The winner of the September competition was Peter Sommerville of Greenock.

Peter Sommerville writes:

I think this month’s ship is the Epsom (7,056 grt) built by Caledon SB Co. in 1945 as the Empire Favour for MOWT. She was purchased by Britain Steamship Co. (Watts, Watts & Co.) in 1947 and renamed Epsom as depicted in the photograph, then resold in 1950 to Court Line who renamed her Errington Court. She carried two more names – Penelope and Andromachi – before meeting her end as a result of Israeli shelling in 1969 while lying at Suez, finally being broken up at Adabiah south of Suez in 1976.

Mike Goadby writes:

This month’s unknown ship is the SS Epsom, built as Empire Favour for the M.O.W.T in 1945 by the Caledon shipyard at Dundee. She was purchased by Britain Steamship Co. Ltd. in 1947. Sold to Court Line in 1950 and renamed Errington Court. In 1956 she was sold to M. Embiricos of Liberia and renamed Penelope. In 1962 she was registered in Greece. In 1964 she was sold to Dalia cia Nav., Piraeus and renamed Andromachi. On 25.6.1969 she was damaged by Israeli shelling whilst lying at Suez during the Arab/Israeli war. She was set on fire and abandoned, and later sold for breaking up. In 1976 she was scrapped at Adabiya south of Suez.

Mike West writes:

The September Unknown Ship is obviously one of the WW2 built Empire class of cargo vessels, but which, as there were many. I have reason to believe that she might be the readhead, South Shields vessel Queen Anne, built in 1943 as the Kelmscott for the Runciman Line of some 7,039grt. She later became Queen Anne of Thos. Dunlop, Glasgow S.S. Co. until 1954 when she was sold to the Polish Line of Gdansk as the Marian Buczek and was eventually scrapped in China in 1968. As there were so many of this class, it is difficult to trace.

Laurance Ward writes:

I believe this ship to be the Epsom, of Britain Steamship Co. Ltd., Watts, Watts, & Co., of London. She was an Empire Type B, [one of 7 built by these builders] general cargo tramp ship built for the Ministry of War Transport, and managed by Clark and Service of Glasgow. Originally named Empire Favour, launched on 22/08/1945 and completed in November 1945. Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Caledon Shipyard, Dundee. Dimensions: o’all length 446.00ft., beam 56.00ft. Single screw. Engines: T3Cyl, built by Duncan Stewart & Co. Ltd., of Glasgow.

In 1947 she was sold to Britain Steamship Company and remained with them until 1950, when she was sold to United British Steamship Co. Ltd. (Court Line Ltd., from 1952) and managed by Haldin & Co. Ltd., of London, renamed Errington Court. In 1956 she was sold to Cia. de Nav. Penelope S.A., Panama (managers Todos Mares S.A., Monte Carlo) and renamed Penelope sailing under the Liberian flag, transferred to the Greek Flag in 1961. She was sold again in 1964 to “Dalia” Cia. Nav. S.A., Panama, Greek flag (managers Franco Shipping Co. Ltd., Athens & Purvis Shipping Co. Ltd., London). On 25/06/1969 whilst lying at Suez she was hit by Israeli shelling and set on fire, she was eventually broken up at Adabiah, Egypt in March 1976.

John Jordan writes:

My hunch is that this vessel was part of Thomas Dunlops Company Queen Line. They acquired various ships from WWII including an ex- Kelmscott, by readheads in 1943, which became Queen Anne in March 1949. She was sold to Polish Ocean Lines in 1954 and broken up in 1968. My second choice is ex Empire Torrent built for MOWT in 1943 and acquired by Dunlops in 1951 as Queen Maud. She was sold to Greek interests in 1954 and renamed Scotia and when the flag became Greek in 1961 she was renamed Skotia. She was broken up in Hong Kong in 1962. My main choice is Queen Anne.

Alan Blackwood writes:

The Unknown Ship in the September 2015 edition is the 7,056 grt single screw steam tramp Epsom. Launched on 22nd august 1945 as Empire Favour, the last unit of a British government MOWT order placed during early 1940 with the Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Dundee for seven War Standard PF (Type B) cargo vessels. Her overall dimensions were 446 x 56 x 38 feet and her main machinery consisted of a single 2,500 IHP triple expansion engine constructed by Duncan Stewart & Co. Ltd., Glasgow and fed by 220psi steam from a coal fired boiler to return a service speed of 11 knots. Empire Favour was completed during November 1945, registered at Hull and duly delivered to her nominated managers Messrs Clark & Service & Co. of Glasgow.

She was sold during 1947 to the Britain Steamship Co. Ltd., of London (Watts, Watts & Co. Ltd., Managers) when renamed Epsom and reregistered at London. Three years later she was sold for further trading to the United British Steamship Co. Ltd., London (Haldin & Co. Managers) and renamed Errington Court, at which time her boilers were converted to oil firing. During 1953 her registered ownership was transferred to Court Line Ltd. without change of name or Por.

During 1956 she was sold to Cia de Nav. Hellepoint ‘Penelope’ S.A. of Panama, when renamed Penelope and registered at Monrovia for operation under the flag of Liberia. During 1962 she was reregistered at Andros under the Greek flag without change of name or ownership.

1964 saw her final ownership transfer to Dalia Cia. Naviera S.A., Piraeus when renamed Andromachi. During 25th June 1969 she became a casualty of the 1969 – 73 Arab-Israeli War of attrition when she was struck, during a five hour artillery exchange across the Suez Canal, by Israeli shells resulting in a conflagration of some two hours when her midships deck housing and machinery spaces were completely gutted. Abandoned by her crew, the fire was extinguished and she was towed by the Egyptians to Hurghadi on the Gulf of Suez and the hulk later grounded to the south of Adabiyo. She lay there until 1976 when finally sold for scrap, with demolition commencing at Adabiyah during March of the year by Hosni Abdel Aziz.

C.T. Baxter writes:

I think the ship is SS Epsom of Messers Watts, Watts & Co. of London. She was built by the Caledon Yard at Dundee as Empire Favour in 1945 for the Ministry of War Transport, and purchases in 1947 and renamed Epsom. She was sold by Watts, Watts & Co. in 1950 to Court Line of London and renamed Errington Court. She was sold in 1956 to Greeks and renamed Andromaci. She was scrapped near Suez in 1976.

 D. Frost writes:

September’s Unknown Ship is Watts, Watts SS Epsom, built 1945 by Caledon SB as Empire Favour. Renamed 1947 Epsom, 1950 Errington Court, 1956 Penelope, 1964 Andromachi, shelled and hit and set on fire by the Israelis on 25.6.1969 at Suez, broken up at Ababiah in 3.76.