View source for Engineering:SS Pennington Court

{{Short description|British cargo steamship}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}} 
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= 
|Ship caption= 
}} 
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header= 
|Ship country= {{wipe|United Kingdom}}
|Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|UK|civil}}
|Ship name= *1924: ''Rochdale''
*1927: ''Pennington Court''
|Ship namesake= 1924: Rochdale
|Ship owner= *1924: Charles Radcliffe & Co
*1927: United British SS Co
*1936: Court Line
|Ship operator= 1929: Haldin, Philipps Ltd
|Ship registry= *1924: Cardiff
*1927: London
|Ship route= 
|Ship ordered= 
|Ship builder= Richardson, Duck & Co
|Ship original cost= 
|Ship yard number= 687
|Ship laid down= 
|Ship launched= 3 June 1924
|Ship sponsor= 
|Ship completed= July 1924
|Ship maiden voyage= 
|Ship acquired= 
|Ship in service= 
|Ship out of service= 
|Ship identification= *UK official number 148724
*code letters KRBG (until 1933)
*{{ICS|Kilo}}{{ICS|Romeo}}{{ICS|Bravo}}{{ICS|Golf}}
*call sign GDZR (1934 onward)
*{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Zulu}}{{ICS|Romeo}}
|Ship fate= Sunk by torpedo, 9 October 1942
|Ship notes= 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type= [[Engineering:Cargo ship|Cargo ship]]
|Ship tonnage= {{GRT|6098}}, {{NRT|3774}}
|Ship displacement= 
|Ship length= {{cvt|400.0|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{cvt|53.0|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught= {{cvt|25|ft|9|in|abbr=on|2}}
|Ship depth= {{cvt|32.7|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship decks= 1
|Ship power= 425 [[Horsepower#Nominal (or rated) horsepower|NHP]]
|Ship propulsion= [[Engineering:Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion engine]]
|Ship speed= {{convert|12|kn|km/h}}
|Ship capacity= 
|Ship crew= 41 crew + 4 [[Engineering:Defensively equipped merchant ship|DEMS]] gunners
|Ship armament= 
|Ship sensors= by 1935: wireless [[Direction finding|direction finding]]
|Ship notes= *[[Engineering:Sister ship|sister ship]]s:
*''Amblestone'', ''Conistone''
}}
|}

'''SS ''Pennington Court''''' was a British [[Engineering:Cargo ship|cargo]] [[Engineering:Steamship|steamship]]. She was launched in 1924 as '''''Rochdale''''' and renamed ''Pennington Court'' in 1927. In the [[Social:World War II|Second World War]] she carried [[Earth:Iron ore|iron ore]], grain and other supplies to Britain. She was sunk with all hands in the Battle of the Atlantic in 1942.

==Building==
In 1924 Richardson, Duck and Company built three [[Engineering:Sister ship|sister ship]]s at its shipyard in Thornaby-on-Tees in Yorkshire for Charles Radcliffe Ltd of [[Place:Cardiff|Cardiff]]. ''Amblestone'' was launched in 5 February and completed that March.<ref name=TBS-Amblestone>{{cite web |url= http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=170714&vessel=AMBLESTONE |title=Amblestone |work=Tees Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |accessdate=24 May 2021}}</ref> ''Conistone'' was launched on 3 April and completed that May.<ref name=TBS-Conistone>{{cite web |url= http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=170715&vessel=CONISTONE |title=Conistone |work=Tees Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |accessdate=24 May 2021}}</ref> ''Rochdale'' was launched on 3 June and completed that July.<ref name=TBS-Rochdale>{{cite web |url= http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=170716&vessel=ROCHDALE |title=Rochdale |work=Tees Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |accessdate=24 May 2021}}</ref>

Each of the three ships had a registered length of {{cvt|400.0|ft|abbr=on}}, [[Engineering:Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{cvt|53.0|ft|abbr=on}} and depth of {{cvt|32.7|ft|abbr=on}}. ''Rochdale''{{'}}s [[Tonnage|tonnage]]s were {{GRT|6098}} and {{NRT|3774}}.<ref name=LR30>{{cite book |year=1930 |title=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |volume=II |chapter= Steamers and Motorships |place=London |publisher=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |via=Southampton City Council |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0925.pdf |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

For each of the three ships Blair & Co of Stockton-on-Tees built a three-cylinder [[Engineering:Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion engine]] that was rated at 425 [[Horsepower#Nominal (or rated) horsepower|NHP]].<ref name=LR30/> ''Rochdale'' could achieve {{convert|12|kn|km/h}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?167774 |last1=Vleggeert |first1=Nico |last2=Allen |first2=Tony |title=SS Pennington Court (+1942) |work=Wrecksite.eu |date=27 July 2019 |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

Charles Radcliffe Ltd registered ''Rochdale'' in Cardiff. Her UK official number was 148724 and her code letters were KRBG.<ref name=LR30/>

==Haldin ownership==
In 1927 Philip Haldin bought all three ships for his United British Steam Ship Company. ''Amblestone'' became ''Ovington Court'', ''Conistone'' became ''Nollington Court'' and ''Rochdale'' became ''Pennington Court''.<ref name=TBS-Amblestone/><ref name=TBS-Conistone/><ref name=TBS-Rochdale/> Haldin registered the trio in London.

