View source for SS Claus Rickmers

{{About|the 1923 ship||Rickmers (disambiguation){{!}}Rickmers|section=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image               = 
| Ship caption             = 
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{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header              = 
| Ship name                =*''Claus Rickmers'' (1923-47)
*''Empire Carron'' (1947)
*''Andrian'' (1947-49)
*''San Nicolas'' (1949-64)
| Ship owner               =*Rickmers Reederei (1923-40)
*Kriegsmarine (1940)
*Rickmers Reederei (1940-45)
*Ministry of War Transport (1945)
*Ministry of Transport (1945-47)
*S G Embiricos Ltd (1947-49)
*Compagnia Navigazion Yaviza (1949-64)
| Ship operator            =*Rickmers Reederei (1923-45)
*S G Embiricos Ltd (1947-49)
*Compagnia Navigazion Yaviza (1949-64)
| Ship registry            =*{{flagicon|Weimar Republic|civil}} Hamburg (1923-33)
*{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} Hamburg (1933-40)
*{{flagicon|Nazi Germany|naval}} Kriegsmarine (1940)
*{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} Hamburg (1940-45)
*{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} London (1945-49)
*{{flagicon|Panama}} Panama City (1949-64)
| Ship route               = 
| Ship ordered             = 
| Ship builder             = Norderwerft AG
| Ship original cost       = 
| Ship yard number         = 193
| Ship way number          = 
| Ship laid down           = 
| Ship launched            = 23 November 1923
| Ship completed           = 22 February 1924
| Ship christened          = 
| Ship acquired            = 
| Ship maiden voyage       = 
| Ship in service          = 
| Ship out of service      = 1945-47
| Ship identification      =*Code Letters RDVL (1923-34)
*{{ICS|Romeo}}{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Victor}}{{ICS|Lima}}
*Code Letters DHEE (1934-45)
*{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Hotel}}{{ICS|Echo}}{{ICS|Echo}}
*Pennant Number A 10 (1940)
*UK [[Official Number]] 181642 (1945-49)
| Ship fate                = Scrapped 1964.
| Ship notes               = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
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| Header caption           = 
| Ship class               = 
| Ship tonnage             =*{{GRT|5,165}}
*{{NRT|3,170}}
*8,040 [[Deadweight tonnage|DWT]]
| Ship displacement        = 
| Ship length              = {{convert|401|ft|5|in|m|2|abbr=on}} 
| Ship beam                = {{convert|53|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
| Ship height              = 
| Ship draught             = 
| Ship depth               = {{convert|27|ft|5|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
| Ship decks               = 
| Ship deck clearance      = 
| Ship ramps               = 
| Ship ice class           = 
| Ship sail plan           = 
| Ship power               = Triple expansion steam engine
| Ship propulsion          = Screw propeller
| Ship speed               = <!--{{convert|x|kn|km/h}}-->
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'''''Claus Rickmers''''' was a {{GRT|5165|link=off}} [[cargo ship]] which was built in 1923 for Rickmers Reederei AG. She was sunk by Allied bombing at [[Larvik]], [[Norway]] in 1945 and then salvaged and towed to [[Bergen]] for repairs. She was then seized as a [[prize (law)|war prize)]] and ownership passed to the UK's [[Ministry of War Transport]] (MoWT), being renamed '''''Empire Carron''''' on completion of repairs in 1947.

She was then sold and renamed '''''Andrian'''''. In 1949, she was sold to [[Panama]]nian owners and renamed '''''San Nicolas''''', serving until scrapped in 1964.

==Description==
The ship was built by Norderwerft AG, [[Wesermünde]] as yard number 193. She was launched on 23 November 1923 and completed on 22 February 1924.<ref name=Rickmerswerft>{{cite web|url=http://werften.fischtown.de/archiv/rickmersliste10.html |title=Rickmerswerft-Baunummernliste 10 |publisher=Peter Müller |language=de |access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref>

The ship was {{convert|401|ft|5|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|53|ft|2|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|27|ft|5|in|m|2}}. She had a GRT of 5,125 and a NRT of 3,170.<ref name=Rickmers30>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0271.pdf|title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> Her DWT was 8,040.<ref name=Rickmerswerft/>

She was propelled by a [[triple expansion steam engine]], which had cylinders of {{convert|28+1/2|in|cm}}, {{convert|45+1/4|in|cm}}  and {{convert|74|in|cm}} diameter and {{convert|53+1/4|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by [[AG Weser]], [[Bremen]].<ref name=Rickmers30/>

