Cuyahoga, Completed 1914, Gross tons 4,586 Launched by Greenock & Grangemouth Dockyard Co. as Inkisi, but purchased by Anglo-American Oil Co. before completion. Measurements: 375 feet length X 53 feet breadth. 5,600 tdw. The Cuyahoga was torpedoed on 5th July, 1917, off the NW coast of Ireland, while on a voyage from Liverpool to Philadel-phia in ballast. Although seriously damaged, the tanker was put about with the intention of returning to port. She was again torpedoed and damaged by shell fire from the U-boat and finally had to be abandonded in sinking condition. Her crew were rescued by a patrol boat and taken safely to port. The ship sank 130 miles WNW of Tory Island, in position 55.12 N / 12.10 W. Earl of Elgin, Completed 1909, Gross tons 4,448 Built by Russell & Co., Port Glasgow, for W.I. Dobbie& Co., Glasgow. Measurements: 384 feet length x 49 feet breadth. 1915: (Anglo-American Oil Co.) The Earl of Elgin left Plymouth on 5th December, 1917, bound from London to Belfast to load a cargo of empty barrels for New York. When about 12 miles from the Lizard a torpedo was fired at her, but passed beneath her, amidships. She reached the safety of Milford Haven and continued her voyage next day. All went well until the afternoon when a torpedo hit caused a terrible explosion. All hands were ordered to the boats as the ship began to sink, but heavy seas were running and washed right over the ship as she settled. Nineteen of the crew were lost. The Earl of Elgin sank in under four minutes, ten miles W1/2S from Caernarvon Bay Lightvessel on 7th December, 1917. Mimosa, Completed 5.1905, Gross tons 3,466 Built by Short Bros., Sunderland, for Mimosa Steam Shipping Co. Ltd. (T. Stephens & Sons). Measurements: 352 feet length X 45 feet breadth. 1915: (Anglo-American Oil Co.). 4.9.1915: Captured and sunk by submarine U.33,137 miles SW of Fastnet, 49.40 N / 12.0 W (voyage: New York:/ Belfast and Liverpool - 20,000 barrels of oil). The crew took to the lifeboats and the Captain of U.33 told the Mimosa's Captain he would inform the first trawler he saw of their plight. However, after six hours they were picked up, in a strange coincidence, by another Anglo-American tanker, the outwardbound Comanchee. In the morning of 6th September, they met up with the steamer Norseman, the crew transshipped, were landed at St Nazaire and later returned to Britain. Winnehago, Completed 11.1915, Gross tons 4,666 Built by Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland. Measurements: 383 feet (oa)/370 feet length X 50 feet breadth. Engines: T3cyl. 12.3.1917: Damaged by submarine torpedo offScilly Isles. Towed in. 1935: Francunion VI (Cie Venture-Weir SA); a fuel depot ship at Algiers. 1949: Scrapped Spezia. Spiraea, Completed 8.1900, Gross tons 3,620 Built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons Ltd., Sunderland, for British & Foreign S.S. Co. Ltd., as St Fillans. Measurements: 361 feet length X 46 feet breadth. Engines: T3cyl. 1915: (Anglo-American Oil Co.). 29.2.1916: On fire in Manchester Ship Canal (Voyage: Philadelphia/Manchester - oil in barrels). Broken up at Morecambe. Tamamc, Completed 6.1916, Gross tons 5,042 Built by A. McMillan & Sons, Dumbarton. Measurements: 385 feet length X 50 feet breadth. Engines: T3cyl. 1935: Sold to British shipbreakers. Silvenown, Completed 3.1873, Gross tons 5,046 Built by C. Mitchell & Co., Newcastle, as cable ship Hooper for Hooper Telegraph Works Ltd., London. Measurements: 338 feet length X 55 feet breadth. Engines: C2cyl. Iron-hulled, three masted. 1882: Silvertown (India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works Co., London).\ 1916: (Anglo-American Oil Co.). Fitted with cylindrical tanks for carriage of oil. 1920: Used as bunkering vessel at Southampton. 1924: Francumon II (Cie. Venture-Weir SA). Fuel depot ship, Algiers. 1935: Sold to Dutch buyers; resold Italian shipbreakers. Strathfillan, Completed 6.1906, Gross tons 4,353 Built by Wm Hamilton & Co., Port Glasgow, for Burrell & Son, Glasgow. Measurements: 370 feet length X 52 feet breadth. Engines: T3cyl. 1916 (Anglo-American Oil Co.). 1922 (Carlisle Sg. Co. (W. Stewart & Co., Glasgow)). 1928 Torbeath (Waverley Sg. Co. Ltd., (T. L. Duff & Co., Glasgow). 1931 Elizabeth Moller (Mollers Ltd., Shanghai). 1944 (Ministry of War Transport). 1947 (Government of Mysore) Broken up. Tuscarora, Completed 1.1917, Gross tons 7,106 Built by Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland. Measurements: 425 feet length X 57 feet breadth. Engines: T3cyl. 9.9.1917: Damaged by submarine torpedo in North Atlantic, but reached port. 12.1.1935: Arrived Queenstown for breaking up. On 1st September, 1920, when about 900 miles from the Azores, the crew of the Tuscarora sighted a ship in distress at about seven miles distant. It proved to be the new, wooden steamer Elias Issaias of 1,495 gt, a Greek-owned vessel, built to the design of an American war-built, standard-type ship and on her maiden voyage from Baltimore to Piraeus, laden with coal. Some of the Greek crew had already taken to the boats and these were taken aboard the tanker. The master of the Greek ship, his engineer and three crew had remained aboard their vessel and it was decided to attempt to tow her to port. By late afternoon ropes were connected and towing started. Thirty minutes later it was signalled that the cargo ship was sinking and she was abandoned as the tow rope parted. Then, despite the fact that she had been abandoned by her own captain, a party from the Tuscarora boarded the sinking ship and after their report, another towing attempt was made. The two ships were again connected up and towing commenced with the salvage party remaining on board. All went well until bad weather was experienced. On 3rd September, after the Elias Issaias had been towed 273 miles, the water was gaining fast, her decks were awash and