The winner of the June competition was Christy MacHale of Liverpool.

Bernard Stott writes:

I believe the vessel is the refrigerated cargo liner Wairangi an Empire Food Ship type built by Harland & Wolff, Govan for Shaw Savill & Albion in 1934. Waiwera and Waipawa were virtually identical. Both the former were lost during the war, however Waipawa continued to serve until 1967.

A. D. Frost writes:

June’s Unknown Ship is Shaw Savill & Albion Line’s MV Wairangi built 1935 by H&W, Govan. Whilst sailing in a Malta convoy she was attacked, caught fire and sunk by German and Italian torpedo boats on 13.8.1942. Her crew were picked up by HMS Eskimo.

Niels Storinggaard writes:I believe that the unknown ship is M/S Wairangi of Shaw Savill Line. Shaw Savill built 7 almost sister vessels between 1934-1944 viz: Waiwera, Waipawa and Wairangi – with no poop. Waimarama, Waiotira, Wairangi (2), and Waiwera – with poop. So the mystery ship without poop can only be one of the first three above. Waipawa was the only survivor of WW2 of the three vessels – her wooden bridge was rebuilt into steel after the war. Wairangi had white painted ventilators just aft of the funnel, whereas the ventilators of Waipawa and Waiwera were painted grey. Otherwise there were basically no visual differences between the three ships. Therefore, I believe that the unknown ship is Wairangi (with white ventilators). Wairangi was built by Harland & Wolff, Glasgow 1935, and was lost in the Mediterranean after being torpedoed by a U-boat in 1942.

Robert Langlois writes:I could tell at a glance that the Mystery Ship portrayed on page 63 of the June issue was one of three identical refrigerated cargo liners Waiwera (2), Waipawa and Wairangi (1) completed in 1934-35 by Harland & Wolff for the New Zealand services of Shaw Savill & Albion, but which one? I could not pin down which it was by looking through books and files, so in the end resorted to the internet. I got lucky when Google turned up the identical image, and it was labelled as Wairangi, the last to be delivered in February 1935. She was built at Govan in order to alleviate unemployment there, while her sisters came from the main yard at Belfast. Wairangi’s gross tonnage was 10,796 (with a deadweight of 12,313) on dimensions of 535.5’ (overall) by 70.4’. Her twin screws were driven by 2 10-cylinder diesels of 12,000 BHP by the builders, giving a service speed of 16 knots. She carried 12 first-class passengers. She was kept on her peacetime route until august 1942, when she took part in the famous ‘Pedestal’ convoy to Malta, carrying food and munitions. On the 13th, when 1½ miles from Cape Bon, the northern tip of Tunisia, she was hit by a torpedo from an E-boat, which flooded her engine room. She had finally to be abandoned and scuttled, with her crew being taken off by a royal Navy destroyer without loss of life. Further ships in the series, with identical hull dimensions, but modified superstructure were Waimarama (1938), Waiotira (1939), and wartime completions Empire Hope (1941), Empire grace (1942, later Wairangi (2) ) and Waiwera (3). Of these, only the last two survived the 1939-45 conflict along with Waipawa from the original trio. They were respectively broken up in 1963 (beyond economic repair after grounding), in 1968 as the Greek Julia and in 1968 as the Greek Aramis. Thus, only three out of these eight magnificent ships enjoyed a full career with their original owners, while five were lost through enemy action, a high rate of attrition even for the Second World War.

Peter Sommerville writes:

This month’s ship is Shaw Savill & Albion’s Wairangi (1), 12,436 grt, built by Harland & Wolff, Glasgow in 1935. She had accommodation for 12 passengers and was one of five sister ships. In august 1942 while on a voyage from the Clyde to Malta (operation Pedestal) she was attacked by torpedo boats in the Mediterranean and sunk – fortunately all on board were saved. A second Wairangi (ex Empire grace), built in 1946 was a similar design but the wooden bridge front makes this a photograph of the 1935 ship.

Vincent Williams writes:

I believe Shaw Savill’s Wairangi to be the Unknown Ship in June’s edition. Minor details differentiate her from her sisters Waiwera and Waipawa, and her later near-sisters Waimarama and Waiotira. The latter four were built in Belfast. Wairangi like the others was built by Harland and Wolff, but at its Govan yard. These were the first of the company’s ships to have cruiser sterns. Wairangi was completed in February 1935, her dimensions being 12,436 g.r.t., 7,647 n.r.t., 535.5 i.o.a., 516.2 i.b.p., 70.4 b, and 32.4 draught. She was twin screw, and had 2 x 10 cylinders which gave an operating speed of 16 kts. Wairangi was one of three Shaw Savill vessels which took station in the 14 ship Pedestal Convoy to Malta in august 1942. All three, Wairangi, Waimarama and Empire Hope were lost due to enemy action. Wairangi was bombed and air-torpedoed on 12th August, but by skilful and abrupt course alterations avoided a direct hit. The following day, 13th august, when off Cape Bon attacks from both air and sea were resumed. An Italian M.T.B. succeeded in torpedoing her port side abaft number 3 hatch in the vicinity of the engine room. Immobilised she remained under constant fierce attack. Her Master, Captain H. R. Gordon, had no option but to abandon ship in order to save life. However, to prevent Wairangi and her cargo of munitions from falling into enemy hands Captain Gordon decided to sink Wairangi. Chief Engineer Alexander Chalmers with a volunteer party returned on board and smashed cooling water pipes, opened sea-valves and W.T.Ds, and then set explosives to ensure Wairangi sank. Her entire crew, without loss, were taken aboard H.M.S. Eskimo and then landed in Malta. They embarked upon Blue Funnel’s Troilius to return to England. Both Captain Gordon and Mr Chalmers were awarded the D.S.C. for dauntless bravery and resolution. The D.S.C. is an award exclusively for military personnel but with operation Pedestal and other incidents an exception was made for those serving in the Merchant Navy. Records appear to indicate that Mr Chalmers was the first ever Engineer to receive the D.S.C. For their services on 12th and 13th august five Shaw Savill officers were awarded the D.S.C., while another five received other awards. Wairangi’s Captain Gordon received a Knighthood in 1944 for further gallant service aboard the company’s Dominion Monarch. Empire Hope was bombed strafed and destroyed by fire just after 9 a.m. on 12th august. Her Master Captain g. Williams, Chief Engineer Mr H. R. Leffler and Third officer Mr G. V. Conolly were each awarded the D.S.C. Second officer C. W. Sendall was Mentioned in Despatches. The government stopped crew pay upon a sinking. The pay of Empire Hope’s bosun was promptly stopped on 12th august. Upon return to the UK he received an ex-gratia payment from government Funds of £7.6s.8d for loss of possessions. Aboard Waimarama once its destination was revealed her Master Captain Pearce posted the following on her notice board. “This ship is one of a convoy bound for the relief of Malta. I shall expect every officer and man to be with me in everything I do.” at 8 am on 13th august a formation of Junkers 88 bombed Waimarama from 300 feet. Her high octane cargo was ignited and she went down in 3 to 4 minutes. Captain Pearce and 88 crew members lost their lives. Seventeen year old first trip cadet F. W. Treves survived and was awarded the B.E.M. and Lloyds’ War medal for gallantry in saving life. Chief Steward W. J. Townrow received a “Mentioned”. Of the 12 British merchant vessels (Almeria Lykes and Santa Elisa flew the flag of the USA, Ohio was British flagged) in the Pedestal Convoy 7 were from those companies serving New Zealand and Australia. In addition to the 3 Shaw Savill vessels there were Melbourne Star and Brisbane Star from Blue Star. Port Chalmers from Port Line, and Dorset from NZS/Federal. That the military could rely on those ships and their crews for such a vital but dangerous task, with ultimately limited air cover, is a tribute to those men, those companies, and to the Merchant Navy. The 14 vessels in Pedestal were formed four abreast – Deucallon, Port Chalmers, Almeria Lykes, Glenorchy, followed by Clan Ferguson, Melbourne Star, Ohio, Santa Elisa, followed by Rochester Castle, Dorset, Brisbane Star, Wairangi, with Waimarama and Empire Hope taking up the rear. Only “the Charmed” Port Chalmers arrived unscathed. Melbourne Star, Brisbane Star, Rochester Castle and Ohio also arrived, albeit battered, in Malta to ring F.W.E.

