SS Tiberton

SS Tiberton was a British steam cargo ship that was sunk during World War II by the German submarine U-23.

History
Name: Tiberton
Owner: R Chapman & Son
Port of registry: Newcastle upon Tyne
Builder: Richardson, Duck and Company, Stockton on Tees
Yard number: 679
Launched: 20 January 1920
Completed: March 1920
Identification: Official number 142861
General characteristics
Class and type: Cargo ship
Tonnage:
Length: 414 ft 5 in (126.31 m)
Beam: 52 ft 4 in (15.95 m)
Depth: 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power: 1 x Triple expansion steam engine, 397 hp (296 kW)
Speed: 11 knots (20 km/h)

Service

Registered to owners R. Chapman & Son, Newcastle upon Tyne, Great Britain, the SS Tiberton was launched in 1920 and served in Great Britain's Merchant Navy through the 1920s and 1930s. Operating from her homeport of Newcastle, she sailed to numerous countries including Chile, Australia and Norway.

On 14 June 1928, Tiberton ran aground at Bahía Blanca, Argentina.[1] She was refloated on 17 June 1928.[2]

Sinking

At 04.05 hours on 19 February 1940, whilst transporting iron ore to Middlesbrough (or Immingham, Lincolnshire) Great Britain from Narvik, Norway, the unescorted Tiberton was hit by one G7e torpedo from U-23 (on her eighth sailing and active patrol in the North Sea[3][4]) under the command of Otto Kretschmer. The Tiberton broke in two and sank in 30 seconds about 33 miles east of Kirkwall, Orkney. All 34 of her crew were killed.[5]

On 10 April 1940 the SS Tiberton was officially registered with Lloyd's as Missing / Untraced and a Joint Arbitration Committee considered her a "war loss".

Memorials

The 33 British crew members are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London (Panel 108). The 34th crew member, Canadian Edward Oliver May (Third Engineer), is commemorated on the Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park on the southern tip of the Halifax Peninsula, Canada.[6] Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships and visiting warships when entering or leaving Halifax Harbour and passing the Halifax Memorial between Colours (0800 hours and sunset) pipe the Still to render honours.[7]

Panel 108 at the Tower Hill Memorial

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Location of Sinking

There are several estimations of the location of her sinking in the North Sea.

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References
  1. "Casualty reports". The Times (44920). London. 15 June 1928. col B, p. 29.
  2. "Casualty reports". The Times (44923). London. 19 June 1928. col G, p. 27.
  3. Scuttled U23 found in Black sea
  4. The fate of "Hitler's lost fleet"
  5. "Tiberton". Uboat. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  6. "Halifax Memorial". Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  7. "Halifax Memorial". Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
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