View source for SS Clan Macarthur

{{EngvarB|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=
|Ship caption=
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country= [[United Kingdom]]
|Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|UK|civil}}
|Ship name= ''Clan Macarthur''
|Ship namesake= [[Clan Arthur]]
|Ship owner= [[Clan Line]] Steamers, Ltd<ref name=LR41>{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/41/41b0191.pdf |year=1941 |title=Lloyd's Register |chapter=Steamers and Motorships |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] |via=[[Southampton City Council]] |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>
|Ship operator=[[Clan Line|Cayzer, Irvine & Co]]<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship route=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Greenock Dockyard Company|Greenock Dockyard Co]], Scotland<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=423<ref name=SBS>{{cite web |url= http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=8446&vessel=CLAN+MACARTHUR |title=Clan Macarthur |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher= Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=14 October 1935<ref name=SBS/>
|Ship completed=January 1936<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship acquired=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship registry=[[Glasgow]]<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship identification=*UK [[official number]] 164100<ref name=LR41/>
*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]] GYPG<ref name=LR41/>
*{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Yankee}}{{ICS|Papa}}{{ICS|Golf}}
|Ship fate=Sunk by torpedo, 12 August 1943<ref name=U3042>
{{cite web |url= http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3042.html
|title=Clan Macarthur |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |work=uboat.net |publisher=Guðmundur Helgason |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>
|Ship notes= 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Cameron|steamship}}
|Ship type=[[Reefer ship|refrigerated cargo ship]]<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship tonnage={{GRT|10528}}, {{NRT|6105}}<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship displacement= 
|Ship length={{convert|477.1|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship beam={{convert|66.2|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship draught={{convert|30|ft|1|in|abbr=on|2}}<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship depth={{convert|40.2|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship decks=
|Ship power=1,552 [[Horsepower#Nominal horsepower|NHP]]<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship propulsion=*2 × 3-cylinder [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion engines]]<ref name=LR41/>
*2 × low-pressure exhaust [[Steam turbine#Marine propulsion|steam turbines]]<ref name=LR41/>
*twin [[Propeller|screw]]<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship speed={{convert|14|kn|km/h}}
|Ship capacity={{convert|986050|cuft}} [[Reefer ship|refrigerated cargo]]
|Ship crew=
|Ship armament=[[Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship|DEMS]]
|Ship sensors=*[[direction finding]] equipment<ref name=LR41/>
*[[echo sounding]] device<ref name=LR41/>
*[[gyrocompass]]<ref name=LR41/>
|Ship notes=*[[sister ship]]s:
*{{SS|Clan Macaulay||2}}, {{SS|Perthshire||2}}
}}
|}

'''SS ''Clan Macarthur''''' was a [[Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)|British]] [[Reefer ship|refrigerated cargo]] [[steamship]]. She was built for Cayzer, Irvine and Company's [[Clan Line]] Steamers Ltd as one of its {{sclass|Cameron|steamship}}s. She was launched in Greenock in 1936 and sunk in the Indian Ocean by enemy action in August 1943.

This was the third of three Clan Line ships to be named after [[Clan Arthur]]. The first was a {{GRT|3984}} ship built in 1883, sold to an Indian buyer in 1904 and renamed ''Shah Jehan''. The second was a {{GRT|7382}} steamship built in 1912, transferred in 1920 to Scottish Shire Line and renamed ''Berwickshire'', and sunk by torpedo in 1944.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/clan.shtml |title=C.W. Cayzer & Company / Cayzer, Irvine & Company / Clan Line of Steamers Limited / Clan Line |last1=Swiggum |first1=Susan |last2=Kohli |first2=Marjorie |work=TheShipsList |publisher=Susan Swiggum |date=6 March 2007 |access-date=21 December 2013}}</ref>

