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

The winner of the November competition was John Chitty of Canvey Island

Peter Sommerville writes:

I think this is the Ellerman & Papayanni vessel Cressado (1,228grt) which was built as the Cressida by Henry Koch, Lubeck in 1913 for Adolf Kirsten of Hamburg. In 1919 she was ceded to Great Britain as war reparation and was acquired by Gulf of Suez Steamship Co. Ltd., managed by Westcott & Laurence Lines, in 1920 when she received her new name by altering only two letters. In 1936/38 management was transferred to Ellerman & Papayanni based in Liverpool. On the 8th May 1942 she sank after colliding with HMS Pozarica, a MacAndrew’s vessel converted to an anti-aircraft ship off the Skerries.

John Chitty writes:

This month’s mystery ship is the ss. Cressedo of Ellerman & Papayanni lines. Built as ss. Cressida, yard no 219, by Henry Koch of Lubeck in 1913 for the Hamburg London Linie of Adolf Kristen of Hamburg. Dimensions 1,228 gt. 1,105 net, loa 241ft 4ins, beam 36ft. 2ins, depth 15ft 9ins. Powered by triple expansion steam engine developing 154hp. In 1922 she was ceded to Great Britain as war reparations name changed to Cressedo under management of Gulf of Suez S.S. Co. In 1938 she was sold to Ellerman & Papayanni and was not renamed. In 1942 whilst on voyage from Leixoes to Preston with a cargo of cork and other generals she sailed as part of convoy HG82 which had sailed from Gibraltar on 27th April. On 8th May whilst 11 miles off the Skerries she was in collision with HMS. Pozarica, a Macandrews Line fruit ship converted to an anti-aircraft gun ship, and sunk with no fatalities. HMS Pozarica was repaired in Belfast in time to become part of the escort for infamous convoy PQ17.

Mike Goadby writes:

This month’s unknown ship is the 1,228 grt steamship Cressado, built by Schiffwerft Von Henry Kock, Lubeck, in 1913 as Cressida for Adolf Kirsten of Hamburg. She was ceded to Britain as reparation in 1919, Ellerman bought her in 1921, altering her name to Cressado. Ownership was vested in the Gulf of Suez Steamship Co. Ltd., of London, and managed by Wescott and Laurence Lines. She was transferred to Ellerman and Papayanni Lines in 1936. On the 8th May 1942 she sank after colliding in the Irish Sea with HMS Pozarica, a Macandrews fruiter converted to an anti-aircraft ship. Cressado was carrying general cargo from Portugal to Preston.

Lindsay Buchanan writes:

I think this is S.S. Albuera, which was sunk by an E-Boat in 1940 while with Salvesen.

N. Owen writes:

The November unknown ship is the S.S.Cressado Built 1913 Henry Kock, Lubeck for Alfred Kirsten (Hamburg London Line), POR Hamburg, gross tons 1,212. 1920 Taken over by The Shipping Controller London 1921 Renamed Cressado, sold to Westcott & Laurence, owned by the Gulf of Suez S.S.Co. 1938 Transferred to Ellerman & Papayani, based in Liverpool. 1942 Sunk in collision with H.M.S. Pozarica (MacAndrews) 11 miles from Skerries Lighthouse (North West Anglesey) on passage Leixones to Preston with a cargo of cork.

John Jordan writes:

This ship, operated by the Ellerman Group, was built in 1913 for Adolph Kirsten of Hamburg under the name of Cressida. She was ceded to Britian in 1919 and was bought by Ellerman in 1921 and slightly renamed Cressado. Ownership was under the Gulf of Suez Steamship Company of London and management was in the hands of Westcott and Laurence Lines. She transferred to Ellerman Papayanni as a Mediterranean trader in 1936. On May 8th 1942, while in convoy she collided with HMS Pozarica in the Irish Sea, sinking shortly thereafter. The latter ship was a McAndrews vessel navalised as an AA ship.

Alan Blackwood writes:

This month’s unknown is the 1,228 grt single screw steamer Cressado. She was completed during May 1913 by Schiffswerken Henry Koch A.G. at Lubeck as Cressida for the Hamburg based Adolf Kirsten’s Hamburg-London Linie. With overall dimensions of 251.2 x 241.4 (lbp) x 36.02 x 18.01 (depth moulded) and with a summer draught of 16.1 feet, main propulsion consisted of a 154 nhp triple expansion steam engine constructed by Ottensener Machinen Fabrik GMBH of Altona, Hamburg to produce a service speed of 9.5 knots.

Ownership of the vessel was passed to the British Government as a war reparation during 1920 and registered at London. The following year she was acquired by the Ellerman Group Company Westcott & Laurence Lines Ltd. and registered to the ownership of The Gulf of Suez Steamship Company of London when renamed Cressado for London based operations serving Mediterranean ports.

During 1938 management of Cressado was transferred without change of PoR to that of Ellerman & Papayanni for employment on the Mediterranean trade from Liverpool.

On 8th May 1942 whilst on a voyage from Leixoes to Preston with a cargo of general and cork, and in a position some 11 nm. from the Skerries, she was in collision with the motor vessel HMS Pozarica (ex 1938 Doxford built MacAndrews fruit ship of that name, converted during 1941 to Admiralty specification for the role of anti-aircraft ship on Russian convoys and later for Mediterranean convoy escort duties) and sank.

Geoff Holmes writes:

November’s mystery ship is Ellerman & Papayanni’s Castilian. 1,923 gross tons, built 1890 by Wm. Gray & Co., West Hartlepool, as Umbilo for Bullard King & Co.’s Natal Line. 1909 purchased by Ellerman with Fred Swift as manager, renamed and used on Papayanni services.

18/04/1917 Torpedoed and sunk by U61 110 miles N.W. x W. from Tory Head, 10 lives lost. She is, in the picture, arriving at Liverpool, probably Sandon entrance.

Christy MacHale writes:

November’s ‘mystery ship’ is Ellerman’s 1,227-ton steamer Cressado. She was completed in May 1913 by Henry Koch A.G., Lübeck, as the Cressida, the lead ship of a series of five identical sisters from the same yard for the Hamburg-London Line service of Adolf Kirsten, Hamburg; she was followed in rapid succession by the Valeria, Delia, Cleopatra and Desdemona, all with the typical Kirsten nomenclature of female Shakespearian characters. Power came from triple-expansion engines which gave them a service speed of 9½ knots. Sur rendered to Britain after the Great War, she was managed for the Shipping Controller from July 1920 to 1921 by MacAndrews & Co. Ltd., and became the Cressado in the latter year when bought by Ellerman’s. Allocated initially to the Westcott and Laurance Line, and registered in the ownership of the Gulf of Suez Steamship Co., she plied mainly out of London, until in 1936 she was transferred to Eller man & Papayanni, Liverpool becoming her base of operations. On 8th May 1942, while bound in convoy from Leixões, Portugal, to Preston with a general cargo, she sank after colliding with the anti-aircraft ves sel HMS Pozarica (ex- MacAndrews) 11 miles from the Skerries, Anglesey.