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The Hermes Viraat Heritage Trust

The Hermes Viraat Heritage TrustThe Hermes Viraat Heritage TrustThe Hermes Viraat Heritage Trust

Signed in as:

filler@godaddy.com

  • Home
  • About Us
  • HMS Hermes
    • HMS Hermes 10
    • HMS Hermes 9
    • HMS Hermes 8
    • HMS Hermes 7
    • HMS Hermes 6
    • HMS Hermes 5
    • HMS Hermes 4
    • HMS Hermes 3
    • HMS Hermes 2
    • HMS Hermes 1
  • The Hermes Association
    • About Us
    • Apply for Membership
    • INS Viraat visit
    • HMS Sultan visit
  • INS Viraat
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Aircraft since 1959
  • HMS Hermes layout
  • FALKLANDS TRIP SURVEY
  • Falklands Project

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SS Zealandic

What has the SS Zealandic to do with HMS Hermes you may wonder.  In 1939 the Admiralty purchased her to trick the Germans in to thinking she was HMS Hermes


HERMES DECOY "Fleet Tender C"

Zealandic was the last ship built by Harland and Wolff to operate the White Star – Shaw, Savill & Albion Joint Service. 


She was launched on June 29th, 1911, and four months later, Zealandic sailed between Liverpool and Wellington on her maiden voyage, departing on October 30th.


On January 22nd, 1913, Zealandic departed Wellington with a then record cargo for wool exports, and was also chartered by the West Australian Government as an immigrant carrier.


On July 2nd, 1915, Zealandic was chased by U-39, but her speed saved her and she escaped the raider’s attentions.


On 2 July 1915 she had a close encounter with German submarine U-39 which pursued her; the ship's speed enabling her to escape. She remained in White Star Line service on the route until 1917 when, due to the First World War, she was commandeered by the Royal Navy for the transportation of troops. On 15 June 1919, she was released from military service and returned to the White Star Line.


She was sold to the Aberdeen Line in 1926 who named her Mamilius, and back to the Shaw Savill & Albion Line in 1932 to be renamed again, this time to Mamari III


She was sold again in 1939 to the British Admiralty for military service and refitted to look like the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes. Attacked by German aircraft off the English coast near Cromer, Norfolk, she struck a submerged wreck and went aground on 8 April 1941. Before she could be rescued she was attacked and destroyed by German E-boats. The ruse had obviously worked.


At 00.45 hours on 17 Jan 1941 the unescorted Zealandic (Master Frederick James Ogilvie) was hit underneath the forward mast by one G7e torpedo from U-106 about 230 miles west-northwest of Rockall. The ship stopped for a short time, sent distress signals and then continued. The ship sank slowly after being hit amidships by two torpedoes at 00.59 and 01.27 hours. The Germans observed how the crew abandoned ship in three lifeboats, but they were never seen again. The master, 64 crew members, two gunners and six passengers were lost. 


In Memory of:

NAME: AGE: RANK:


Allibone, John Joseph, Merchant Navy 64 Greaser

Attwood, Francis Harold, Merchant Navy 49 Chief Officer

Baker, Lancelot George, Merchant Navy 34 First Electrician

Bammant, John Rylance, Merchant Navy 23 Fourth Officer

Barber, John Lowe, Merchant Navy 23 Assistant Steward

Barber, Robert Clark, Merchant Navy 46 Fourth Engineer Officer

Barclay, David James, Civilian 26 Passenger

Barker, John Joseph, Merchant Navy 18 Scullion

Beckett, Albert John, Merchant Navy 37 Fifth Engineer Officer

Bilby, Percy Edward, Merchant Navy 24 Greaser

Bolger, James, Merchant Navy 60 Chief Steward

Bowden, Arthur Edward, Merchant Navy 34 Assistant Steward

Bowlt, Robert Jackson, Merchant Navy 43 Boatswain (Bosun)

