TS Normannia (I)
Roy Thornton Collection
Steel twin screw turbine vessel, built in 1912 by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Govan (Yard No. 481), as a mail/passenger ship.
Technical Data
- Length: 88.48 m (overall) 91.14 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 11.00328 m
- Depth: m
- Draught: 4.7 m
- Tonnage: 1567 gross/ 676 net/955 t deadweight
- Engines: Two sets Parson SR geared steam turbines.
- Power: kW/4930 shp
- Speed: 19.5 knots
- Capacity: 1010 passengers/ 148 first class berths/90 second class berths/ Two cargo holds = 18,650cu ft freight
- Call Sign: HVMV, GBKX
- ID Number: 80521 (LR 1939)
- Official Number: 131800 (LR 1939)
- Port of Registry: Southampton/UK 🇬🇧
- Sister-ships : Hantonia (482)
History
November 9th 1911: Launched as NORMANNIA for London and South Western Railway for the company’s night service from Paris and the Continent via Havre and Southampton .
Both her and her sister were the first fitted with Parsons turbines.
February 1912: Completed.
February 22nd – February 23rd 1912: Speed trials taking place at Skelmorlie on the Clyde. She attained a mean of 20.165 knots on her full speed run.
Roy Thornton Collection
February 26th 1912: Arrived Southampton.
March 16th 2012: Planned maiden voyage to Le Havre cancelled owing to a coal strike.
April 2nd 2012: Maiden voyage to Le Havre.
Roy Thornton Collection
1914: Requisitioned by the Admiralty and operated as a troopship during the First World War.
1923: Southern Railway.
May 9th 1926: Maiden call to the Channel Islands, due to the General Strike, the regular vessels had no coal, and the NORMANNIA took over as she had already bunkered in Le Havre.
Roy Thornton Collection
July 7th 1928 – September 28th 1928: Further services to the Channel Islands replacing LORINA which had suffered turbine damage.
March 8th 1929 – April 13th 1929: Further services to the Channel Islands replacing ALBERTA.
Roy Thornton Collection
1931: Fitted with a new type of rudder, an Oertz, to improve handling.
1930’s (mid): It was usual for the BRITTANY to be withdrawn for most of the winter and the St Malo service was covered by either LORINA or NORMANNIA.
September 31st 1939 – May 3rd 1940: With a number of the regular Channel Island’s vessels taken over for war service she went on the Channel Island’s route.
December 11th 1939: Grounded while crossing Guernsey and Jersey.
January 9th 1940: Collided with HM trawler IJUIN, near the Nab Tower.
May 4th 1940: Requisitioned to make troopship crossings between Southampton an Le Havre
May 29th 1940: Despatched from Southampton, first to The Downs (off Deal) then to Dunkerque. On approaching the French coast she was attacked by aircraft: the damage immobilised her engines and rendered her pumps useless. She requested assistance from HM gunboat MOSQUITO and was towed two miles beyond Dunkerque harbour entrance but began to sink by the stern.
HM Mosquito (Left) HM Ross (Right)
May 30th 1940: Beached clear of the channel; her crew rescued by MOSQUITO and HM Minesweeper ROSS (Hunt class Aberdare sub-class minesweeper similar to the first Townsen vessel based at Dover, HMS FORD) and she was abandoned.
Roy Thornton Collection
All information is believed to be correct, and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
