SS Redesmere (1911)

History
Name	Redesmere
Namesake	Redes Mere
Owner	Watson Steamship Co. (1911–1916) Bromport Steamship Co. (1916–1917)
Port of registry	Liverpool
Builder	Sunderland Shipbuilding Co., Sunderland, England
Launched	7 September 1911
Completed	5 October 1911
Identification	Official number: 124298
Fate	Sunk by submarine, 28 October 1917
General characteristics
Type	Freighter
Tonnage	2,123 gross register tons (GRT) 1,323 net register tons (NRT)
Length	290 ft (88.4 m)
Beam	42.7 ft (13.0 m)
Draught	19.5 ft (5.9 m)
Installed power	226 nhp 1,200 ihp (890 kW)
Propulsion	1 screw propeller; 1 triple-expansion steam engine
Speed	9.75 knots (18.06 km/h; 11.22 mph)

SS Redesmere was a small freighter built during the First World War. Completed in 1915, she was intended for the West African trade. The ship was sunk by the German submarine SM U-70 in October 1917.

Description

Redesmere had an overall length of 290 feet (88.4 m), with a beam of 42.7 feet (13.0 m) and a draught of 19.5 feet (5.9 m). The ship was assessed at 2,123 gross register tons (GRT) and 1,323 net register tons (NRT). She had a vertical triple-expansion steam engine driving a single screw propeller. The engine was rated at a total of 226 nominal horsepower and produced 1,200 indicated horsepower (890 kW). This gave her a maximum speed of 9.75 knots (18.06 km/h; 11.22 mph).

Construction and career

Redesmere, named after Redes Mere, was laid down as yard number 266 by the Sunderland Shipbuilding Co. at its shipyard in Sunderland for the Watson Steamship Co. The ship was launched on 7 September 1911 and completed on 5 October. She was sold to the Lever Brothers' newly formed Bromport Steamship Co. on 11 May 1916. Redesmere was enroute to Southampton from Barry, with a load of coal when she was torpedoed and sunk by UB-40 6 miles (9.7 km) west of St Catherine's Point on 28 October 1917 with the loss of 19 crewmen.

Bibliography

• Admiralty (1988) [1919]. "Merchant Shipping (Losses): British Merchant Vessels Captured or Destroyed by the Enemy". British Vessels Lost at Sea, 1914-18 and 1939-45 (3rd ed.). Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens. pp. 1–99. ISBN 1-85260-134-5.
• Fenton, Roy (December 2022). "Levers' Early Shipping Ventures: Bromport Steamship Co., Ltd. and its Predecessors". Marine News Supplement. 76 (12): S340–S352. ISSN 0966-6958.