SS California (1923)
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SS California was a British Template:GRT steam turbine ocean liner built in Glasgow in 1923 for the Anchor Line. She was a sister ship of Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Tyrrhenia, Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".. In 1939 the Royal Navy requisitioned her. She was bombed and abandoned, along with the Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., west of Spain after a Luftwaffe attack in July 1943.
Building
Alexander Stephen & Sons of Linthouse, Glasgow built California for Henderson Brothers. Like her Anchor Line sisters (and unlike her Cunard sisters), she featured three funnels. The foremost and aftmost funnels were dummies, with only the central funnel being functional. The dummies were later removed sometime in the 1930s.
Career
Pre-War
The California carried passengers between Glasgow and New York via Derry and Boston, and she made about 20 crossings in winter seasons from Liverpool to Bombay. With the increase in international tourism, the ship's passenger accommodations were redesigned in May 1929 for 206 passengers in cabin class, 440 in tourist class, and 485 in third class.
World War II
In 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser, and from 1942 she was a troopship.
Loss
On 8 July 1943 the small fast Convoy Faith, comprising Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., the troopships Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and California, and escorted by the destroyer Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and frigate Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., sailed Port Glasgow, Scotland, for Freetown, Sierra Leone. On the evening of 10 July the convoy rendezvoused with the Canadian destroyer Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Script error: No such module "convert". WSW of Land's End. On 11 July 1943 when about Script error: No such module "convert". west of Vigo, Spain, the convoy was attacked by three Focke-Wulf Fw 200 aircraft of Kampfgeschwader 40[1] from Merignac near Bordeaux.
Accurate high-altitude bombing left Duchess of York and California in flames.[2] The attack cost the lives of 46 servicemen and crew,[3] and both ships were abandoned. It was feared the flames from the troopships would attract U-boats, so in the early hours of 12 July[2] they were sunk by Royal Navy torpedoes in position Script error: No such module "Coordinates"..[4]
Footnotes
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References
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External links
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- 1923 ships
- World War II Auxiliary cruisers of the Royal Navy
- Ships built on the River Clyde
- Maritime incidents in July 1943
- Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
- Ocean liners
- Ships sunk by German aircraft
- Steamships of the United Kingdom
- Troop ships of the United Kingdom
- World War II merchant ships of the United Kingdom
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean