The winner of the December competition was Mike Goadby of Dorset.

Mike Goadby writes:

This month’s unknown ship is the 5,156grt SS Flowergate, built in Germany in 1911 for D.G. Hansa of Bremen as Schildturm. Allocated by the shipping controller as a war prize and was sold to Turnbull Scott under the Inchcape scheme for £57,000. She was sold in 1941 to Charles Sturbin and co Ltd but retained her name because of wartime regulations. In May 1944 she was taken over by the MOWT and scuttled on the 6th June 1944 at Arromanches as part of the Mulberry harbour complex.

Chris Hoddinott writes:

The ship is the Flowergate when under Turnbull Scott Shipping Co. ownership between 1921 and 1941. Before and after this period she had quite an eventful time. Built as the Schildturm for Deutsche Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft, Hansa, Germany by J.C. Tecklenborg A.G. Geestemunde in 1911, she was a Triple Expansion Steamer of 5,166 gross tons, with dimensions of 400.8’ x 53.6’ x 25.8’. In August 1914 she was seized by Belgium at Antwerp but permission to take the vessel out of the River Scheldt was refused by Holland. Two months later she was recaptured by the Germans when Antwerp was occupied but the Dutch Government still refused permission for her to leave. The ship was re-taken by Belgium in November 1918 and in 1919 allocated to Great Britain as a prize and managed for The Shipping Controller by Turnbull Scott Shipping Ltd. In 1921 Turnbull Scott purchased the ship and renamed her Flowergate eventually selling her to C. Strubin & Co. Ltd. of London in June 1941. She was scuttled as a blockship at Arromanches, Normandy in June 1944 and two years later refloated and beached on 7th July 1946 at Mumbles, Swansea. Later that year she was towed to Briton Ferry and broken up by T.W. Ward Ltd.

A D Frost writes:

The December Unknown Ship is Turnbull Scott’s Flowergate. Built in 1911 as the Schildturn for Deutsche Damppfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Hansa. She was later seized August 1914 after to and fro-ing between Holland and Belgium and a brief re-capture by the Germans she was re seized and allocated to the UK as a war prize and managed by Turnbull Scott who later purchased her in 1921. She was sold to C. Stubin 1941 and used as a block ship on Goosebury Harbor No.3 at Normandy, re-floated and eventually scrapped by T. Ward at Briton Ferry 1946.

Peter Sommerville writes:

This months ship is, I think, one of a group of Hansa Line ships that Turnbull Scott bought after being seized by the British Government during WW1. Four ships were purchased around 1920/21 and the ship pictured could be the Nethergate ex Warturn built 1908 and broken up 1932. The other three were renamed Baxtergate, Flowergate and Whitegate. I hope one of these are correct!

 Alan Blackwood writes:

The December ‘Unknown’ is the 5,156 grt steam tramp Flowergate. Completed during July 1911 as the 5,095 grt Schildturm by J.C. Tecklenborg Joh., Schiffs. und Maschinenfabrik at Wesermunde for the Bremen based Deutsche Dampfschiffahrts Gessellschaft. “Hansa” Line, she measured 400′ 11″ (BP) x 53′ 6″ and with an H & M constructed triple expansion engine, returned a service speed of 11 knots. The vessel was seized by the British Government during early 1919 as a WWI reparation and some two years later acquired by competitive tender (including a further four vessels, two of which were essentially identical sisters to Schildturm and all from the “Hansa” fleet) by Turnbull, Scott & Co. of London when renamed Flowergate under the registered ownership of the Turnbull, Scott Shipping Company Ltd. Although generally suited to and Initially employed on mainly coal outwards to the River Plate usually from Bristol Channel ports and grain homewards rotations, difficulties were encountered in coal trimming incurring additional costs due to her tweendecks and small hatches. For homewards voyages, her deep draft necessitated topping off grain cargoes downriver of the Martin Garcia Bar on the Rio de la Plata estuary. With the onset of the Depression years and attendant much reduced freight rates, a daily coal consumption of 34 tons/day rendered her uneconomic. As a consequence she was placed into extended layup on the Tyne for a period totalling six years. She was sold out of the fleet during 1941 and due to the then current regulations without name change, to Charles Strubin & Co. of London. In early 1944 she was taken over by the MoWT and placed under the management of Christian Salvesen of Leith. She was thereafter scuttled as a blockship at Arromanches on D-Day 6th June 1944, later refloated and beached at the Mumbles on 7th July 1946. During 15th August of that year she arrived under tow at Briton Ferry for demolition by Thomas Ward & Co.

