SS Walnut
HMT Acacia, sister ship to Walnut
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | HMT Walnut |
| Builder: | Smiths Dock Company, South Bank, Middlesbrough, England |
| Yard number: | 755 |
| Laid down: | 15 June 1939 |
| Launched: | 12 August 1939 |
| Completed: | 31 December 1939 |
| Identification: | Pennant number T103 |
| Fate: | Sold to Stem Olson Company Limited 1948 |
| Notes: | Source: Miramar Ship Information Database, Record No. 5185985 |
| Name: | SS Walnut |
| Owner: | Stem Olson Company Limited |
| Port of registry: |
 Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Acquired: | 1948 |
| Fate: | Sold to Compania Maritima Walnut S/A in 1948 |
| Name: | SS Walnut |
| Owner: | Compania Maritima Walnut S/A |
| Port of registry: |
 Panama City, Panama |
| Acquired: | 1948 |
| Fate: | Court Auction in 1949, Salvaged, Sold to Borromee Verreault Company 1951 |
| Notes: | Source:"Ship Statistics", SS Walnut 1948 - Voyaged to Freedom |
| Name: | Keta |
| Owner: | Borromee Verreault Company |
| Port of registry: |
 Halifax, Nova Scotia
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| Fate: | Broken up Les Méchins, Quebec, December 1976 by Nittolo Metal Company |
| Notes: | Source: Miramar Ship Information Database, Record No. 5185985 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Tree-class trawler |
| Displacement: | 545 tons |
| Length: | 164 ft (50 m) |
| Beam: | 27 ft 8 in (8.43 m) |
| Draught: | 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m) (mean) |
| Propulsion: | One triple expansion reciprocating engine, 1 shaft, 850 ihp (630 kW) |
| Speed: | 12.25 knots (22.69 km/h; 14.10 mph) |
| Complement: | 40 (as naval ship) |
| Crew: | 18 (as civilian ship) |
| Armament: |
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SS Walnut was a refugee ship converted from a British minesweeping Tree-class trawler which carried Baltic refugees from Sweden to Canada in 1948. The refugees' arrival at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia led to a controversy which played an important role in shaping Canada's postwar refugee policies.
Initially entering service during the Second World War as HMT Walnut, the trawler was sold for commercial purposes following the war. Converted for use as a cargo ship, the vessel retained the name Walnut until 1959 when sold and renamed Keta. The ship was broken up in 1976.
Tree-class trawlers were designed to displace 545 tons standard and 770 tons at deep load. They were 164 feet (50 m) long overall with a beam of 27 feet 8 inches (8.43 m) and a draught of 11 feet 1 inch (3.38 m). They were powered by a one-cylinder boiler providing steam to one vertical triple expansion engine. This drove one shaft creating 850 indicated horsepower (630 kW) and giving the ship a maximum speed of 12.25 knots (22.69 km/h; 14.10 mph). The ship could carry 183 tons of coal.
The Tree class was armed with one QF 12-pounder (76 mm) gun, three 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns and 30 depth charges. The trawlers had a complement of 40.
Walnut was laid down on 15 June 1939 as HMT Walnut (T103) by Smiths Dock Company at South Bank, Middlesbrough with the yard number 1031, one of 20 Tree-class trawlers built for the British Royal Navy.Walnut was launched on 12 August 1939 and completed on 13 December 1939.Walnut belonged to a group of ten minesweepers commanded by New Zealanders in the 24th and 25th anti-submarine and minesweeping flotillas, protecting convoys on the east coast of Britain where they faced numerous German air and sea attacks. Walnut's commander, Gordon Bridson, received the Distinguished Service Cross for his performance while in command of Walnut. By the end of 1946, Walnut was one of only two Tree-class trawlers still in service with the Royal Navy. Both were sold in 1948.
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Wikipedia