SS Ambria

Career
Name:	Ambria (1922–34) Gumbinnen (1934–45) Empire Conleith (1945–46) Dragnes (1946–47) Mimona (1947–59) Malay (1959–61)
Owner:	Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actiengesellschaft (1922–28) Deutsche Levant Linie (1928–34) Kohlen-Import & Poseidon Schiffahrt AG (1928–45) Ministry of War Transport (1945) Ministry of Transport (1945–46) Norwegian Government (1946–47) K Andersen & Co (1947–59) T Halvorsen AS (1959–61)
Operator:	Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actiengesellschaft (1922–28) Deutsche Levant Linie (1928–34) Kohlen Import & Poseidon Schiffahrt AG (1928–45) Ministry of War Transport (1945) Ministry of Transport (1945–46) Norwegian Government (1946–47) K Andersen & Co (1947–59) T Halvorsen AS (1959–61)
Port of registry:	Hamburg (1922–33) Hamburg (1933–34) Königsberg (1934–40) Nordenham (1940–45) London (1945–47) Oslo (1947–61)
Builder:	Deutsche Werft
Yard number:	20
Launched:	26 August 1922
Identification:	Code Letters RCVQ (1922–34) Code Letters DHBA (1934–45) Code Letters GSMY (1945–46) United Kingdom Official Number 180713 (1945–46)
Fate:	Scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type:	Cargo ship
Tonnage:	1,380 GRT 800 NRT 2,091 DWT
Length:	234 ft 5 in (71.45 m)
Beam:	36 ft 8 in (11.18 m)
Depth:	17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)
Installed power:	2 steam turbines (1922–35) Compound steam engine (1935–61)
Propulsion:	Screw propellor
Speed:	9 knots (17 km/h)
Crew:	20
Notes:	Sister ship Arcadia

Ambria was a cargo ship that was built in 1922 by Deutsche Werft, Finkenwerder for German owners. She was sold in 1934 and renamed Gumbinnen. She was sunk by a British destroyer in 1941, raised and repaired. Gumbinnen was seized by the Allies in Flensburg, in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Conleith. In 1946, she was allocated to the Norwegian Government and renamed Dragnes. She was sold into Norwegian merchant service and renamed Mimona. In 1959, she was sold and renamed Malay. She served until 1961 when she was scrapped.

Description

The ship was built in 1922 as yard number 20 by Deutsche Werft, Finkenwerder.^[1]

The ship was 234 feet 5 inches (71.45 m) long, with a beam of 36 feet 8 inches (11.18 m). She had a depth of 17 feet 9 inches (5.41 m). The ship had a GRT of 1,380 and a NRT of 800.^[2] She had a deadweight tonnage of 2,081.^[1]

As built, the ship was propelled by two steam turbines, double reduction geared, driving a single screw propellor. The turbines were built by Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft, Berlin.^[2]

History

Ambria was built for Hamburg-Amerika Packetfarht AG, Hamburg.^[1] The Code Letters RCVQ were allocated.^[2] She was launched on 26 August 1922.^[3] In August 1926, Ambria was in collision with the British steamship Longships Lighthouse. She was beached at Penzance, Cornwall.^[4] In 1928, she was sold to Deutsche Levant Linie AG, Bremen.^[1] In 1934 Her Code Letters were changed to DHBA.^[5] Also in 1934, Ambria was sold to Kohlen-Import & Poseidon Schiffahrt AG, Köningsberg and was renamed Gumbinnen.^[6] In 1934, Gumbinnen was re-engined.^[1] A compound steam engine with two cylinders of 13 inches (33 cm) and two cylinders of 27⁹⁄₁₆ inches (70 cm) diameter by 27⁹⁄₁₆ inches (70 cm) stroke was fitted. The engine was built by F Schichau GmbH, Elbing.^[7] It could propel the ship at 9 knots (17 km/h).^[1]

In 1940, her port of registry was changed to Nordenham.^[1] On 3 March 1941,^[6] Gumbinnen was sunk in Solvær harbour, Lofoten Islands, Norway, by HMS Tartar.^[1] She was raised and repaired at Göteborg, Sweden.^[1] In May 1945, Gumbinnen was seized by the Allies at Flensburg.^[6] Ownership passed to the MoWT and she was placed under the management of A F Henry & MacGregor Ltd. Her port of registry was changed to London. The Code letters GSMY and United Kingdom Official Number 180713 were allocated.^[8]

In 1946, Empire Conleith was allocated to the Norwegian Government and was renamed Dragnes. She was sold to K Andersen & Co in 1947 and renamed Mimona. In 1959, she was sold to T Halvorsen AS and renamed Malay. She served until 1961 when she was scrapped in Grimstad.^[6]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} "22) Frachtdampfer "GUMBINNEN"" (in German). Poseidon Schiffahrts Archiv. http://www.poseidon-schiffahrts-archiv.eu/2-Koenigsberg/Schiffe/1925-1945/22-Gumbinnen/22-Gumbinnen.html. Retrieved 27 June 2010. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ ^{a b c} "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS". Plimsoll Ship Data. http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name=30b0056.pdf. Retrieved 27 June 2010. 
3. ^ "Hamburg Shipbuilding Activity" The Times (London). Wednesday, 30 August 1922. Issue 43123, col B, p. 8.
4. ^ "Casualty Reports" The Times (London). Thursday, 26 August 1928. Issue 44360, col D, p. 15.
5. ^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS". Plimsoll Ship Data. http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name=34b0045.pdf. Retrieved 27 June 2010. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d} Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4. 
7. ^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS". Plimsoll Ship Data. http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name=37b0757.pdf. Retrieved 27 June 2010. 
8. ^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS". Plimsoll Ship Data. http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name=45a1191.pdf. Retrieved 27 June 2010. 

External links

• Photo of Gumbinnen