SS Irish Pine (1919) facts for kids
The Irish Pine was a large cargo ship. It was built in 1919 and first named West Hematite. This ship was owned by the United States Maritime Commission. In 1941, it was rented by Irish Shipping Ltd and got its new name, Irish Pine. Sadly, on November 16, 1942, the Irish Pine was hit by a torpedo from a German submarine, U-608, and sank.
Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name |
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| Owner |
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| Operator |
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| Port of registry |
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| Route | Bordeaux - Rotterdam - Le Havre - New York (1919-21) |
| Builder | J F Duthie, Seattle, Washington |
| Yard number | 23 |
| Launched | 26 April 1919 |
| Completed | June 1919 |
| Out of service | 16 November 1942 |
| Identification |
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| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk by U-608 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage |
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| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Depth |
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| Installed power | 1 x triple expansion steam engine |
| Propulsion | Single screw |
| Speed | 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h) |
| Crew | 33 |
| Notes | Built to Design 1013 |
Contents
Ship Design and Features
The Irish Pine was built in 1919 by J. F. Duthie & Company in Seattle, Washington. It was made following a plan called Design 1013. The ship was launched on April 26, 1919, and finished in June of that year.
Size and Power
The ship was about 409 feet 7 inches (124.84 m) long. That's longer than a football field! It was 54 feet 2 inches (16.51 m) wide. The ship moved using a special engine called a triple expansion steam engine. This engine helped it travel at a speed of about 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h).
When it became the Irish Pine, its recorded length was slightly different. It was listed as 410 feet 4 inches (125.07 m) long. Its width was 54 feet (16.46 m).
Ship's Journey and Fate
The ship, first named West Hematite, began its life carrying goods for the USMC. It sailed on important routes between cities like Bordeaux, Rotterdam, Le Havre, and New York. In 1923, it got stuck in the Weser river, but another ship helped it. By 1933, it was part of the United States Shipping Board. Later, it was put into a special "reserve fleet," meaning it wasn't actively sailing.
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Becoming the Irish Pine
On September 26, 1941, the ship was rented by Irish Shipping Ltd. This company was from Ireland. Ireland was neutral during World War II. The ship was then renamed Irish Pine. Another ship, the Irish Oak, was also rented by Irish Shipping Ltd.
Rescue Mission
In August 1942, the Irish Pine helped save lives. Another ship, the Richmond Castle, was sunk by a German submarine near Cape Farewell. The Irish Pine rescued 15 people who had survived the attack. It brought them safely to Kilrush.
The Sinking
On November 16, 1942, at 12:15 AM, the Irish Pine was hit by a torpedo. It came from a German submarine called U-608. The ship sank very quickly, in just two minutes. All 33 crew members on board lost their lives. This happened in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Cape Breton Island, Canada. Even though Ireland was neutral in the war, the Irish Pine was still attacked.
Ship Identification Numbers
Ships have special numbers and codes to identify them. These are like unique IDs.
Official Numbers
The West Hematite had the United States Official Number 218111. When it became the Irish Pine, it got a new number: the United Kingdom Official Number 159843. These numbers were used before the modern IMO Numbers.
Code Letters
Ships also used "Code Letters" to communicate. The West Hematite used LRGF from 1930 and KLCS from 1934. The Irish Pine used the Code Letters EINQ.
