H.M.T. Cap Polonia

[Rory Reynolds]

Salutations and best wishes for St. Paddy's Day tomorrow!

I have the record of a South African chap who seems to have been returned to South Africa in 1919 aboard the Cap Polonia. A quick google tells me that this ship was originally German and was dogged by bad luck.

Is there an interesting story here? I would like to know more bout this ship please if someone could oblige.

Regards

Rory

[Jarvis]

Hi Rory, a little more on the Cap Polonia (Vineta) here....

The Protected Cruiser Vineta was part of the 5th. Scouting Group of The German High Seas Fleet by 2nd August 1914 in the North Sea. From mid August she was transferred to the Baltic Command under Rear Admiral Jasper

Vineta.( 1 )

Built as Cap Polonia, in 1914, this 20,772 ton vessel was capable of 17 knots, and had 4 by 15cm guns fitted, together with some smaller calibre weapons.

She was the first German ship to be fitted with forced draft water tube boilers.

The declaration of war brought immediate problems relating to a suitable supply of quality coal. Top of the line Welsh steaming coal was needed to achieve top speed, and now, such coal was of course, not available. German coal that could be used, only clogged up all the boiler tubes, and once more, a ship had to be returned to its owners, and then was laid up for the entire war.

Post war, Britain gained this ship in 1919, via the Treaty of Versailles, but she carried out only one voyage as a troopship to South Africa, and one journey to Bombay, only to be laid up again in 1920.

The following year Cap Polonia was resold back to her original owners, converted to oil burning, and served until the early 1930's, then spent time at Hamburg as an accommodation ship, to be finally broken up in June of 1935. Her original owners must have despaired at all the cost they must have laid out on this vessel for such a small return over her life time.

http://www.ahoy.tk-jk.net/MaraudersWW1/Raiders.html

Contruction Data

Laid down: Blohm & Voss Hamburg, 1914

Launched: 25.03.1914

Commissioned: 08.02.1915 (as auxiliary cruiser)

Fate: scrapped 1935

Technical Data

Size: 24500 t

Length: 200,1 m

Beam: 21,70 m

Draft: 8,36 m

Armament: 4 x 15 cm; 4 x 8m8 cm

Performance: 17850 shp, 16,9 kn

History

The former passenger ship Cap Polonio was modified to an auxiliary cruiser in late 1914/early 1915. But although it was a new ship, trials showed that it was not able to sail with a speed of 17 kn - which made it too slow for its projected role. Therefore all guns and military equipment were removed form the ships again. In 1919 it was taken over by Britain where it was used as a passenger ship for only one year. In 1921 it was bought back by its former German owner, equipped with new engines and operated as a passenger ship until 1932. In 1935 it was scrapped.

http://www.german-navy.de/hochseeflotte/sh...neta/index.html