Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Even more aspects - The Lloyd's Register at Penarth Dock . . .

s.s. 'Colemere'

s.s. 'Colemere' - The s.s. 'Colemere' was a general cargo ship launched during December 1914 at the Inch Yard of the Dunlop, Bremner & Company Limited of Port Glasgow. She registered in March 1915 for the Watson Steamship Company Limited based in Manchester. She was a single screw steamship of 2,115 gross and 1,138 net register tons being 303.5 ft. length x 44.7 ft. breath x 18.3 ft. depth. From 1917 she was owned by Bromport Steamship Co. Ltd. and managed by H. R. Greenhalgh. She was sunk on 22nd December 1917 by a torpedo fired by U.105 when 35 nautical miles off The Smalls in the St. George's Channel. At the time she was en-route from Penarth (agent Mr. A. Cameron) to Sierra Leone with a general cargo. 4 crew were lost. [425] [794] The Smalls Lighthouse was built by Trinity House in 1861 as a guide and hazard warning to vessels along the Pembrokeshire coastline.



upper image : Fire damage to s.s. 'Colemere', starboard side, looking aft. lower image : Fire Damage to s.s. 'Colemere', port side, looking aft. 1915 - Fire Damage Repairs to the s.s. 'Colemere' - 'Whilst homeward bound from Port Sudan, laden with a full cargo, consisting principally of cotton-seed and gum, the steamship Colemere took fire in the Mediterranean in September last. She was put ashore at Bona, and then went into Algiers for temporary repair preparatory to leaving for Bristol where such of the cargo as remained was discharged. The cotton-seed was almost entirely destroyed, but a portion of the gum was undamaged. The Colemere was subsequently taken to the Tyne for repairs and entered the No. 2 graving dock of Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Ltd., on October 13. The Colemere is owned by Herbert Watson & Co., of Manchester, the managing owners of the Watson Steamship Company. She is of about 4,000 tons d.w. and was built and engined in 1915 by Dunlop. Bremner & Co., Ltd., of Port Glasgow. The photographs give an excellent idea of the nature and extent of the damage, which, it will be seen, was chiefly confined to the forward part of the ship, inclusive of the engine and boiler rooms. The shelter deck and fittings were totally destroyed, and the whole of the accommodation, except that on the port side, is being renewed. The work, which constitutes one of the largest repair contracts carried out during recent months, is expected, owing to the demands of Government work and the shortage of skilled labour, to take over three months in completion.' - Shipbuilding and Shipping Record [895] 23rd December 1915.

Lest we forget. 1. Jim Boy, aged 24, Fireman and Trimmer, born Sierra Leone, commemorated Tower Hill Memorial. 2. John Davies, aged 27, Fireman, born Sierra Leone, commemorated Tower Hill Memorial. 3. Frank Howard, aged 20, Fourth Engineer Officer, born Bury, commemorated Tower Hill Memorial. 4. John Savage, aged 45, Fireman, born Sierra Leone, commemorated Tower Hill Memorial. [882]