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Suitably adapted prior to her moving to Port Edgar.
Note the shortness of funnels
and masts. Also note lack of lifeboats.
Bought by the Royal Navy in a shrewd move by T. W. Ward on 23rd April 1937. Again renamed this time "HMS Caledonia" .
The plan was that she be converted into a "boys training ship" and moved to permanent moorings in Port Edgar Rosyth in Scotland. It was an unfortunate necessity that the ship had to be adapted in order for it to fit under the Forth Bridge. Her funnels and the two masts at fore and aft were shortened to facilitate this movement the conversion work was carried out in the Southampton dockyard. Her engines were also removed as unnecessary.
(ABOVE) HMS Caledoinia insignia
Thanks to -- Paul Merrett
It was expected that she would accommodate some 15,00 Cadets and another 500 apprentices.
During World War 2 she was moved to another mooring in the Firth of Forth after the Cadets were transferred to other accommodation on land. This was to allow the old moorings to be re-assigned to Naval vessels. An unfortunate move!
During the evening of 29th September 1939 (during an air raid) she caught fire and due to lack of facilities to fight the blaze she was gutted and subsequently sank.
She was again sold to the firm of Thomas W. Ward for salvage and demolition in March 1940 but it was Not until 17th March 1943 that the firm were able to raise the hull and the once proud vessel was towed five miles to the breakers yard at Inverkeithing, Fife.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the persons below who donated pictures or details.
Stephan Thorven Lucht For the use of his University Project
Ben Schumin at Schuminweb
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This page was last updated on Tuesday April 24, 2007