The Allen Collection

Kennaugh Line

History

W.S. Kennaugh & Co. started in Whitehaven in 1905 and later moved to Liverpool. They started with steam coasters and built up a good reputation. The company’s ships were named with a suffix of Force . (The word force means waterfall in the North of England).

The company was renowned for the care with which it maintained its vessels and one of their vessels is reported as having survived for 82 years. At one time Kennaugh had twenty steam ships, four deep-water sailing ships and three managed ships.

There is an obscure reference to a battle between a U-boat and the Q-ship Strike Force but no details can be found on the Internet. If this happened it is likely to have been in WW1.

A Q-Ship was an attack vessel disguised as a civilian ship. A typical Q-ship would be an old-looking tramp steamer calmly sailing alone near an area where a U-boat was reported to be operating. By posing as a suitable target for the use of the U-boat's deck gun, the Q-ship would encourage the U-boat Captain to bring his vessel to the surface rather than use one of his expensive torpedoes, which were in short supply. The cargoes of the Q-ships would be wooden caskets and wood (eg balsa or cork) so even if torpedoed they would stay afloat, encouraging the U-boat to surface and use its gun. If necessary the crew could even stage an "abandon ship" routine. Once the U boat was in a suitable position the Q-ship would change rapidly, false panels would drop to reveal the hidden guns which would start firing. At the same time the White Ensign (Royal Navy flag) would be raised. With the element of surprise the U-boat could be quickly overwhelmed.

In 1954 the following Kennaugh ships were still operational: Birker Force (1919),  Dalegarth Force(1918) and Stock Force (1917). The company ceased to exist in 1959.

 

Kennaugh Line