The Southern class was a class of whale-catcher ships requisitioned from a commercial whaling company for service during the Second World War. The whalers were converted for anti-submarine and minesweeping duties and were in use in the British Royal Navy and South African Navy. Six ships were built in Germany for the Southern Whaling Company and after the war, one was retained in the South African Navy, one had been sunk by a mine and four were sold back to commercial whaling companies.
Illustration of HMSAS Southern Maid in the Mediterranean in November–December 1942
The six whale catchers were owned by Southern Whaling & Sealing Co. Ltd., London, United Kingdom and were used for whale catching in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic waters. The fleet of six ships was accompanied by the factory shipSouthern Princess in their annual whaling season sorties. The fleet spent four seasons in the Antarctic before being requisitioned for naval service on their return to Cape Town after completion of the 1939-40 season. The owners requested that all six ships were to be taken up into the Royal Navy, but only Southern Breeze was taken up for service in the UK, with the other five vessels being assigned to the South African Seaward Defence Force.[2]
Ships of the Southern classedit
All vessels listed based on this citation[1] unless stated otherwise. "AS Whaler" denotes anti-submarine equipped whaler.
Sep 1941: Bought by Salvesen while under RN command – name remained unchanged. Returned to Salvesen in January 1946.[3] Broken up for scrap in Sep 1970 by Goldfields Metal Traders Ltd., Fremantle[4]
HMSAS Southern Floe
T26
SS Southern Floe
S. Afr. Seaward Defence Force
1936
18 Jun 1940
Oct 1940
AS Whaler
Sunk by mine off Tobruk on 11 Feb 1941
HMSAS Southern Maid
T27
SS Southern Maid
S. Afr. Seaward Defence Force
1936
18 Jun 1940
Oct 1940
AS Whaler
Laid up May 1946. Sold to Union Whaling Co on 7 May 1946. Fate unknown.
In September 1941, vessel was sold to Chr. Salvesen & Co who retained the name until January 1945 when vessel was in-turn sold to Union Government of South Africa as a minesweeper and named HMSAS Steenberg T.28.[6]
HMSAS Southern Isles
T29
SS Southern Isles
S. Afr. Seaward Defence Force
1936
22 Jul 1940
Nov 1940
AS Whaler
Laid up May 1946. Sold to Union Whaling Co on 7 May 1946. Fate unknown.
HMSAS Southern Sea
T30
SS Southern Sea
S. Afr. Seaward Defence Force
1936
22 Jul 1940
Nov 1940
AS Whaler
Laid up May 1946. Sold to Union Whaling Co on 7 May 1946. Fate unknown.
Du Toit, Allan (1992). South Africa's Fighting Ships: Past and Present. Rivonia, South Africa: Ashanti Publishing. ISBN1-874800-50-2.
December 14, 2023
southern, class, whaler, southern, class, class, whale, catcher, ships, requisitioned, from, commercial, whaling, company, service, during, second, world, whalers, were, converted, anti, submarine, minesweeping, duties, were, british, royal, navy, south, afric. The Southern class was a class of whale catcher ships requisitioned from a commercial whaling company for service during the Second World War The whalers were converted for anti submarine and minesweeping duties and were in use in the British Royal Navy and South African Navy Six ships were built in Germany for the Southern Whaling Company and after the war one was retained in the South African Navy one had been sunk by a mine and four were sold back to commercial whaling companies Illustration of HMSAS Southern Maid in the Mediterranean in November December 1942Class overviewNameSouthern class whalersBuildersBremer Vulkan Vegesack Germany 1 Operators Royal Navy South African NavyBuilt1936In service1937 In commission1940 1945Planned6Completed6Active6Laid up5Lost1General characteristicsTypeWhalerTonnage344 GRT 1 Length42 46 m 139 ft 4 in 1 Beam7 96 m 26 ft 1 in 1 Draught4 18 m 13 ft 9 in 1 Propulsion1 oil fired 3 cyl triple expansion reciprocating engine single shaft 1 screw 1 Speed13 knots 24 km h 15 mph maximum 1 Armament1 QF 4 naval gun 3 20 mm guns 2 fwd 1 aft various light weapons 1 Contents 1 History 2 Ships of the Southern class 3 Notes and references 3 1 Notes 3 2 Citations 3 3 BibliographyHistory editThe six whale catchers were owned by Southern Whaling amp Sealing Co Ltd London United Kingdom and were used for whale catching in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic waters The fleet of six ships was accompanied by the factory ship Southern Princess in their annual whaling season sorties The fleet spent four seasons in the Antarctic before being requisitioned for naval service on their return to Cape Town after completion of the 1939 40 season The owners requested that all six ships were to be taken up into the Royal Navy but only Southern Breeze was taken up for service in the UK with the other five vessels being assigned to the South African Seaward Defence Force 2 Ships of the Southern class editAll vessels listed based on this citation 1 unless stated otherwise AS Whaler denotes anti submarine equipped whaler Name Pennant number Previous name s In service with Launch date Requisitioned date In service date Role FateHMS Southern Breeze FY318 3 SS Southern Breeze Royal Navy Jun 1936 3 Mar 1940 Sep 1941 Bought by Salvesen while under RN command name remained unchanged Returned to Salvesen in January 1946 3 Broken up for scrap in Sep 1970 by Goldfields Metal Traders Ltd Fremantle 4 HMSAS Southern Floe T26 SS Southern Floe S Afr Seaward Defence Force 1936 18 Jun 1940 Oct 1940 AS Whaler Sunk by mine off Tobruk on 11 Feb 1941HMSAS Southern Maid T27 SS Southern Maid S Afr Seaward Defence Force 1936 18 Jun 1940 Oct 1940 AS Whaler Laid up May 1946 Sold to Union Whaling Co on 7 May 1946 Fate unknown HMSAS Southern BarrierHMSAS Steenberg T28 SS Southern Barrier S Afr Seaward Defence Force 1936 17 Jul 1940 5 Oct 1940 Minesweeper 5 In September 1941 vessel was sold to Chr Salvesen amp Co who retained the name until January 1945 when vessel was in turn sold to Union Government of South Africa as a minesweeper and named HMSAS Steenberg T 28 6 HMSAS Southern Isles T29 SS Southern Isles S Afr Seaward Defence Force 1936 22 Jul 1940 Nov 1940 AS Whaler Laid up May 1946 Sold to Union Whaling Co on 7 May 1946 Fate unknown HMSAS Southern Sea T30 SS Southern Sea S Afr Seaward Defence Force 1936 22 Jul 1940 Nov 1940 AS Whaler Laid up May 1946 Sold to Union Whaling Co on 7 May 1946 Fate unknown Notes and references editNotes edit Citations edit a b c d e f g h i Du Toit 1992 p 103 Du Toit 1992 p 97 a b c HMS Southern Breeze FY 318 Allied Warships of WWII uboat net Retrieved 19 August 2021 D S Southern Breeze Sjohistorie Du Toit 1992 p 99 D S Steenberg Krigsseilerregisteret Bibliography edit Du Toit Allan 1992 South Africa s Fighting Ships Past and Present Rivonia South Africa Ashanti Publishing ISBN 1 874800 50 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern class whaler amp oldid 1115695235, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