==Building and peacetime service==
In 1935–36 the [[Greenock Dockyard Company]] on the [[River Clyde]] at [[Greenock]] in [[Renfrewshire]] built three [[sister ship]]s: two for Clan Line Steamers and one for Scottish Shire Line, which was closely associated with Clan Line. ''Clan Macarthur'' was launched on 14 October 1935<ref name=SBS/> and completed in January 1936.<ref name=LR41/> Then {{SS|Perthshire||2}} for Scottish Shire Line was launched on 26 March 1936<ref>{{cite web |title=Perthshire |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |url= http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=8447&vessel=PERTHSHIRE |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref> and completed in July.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/37/37b0689.pdf |year=1937 |title=Lloyd's Register |chapter=Steamers and Motorships |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] |via=[[Southampton City Council]] |access-date= 20 December 2013}}</ref> Finally {{SS|Clan Macaulay||2}} was launched on 7 August 1936<ref>{{cite web |title=Clan Macaulay
|work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |url= http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=8448&vessel=CLAN+MACAULAY}}</ref> and completed in November.<ref name=LR41/>

''Clan Macarthur'' had capacity for {{convert|986050|cuft}} of [[Reefer ship|refrigerated cargo]].<ref>{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/37/37a0874.pdf |year=1937 |title=Lloyd's Register |chapter=List of vessels fitted with refrigerating appliances |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] |via=[[Southampton City Council]] |access-date=10 March 2021}}</ref> She had 24 corrugated furnaces with a combined grate area of {{convert|450|sqft|0}} heating six single-ended boilers with a combined heating surface of {{convert|19428|sqft|0}} that supplied steam at 220 [[Pounds per square inch|lb<sub>f</sub>/in<sup>2</sup>]] to a pair of three-cylinder [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion steam engines]], with steam exhausted from the low-pressure cylinders then driving a pair of low-pressure [[Steam turbine#Marine propulsion|steam turbines]]. The North East Marine Engineering Co of [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] built her four engines, whose combined power was rated at 1,552 [[Horsepower#Nominal horsepower|NHP]].<ref name=LR41/>

==Wartime service==
In January 1940 ''Clan Macarthur'', laden with general cargo, sailed from Gibraltar to Liverpool with Convoy HG 14F.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hg/index.html?hg.php?convoy=14F!~hgmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy HG.14F |work=HG Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref> In February she sailed with Convoy OA 91, which formed off [[Southend-on-Sea]] and dispersed three days later.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/oa/index.html?oa.php?convoy=91!~oamain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy OA.91 |work=OA Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>

On 10 September 1940 ''Clan Macarthur'' sailed from [[Port of Liverpool|Liverpool]] with Convoy AP 3, which went ''via'' South Africa, left [[Port of Durban|Durban]] on 11 October and reached [[Suez]] on 22<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ap/index.html?ap.php?convoy=3/1!~apmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy AP.3/1 |work=Shorter Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref> or 26<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/misc/index.html?yy.php?convoy=AP.3/A!~miscmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy AP.3 |work=Shorter Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref> October.

On 4 December she left Suez with Convoy BS 10. The convoy dispersed on 11 December and she continued to [[Colombo Harbour|Colombo]], [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/misc/index.html?yy.php?convoy=BS.10!~miscmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy BS.10 |work=Shorter Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>

In October 1941 ''Clan Macarthur'', laden with refrigerated and general cargo, 985 tons of mail and two passengers joined [[Convoy HX 153]] at [[Halifax Port Authority|Halifax, Nova Scotia]]. The convoy sailed on 5 October and reached Liverpool on 19 October.<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hx/index.html?hx.php?convoy=153!~hxmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy HX.153 |work=HX Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>

In May 1942 ''Clan Macarthur'' joined Convoy WS 19 off Oversay, Renfrewshire. The convoy sailed on 10 May and reached [[Freetown]], [[Sierra Leone]] on 22 May.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/misc/index.html?yy.php?convoy=WS.19!~miscmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy WS.19 |work=Shorter Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>

In May 1943 ''Clan Macarthur'', laden with refrigerated and general cargo, joined [[Convoy HX 237]] at Halifax, Nova Scotia. The convoy sailed on 1 May and reached Liverpool on 17 May.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hx/index.html?hx.php?convoy=237!~hxmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy HX.237 |work=HX Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>