In 1934 the maritime call sign GDZR superseded ''Pennington Court''{{'}}s code letters. By 1935 she was equipped with wireless [[Direction finding|direction finding]].<ref>{{cite book |year=1935 |title=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |volume=II |chapter= Steamers and Motorships |place=London |publisher=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |via=Southampton City Council |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/35/35b0648.pdf |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

[[File:NOLLINGTON COURT (9564510839).jpg|thumb|''Pennington Court''{{'}}s sister ship ''Nollington Court'' in 1932. She sank in the Caribbean in 1937]]
In 1936 Haldin transferred ownership of the three ships to his Court Line company. In 1937 ''Nollington Court'' struck a submerged object in the Caribbean and sank.<ref name=TBS-Conistone/> In 1940 ''Ovington Court'' dragged her anchors at Durban, ran aground and was lost.<ref name=TBS-Amblestone/>

==Second World War==
In the Second World War ''Pennington Court''{{'}}s most frequent cargo was iron ore from various countries to Britain. Occasionally she brought grain from [[Earth:North America|North America]] instead.

In October 1939 ''Pennington Court'' left Milford Haven in Wales carrying coal to Montevideo in Uruguay. By March 1940 she was back in home waters, leaving Orkney in Convoy ON 18/1 to {{wipe|Norway}}.<ref name=Hague>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index.html?search.php?vessel=PENNINGTON%20COURT~armain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Ship Movements |work=Port Arrivals / Departures |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> She returned carrying iron ore in Convoy HN 24, which reached the Firth of Forth on 7 April.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hn/index.html?hn.php?convoy=24!~hnmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy HN.24 |work=HN Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

In June 1940 ''Pennington Court'' was again carrying iron ore when she left [[Place:Freetown|Freetown]]. Where she loaded the ore is not recorded, but it may have been from Sierra Leone itself. she joined Convoy SL 36, which left Freetown on 15 June and reached Liverpool on 3 July.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sl2/index.html?sl.php?convoy=36!~slmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy SL.36 |work=SL /MKS Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

On 26 July 1940 ''Pennington Court'' left the Firth of Forth for Freetown.<ref name=Hague/> She returned carrying iron ore with Convoy SL 46S, which left Freetown on 1 September and reached Liverpool on 13<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sl2/index.html?sl.php?convoy=46S!~slmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy SL.46S |work=SL /MKS Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> or 23 September (records differ). She carried iron ore again with Convoy SL 56S, which left Freetown on 19 November and reached Liverpool on 12 December.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sl2/index.html?sl.php?convoy=56S!~slmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy SL.56 |work=SL /MKS Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

On 10 January 1941 ''Pennington Court'' left Liverpool for North America.<ref name=Hague/> In February she returned carrying grain in Convoy SC 22, which left Halifax, Nova Scotia on 8 February and reached Liverpool on 28 February.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html?sc.php?convoy=22!~scmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy SC.22 |work=SC Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> In May she left Liverpool for Montreal. There is then a gap in records of her movements until October 1941, when she was in Freetown again laden with iron ore.<ref name="Hague SL94">{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sl2/index.html?sl.php?convoy=94!~slmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy SL.94 |work=SL /MKS Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

''Pennington Court'' may have had mechanical problems in Freetown. On 27 October she left with Convoy SL 91 bound for Liverpool, but turned back soon after leaving port. On 22 November she left Freetown with Convoy SL 93, but turned back again. On 30 November she left Freetown with Convoy SL 94, with which she succeeded in reaching Liverpool on 20 December.<ref name=Hague/><ref name="Hague SL94" />

On 4 February ''Pennington Court'' left Halifax, Nova Scotia carrying iron ore with Convoy SC 68, which reached Liverpool on 20 February.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html?sc.php?convoy=68!~scmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy SC.68 |work=SC Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> On 27 March she left Liverpool with Convoy ON 80, which reached Halifax on 15 April. She continued to Boston, where she arrived on 20 April. There is then a gap in records of her movements until September 1942, when she sailed from Saint John, New Brunswick to Halifax.<ref name=Hague/>

===Loss===
At Halifax ''Pennington Court'' joined Convoy SC 103, which had left New York on 26 September and was bound for Liverpool.<ref name=Hague/> She was carrying 8,494 tons of grain plus a deck cargo of trucks, and was bound for Belfast. ''Pennington Court'' was at the rear of one of the columns of the convoy,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html?sc.php?convoy=103!~scmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy SC.103 |work=SC Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> and about a week out of port she and another ship fell behind.<ref name=Helgason>{{cite web |url= https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2254.html |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |title=Pennington Court |work=uboat.net |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

{{GS|U-253||2}} sighted and reported the stragglers. At 2101 hrs on 9 October {{GS|U-254||2}} fired a spread of three torpedoes, two of which hit ''Pennington Court''. The ship remained slowly under way, so at 2145 hrs ''U-254'' fired a fourth torpedo, but missed. At 2150 ''U-254'' fired a fifth torpedo, but it passed straight under ''Pennington Court''.<ref name=Helgason/>

''Pennington Court''{{'}}s [[Engineering:Wireless telegraphy|wireless telegraph]] operator transmitted distress signals, and the crew abandoned ship. ''U-254''{{'}}s commander wanted to open fire with his 88 mm deck gun, but was prevented by a heavy sea. ''U-254''{{'}}s crew reloaded her torpedo tubes and fired a sixth torpedo at 2310 hrs, which caused ''Pennington Court'' to sink by her bow.<ref name=Helgason/>

''Pennington Court'' sank in mid-Atlantic, southeast of [[Place:Greenland|Greenland]] and southwest of Iceland. None of her lifeboats was ever found. All 45 members of her ship's company were lost.<ref name=Helgason/>

==References==
{{reflist}}


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