Doug Burn writes:

The mystery ship for December is the Flowergate under the colours of Turnbull,Scott & Company. She had a very colourful career before joining Turnbull’s. She was built by J.C.Tecklenborg A.G. Geestemunde as the Schildturm for Deutsche Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Hansa Germany in June 1911. Her tonnage was 5,166g, 3,226n length 400.8ft x 53.6ft x 28.5ft. In August 1914 she was seized by Belgium in Antwerp but permission to take the vessel down the River Scheldt was refused by Holland. In Oct 1914 the vessel was recaptured by Germany when Antwerp was occupied but permission was still refused by the Dutch again.In November 1918 the vessel was again retaken by Belgium. In 1919 Allocated to Great Britain as a war prize and managed for the Shipping Controller by Turnbull, Scott and Co. However in 1921 she was purchased by Turnbulls and renamed Flowergate as seen in the photograph. In June 1941 she was sold to C. Strubin & Co. of London. In June 1944 she was scuttled as a blockship at Arromanches ,Normandy. In 1946 she was refloated and beached at the Mumbles and later towed to Briton Ferry to broken up by T.W. Ward. She was actually owned by Turnbull, Scott from 1921-1941.

Mike West writes:

The mystery vessel in the December edition is the British owned Flowergate, built in Germany in 1911, of some 5,156 gross tons, as the Schildturm. She was sold to Turnbull, Scott of London in 1921 and renamed Flowergate. Her design gives her away as being built in Germany. On 6th June 1944 she was taken over by the M.O.W.T. And scuttled at Arromanches as a blockship. In 1946 she was refloated and towed to the Mumbles and beached, eventually being towed to Briton Ferry and scrapped on 15th August 1946.

Laurance Ward writes:

This ship is the Flowergate, owned by Turnbull, Scott Co., of London. Built in 1911 as the Schildturm for Deutsche Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft Hansa, Bremen, by J.C. Tecklenburg AG of Geestemunde. Dimensions: O’all length 400.80ft., beam 53.50ft., depth 28.50ft., grt 5,166., nett tonnage 3,226., sdwt 7,840 approx. Single screw, 11knots. Engines: coal fired fired boilers supplying steam to a triple expansion 3cyl., indicated HP 2,100, and supplied by the builders. Her career with Hansa came to a halt in August 1914 whilst in Antwerp, and she was eventually interred there for the duration. After the war she was allocated to Great Britain as a war prize and managed by Turnbull, Scott & Co. of London on behalf of the Shipping Controller. In 1921 she was sold to Turnbull, Scott & Co. and renamed Flowergate, and remained with them until June 1941 when she was sold to C. Strubin and Co. Ltd., of London. In 1944 she was taken over by the MOWT, managed by Christian Salvesen & Co., and on 6th June was scuttled as a blockship (Gooseberry No.3) off Arromanches. In 1946 she was raised, towed and beached off Mumbles, later in the year she was towed to Briton Ferry and scrapped by T. Ward Ltd.

Mike Mahon writes:

The December unknown ship,is the Turnbull Scott vessel Flowergate, ex Hansa Line ship Schildturm, built 1911, gross tonnage 5,166. She was taken as war reparations by the British Government. Flowergate along with Baxtergate, Nethergate, Sandgate and Whitegate, were all bought from the Government for £ 227,000 and joined the Redgate and Turnbull Scott companies. All five vessels were ex Hansa Line ships. In 1944 Flowergate was sunk as a block ship at Normandy beach head. She was scrapped in 1946.

David Strachan writes:

I believe the unknown ship to be the Flowergate, purchased by Turnbull Scott in 1921. Later, in 1941 she was scuttled as a blockship at Arromanches, Normandy and later broken up in 1946.

John Jordan writes:

This is one of a number of Hansa Line ships taken over at the end of WW1 in 1921 and assigned to Turnbull Scott Line. She was built in 1911 by J.C. Tecklengorg at Geestemunde, Germany, as Schildturm and was later renamed Flowergate by Turnbull Scott in 1921. She served with TS until 1941 and was then managed by Charles Strubin and company until 1944. She was then sunk as a blockship at Arromanches off Normandy in the Gooseberry harbours. She was later refloated in 1946 and scrapped.

