SS BODIL
Type ... Cargo. Machinery midships, Plum bow, Counter Stern
POSTION ... Haisborough Sands (As of yet not located)
Builder ... Georg Howaldt, Kiel
Enginge builder ... Georg Howaldt
Built ... 1888
Lost ... 26/27 May 1915
Cause ... Stranded on Haisborough Sands
Cargo ... Wood
Voyage ... Gamleby (Sweden) to Southampton
Construction ... Steel
Dimensions ... 60 x 9.1 x 4.2 mtrs
Engine ... 3 cylinder triple expansion / cylinder sizes HP = 14 inches / Ip 23 inches / Lp 39 inches x 23 inch stroke / Horsepower 75NHP
Boilers ... x2 single ended / x2 corrugated furnaces per boiler (At time of loss) Working pressure 160Lbs
Screw ... Diameter 10 feet 6 inches
Double bottom ... Yes
Port ... Esberg (Denmark)
Tonnage ... Grt = 763 / Underdeck 639 / Net 451
Crew ... 14
Casualties ... None
History ... Built as the Fehmarn in 1888 for J. Lange. In 1893 sold to the Nord - Ostsee Shipping Company. In 1905 the Fehmarn changed hands again, this time under her new ownership she was renamed the Bodil. Her new owners were Dampskibsselskabet Vesterhavet / J. Lauritzen (Managers) who in turn owned the Bodil up until the time of her loss. Various publications report that at some point one of the Bodils former names was that of the Nevtral. To date (2023) I can find no factual record of this and in turn can find no records of ownership that support this. From the time of build to the time of loss there were only two names associated with this vessel, ie the Fehmarn and the Bodil. Perhaps it is a possibility that when the Fehmarn was initially ordered that it was under the name of the Nevtral and that it was changed to the Fehmarn prior to or on completion. This is speculation on my part of course, however this was not an uncommon occurrence in ship building.
Construction ... Records show that when the Bodil was built in1888 as the Fehmarn the vessel was fitted with two small boilers, each fitted with one corrugated furnace per boiler. The boilers at the time of construction are recorded as very small indeed, these being 7 feet, 5 inches in diameter and 9 feet in length. Further investigation has revealed that in 1912 the Bodil received replacement boilers with each of these being fitted with two corrugated furnaces. There is no evidence to show that the Bodil was re engined as all specifications for the engine from time of build to time of loss have remained the same.
OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF THE BODIL AT THE TIME OF LOSS
Circumstances of loss ... Whilst en route from Gamleby in Sweden to Southampton with a cargo of wood the Bodil grounded on Haisborough Sands on the 27th May 1915.
Below ... Lifeboat report (Cromer)
BODIL TODAY
NOT LOCATED