HMT Southland

HMT Southland after torpedo hit in September 1915
History
Name:	1900: Vaderland 1915: Southland
Owner:	International Navigation Company
Operator:	1901: American Line (charter) 1903–1914: Red Star Line 1914–1917: White Star–Dominion
Port of registry:	1900: Liverpool 1903: Antwerp 1914: Liverpool
Route:	1900: Antwerp – Southampton – New York 1901: Southampton – Cherbourg – New York 1903: Antwerp – New York 1914: Liverpool – New York 1914: Liverpool – Halifax – Portland, Maine 1915: (troopship) 1916: Liverpool – Quebec – Montreal
Ordered:	July 1899
Builder:	John Brown & Company Clydebank, Glasgow
Yard number:	341
Launched:	12 July 1900
Maiden voyage:	Antwerp – Southampton – New York, 8 December 1900
Fate:	Sunk on 4 June 1917 by U-70
Notes:	Sister ship of Zeeland; near sister to Kroonland, Finland
General characteristics
Class and type:	ocean liner
Tonnage:	11,899 GRT
Length:	560 ft 10 in (170.94 m)
Beam:	60 ft 2 in (18.34 m)
Propulsion:	2 × propeller shafts 2 × quadruple-expansion steam engines
Speed:	15 knots (28 km/h)
Capacity:	Passengers: 342 first class 194 second class 626 third class
Crew:	121
Notes:	two funnels, four masts

SS Vaderland was an ocean liner launched in July 1900 for the Red Star Line service between Antwerp and New York. During her passenger career, the ship initially sailed under British registry, but was re-registered in Antwerp in 1903. Vaderland was a sister ship to Zeeland and a near sister ship to Kroonland and Finland.

After the beginning of the First World War, Vaderland was re-registered in Liverpool and converted to a troopship, ferrying troops of the Canadian Expeditionary Force from Halifax to Liverpool. While under the operation of White Star–Dominion in 1915, she was renamed Southland to avoid the German-sounding Vaderland.

In September 1915, Southland was torpedoed in the Aegean Sea by German submarine UB-14 with the loss of 40 men. The ship was beached, repaired, and returned to service in August 1916. While in service between the United Kingdom and Canada in April 1917, Southland was torpedoed a second time, this time by U-70; she was sunk off the coast of Ireland with the loss of four lives.

In July 1899, the Red Star Line announced plans for the construction of four large steamers. Two ships, Vaderland and Zeeland at John Brown & Company of Clydebank in Scotland, and two others, Kroonland and Finland, were to be built at William Cramp and Sons in Philadelphia. Owned by American Line and managed by International Navigation Co. Ltd. London, she was 11,899 gross tons, and after modification provided accommodation for 342 1st class, 194 2nd class and 626 3rd class passengers.