SS Tiberton
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tiberton |
| Owner | R Chapman & Son |
| Port of registry |  Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Builder | Richardson, Duck and Company, Thornaby-on-Tees |
| Yard number | 679 |
| Launched | 20 January 1920 |
| Completed | March 1920 |
| Identification | Official number 142861 |
| Fate | Sunk 19 February 1940 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Cargo ship |
| Tonnage |
|
| Length | 414 ft 5 in (126.31 m) |
| Beam | 52 ft 4 in (15.95 m) |
| Depth | 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m) |
| Installed power | 1 x Triple expansion steam engine, 397 hp (296 kW) |
| Speed | 11 knots (20 km/h) |
SS Tiberton was a British steam cargo ship that was sunk during World War II by the German submarine U-23.
Service[edit]
Registered to owners R. Chapman & Son, Newcastle upon Tyne, Great Britain, the SS Tiberton was launched in 1920 and served in Great Britain's Merchant Navy through the 1920s and 1930s. Operating from her homeport of Newcastle, she sailed to numerous countries including Chile, Australia and Norway.
On 14 June 1928, Tiberton ran aground at Bahía Blanca, Argentina.[1] She was refloated on 17 June 1928.[2]
Sinking[edit]
At 04.05 hours on 19 February 1940, whilst transporting iron ore to Middlesbrough (or Immingham, Lincolnshire) Great Britain from Narvik, Norway, the unescorted Tiberton was hit by one G7e torpedo from U-23 (on her eighth sailing and active patrol in the North Sea[3][4]) under the command of Otto Kretschmer. The Tiberton broke in two and sank in 30 seconds about 33 miles east of Kirkwall, Orkney. All 34 of her crew were killed.[5]
On 10 April 1940 the SS Tiberton was officially registered with Lloyd's as Missing / Untraced and a Joint Arbitration Committee considered her a "war loss".
Memorials[edit]
The 33 British crew members are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London (Panel 108). The 34th crew member, Canadian Edward Oliver May (Third Engineer), is commemorated on the Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park on the southern tip of the Halifax Peninsula, Canada.[6] Her Majesty's Canadian Ships and visiting warships when entering or leaving Halifax Harbour and passing the Halifax Memorial between Colours (0800 hours and sunset) pipe the Still to render honours.[7]
.
Location of Sinking[edit]
There are several estimations of the location of her sinking in the North Sea.
- 1. 58°55′00″N 01°53′00″W / 58.91667°N 1.88333°W
- 2. 58°07′00″N 02°39′00″W / 58.11667°N 2.65000°W
- 3. 58°57′00″N 01°48′12″W / 58.95000°N 1.80333°W
- 4. German Naval Grid Reference AN 1634
References[edit]
- ^ "Casualty reports". The Times. No. 44920. London. 15 June 1928. col B, p. 29.
- ^ "Casualty reports". The Times. No. 44923. London. 19 June 1928. col G, p. 27.
- ^ "Adolf Hitler's 'lost fleet' found in Black Sea". The Daily Telegraph. 3 February 2008. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022.
- ^ The fate of "Hitler's lost fleet"
- ^ "Tiberton". Uboat. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ "Halifax Memorial". Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
- ^ "Halifax Memorial". Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
External links[edit]
- SS Tiberton Details (and many other ship details)
- SS Tiberton Photographs (and many other ship photographs)
- SS Tiberton details from German perspective Archived 30 October 2005 at the Wayback Machine
- SS Tiberton photos and details
- Notice announcing SS Tibertons presumed sinking
- UK Shipbuilding Yards
- U Boat Histories
- U23 Details
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1928 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1940 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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- 1920 ships
- Ships built on the River Tees
- Standard World War I ships
- Steamships of the United Kingdom
- Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
- Maritime incidents in 1928
- World War II merchant ships of the United Kingdom
- Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II
- World War II shipwrecks in the North Sea
- Maritime incidents in February 1940