F. (1977). London & Overseas Freighters Limited 1949-1977. World Ship Society. ISBN 0905617010. 
• Slader, John (1988). The Red Duster at War. London: William Kimber & Co Ltd. pp. 143–144. ISBN 0-7183-0679-1. 

Coordinates: 48°30′N 29°00′W / 48.50°N 29.0°W / 48.50; -29.0