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Uffington Court










Introduction

Court Line used the name Uffington Court for just one ship.

Uffington Court was in service from 1929 until 1967 so had a long working life of 38 years. During this period she served on a large number of WW2 convoys and changed owners and name on several occasions.

Uffington Court
Uffington Court - location and date not known. [65]

Basic Data

Property Value
Vessel Type Cargo ship
Registered owners, managers and operators United British Steamship Co. Ltd.
Managers Haldin & Philipps Ltd. London
Builders William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd.
Yard Southwick, Sunderland
Country UK
Yard number 227
Official number 161308
Call sign GPKX
Classification society N/K
Gross tonnage 4,976
Net tonnage 3,000
Deadweight N/K
Length 405.6 Ft.
Breadth 55.5 Ft.
Depth 25.8 Ft.
Draught N/K
Engines Triple expansion steam engine with cylinders of bore 26", 43" and 72" and stroke 48".
Engine builders North Eastern Marine Engineering Co. Ltd.
Works Sunderland
Country UK
Boilers Three single-ended boilers operating at 180psi.
Power 437 NHP
Propulsion Single screw
Speed 10 knots
Cargo capacity N/K
Crew N/K

Additional Construction Information

The 1945-46 Lloyds Register entry for Uffington Court has the following additional information about her:

  • She had one steel deck and a steel shelter deck
  • Fitted with radio direction-finding equipment
  • Tonnage opening was closed in 1941
Uffington Court
Uffington Court believed to have been taken at Vancouver on 7 May 1935. Also shown is the tug Charles H. Cates V. Photo by Walter E. Frost, Ref, AM1506-S3-2-: CVA 447-2797 [39]

Career Highlights

Date Event
28 Aug 1929 Launched
Oct 1929 Completed
1936 Owners restyled Court Line Ltd. - same managers
1952 Sold to Rederi A/B Skane, Helsingborg, Sweden - Managers Hans Lundgren - and renamed Svarten
1957 Sold to Rederi A/B Sigun - Same Managers
1960 Sold to Panamanian Oriental Steamship Corp. Panama - Managers Wheelock, Marden & Co. Ltd and renamed Ocean Pride
1962 Sold to Cia.Nav.Peace Ltda. S.A. Panama - Managers Hai An Shipping Co. Ltd. And renamed Fu An
27 Nov 1967 Arrived at Kaohsiung Taiwan to be broken up

Service Pre WW2

I have found no information about the service history of Uffington Court before the war but according to Middlemiss - [4], she was not laid up during the depression of the 1930s like many of the other Court Line ships. However it seems Middlemiss was at least partly wrong as the Mersea Museum website [36] records that she was laid up at Tollesbury (presumably in Tollesbury Fleet) in the River Blackwater from 19 June 1932 to some time after 9 September 1932.

Service in WW2

Uffington Court took part in 68 convoys during WW2 as well as many independent voyages according to information shown in the table below which is provided courtesy of Convoyweb - [5]

