SS Tairoa
| Company type | Cargo liner |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping |
| Founded | July 1920 |
| Founder | Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd (builder) |
| Defunct | December 3, 1939 |
| Fate | Captured and sunk by German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee |
| Headquarters | Southampton , United Kingdom |
| Products | Refrigerated cargo transport (United Kingdom–Australia route) |
Number of employees | 81 |
Overview
SS Tairoa was a British refrigerated cargo liner managed by the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line from 1920 until 1939. During World War II, she was captured and sunk by the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee near the coast of South West Africa. This incident marked her as the second-to-last ship targeted during the Graf Spee's commerce raiding mission.
Construction and Specifications
Built by Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tairoa was ordered in 1919 and launched on 4 February 1920, with completion following in July of the same year. Registered in Southampton, United Kingdom, she bore the official number 143569 and used the call sign K G H D. The vessel was designed as a cargo liner with refrigeration capabilities, primarily servicing the route between the United Kingdom and Australia.
The ship measured 494 feet in length with a beam of 63.3 feet and a draught of approximately 25 feet 7½ inches. Her depth was recorded at 31.2 feet. Powered by two four-cylinder quadruple expansion steam engines driving twin screws, Tairoa developed 1011 nominal horsepower, enabling a cruising speed of around 13.5 knots. The crew complement consisted of 81 personnel.
Equipped for defensive operations as a Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship (DEMS), she featured wireless direction-finding technology by 1930. She had a sister ship named Maimoa.
Construction
The vessel Tairoa was commissioned in 1919 and constructed at the Tyneside shipyards of Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd. She was launched on 4 February 1920 and reached completion by July of the same year.
Measuring 494 ft (151 m) in length with a beam spanning 63.3 ft (19.3 m), Tairoa had a gross registered tonnage of 7,983. Propulsion was provided by two four-cylinder quadruple expansion steam engines generating 1,011 NHP. These engines powered dual shafts connected to two screws, enabling a cruising speed of approximately 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h). The insulated cargo holds had a volume capacity of 314,345 cubic feet.
Accommodation facilities aboard Tairoa were designed for a crew complement of 81 individuals.
Service life
Registered in Southampton, Tairoa began her operational career servicing routes between the United Kingdom and Australia.
Background
After hostilities erupted between Germany and the Allies in September 1939, Adolf Hitler directed the German Navy to initiate commerce raiding against Allied merchant vessels.
Commanded by Kapitän zur See Hans Langsdorff, the Admiral Graf Spee departed from Wilhelmshaven on 21 August 1939 heading towards the South Atlantic. On 1 September, she rendezvoused with her supply ship, the Altmark, southwest of the Canary Islands, after which she received orders to commence raiding operations on 26 September.
The first target for Graf Spee was the steamer Clement, owned by the Booth Steamship Company, which was sunk on 30 September. Subsequently, to confuse enemy forces, Graf Spee transmitted the call sign of her sister ship, Admiral Scheer, prompting the British Admiralty to alert merchant ships about an active German surface raider in the South Atlantic.
Interception
After sinking the cargo liner Doric Star off South West Africa on 2 December, at 05:18hrs on Sunday morning, 3 December 1939, Graf Spee utilized its FMG G(gO) "Seetakt" Radar to detect and establish contact with Tairoa. At that time, Captain William Starr commanded Tairoa, which was en route from Brisbane to London, carrying a cargo of meat, lead, wool, and assorted general goods.
Kapitän Langsdorff's standard tactic involved approaching targets head-on at full speed while flying the French Ensign. On this occasion, he also employed a disguise featuring an additional funnel and main turret that had been fitted during a prior meeting with Altmark.
Visual contact with Tairoa was made at roughly 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi), with Graf Spee positioned just off her beam. Thanks to Admiralty warnings about raider activity in the area, Captain Starr remained on the bridge when an unidentified vessel appeared. Due to Langsdorff's approach strategy and concealed flag display, this ship was not immediately recognized as Graf Spee. When visible, the flag was a small ensign heavily obscured by smoke and flown from the dummy funnel added as part of the disguise.
Upon closing to about 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi), Graf Spee hoisted a signal stating "I am coming to board you," followed by two additional signals that were not deciphered. Captain Starr remained unaware of his situation until under 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi), when it became evident that all large guns aboard the approaching ship were trained on Tairoa. A prominently displayed banner on Graf Spee's superstructure warned: "Stop wireless or I open fire!"
Despite this threat, aboard Tairoa, it was decided to disregard the warning banner. Wireless Officer Patrick Cummins persisted in transmitting the R-R-R distress signal ("I am being attacked by a raider") along with their coordinates.
The transmissions were intercepted by Graf Spee, prompting Langsdorff to order fire upon Tairoa's mastheads using secondary armament consisting of 15 centimetres (5.9 in) SK C/28 guns. This action destroyed the wireless aerials; however, Cummins managed to assemble a makeshift wireless set and continued broadcasting, which led to further salvos from Graf Spee.
In adherence to strict prize law directives, Admiral Graf Spee was required to inspect any captured vessel for contraband and ensure crew safety before sinking it. Should destruction be necessary, evacuation of personnel had to be guaranteed prior to engagement.
Consequently, Kapitän Langsdorff dispatched a boarding party onto Tairoa. Captain Starr and his crew—three members wounded by shrapnel—were taken prisoner and transferred onto Admiral Graf Spee.
Sinking
After the crew of the Tairoa had evacuated, the Graf Spee commenced the sinking of the ship by firing its secondary battery of 15 cm (5.9 in) SK C/28 guns from roughly 300 yards away. Subsequently, a torpedo struck the vessel amidships with a direct hit, causing the Tairoa to sink at a location approximately 648 nautical miles (1,200 km; 746 mi) southeast of St Helena.
Aftermath
Langsdorff’s primary objective was to disrupt Allied operations by operating over a wide area. Aware that he had sunk two merchantmen within days in the same vicinity, he chose to return to open ocean. On 6 December, Graf Spee was scheduled to meet again with Altmark, where most of Tairoa's crew, including Captain Starr, along with survivors from another recent target, the Doric Star, were transferred. The Graf Spee then continued its mission, retaining seven members of the Tairoa crew onboard. These survivors were later released at Montevideo on 14 December after Graf Spee sought sanctuary following the Battle of the River Plate.
Official number and code letters
Official numbers are assigned by each nation and differ from IMO ship identification numbers. The Tairoa carried the UK Official Number 143569 and was identified by the Code Letters K G H D Template:ICSTemplate:ICSTemplate:ICSTemplate:ICS.
See also
References
Bibliography
- Miller, David (2013). Command Decisions: Langsdorff and the Battle of the River Plate. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1473821385.
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