Lesbian was built by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd as yard number 1211. She was launched on 31 July 1923 and completed in September 1923.[2]Lesbian was the third Ellerman Lines ship to bear that name.[3] She was named after the inhabitants of Lesbos, Greece.
On 24 May 1925, Lesbian ran aground at Kephez, Turkey.[4] She was refloated on 27 May 1925.[5]
Lesbian was operated by Ellerman Lines Ltd until 1937. From 1937 until her capture in 1940, Lesbian was operated under the management of Ellerman & Papayanni Lines Ltd.[6]
War service
Lesbian was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
OG 1
Lesbian was a member of Convoy OG 1, which formed at sea on 2 October 1939 and was destined for Gibraltar. She was carrying a general cargo bound for Piraeus, Greece.[7]
HG 7
Lesbian was a member of Convoy HG 7, which departed Port Said, Egypt on 3 November 1939 and arrived at Liverpool on 22 November. She was carrying a general cargo and also fruit.[8]
HG 17
Lesbian was a member of Convoy HG 17, which departed Gibraltar on 1 February 1940 and arrived at Liverpool on the 11 May. She was on a voyage from Alexandria, Egypt to Liverpool.[9]
HGF 28
Lesbian was a member of Convoy HGF 28, which departed Gibraltar on 26 April 1940 and arrived at Liverpool on 5 May.[10]
Capture, sinking and rediscovery
In 1940, Lesbian was impounded by Vichy French forces at Beirut, Lebanon. During the Allied invasion of Syria and Lebanon in 1941, Beirut was bombed. The Vichy French, fearing that she would be sunk and block the port, took Lesbian a short distance offshore and scuttled her[11] on 14 July 1941.[2]
In 2000 the ship was discovered by two local diving centres, the National Institute for Scuba Diving (NISD) and the Abyss Dive Center. The ship is very well preserved and sitting at a depth of 67 metres (220 ft), facing Beirut port.[citation needed]
Propulsion
Lesbian was powered by a triple expansion steam engine of 274 horsepower (204 kW) which was built by Wallsend Slipway Co Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne. The cylinders were 18, 31½ and 54 inches (457, 800 and 1,372 mm) diameter by 36 inches (910 mm) stroke.[12] She could make 10 knots (19 km/h).[2]
Official number and code letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers.
Lesbian had the UK Official Number 147232 and used the Code Letters KPNH until 1933[12] and GJXK until 1940[13]
References
^"SS Lesbian (1923)". www.tynebuiltships.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
^. The Ships List. Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"Casualty reports". The Times. No. 43971. London. 26 May 1925. col D, p. 28.
^"Casualty reports". The Times. No. 43974. London. 29 May 1925. col E, p. 23.
^"LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"OG Convoys – 1939–1942". Warsailors. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"CONVOY HG 7". Warsailors. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"CONVOY HG 17". Warsailors. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"CONVOY HGF 28". Warsailors. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^. The National Institute For Scuba Diving in Lebanon. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^ ab."LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
External links
Video of a dive on the wreck of SS Lesbian (8m 3s)
January 06, 2023
lesbian, 1923, other, ships, with, same, name, lesbian, lesbian, cargo, ship, which, built, swan, hunter, wigham, richardson, newcastle, upon, tyne, 1923, ellerman, lines, seized, 1940, vichy, french, forces, lesbianhistorynamelesbiannamesakelesbiansownereller. For other ships with the same name see SS Lesbian Lesbian was a 2 352 GRT cargo ship which was built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd Newcastle upon Tyne in 1923 for Ellerman Lines Ltd She was seized in 1940 by the Vichy French forces SS LesbianHistoryNameLesbianNamesakeLesbiansOwnerEllerman Lines Ltd 1923 40 Vichy French Government 1940 41 OperatorEllerman Lines Ltd 1923 36 Ellerman amp Papayanni Lines Ltd 1937 40 Vichy French Government 1940 41 Port of registryLiverpool 1923 40 Vichy France 1940 41 