SS San Wilfrido (1914)
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | SS San Wilfrido |
| Owner: | Eagle Oil & Shipping Co. Ltd. |
| Operator: | Eagle Oil & Shipping Co. Ltd. |
| Port of registry: |
 London |
| Builder: | Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd. |
| Yard number: | 856 |
| Launched: | 11 February 1914 |
| Completed: | April 1914 |
| Identification: | United Kingdom Official Number 136658 |
| Fate: | Sunk on 3 August 1914 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Tanker |
| Tonnage: | |
| Length: | 420 ft 3 in (128.09 m) |
| Beam: | 54 ft 7 in (16.64 m) |
| Depth: | 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m) |
| Installed power: | Quadruple expansion steam engine, 554 nhp |
| Propulsion: | 1x Screw propeller |
| Speed: | 10 knots (19 km/h) |
SS San Wilfrido was a 6,458 GRT steam-powered British tanker which was built in 1914 by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd, in the Low Walker yard. The ship was operated by Eagle Oil Transport Co Ltd. San Wilfrido was sunk by a German mine on 3 August 1914—one day before Britain formally entered the First World War. It was Britain's first naval loss of the war.
The ship was built by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd, Low Walker, as yard number 856. She was launched on 11 February 1914 and completed in April 1914. Her sister ships were SS San Valerio, SS San Urbano and SS San Zeferino.
She was 420 feet 3 inches (128.09 m) long, with a beam of 54 feet 7 inches (16.64 m) and a depth of 32 feet 6 inches (9.91 m). She had a GRT of 6,458 and a NRT of 3,928.
The ship was propelled by a quadruple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 24 inches (0.61 m), 35 inches (0.89 m), 50.5 inches (1.28 m) and 73 inches (1.9 m) diameter by 51 inches (1.3 m) stroke. The engine was built by Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Co Ltd, Wallsend.
After her commission, San Wilfrido made trips with usually 8000 tonnes of oil out of her tonnage of 9000. The ship was sunk after just four months after her completion.
On 3 August 1914 San Wilfrido was sailing from Hamburg to Portland in ballast with no cargo. The trip was expected to take two and a half days after which the ship would depart for New Orleans.
While navigating the Elbe about eight miles above Brunsbuttel she was given permission to proceed until Cuxhaven at the mouth of the North Sea. There was no pilot ship available to take her through the minefield at Cuxhaven so she attempted to proceed on her own along the usual channel. Tugboat men of the harbour tried to warn San Wilfrido's master about the danger by shouting. The master then tried to evade the mines by attempting to go full speed astern. However, at approximately four p.m., a strong ebb tide carried San Wilfrido into the mines. Three explosions followed and crippled the ship making it the first British naval loss of the war. A German tug took the crew away and made them prisoners.
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