==Final voyage and loss==
{{location map
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|relief= 1
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|caption= Approximate position of ''Clan Macarthur''{{'}}s wreck
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In June 1943 ''Clan Macarthur'' sailed from Glasgow for [[Port Louis]], [[British Mauritius|Mauritius]] laden with 6,346 tons of cargo including 5,500 tons of military stores, ammunition and mail.<ref name=U3042/> She had British officers, [[Muslim]] [[Lascar]] crew and a [[Czechoslovakia|Czechoslovak]] [[Ship's doctor|ship's surgeon]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship3042.html |title=Clan Macarthur |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |work=Crew lists from ships hit by U-boats |publisher=Guðmundur Helgason |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref> She joined [[Convoy S 31]], which left Liverpool on 20 June and reached Freetown, Sierra Leone on 4 July.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/misc/index.html?yy.php?convoy=WS.31!~miscmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy WS.31 |work=Shorter Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref> ''Clan Macarthur'' continued to [[Port of Durban|Durban]], [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]], where she joined [[Convoy DN 55]], which left Durban on 6 August and dispersed in the Indian Ocean on 9 August.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/misc/index.html?yy.php?convoy=DN.55!~miscmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy DN.55 |work=Shorter Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>

Around noon on 11 August the {{GS|U-181}} started hunting her.<ref name=U3042/> ''Clan Macarthur'' was proceeding at full speed on a zigzag course, and it was not until the small hours of 12 August that the submarine managed to hit her. At 0332 hrs two [[G7a torpedo]]es hit ''Clan Macarthur''{{'}}s [[Port and starboard|port]] side. One blew off her twin propellers and extinguished all her lights. The other hit her further forward, fracturing her [[Forecastle|foredeck]] across her beam. Many of her Lascar crew were trapped in their quarters.{{sfn|Slader|1988|p=260}}

Those of the crew who could reach boat stations were lowering her lifeboats when at 0347 hrs ''U-181'' hit her with a third torpedo. It exploded forward of her bridge, causing her bow to settle in the water and her stern to rise at an acute angle,{{sfn|Slader|1988|p=260}} and at 0355 hrs she sank. As she did so there was a large underwater explosion that swamped several lifeboats and slightly damaged ''U-181''. 52 crew and one [[Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship|DEMS]] gunner were killed.

The [[Free French Naval Forces|Free French]] [[aviso]] {{ship|French aviso|Savorgnan de Brazza||2}} rescued her [[Sea captain|Master]] (John Drayton Matthews), 70 crew and six passengers and landed them at Port Louis.<ref name=U3042/>

==Awards and monuments==
Three survivors and three of the dead were honoured for their conduct. All six received the [[Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea]]:
*RF Cole, Chief Radio Officer<ref name=Neumann1>{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/55/a8649255.shtml |last=de Neumann |first=Bernard |title=Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea (Part One) |work=[[BBC WW2 People's War|WW2 People's War]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=19 January 2006 |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>
*CS Currie, [[Chief engineer]] (posthumous)<ref name=Neumann1/>
*A Mair, [[Third mate|Third Officer]]<ref name=Neumann2>{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/30/a8649930.shtml |last=de Neumann |first=Bernard |title=Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea (Part Two) |work=[[BBC WW2 People's War|WW2 People's War]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=19 January 2006 |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref>
*JM Ruthven, Chief Refrigeration Engineer<ref name=Neumann2/>
*RY Taylor, [[Purser]] (posthumous)<ref name=Neumann2/>
*E Ungr, [[Ship's doctor|Ship's Surgeon]] (posthumous)<ref name=Neumann2/>

Cole was also awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]],<ref name=Neumann1/> and each of the other five was awarded the [[Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct|King's Commendation for Brave Conduct]].<ref name=Neumann2/>

Members of ''Clan Macarthur''{{'}}s crew who were killed are commemorated in the Second World War section of the [[Tower Hill Memorial|Merchant Navy War Memorial at Tower Hill]] in London. Her Lascar seamen are commemorated in the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]] monuments at [[Chittagong]] and [[Mumbai]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book |last=Slader |first=John |year=1988 |title=The Red Duster at War |publisher=William Kimber & Co Ltd |place=London |isbn=0-7183-0679-1 |page=260 }}

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{{August 1943 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clan Macarthur, SS}}
[[Category:1935 ships]]
[[Category:Cameron-class steamships]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Clyde]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in August 1943]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II merchant ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean]]