| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Ames Shipbuilding & Drydock Co |
| Yard number | 6 |
| Launched | 16 April 1918 |
| Completed | May 1918 |
| Commissioned | 21 May 1918 |
| Decommissioned | 31 May 1919 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped 1958 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Displacement | 12,175 Tons (USSWest Mount) |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 54 ft 2 in (16.51 m) |
| Draught | 23 feet11+3⁄4 inches (7.309 m) |
| Depth | 27 ft 4 in (8.33 m) |
| Installed power | Triple expansion steam engine |
| Propulsion | Screw propeller |
| Speed | 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h) |
| Crew | 75 (USSWest Mount) |
| Armament | 1 x 3" gun (USSWest Mount) |
SSEmpire Chamois was a 5,864 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1918 byAmes Shipbuilding and Drydock Co,Seattle. She was ordered by theCompagnie Générale Transatlantique but was requisitioned by theUnited States Navy and commissioned asUSS West Mount with thepennant number ID-3202 in 1918. She was decommissioned in May 1919 and passed to theUnited States Shipping Board (USSB) asSSWestmount. In 1927 she was sold to the Dimon Steamship Corporation and renamedSSPacific Redwood. She returned to the USSB in 1932 and passed to theUnited States Maritime Commission (USMC) in 1937. In 1940, she was passed to theMinistry of Shipping, passing to theMinistry of War Transport in 1941 and being renamed SSEmpire Chamois. She was sold to Astral Shipping Co Ltd in 1946 and renamedSSGranview. In 1949 she was sold to the Compagnia Maritime del Este,Panama and renamedSSChamois, serving until 1958 when she was scrapped. She was the last Ames-built ship afloat.
The ship was built by Ames Shipbuilding and Drydock Co,Seattle, Washington,[1] as yard number 6.[2] She was launched on 16 April 1918,[3] and complete in May 1918.[1]
The ship was 423 feet 9 inches (129.16 m) overall,[3] and 409 feet 5 inches (124.79 m) long between perpendiculars, with a beam of 54 feet 2 inches (16.51 m) and a depth of 27 feet 4 inches (8.33 m).[4] Her draught was23 feet11+3⁄4 inches (7.309 m)[3] She had a GRT of 5,683 and a NRT of 3,557.[4] USSWest Mount displaced 12,175 tons. She was armed with a 3" gun.[3]
The ship was propelled by atriple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 26 inches (66 cm), 43 inches (110 cm) and 73 inches (190 cm) diameter by 48 inches (120 cm) stroke.[4] It could propel her at 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h).[3]
She was originally ordered by theCompagnie Générale Transatlantique,Saint Nazaire,France, but in 1917 she was requisitioned by theUnited States Navy while under construction. USSWest Mount was commissioned on 21 May 1918. Operated by theNaval Overseas Transportation Service, she sailed from Seattle on 23 May with a cargo offlour. She passed through thePanama Canal and arrived atNew York on 2 July. After repairs, she departed New York on 13 July and arrived atBordeaux, France on 19 July. She departed Bordeaux with a cargo of 1,000 tons ofiron ore, arriving at New York on 9 October. On 24 October, she departed forBrest, arriving on 8 November. Thearmistice was signed on 11 November.West Mount departed Brest on 12 December and arrived at New York on 1 January 1919. She loaded a cargo of flour andmilk which was consigned to theFood Administration. She departed on 22 January bound forConstantinople (then part of theOttoman State), viaGibraltar.West Mount departed Constantinople with 2,875 tons of cargo for the USSB. She arrived inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania on 1 May and was decommissioned on 31 May.[3]
The ship was passed to the USSB and renamedWestmount.[3] The United StatesOfficial Number 216333 was allocated.[4] In 1927, she waschartered by the Dimon Steamship Corporation, New York and renamedPacific Redwood.[1] HerCode Letters were LKRM.[4] In 1932,Pacific Redwood was returned to the USSB. In 1935, her Code Letters were changed to KJUD.[5]Pacific Redwood was passed to theUnited States Maritime Commission in 1937.[6]
In 1940,Pacific Redwood was transferred to theMinistry of Shipping, which became theMinistry of War Transport in 1941.[6]Pacific Redwood was then renamedEmpire Chamois.[1] Her port of registry was changed toLondon. The United KingdomOfficial Number 169200 and Code Letters GPJL were allocated. She was placed under the management of the Booth Steamship Co Ltd.[7]Empire Chamois was a member of a number of convoys during theSecond World War.
Convoy SC 76 departedHalifax,Nova Scotia on 24 March 1942 and arrived atLiverpool on 11 April.Empire Chamois was carrying a cargo ofsteel bound forNewport, Monmouthshire.[8]
Convoy ON 92 departed Liverpool on 6 May 1942 and arrived at Halifax on 21 May.Empire Chamois departed fromMilford Haven,Pembrokeshire.[9]
Convoy SC 173 departed Halifax on 18 April 1945 and arrived at Liverpool on 4 May.[10]Empire Chamois was in collision withHMCS St. Boniface as the convoy was forming up.St. Boniface suffered extensive damage to her bows and was out of action for three months.[11]Empire Chamois returned to port and did not sail with the convoy.[10]
The MoWT became theMinistry of Transport in 1945. In 1946,Empire Chamois's port of registry was changed to Liverpool.[12] On 5 April 1947,Empire Chamois was disabled offRame Head,Cornwall. She was assisted byHMS Burghead Bay until atug arrived.[13]Empire Chamois was sold in 1947 to the Astral Shipping Co Ltd. She was renamedGranview and placed under the management of Gouldandris Brothers Ltd, London. In 1949,Granview was sold to the Compagnia Maritime del Este,Panama, remaining under Goulandris's management, but now under thePanamanian Flag and renamedChamois.[6] She served until 1958 when she was scrapped atAntwerp,Belgium. At the time, she was the last Ames-built ship afloat.[1]
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