BuilderSwan Hunter amp Wigham Richardson Ltd Newcastle upon Tyne 1 Yard number1211Launched31 July 1923IdentificationUK Official Number 147232 Code Letters KPNH 1923 33 GJXK 1933 40 FateScuttled 14 July 1941General characteristicsTonnage2 352 GRTLength272 ft 1 in 82 93 m Beam41 ft 7 in 12 67 m Depth19 ft 9 in 6 02 m Propulsion1 x triple expansion steam engine Wallsend Slipway Co Newcastle upon Tyne 274 hp 204 kW Speed10 knots 19 km h Contents 1 History 1 1 War service 1 2 Capture sinking and rediscovery 2 Propulsion 3 Official number and code letters 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditLesbian was built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd as yard number 1211 She was launched on 31 July 1923 and completed in September 1923 2 Lesbian was the third Ellerman Lines ship to bear that name 3 She was named after the inhabitants of Lesbos Greece On 24 May 1925 Lesbian ran aground at Kephez Turkey 4 She was refloated on 27 May 1925 5 Lesbian was operated by Ellerman Lines Ltd until 1937 From 1937 until her capture in 1940 Lesbian was operated under the management of Ellerman amp Papayanni Lines Ltd 6 War service Edit Lesbian was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War OG 1Lesbian was a member of Convoy OG 1 which formed at sea on 2 October 1939 and was destined for Gibraltar She was carrying a general cargo bound for Piraeus Greece 7 HG 7Lesbian was a member of Convoy HG 7 which departed Port Said Egypt on 3 November 1939 and arrived at Liverpool on 22 November She was carrying a general cargo and also fruit 8 HG 17Lesbian was a member of Convoy HG 17 which departed Gibraltar on 1 February 1940 and arrived at Liverpool on the 11 May She was on a voyage from Alexandria Egypt to Liverpool 9 HGF 28Lesbian was a member of Convoy HGF 28 which departed Gibraltar on 26 April 1940 and arrived at Liverpool on 5 May 10 Capture sinking and rediscovery Edit In 1940 Lesbian was impounded by Vichy French forces at Beirut Lebanon During the Allied invasion of Syria and Lebanon in 1941 Beirut was bombed The Vichy French fearing that she would be sunk and block the port took Lesbian a short distance offshore and scuttled her 11 on 14 July 1941 2 In 2000 the ship was discovered by two local diving centres the National Institute for Scuba Diving NISD and the Abyss Dive Center The ship is very well preserved and sitting at a depth of 67 metres 220 ft facing Beirut port citation needed Propulsion EditLesbian was powered by a triple expansion steam engine of 274 horsepower 204 kW which was built by Wallsend Slipway Co Ltd Newcastle upon Tyne The cylinders were 18 31 and 54 inches 457 800 and 1 372 mm diameter by 36 inches 910 mm stroke 12 She could make 10 knots 19 km h 2 Official number and code letters EditOfficial Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers Lesbian had the UK Official Number 147232 and used the Code Letters KPNH until 1933 12 and GJXK until 1940 13 References Edit SS Lesbian 1923 www tynebuiltships co uk Retrieved 21 March 2017 a b c 1147232 Miramar Ship Index Retrieved 15 March 2009 Ellerman amp Papayanni The Ships List Archived from the original on 2 March 2009 Retrieved 15 March 2009 Casualty reports The Times No 43971 London 26 May 1925 col D p 28 Casualty reports The Times No 43974 London 29 May 1925 col E p 23 LLOYD S REGISTER STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 15 March 2009 OG Convoys 1939 1942 Warsailors Retrieved 15 March 2009 CONVOY HG 7 Warsailors Retrieved 15 March 2009 CONVOY HG 17 Warsailors Retrieved 15 March 2009 CONVOY HGF 28 Warsailors Retrieved 15 March 2009 HMS Victoria A Technical Diving Journey to Lebanon The National Institute For Scuba Diving in Lebanon Archived from the original on 15 May 2008 Retrieved 15 March 2009 a b LLOYD S REGISTER STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 15 March 2009 LLOYD S REGISTER STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 15 March 2009 External links EditVideo of a dive on the wreck of SS Lesbian 8m 3s Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SS Lesbian 1923 amp oldid 1117079085, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
