SS Dundee

SS "Dundee" was a steam passenger and cargo ship of the British Merchant Navy. She served during the First World War and was lost in 1917.

Career

The "Dundee" was built by Caledon shipbuilders at their Dundee yards, and was launched on 24 August 1911. She was completed in November that year and entered service with the Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Company. She sailed for them until the outbreak of the First World War, when she was requisitioned for use as an ocean boarding vessel. She was not a fully commissioned warship of the Royal Navy however, and did not carry the HMS prefix. On 16 March 1917 she was working in the Atlantic with HMS "Achilles", when the German auxiliary cruiser "Leopard" was stopped. The "Dundee" sent out a boat to inspect the disguised vessel, upon which the "Leopard" opened fire and forced "Dundee" to move away. "Achilles" then opened fire on the "Leopard", sinking her in a brief action.

"Dundee" did not last much longer however. On 2 September 1917 she was sighted sailing off the Scilly Isles by "UC-49". The "Dundee" was torpedoed, and duly sank.

References

* [http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/1749.html The sinking of Dundee]
* [http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/show/161345 SS Dundee at the Miramar ship index]