SS St. Cergue was a Swiss cargo ship, originally the British merchant ship Felldene. She served in the Merchant Marine of Switzerland during the Second World War, notably rescuing survivors of several ships sunk by submarines.
 Model of the Swiss cargo ship SS St. Cergue with her war markings during the Second World War, on display at the Swiss Museum of Transport.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Felldene[1] |
| Owner | Felldene Shipping Co. Ltd. (Dene Shipmanagement Co. Ltd.), London [1] |
| Yard number | 1074[1] |
| Launched | 13 February 1937[1] |
| Completed | March 1937[1] |
| History | |
 Switzerland | |
| Name | St. Cergue[1] |
| Namesake | Saint-Cergue |
| Owner |
|
| Acquired | 1939[1] |
| History | |
 Germany | |
| Name | Claus Bischoff[1] |
| Owner |
|
| Acquired | 1951[1] |
| Fate | Broken up, 18 June 1962[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Cargo ship |
| Tonnage | 4260 [1] |
| Length | 385.5 ft (117.50 m)[1] |
| Beam | 53.2 ft 3 in (16.29 m)[1] |
| Propulsion | Triple-expansion Compound engine, 289 HP[2] |
| Speed | 9 knots[2] |
Career
editConstruction and early career
editSecond World War
editIn June 1941, she gave passage from Schiedam to New York City to the Dutch Resistance fighters Peter Tazelaar, Bram van der Stok and Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema.
On 6 April 1942, St. Cergue rescued the crew of the Norwegian tanker Koll, sunk by U-571.[3][4]
On 26 June 1942, St. Cergue rescued the crew of the Dutch liner Jagersfontein, sunk by U-107.[5]
On 25 March 1943, St. Cergue rescued survivors of the Swedish cargo Industria, sunk by U-518.[6]
In late September 1943, St. Cergue rescued the Portuguese steamer Mello, victim of an accidental fire, and managed to tow her to Recife.[2]
The 1977 film Soldier of Orange features St. Cergue, played by the French tanker Esso Port Jérôme, modified for the occasion.[2]
Notes and references
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o WILLIAM GRAY & COMPANY LTD., WEST HARTLEPOOL, teesbuiltships.co.uk
- ^ a b c d ST. CERGUE History, swiss-ships.ch
- ^ "M/T Koll". Warsailors. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
- ^ "Koll". Uboat. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- ^ "Jagersfontein". Uboat. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ "Industria". Uboat. Retrieved 3 April 2012.