November’s unknown ship brought many replies most of whom identified her as the Adviser.

The winner of the November competition was Eric Mcintyre of Liverpool.

Peter Sommerville writes:

I believe Novembers ship to be T & J Harrison’s Adviser (6,348grt). She was launched 23.2.39 from Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow and sailed on the companies South African route prior to WW2. In November 1942 she was torpedoed by U178 in the Indian Ocean but managed to reach Durban where repairs were carried out. Some time during her post war career, she along with her near sister Settler, had her funnel shortened and her paintwork altered (her white paintwork was brought down to main deck level), and this gave her a more pleasing and modern appearance. She was sold to Belgian breakers in 1962.

Norman Hardaker writes:

The ship is the Harrison Line vessel Settler, built 1939 and scrapped 1959. She was launched on 2.5.39 at Charles Connell & Co. Ltd., Whiteinch and arrived at Hong Kong on 11.12.1959. On 1.1.60 demolition commenced.

Alan Blackwood writes:

This month’s ‘unknown’ is I believe the 6,348 grt T & J Harrison steamer Adviser, the fourth of a series of eight similar cruiser sterned sisters constructed between 1937 and 1944 by Lithgows Ltd. at Port Glasgow. She was however the first of only two of the series to feature two Samson posts positioned immediately forward of her bridge housing to support a pair of derricks serving the after part of #2 hatch. A further five similar vessels of this Harrison design (the basis of which albeit with counter sterns, harks back to pre WW1), were also constructed by Swan Hunter, Wallsend (x1), D& W Henderson, Meadowside (x1), Charles Connell, Scotstoun (x2) and Harland & Wolff, Govan (x1) between 1935 and 1940.

Adviser was completed during April 1939 with overall dimensions of 459’03″x 56’06″x 32’02”. Her propulsion machinery consisted of a David Rowan built triple expansion engine supplemented with a Bauer-Wach exhaust turbine, to produce a service speed of 14.5 knots. She undertook one commercial voyage only on her owner’s South & East Africa liner route prior to the outbreak of WW2.

Requisitioned by the MoWT, she took part in the second phase of the Madagascar campaign, to secure the island’s ports under threat of Axis (Japanese) invasion. Following such involvement, she had departed Durban on 14th November 1942 with a cargo of bagged graphite for a voyage to the UK via Trinidad and New York when, during the early hours of the following day and in a position some 200 miles SE of Durban, she was struck by two torpedoes from U- 178 at hold No.1. Down by the head and abandoned by her crew who had by good fortune sustained nil casualties, it was later in daylight discovered that the vessel was not sinking. Reboarded and boilers relit, she was on the second day after her attack taken under tow stern first by a tug, aided by her own engines and escorted under aerial surveillance and a corvette to Durban. After 2 months in drydock and a further 7 months of repairs she sailed for Liverpool on 19th August 1943. On arrival on 17th October, work commenced under Government instructions to convert the outboard sections of her centre castle bridge deck cargo spaces to accommodate a total of 56 passengers.

Post war, duly refurbished and assuming more modern external looks with her funnel somewhat shortened, Admiralty pattern cowl removed and top raked, Adviser continued to serve her owners on their liner routes from the UK to South & East African, Eastern India (until 1957), Red Sea, Caribbean, West Indies and Gulf of Mexico ports until 4th September 1960 when she arrived under tow at Tamise (Belgium) for demolition.

P Double writes:

I think the ship is the Inventor, Lloyds Register No. 16426, 6,252grt, classification 100A1. She was built in 1935 by D & W Henderson & Co., Glasgow, owned by Charente SS Co. and Managed by T & J Harrison. Her dimensions were 437.9 x 56 x 29.5 ft and she was registered in Liverpool. Her engines were built by the ship’s builder, 3 cylinders, working pressure 215lbs-120lbs. She was broken up in 1960.

D. Frost writes:

November’s Unknown Ship is T & J Harrison’s ss Adviser, built 1939 by Lithgow, Port Glasgow. Torpedoed on 15.11.1942 Indian Ocean by U-178 but successful reached Durban and repaired. While berth in Glasgow’s Princess Dock on 18.2.1959 her Captains body was found floating in the dock. Scrapped in 1960 by Jos. Boel and Fils, Belgium.

Mike Goadby writes:

This months unknown ship is the 6,384 grt steamship Adviser, built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow in 1939 for T & J Harrison of Liverpool at a cost of £193,673 pounds. On the 15.11.1942 the vessel was torpedoed by U 178 in the Indian Ocean, but managed to reach Durban where she was repaired. Adviser was sold in 1960 to Jos Boel & Fils, Belgium for £64,000 pounds for demolition. She arrived at Tamise on the 4.9.1960 in tow of tug Bremen.

