RMS Transylvania (1925)
Postcard of the Transylvania
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History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Transylvania |
Namesake | Transylvania |
Builder | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, Glasgow |
Launched | 11 March 1925, as SS Transylvania |
Acquired | August 1939 |
Commissioned | 5 October 1939 |
In service | September 1925 |
Out of service | August 1939 |
Fate | Sunk, 10 August 1940 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Ocean Liner |
Displacement | 16,923 long tons (17,195 t) |
Length | 552 ft (168 m) |
Beam | 70.2 ft (21.4 m) |
Propulsion | twin steam turbine engines |
Speed | 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph) |
Armament |
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RMS Transylvania was a British Ocean Liner. She was launched on 11 March 1925 for the Anchor Line and was the sister ship to the SS California, and HMS Scotstoun. She was converted into an armed merchant cruiser, pennant F56 during World War II. On 10 August 1940, HMS Transylvania was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat U-56.
Construction[]
Transylvania was built in Glasgow, Scotland, by the Fairfield company, Yard No. 595. She was 552 feet (168 m) long and 70.2 feet (21.4 m) wide. The liner had twin propellers with a service speed of 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph). Transylvania had three funnels but only required one; three funnels were more visually appealing and attracted more passengers than her similar-looking fleetmates which only had one funnel each.[citation needed]
Career[]
Transylvania was completed on 2 September 1925, and sailed from Glasgow to New York on her maiden voyage 10 days later. Transylvania could carry 279 in First Class, 344 in Second Class and 800 in Third Class. On 28 March 1929, the Transylvania ran aground in the fog at La Coeque Rocks, ten miles west of Cherbourg. In Cherbourg she disembarked her passengers and then sailed to the Clyde, where the repairs were made. In 1930, there was a change in ship's passenger accommodation With the increase in international tourism.[citation needed]
Fate[]
In September 1939, the liner was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as an armed merchant cruiser and was the Transylvania assigned to the 10th Cruiser Squadron and served in the Northern Patrol, which was responsible for the naval blockade against the Germans. On 10 August 1940, off Malin Head, Ireland, she was torpedoed by U-56. Transylvania was being towed by the stern but sank before reaching land. A total of 36 lives were lost.[1]
Citations[]
- ^ "HMS Transylvania (F56)". uboat.net. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
Bibliography[]
- Osborne, Richard; Spong, Harry & Grover, Tom (2007). Armed Merchant Cruisers 1878–1945. Windsor, UK: World Warship Society. ISBN 978-0-9543310-8-5.
- Ocean liners
- Auxiliary cruisers of the Royal Navy
- Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II
- 1925 ships
- Maritime incidents in August 1940
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean