SS Merion

History
Postcard image of SS Merion in passenger service

Name:	SS Merion
Owner:	1902–1914: International Mercantile Marine 1914–1915: British Admiralty
Operator:	1902–1903: Dominion Line 1903–1914: American Line 1907: Red Star Line (1 voyage) 1914–1915: British Admiralty
Port of registry:	Liverpool
Route:	1902–1903: Liverpool–Boston 1903–1914: Liverpool–Philadelphia 1907: Antwerp–New York (1 voyage)
Builder:	John Brown & Company Clydebank
Yard number:	345
Launched:	26 November 1901
Completed:	February 1902
Maiden voyage:	Liverpool–Boston, 8 March 1902
Fate:	torpedoed and sunk by German submarine UB-8, 31 May 1915
Notes:	one of the largest ships hit by U-boats in World War I
General characteristics
Type:	ocean liner
Tonnage:	11,621 GRT
Length:	161.7 m (530 ft 6 in)
Beam:	18.0 m (59 ft 1 in)
Propulsion:	2 × triple-expansion steam engines 2 × propellers
Speed:	14 knots (26 km/h)
Passengers:	150 second-class 1,700 third-class
Armament:	4 x 6 inches (15 cm) guns (as merchant ship, 1914)
Notes:	served as a decoy ship meant to resemble HMS Tiger

SS Merion was an ocean liner built in 1902 for the American Line, a subsidiary line of the International Mercantile Marine (IMM). She also sailed for the Red Star Line and the Dominion Line—both subsidiary lines of IMM—during her passenger career. After the outbreak of World War I she was bought by the British Admiralty and converted to serve as a decoy resembling the Royal Navy battlecruiser HMS Tiger. In May 1915, while posing as Tiger in the Aegean Sea, Merion was sunk by the German submarine SM UB-8.

Merion was built by John Brown & Company of Clydebank, Scotland for the American Line, a subsidiary of the International Navigation Company, and launched on 26 November 1901. The ship was 161.7 metres (530 ft 6 in) long (between perpendiculars) and 18.0 metres (59 ft 1 in) abeam. She had a gross register tonnage (GRT) of 11,621. The ship had twin screw propellers powered by twin triple-expansion steam engines, and, at top speed, could move 14 knots (26 km/h). As built, Merion had accommodations for 150 second- and 1,700 third-class passengers.Merion was named after a suburb of Philadelphia, PA, as was her sister ship, the SS Haverford. The towns were home to Clement Griscom, Director of the International Navigation Company.