John Chitty writes

November’s mystery ship is the Charente shipping owned, T & J Harrison line managed steamship ss Adviser. Built by Lithgows of Port Glasgow as yard no. 917, launched on the 23rd February 1939 with dimensions as follows. Length 445.5 ft, beam 58.5ft ( elsewhere reported as 45.5ft), on a depth of 32.17ft. On a draft of 26ft 10 ins. Tonnages of 6,348 GRT, 3,886 NRT, 9000 dwt. Call sign GSSK registered in port of Liverpool. Machinery a triple expansion steam engine giving a speed of 14.5 kts. As with most vessels there were a number of incidents in relation to this vessel which include the following. Vessel was torpedoed by U178 on the 15th November 1942 in the Indian Ocean, despite having a large hole in the ships side she made Durban where she was repaired. Vessel was noted for its overly large disproportionate funnel, which was reduced and reshaped during repairs in 1949. In 1949, whilst in the river Thames the crew walked off the vessel over a dispute with regard to the accommodation. This led to written questions being made in parliament. The response by Jim Callaghan, then minister of transport, concluded that the surveyors, in agreement with the seamans Union, found the accommodation to be habitable and reasonable although not of a modern standard. Some modification and repairs were agreed with the owners. Presumably part of the same incident a report exist that a full crew of seamen and greasers joined the vessel in the West India dock in London, from Liverpool on the 19th October. Immediately on boarding the shore gang let the ship go with the ship proceeding direct to sea, the newly joined crew not even been allowed to change into their working clothes. In 1952 she was converted from a coal burner to oil, which resulted in the ships speed increasing to 16kts. On 18th February 1959 the body of her captain was found floating in Princess Dock, Glasgow. Vessel grounded on the Shipwash shoal in the approaches to London on 26th January 1960 whilst navigating in dense fog. Vessel managed to refloat herself 3 hours later, without assistance, on the rising tide. Being assessed as surplus to requirements, vessel was scrapped in 1960 arriving on the 4th September 1960 at Tamise in Belgium.

Dave Haxell writes:

November’s mystery ship is the Adviser, owned by the Charente Steam Ship Company or T & J Harrison’s of Liverpool. Built at the Port Glasgow yard of Lithgows with the yard number of 917 she was launched on the 23rd February 1939 and completed just 2 months later. Her deadweight tonnage was around 9,000 with her gross tonnage at 6,348. Having a length of 445 ft, breadth of 56ft, she was powered by a David Rowan 3 Cylinder triple expansion engine with a Bauer Wack exhaust turbine. She was fitted with 2 double ended and I single ended boilers which supplied super heated steam to a maximum pressure of 215 lbs. All this combined gave her a maximum speed of 14 knots. On the 15/11/1942 she was attacked by the German submarine U178 in the Indian Ocean. Noting that the survivors were taking to the ship boats and believing her to be sinking the U178 left the scene after hearing depth charges. However the Adviser managed to limp into Durban where she was repaired and put back into service. She continued to give good service to Harrison’s until being broken up at Tamise on the 04/09/1960 by J Boel & Sons. Just as a matter of interest the U178 had begun her cruise leaving Kiel on the 08/09/1942 and first fired 3 torpedoes into the 20,199 ton Canadian Pacific liner Duchess of Atholl on the 01/11/1942 in the South Atlantic. Although sinking, the majority of personnel including some 500 troops survived the incident being rescued by a passing vessel. The U178 then passed south of the Cape and sank the former French troopship Mendoza then being operated by the MOWT on the 01/11/1942. Off Mozambique on the 04/11/1942 she sank Hain’s 5,244 tons Trekieve and the Norwegian Hai-King before moving onto the Hong Kong registered tanker of 2,648 tons, the Louise Moller, 240 miles E by S of Durban two days before she sighted the Adviser. Turning for home she sank the American Liberty ship Jeremiah Wadworth south of Cape Agulhas before making her way north eventually arriving in Bordeaux on 10/01/1943.

D Wood writes:

The unknown ship in November’s edition is, I believe, the SS Adviser of 1939, belonging to T & J Harrison’s Charente Steamship Company. She was one of 9 sisters comprising the Scientist, Barrister, Adviser, Settler, Dalesman, Novelist, Trader, Prospector, and Geologist. Various modifications were carried out on these ships like having the straight topped steamship funnel modified to a more modern looking raked top funnel. The Adviser along with the Settler had accommodation for 60 passengers fitted in 1940 by the MOWT. The Strategist, not of the same class, also had this accommodation fitted by the MOWT at the same time. The Scientist and Barrister were both lost during the war. Although the Barrister was wrecked on Inishark Island, Galway and not lost due to enemy action. Having studied photos of all the class, I think the unknown ship is the Adviser. The last ship of the class, the Geologist was tragically rammed and sunk by the Sun Princess off Trinidad on 12th July 1955 with the loss of 20 of her crew of 42. I worked for Harrison Line for 15 years, the last 11 as 2nd Engineer, and enjoyed every minute of it. It was a great company to work for. During my time there, one of the Port relief Engineers was Mr. Paddy Murphy who was serving as 2nd Engineer on the Geologist when she was sunk. Paddy a lovely man had also been sunk twice during the war.

I am grateful to Laurance Ward, Mike Mahon, Peter Harris, Eric McIntyre and John Jordan who also correctly identified her as the Adviser.