==History==
''Claus Rickmers'' was built for Rickmers Reederei AG, [[Hamburg]].<ref name=Ships>{{cite book | first = and Sawyer, L A| last = Mitchell, W H | year = 1995| title = The Empire Ships| publisher = Lloyd's of London Press Ltd| location = London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong|isbn=1-85044-275-4}}</ref> The [[Code Letters]] RDVL were allocated and her port of registry was Hamburg.<ref name=Rickmers30/> On 13 September 1928, she collided with the Italian cargo ship {{SS|Clara Camas||2}} at [[Glückstadt]] and was beached.<ref name=Times140928>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty reports |date=14 September 1928 |page=21 |issue=44998 |column=F }}</ref> In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DHEE.<ref name=Rickmers34>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/34/34b0204.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref>

On 4 May 1940, ''Claus Rickmers'' was requisitioned by the [[Kriegsmarine]] for use as a [[troopship]]. The [[Pennant Number]] A 10 was allocated. She was returned to her owners on 20 October 1940. On 26 June 1941, she was sunk at [[Ventspils]], Latvia. She was refloated and repaired.<ref name=Merchant468>{{cite book |title=The World's Merchant Fleets, 1939 |first=Roger |last=Jordan |publisher=Chatham Publishing |location=London |year=1999 |page=468 |isbn=1-86176-023-X}}</ref> On 21 October 1944 the [[Germany|German]] cargo ship {{SS|Hohenhörn||2}}, struck a [[naval mine|mine]] off [[Stora Pölsan]], [[Sweden]]. ''Hohenhörn'' sank in no more than eight minutes. The entire crew was rescued by ''Claus Rickmers'' and landed in [[Germany]]. ''Hohenhörn'' was on a voyage from [[Narvik]], Norway to [[Emden]], Germany with a cargo of 4,000 tonnes of [[iron pyrites]].<ref name=Hohenhorn>{{cite web|url=http://vrag.dk/vrag/hohenhorn.html |title=S.S. Hohenhörn |publisher=Allan Jensen |language=da |access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref>

On 9 January 1945, ''Claus Rickmers'' was damaged in an Allied air raid on [[Lervik]], Norway.<ref name=Ships/> On 15 January 1945, a formation of sixteen [[de Havilland Mosquito|Mosquito]] aircraft of the Banff Strike Wing, comprising aircraft from [[No. 143 Squadron RAF|143]], [[No. 235 Squadron RAF|235]], [[No. 248 Squadron RAF|248]] and [[No. 333 Squadron RAF|333 Squadrons]], [[Royal Air Force]], led by [[Wing Commander (rank)|Wing Commander]] [[Max Guedj]] attacked the damaged ''Claus Rickmers''.<ref name=White1>{{cite web|url=http://www.white1foundation.org/white1_history2.htm |title=Operational History of W.Nr. 931 862, The Black Monday - 15th January 1945 |publisher=White 1 Foundation |access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> Also attacked were the [[Vorpostenboot|flak ships]] ''Seehund''  and ''O B Rogge'' and [[Räumboot]] ''R 34''. Five Mosquitos and three [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]]s of 9 Staffeln, [[Jagdgeschwader 5]] were shot down in the attack.<ref name=Flyvak>{{cite web|url=http://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/austevoll.html |title=Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-3 Melingsvarden, Austevoll Hordaland |publisher=Flyvak |access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> ''Claus Rickmers'' was towed to [[Bergen]] for repairs.<ref name=Ships/>

In May 1945, she was seized as a war prize and passed to the MoWT. Repairs were completed in 1947 and she was renamed ''Empire Carron''.<ref name=Ships/> The United Kingdom [[Official Number]] 181642 was allocated.<ref name=Mariners>{{cite web|url=http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/ON180000.htm |title=Ships official numbers 180000-|publisher=Mariners |access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> She was then sold to S G Empiricos Ltd, [[London]] and renamed ''Andrian''.<ref name=Ships/> In 1949, ''Andrian'' was sold to Compagnia Navigazione Yaviza, [[Panama]] and renamed ''San Nicolas''. She served until 1964, arriving at [[Spezia]], [[Italy]] in December 1964 for scrapping.<ref name=Ships/>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{1928 shipwrecks}}
{{Empire ships}}
{{January 1945 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Claus Rickmers}}
[[Category:1923 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Bremen (state)]]
[[Category:Steamships of Germany]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Germany]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1928]]
[[Category:World War II merchant ships of Germany]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in January 1945]]
[[Category:Ministry of War Transport ships]]
[[Category:Empire ships]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Steamships of Panama]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Panama]]