Loss of the M.V. SATIRA through enemy aircraft bombing

The three year old STATIRA, product of Doxford/Pallion, had been on a passage from Masulipatan for London, and was part of Convoy WN 4 when attacked between midnight and 01:00 hours on 3rd of August 1940, badly damaged and set on fire. The anti-submarine trawler ARAB (531grt) went to the assistance of the stricken vessel.

The entire crew was taken off by destroyers HMS PUNJABI and HMS BEDOUIN.

The vessel was taken in tow on fire to Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, by British tug THAMES and escorted by destroyer HMS PUNJABI, which was later relieved by destroyer HMS SIKH. Sunsequently she left Stornoway and put in Rothesay or Kames Bay, where many war-casualty derelicts were laid up awaiting decision and space for either repairs or breaking.

M.V. STATIRA was later taken upriver to Glasgow, where her cargo was unloaded. The ship was thn sent to be broken up.

From: George Robinson

In 1937, Doxford completed at their Sunderland yard mv STATIRA for Chellew Steamship Management Co Ltd, London, a vessel of 4852grt and 423.4 x 54.2 feet.
She was bombed and set on fire on 3 August 1940 when 38 miles north of Stornoway, towed into Stornoway where the fire was extinguished, cargo later discharged (where?) and later broken up at Troon.
Her 3 cyl. engine has the same bore/stroke as that of SOOCHOW.
It seems quite feasible that the engine was still in good enough condition to be refitted in 1947 to SOOCHOW.

It does not tie in with the Mersey link in your thread except that her cargo was manganese ore, oilcake and groundnuts (she was bound from India for London) and as it would probably be impossible to dsicharge that in Stornoway, perhaps she was towed to the Mersey for discharge, then to Troon. That is conjecture, but the fact the date of build and size of the engine is convincing enough for me!""

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f303/averheijden/2c14e11b.jpg

Regards

Alfons