she was in imminent danger of sinking. The tow was slipped, a boat returned safely with all hands to the Tuscarora and she proceeded on her voyage. The Greek ship was not sighted again and it is presumed that she sank. Cadillac, Completed 12.1917, Gross tons 12,074 Built by Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co. Ltd., Hebburn on Tyne. Measurements: 530 feet length X 66 feet breadth. Engines: Quad. Two decks and a shelter deck. 1.3.1941: Sunk by submarine (U.552) torpedo in North Atlantic, 59.44N 11.16W. The Cadillac had her first major encounter with the enemy when she was only a few months old. . In ballast, she left Plymouth on 5th April, 1918, in a convoy of fifteen ships under escort, westward bound for New York. All went well until the night of the 6th when the steamer Knight Templar, the lead ship of the convoy, was torpedoed. In the absence of orders, the Cadillac maintained her speed and route, but steered a zigzag course. Later, there came an S.O.S. call from another ship which had been hit. No further incident occurred until next day, when there were seven other ships of the convoy in sight, the nearest being four miles away. The ships were then about 250 miles from Queenstown, Southern Ireland. At midday a periscope was seen 300 yards off the Cadillac's bow and, within seconds, the track of a torpedo. A rapid helm order was given and as the ship swung to port the torpedo struck in No. 11 tank. Immediately after the explosion the periscope appeared less than 100 feet away and the Cadillac struck the submarine as momentum carried her round. The tank-er's howitzer was brought to bear and for good measure four depth charges were fired over the submarine's position - and it was not seen again. The Cadillac sent out a call for help. Though she had a large hole in her hull no damage had been done to the engines; she remained afloat and still capable of 10 knots. The same afternoon she was ordered to join an eastbound convoy that was coming up. Next day, ships in that convoy were torpedoed and the Cadillac was ordered to proceed alone to Plymouth. On 9th April she reached port and anchored in the Sound. No drydock was available and only temporary repairs were made. She left Plymouth and arrived safely at Middlesbrough for repair on 2nd May. In 1930 the midship section of the ship containing the tanks had corroded so badly with the carrying of benzol, petrol and similar cargoes that it was decided to insert a new midship section. She was sent to Hebburn for this work and was put into drydock, stern first, and cut into three sections. The old fore and midship sections were undocked on 23rd April, the stern part was then sunk on to the blocks and the new midship section, which had been built on berth and launched on 27th March, was docked for joining. Then followed the forepart and on 29th May, 1930, the ship was undocked, with trials the next day. This was pioneer work in ship surgery; the cost of reconstructing the Cadillac was half that of a new ship of the same size. Saranac, Completed 1918, Gross tons 12,070 Built by Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co. Ltd., Hebburn on Tyne. Measurements: 530 feet length X 66 feet breadth. Engines: Quad. Two decks and a shelter deck. 25.6.1940: Torpedoed by submarine (U.51), then sunk by gunfire in North Atlantic, 48.24 N / 15.05 W. The Saranac was built too late to give any major war service, but she proved her worth soon after, when she performed a double salvage feat on a single round voyage, UK/USA/UK. The first was in 1919, when the Anglo-American ranker Tamarac was picked up in the Atlantic with her rudder carried away and sternframe damaged. She was brought safely into Milford Haven by the Saranac. Her second salvage commenced on 19th February, 1919, when she picked up a wireless call for help from the Government-owned, war-built steamer War Hagara, which reported that she had lost her propeller and was drifting in a severe storm, was pumping out oil to windward, had only one boat left and required a tow. Saranac answered the call and headed for the casualty, steaming all night through mountainous seas which continually swept her from bow to stern. At daybreak the disabled vessel was found, but the gale prevented a direct passing of a towing wire. Instead, a lifebelt connected to several hundred feet of line was drifted downwind from the ship. After many abortive attempts it was picked up and a towing connection made. The weather continued to be extremely bad and towing was carried out under constant difficulty. The War Hagara broke adrift and the long process of getting a cable between the ships had to be gone through anew. For a time the towing speed was increased to five knots, the maximum considered safe, as War Hagara's windlass was useless, the whole engine smashed by the towing strain put on it and its frame badly cracked. The severe weather showed no sign of letting up and the convoy had to ease its speed down again, keeping steerage way only - and the towing bridle still held. Then, at last, the gale moderated somewhat and after 1,362 miles and eleven strenuous days of combined effort the ships arrived off Queenstown, Ireland, where Admiralty tugs took charge of the casualty. Between the wars the Saranac was reconstructed in similar fashion to the Cadillac. She was docked at Hebburn on 17th January, 1931, and cut into three sections. The new section was launched on 3rd February, the forward and middle sections undocked on 10th February and the new mid-section docked the next day. The ship was completed on 20th March and she had her sea trials on 23rd March. The corrosion in tankers was a serious problem and the centre (tank) portion was usually unfit for further service after 12-15 years, although the fore and after portions were usually sound and capable of a further twelve years of service.