John Chitty writes:

December’s ship is the Turnbull Scott steamship ss Flowergate, ex ss Schildturm one of eight sister ships of the Hansa Turm/Pagenturm class built for Hansa DG of Bremen. These were the:-

1. Warturm, built 1908 by Joh. C. Tecklenborg AG of Geestermunde, yard No.228
2. Fangturm, built 1908 by Swan Hunter& P. Whigham Richardson Newcastle upon Tyne, yard no.796
3. Imkenturm, built 1909 by Flensbuger schiffbau Geselscaft Flensburg, yard no.290.
4. Pagenturm, built 1909 by Joh.C.Tecklenborg AG of Geestermunde, yard no.233
5. Arsterturm, built 1910 by Joh.C.Tecklnborg AG o Geestermunde, yard no.238
6. Adamsturm, built 1909 by Joh.C.Tecklenborg AG of Geestermunde, yard no.234
7. Schildturm, built. 1911 by Joh.C.Tecklenborg AG of Geestermunde, yard no.240
8. Steinturm, built. 1911 by Actien Gesellschaft Weser, yard no178

Vessel details: Reg. length 122.24m, Beam 16.36m, draft 7.16m, grt 5,095, nrt. 3,187, dwt. 7,790. Engine 3 cylinder triple expansion steam engine of 2500psi from the builder giving speed of 11.5 kts. Equipped with 11 x5t and 1 x30t derricks. She was one of three of this class eventually owned by Turnbull Scott’s. The ss. Arsterturm becoming the Whitegate, ss. Schildturm becoming the Flowergate, and ss. Warturm becoming he Nethergate. The Schildturm was impounded by the Belgians in Antwerp at the commencement of the first world war. The neutral Netherlands refused permission for her to sail and she was recaptured by the Germans on the fall of Antwerp to that countries forces. The Netherlands continued to refuse permission for the vessel to sail and at the cessation of hostilities she was seized by the Belgian Govt. In June 1919 she was handed over to the British Shipping Controller, as wartime reparations and placed under the management of Turnbull Scott’s. In 1921 she was purchased by Turnbull Scott and renamed ss. Flowergate. She remained with them until sold to C. Strubin & Co.Ltd in June 1941, keeping the same name. In May 1944 she was purchased by the Ministry of War Transport and placed under the management of C. Salvensen. In June 1944 she was intentionally sunk, to form part of the breakwater for the Mulberry Harbours at Arromanches. In 1946 she was salvaged from the Normandy beaches and proceed to the breakers yard. unfortunately en route she run aground on the Mumbles in July 1946. Once again salvaged she arrived at the Briton Ferry yard of Thos. Ward in August 1946 for demolition.

T.R. Cotton writes:

I believe the unknown ship in the December edition is the SS Flowergate, 5,166grt, owned by Turnbull Scott & Co. of London. A former cargo liner built in 1911 by J.C. Tecklenburg for the Hansa Line of Germany, she was handed over the Britain as a prize after the Great War. Purchased by Turnbull Scott in 1921 and renamed Flowergate, she served the company until 1941 when she was sold to C. Srubin & Co. of London. During WWII she was scuttled as a block-ship at Normandy before being eventually scrapped at Briton Ferry by T.W. Ward in 1946. During the early 1920s Turnbull Scott purchased a number of similar sister vessels, renaming them Baxtergate, Whitegate and Nethergate.

Fred Rainey writes:

I believe this ship is the Flowergate of Turnbull, Scott and Company. She had originally been the Schildturm of 1911, under the German flag. In 1914 she was seized by Belgium at Antwerp, but later that year was recaptured by Germany when Antwerp was occupied. In 1918 she was retaken by Belgium and in 1919 was allocated to Great Britain as a war prize and was managed for the Shipping Controller by Turnbull, Scott and Company. She was eventually purchased by Turnbull, Scott Shipping Co. Ltd., in 1921 and renamed Flowergate. On the 9th June, 1944 during the Normandy landings she was scuttled as a blockship at Gold Beach, Arromanches, Normandy. She formed part of the Eastern Breakwater. In 1946 she was refloated and eventually towed to Briton Ferry where she was broken up by T.W. Ward Ltd.