Brunton, Arthur John, Merchant Navy 31 Chief Refrigerator Engineer

Clements, Andrew, Merchant Navy 15 Steward's Boy

Close, Frederick James, Merchant Navy 20 Ordinary Seaman

Connor, John, Merchant Navy 49 Storekeeper

Daniels, Alfred John, Merchant Navy 37 Third Engineer Officer

Donald, Alan, Merchant Navy 23 Sixth Engineer Officer

Edwards, Peter, Merchant Navy 23 Sailor

Ellis, William, Merchant Navy 38 First Radio Officer

Excell, Ivan, Merchant Navy 24 Seventh Engineer Officer

Ficken, Michael, Merchant Navy 18 Ordinary Seaman

Fittall, Robert George, RANR 31 Leading Seaman (DEMS gunner)

Fleming, George, Merchant Navy 22 Third Electrician

Frankson, Thomas, Merchant Navy 31 Greaser

Fraser, Leonard Robert, Merchant Navy 23 Able Seaman

Garrett, Arthur Richard, Merchant Navy 30 Able Seaman

Graham, Walter Thomas, Merchant Navy 34 Able Seaman

Griffin, Ernest Emmanuel, Merchant Navy 36 Steward

Grove, John, Merchant Navy 15 Boy

Hampton, Raymond Eric, Merchant Navy 24 Steward

Harrison, Albert Edward, Merchant Navy 38 Seventh Engineer Officer

Hatherly, Thomas Charles, Merchant Navy 27 Assistant Cook

Hedley, Kenneth George, RANR 25 Leading Seaman

Holden, George William, RANR 28 Lieutenant (DEMS gunner)

Ironside, Robert Thomas, Merchant Navy 33 Assistant Steward

Jones, William, Merchant Navy 27 Able Seaman

Jordan, Richard Henry, Merchant Navy 25 Ninth Engineer Officer

Lascelles, David Pellow, RAF 31 Passenger (Wing Commander)

Lascelles, Diana Trelawny, Civilian 30 Passenger

Laustsen, Marinus, Merchant Navy 49 Greaser

Llewellyn, Edward James, Merchant Navy 16 Deck Boy

Marsh, Derrick Bradshaw, Merchant Navy 20 Second Radio Officer

Masson, William, Merchant Navy 22 Able Seaman

McCullough, Walter J., Merchant Navy 35 Second Engineer Officer

McGeown, John, Merchant Navy 28 Greaser

McLachlan, Hugh, Merchant Navy 19 Assistant Steward

Mitchell, Dudley Elkington, Merchant Navy 48 Electrician Zealandic +

Morris, Bruce Manners, Merchant Navy 42 Second Officer

Moxham, William Henry, Civilian 43 Passenger

Ogilvie, Frederick James, Merchant Navy 62 Master

Page, John William, Merchant Navy 33 Able Seaman

Patrick, Archibald Mcallister, Merchant Navy 22 Tenth Engineer Officer

Piggott, Robert Cubitt, Merchant Navy 35 Greaser

Powell, Patrick, Merchant Navy 37 Greaser

Richards, Charles, Merchant Navy 60 Carpenter

Rosier, James, Merchant Navy 64 Greaser

Ryan, Charles Richard, Merchant Navy 61 Baker

Scott, John, Merchant Navy 29 Able Seaman

Short, Frank Edward, Merchant Navy 43 Donkeyman

Smith, John Kitchener, Merchant Navy 26 Ordinary Seaman

Steward, Charles Ernest, Merchant Navy 35 Chief Cook

Stewart, David Alexander, Merchant Navy 41 Chief Engineer Officer

Stewart, John, Merchant Navy 36 Able Seaman

Stewart, John Robert, Merchant Navy 25 Greaser

Suliman Sadik, , Merchant Navy 49 Lamp Trimmer

Thompson, Dick Whinray, Merchant Navy 22 Second Refrigerator Engineer

Tickell, Robert Wilcox, Merchant Navy 20 Cadet

Tolan, James, Merchant Navy 28 Third Radio Officer

White-Parsons, Peter Nelson, Merchant Navy 19 Apprentice

Wildsmith, John, Merchant Navy 26 Third Officer

Wood, Frederick James, RN 48 Lieutenant

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