Montferland SS

MONTFERLAND

Position ... 52 47 203 N / 001 50 324 E
Nationality ... Dutch
Built ... 1921 (Newcastle Upon Tyne)
Tonnage ... 6790 grt
Dimensions ... 140 x 18.4 x 8.4 mtrs
Construction ... Steel
Engine ... x2 steam turbines / x1 screw
Boilers x5 / 15 corrugated furnaces in total
Power ... 1066 nhp
Speed ... 13 knots
Yard no ... 1153
Builder ... Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend
Engine Builder ... Metropolitan - Vickers Electrical Company Ltd, Manchester
Lost ... 27 / 06 / 1941
Cause ... Bombed by German aircraft
Owner at time of loss ... Royal Holland Lloyd Amsterdam
Cargo ... 4700 tons sugar, 1755 tons meat, 1389 tons steel, 774 tons wool, 20 tons milk powder
Depth ... 36 mtrs

Circumstances of the loss of the Montferland

On the 27th June 1941, whilst on route from Mackay (Queensland Australia), with a cargo of sugar, meat, steal,milk powder and wool, the Dutch steamship Montferland came under attack from a JU88 German bomber (Junkers JU 88). The attack was to prove fatal with the Montferland reportedly capsizing prior to sinking.

Below ... Junkers JU 88

Designed in the mid 1930's as a medium range bomber. The JU 88 was a twin engined aircraft with a top speed of 286 mph and a range of 1550 miles with a maximum bomb load of 5510 lbs.

An account of the Montferland's loss from one of her crew members.

During the voyage on the SS Montferland, there were always three men on constant watch at all times. The night watch had just been relieved when we heard the roar of an engine, we then saw a Junkers JU 88 coming straight at us. All men ran to their posts and opened fire as four bombs fell from the aircraft. The ship shook violently. The Captain immediately surveyed the holds and all seemed well. We had just finished our investigations when the roaring of an aircraft was heard coming towards us. In the meantime a British trawler had come in close to aid us. Again the plane dropped four bombs, two of which hit the trawler, which then exploded. Our aft ship was lifted a few times and everything shook, stamped and cracked. A high pillar of water came over the ship as a bomb exploded, this slightly cooling our glowing hot machine guns. I was standing next to the shelter and in a new attack this was completely riddled with machine gun fire. Much of the wooden decking was badly shot up and the Captains cabin was badly damaged. Things at this stage did not look good. With water now filling the intermediate decks, the Captain gave the order to prepare the lifeboats. Water flowed into the engine room and the oil line was broken. There was nothing else to do but turn off the steam and go to the lifeboats. The stern started to sink. When we were picked up by a British destroyer, we saw the Montferland capsize and sink.

UKHO records (1941 - 1971)

2/7/41 ... Swept clear at 20ft (wreck believed to be over on her port side)

30/7/48 ... Dispersed and swept clear at 46ft

21/8/50 ... Swept clear at 57ft

1952 ... Steel billets (cargo) 1280 tons salvaged

27/9/71 ... Propeller salvaged

As can be seen from above in the UKHO records, in 1952 1280 tons of steel billets were salvaged from the 1389 tons carried in the Montferland's cargo, in turn some 1000 tons still remain amongst the Montferland's wreckage.

A billet is a semi finished metal casting product that requires further processing before becoming a finished item.

Below ... Stacked billets

Metropolitan - Vickers Electrical Company Ltd ( builders of the Montferland's steam turbines) or Metrovick as they were also known were a highly diversified heavy electrical engineering company based in Manchester. Amongst the many electrical components they manufactured, which included transformers, switchgear and electrical generators, they were also known amongst ship builders for their production of marine steam turbines.

Founded ... 1899 as British Westinghouse

Founder ... George Westinghouse

Closed doors ... 1960

Products ... Electrical generators, steam turbines, switchgear, transformers, electronics, electronic multiple units.

Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson (builders of the Montferland). In 1903 C. S. Swan and Hunter merged with Wigham Richardson in an effort to win the prestigious contract to build the Mauretania for Cunard. Their bid was successful, and the new company, Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson was born. Based in the Wallsend Shipyard, Tyne and Wear, the company was responsible for some of the greatest ships of the 20th century, most famously the RMS Mauretania which held the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing, and the RMS Carpathia which rescued the survivors of the RMS Titanic. In 1966 Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson merged with the Smiths Dock Company to form Associated Shipbuilders, which later became the Swan Hunter Group.

The Montferland today

Awaiting divers report