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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