MS Piłsudski

The Piłsudski was a 1935 put into operation in trans-Atlantic passenger liner of the Polish shipping company Gdynia America Line, which was built for passenger traffic from Gdynia to New York. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the ship came under control of the British government and was converted to a troop transport. She sank on November 26, 1939 off the coast of Yorkshire, after they had walked into a minefield.

The ship

The 14,294 gross registered tons (GRT ) large motor vessel Piłsudski was placed on Kiel in March 1934 on the shipyard Cantieri Riuniti dell ' Adriatico in Monfalcone near Trieste and launched on December 19, 1934 from the stack. The 160.32 meters long and 21.33 meters wide ship was powered by two diesel engines neunzylindrigen of Sulzer AG, who performed 12,000 hp and could propel the ship to up to 18 knots. It could be taken on board 796 passengers, including 46 in the first, 370 in second and 400 in third class. In addition there were 350 crew members.

The passenger steamer which was named after the Polish statesman Józef Piłsudski, was the sister ship of Batory ( 14,287 GRT), which was built at the same yard and put into service in 1936. The two ships were for the shipping company Gdynia America Shipping Lines, Ltd.. ( Gdynia America Line ) built, which was founded in 1930 by the Polish government in order to ensure a regular passenger and cargo service from Gdynia via Copenhagen to Halifax and New York. They were the largest ever ships of the Gdynia America Line and were among the first ocean liners, who possessed an indoor swimming pool. At the luxurious features many well-known Polish artists had participated.

On September 15, 1935, Piłsudski was in Gdynia on her maiden voyage to New York. The captain of the ship during the entire period of service was Mamert Stankiewicz, an officer of the Polish Merchant Marine, who last held the rank of rear admiral. On the second voyage to the New York Piłsudski got into an Atlantic storm, which promoted several structural weaknesses in the design of the ship to light. Before the Piłsudski could leak back, the appropriate repairs have been made in New York.

The ship completed a year about ten crossings on the North Atlantic, where for a round trip from Gdynia to New York and back approximately 25 days were needed. In the summer, Piłsudski also undertook in addition to their regular service cruises to the fjords of Norway and over Christmas and New Year in the Caribbean. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the Pilsudski and Batory have been taken over by the British government and used for military purposes. The Piłsudski was converted in Newcastle upon Tyne into a troopship, painted gray and fitted with anti-aircraft guns. She was still occupied by a Polish crew.

Downfall

On November 26, 1939 at 04.36 clock in the morning the Piłsudski was 25 nautical miles from the English port of Withernsea on two mines. The ship was on its first trip from Newcastle to New Zealand and had about 180 crew members ( including seven British sailors ) on board. To charge included steel and iron. After the explosions, the Piłsudski list to port and sank after four hours on the position 53.45.75N & 00.45.67E. Up to a mechanic and Captain Stankiewicz all crew members were rescued. Stankiewicz was one of the last to leave the sinking ship and was taken on board a ship that was traveling to Hartlepool. However, he succumbed to the effects of hypothermia.

The wreck of the Piłsudski lies in 33 meters depth and is considered the largest ship wreck off the coast of Yorkshire. The tail is broken off and the decks are partially collapsed.