Alan Blackwood writes:

This month’s ‘unknown’ is the twin screw refrigerated motorship Wairangi, the third of an initial class of three essentially identical vessels completed by Harland & Wolff to an original order placed during 1932 by the Shaw Savill & Albion Co. Ltd., later delayed by the Kylsant crisis, but reactivated on 25th May 1933, thus taking advantage of Northern Ireland government post depression incentives to place build orders with H&W. in context, whilst the first two examples were of Belfast origin, Wairangi was constructed at her builder’s Govan Yard as a means to help alleviate unemployment on the Clyde. She was completed on 26th January 1935, measured at 12,436 gt., registered at Southampton and departed on her maiden voyage to Sydney one month later. The three vessels were built to similar specifications developed from the earlier Shaw Savill designed Coptic class of 1928 completed motor vessels but with considerably more insulated cargo space (522,000 cu. ft.), overall dimensions of 535.5 x 70.0′ with a mean summer draft of 29.6 feet and powered by twin Harland & Wolff built Burmeister & Wain 10 cylinder, single acting, 4 stroke, oil engines of 6,000 bhp each, to return a service speed of 16 – 17 knots. a variant of the trio was ordered in the form of two additional units for completion during 1938 and 1939, to feature a three island hull by addition of a sterncastle, but with less insulated cargo space than earlier sisters and with main machinery consisting of two x 6 Cylinder two stroke double acting Harland & Wolff constructed B &W diesels totalling 13,500 IHP, reportedly capable of driving the ships to a maximum speed in excess of 20 knots. Together with a fleet of 8 broadly similar but marginally larger, rather more modern design refrigerated Blue Star Line ships of similar era, the Shaw Savill quintet were collectively referred as Empire Food Ships. Wairangi and two of her sisters were WW2 losses and the youngest of the quintet was never to serve in the role for which she was ordered, instead requisitioned by the admiralty whilst under construction during late 1939, for conversion to an auxiliary aircraft carrier. When as a unit of the now infamous operation Pedestal of august 1942 which included two other Shaw Savill and two Blue Star Empire Food Ships, within a convoy totalling 14 fast merchant and 16 naval escorting vessels, supplemented by a large covering force of battleships, aircraft carriers, associated cruisers and destroyers, Wairangi was first attacked by a Heinkel 111 aircraft during the early hours of 13th august but which missed its target. The following day she was faced with a German S. Boote and several Italian MAS vessels which successfully holed her at #3 hold. Losing power, Wairangi now stopped, was unable to cope with the inflow of water and rapidly flooded, leaving her open to further and sustained attack both by aircraft and small surface vessels. Her Master fearing her valuable cargo of ammunition, other war equipment, materials and supplies might be seized by the enemy, ordered scuttling charges (mines) to be set in her bilges, the crew to abandon and his ship sunk. All crewmembers were later picked up by the destroyer Eskimo and landed at Malta.

George Wood writes:

I would identify the Unknown Ship as the Wairangi of Shaw, Savill & Albion Ltd. The Wairangi was one of a trio of motor refrigerated cargo vessels built by Harland and Wolff. The Waiwera and the Waipawa were completed at Belfast in 1934, but the Wairangi was built at H&W’s Govan Yard in Glasgow. She was launched on 11.10.1934, completed in February 1935 official No. 163660 and served on Shaw Savill’s Australia and New Zealand service via Cape Town until WWII. At 02.15 on the 13th august 1942 she was torpedoed by enemy E-boats in the Mediterranean while taking part in operation Pedestal. She caught fire and sank, but fortunately the crew were all rescued by an escort vessel. Six hours later, another Shaw Savill vessel, the Waimarama (H&W, Belfast 1938) was also lost in operation Pedestal and the previous day the Shaw Savill managed Empire Hope (H&W, Belfast 1941) had also been sunk in this action. A black day for Shaw Savill’s fleet. Co-incidentally, the Empire grace (H&W, Belfast 1942), a sister ship to the Empire Hope, was acquired by Shaw Savill in 1947 and renamed Wairangi. I remember that, while serving on the S.S. Corinthic, I visited the second Wairangi while we were on the New Zealand coast together and, after seeing her engine room, I decided that I was better off on a steamship.

Correct answers were also received from Richard Deasey, John Jordan, Christy MacHale and John Chitty.

I am also very grateful to Bob Blowers, Laurance Ward, Doug Burn, Bob Burn, Mike West, John Tait, John Livingstone, Michael Goadby and Peter Harris for their correspondence but they selected the wrong sister ship.