Departure Convoy/Independent Arrival
Port Alberni, Sep 1, 1939 Independent Balboa, Sep 18, 1939
Cristobal, Sep 22, 1939 Independent Kingston, Sep 26, 1939
Kingston, Oct 4, 1939 KJ.3 (Kingston Jamaica - UK Ports) Liverpool, Oct 28, 1939
Liverpool, Nov 16, 1939 OB.36 (Liverpool - to OG 7) Newport, Nov 18, 1939
Newport, Nov 29, 1939 Independent Milford Haven, Nov 30, 1939
Milford Haven, Dec 1, 1939 OB.44 (Liverpool - Dispersed)
Independent Buenos Aires, Jan 2, 1940
Buenos Aires, Jan 10, 1940 Independent Rosario, Jan 11, 1940
Rosario, Jan 22, 1940 Independent Buenos Aires, Jan 23, 1940
Buenos Aires, Jan 27, 1940 Independent Freetown, Feb 16, 1940
Freetown, Feb 18, 1940 SL.21 (Freetown - Liverpool) Portland, Mar 6, 1940
Independent Southend, Mar 9, 1940
Portland, Mar 9, 1940 Independent
Southend, Apr 6, 1940 OA.124 (Southend - Dispersed)
Independent New York, Apr 25, 1940
New York, Apr 29, 1940 Independent Halifax, May 3, 1940
Halifax, May 4, 1940 HX.40 (Halifax - Liverpool) Southend, May 19, 1940
Southend, May 26, 1940 OA.155G (Southend - to OG 31) Swansea, May 29, 1940
Swansea, Jun 7, 1940 Independent Milford Haven, Jun 8, 1940
Milford Haven, Jun 10, 1940 OB.164 (Liverpool - Dispersed)
Independent Montreal, Jun 25, 1940
Montreal, Jun 30, 1940 Independent Halifax, Jul 6, 1940
Halifax, Jul 7, 1940 HX.56 (Halifax - Liverpool) Methil Roads, Jul 23, 1940
Methil, Jul 24, 1940 FS.231 (Tyne - Southend) Southend, Jul 26, 1940
Southend, Aug 22, 1940 FN.260 (Southend - Methil) Tyne, Aug 24, 1940
Tyne, Aug 26, 1940 FN.262 (Southend - Methil) Methil, Aug 27, 1940
Methil, Aug 29, 1940 OA.206 (Methil - Dispersed)
Independent Mauritius, Oct 12, 1940
Mauritius, Oct 19, 1940 Independent Capetown, Oct 30, 1940
Capetown, Nov 3, 1940 Independent Freetown, Nov 19, 1940
Freetown, Nov 21, 1940 SL.56 (Freetown - Liverpool) Liverpool, Dec 13, 1940
Liverpool, Jan 18, 1941 OB.275 (Liverpool - Dispersed)
Independent Philadelphia, Feb 4, 1941
Philadelphia, Feb 18, 1941 Independent Halifax, Feb 21, 1941
Halifax, Feb 23, 1941 HX.111 (Halifax - Liverpool) Newport, Mar 14, 1941
Newport, Apr 11, 1941 Independent Swansea, Apr 12, 1941
Swansea, Apr 18, 1941 Independent Milford Haven, Apr 19, 1941
Milford Haven, Apr 21, 1941 OB.313 (Liverpool - Dispersed)
Independent Montreal, May 10, 1941
Montreal, May 18, 1941 Independent Halifax, May 22, 1941
Halifax, May 27, 1941 HX.129 (Halifax - Liverpool) Liverpool, Jun 12, 1941
Liverpool, Jun 24, 1941 OG.66 (Liverpool - Gibraltar)
Independent Freetown, Jul 12, 1941
Freetown, Jul 15, 1941 SL.81 (Freetown - Liverpool) Clyde, Aug 8, 1941
Clyde, Aug 17, 1941 ON.8 (Liverpool - Dispersed)
Independent Philadelphia, Sep 3, 1941
Philadelphia, Oct 3, 1941 Independent Sydney CB, Oct 7, 1941
Sydney CB, Oct 11, 1941 SC.49 (Sydney CB - Liverpool) Sydney CB, Oct 13, 1941
Sydney CB, Oct 17, 1941 SC.50 (Sydney CB - Liverpool) Liverpool, Nov 4, 1941
Independent Holyhead, Nov 18, 1941
Liverpool, Nov 18, 1941 Independent
Holyhead, Nov 19, 1941 BB.102 (Belfast Lough - M Haven) Cardiff, Nov 21, 1941
Cardiff, Dec 8, 1941 Independent Milford Haven, Dec 10, 1941
Milford Haven, Dec 12, 1941 OS.14 (Liverpool - Freetown)
Independent Capetown, Jan 18, 1942
Capetown, Jan 19, 1942 Independent Durban, Jan 23, 1942
Durban, Jan 29, 1942 Independent Aden, Feb 13, 1942
Aden, Feb 13, 1942 Independent Suez, Feb 19, 1942
Port Said, Feb 21, 1942 Independent Alexandria, Feb 22, 1942
Alexandria, Mar 6, 1942 Independent Port Said, Mar 7, 1942
Suez, Mar 14, 1942 Independent Colombo, Mar 29, 1942
Colombo, Apr 28, 1942 C.13 (Colombo - Dispersed)
Independent Durban, May 23, 1942
Durban, May 29, 1942 Independent Bermuda, Jul 2, 1942
Bermuda, Jul 2, 1942 Independent St John Nb, Jul 6, 1942
St John Nb, Jul 28, 1942 Independent New York, Jul 31, 1942
New York, Aug 2, 1942 Independent
Hampton Roads, Aug 10, 1942 KS.529 (Hampton Roads - Key West) Key West, Aug 17, 1942
Key West, Aug 18, 1942 WAT.15 (Key West - Trinidad) Trinidad, Aug 30, 1942
Trinidad, Sep 3, 1942 Independent Capetown, Sep 30, 1942
Capetown, Oct 2, 1942 Independent Durban, Oct 6, 1942
Durban, Oct 9, 1942 Independent Bombay, Oct 30, 1942
Bombay, Nov 30, 1942 Independent Colombo, Dec 4, 1942
Colombo, Dec 4, 1942 Independent Calcutta, Dec 12, 1942
Calcutta, Dec 21, 1942 Independent
Chittagong, Dec 28, 1942 Independent Calcutta, Dec 31, 1942
Calcutta, Jan 21, 1943 Independent Cochin, Jan 30, 1943
Cochin, Feb 5, 1943 Independent Durban, Feb 25, 1943
Durban, Mar 2, 1943 DC.12 (Durban - Capetown) Capetown, Mar 5, 1943
Capetown, Mar 11, 1943 CN.12 (Capetown - Dispersed)
Independent Freetown, Mar 27, 1943
Freetown, Mar 31, 1943 SL.127 (Freetown - Liverpool) Loch Ewe, Apr 22, 1943
WN.419 (Loch Ewe - Methil) Methil, Apr 25, 1943
Methil, Apr 25, 1943 FS.1099 (Methil - Southend) Southend, Apr 27, 1943
Southend, May 5, 1943 FN.1013 (Southend - Methil) Tyne, May 6, 1943
Tyne, Jun 17, 1943 FS.1144 (Methil - Southend) Hull, Jun 19, 1943
Hull, Jun 24, 1943 FN.1056 (Southend - Methil) Methil, Jun 26, 1943
Methil, Jun 27, 1943 EN.248 (Methil - Loch Ewe) Oban, Jun 30, 1943
Oban, Jul 5, 1943 OS.51KM (Liverpool - Convoy Split)
Independent Montevideo, Aug 7, 1943
Montevideo, Aug 20, 1943 Independent Buenos Aires, Aug 21, 1943
Buenos Aires, Sep 4, 1943 Independent Dakar, Sep 25, 1943
Dakar, Sep 26, 1943 SL.137 (Freetown - r/v WITH MKS 26)
SL.137MK (r/v SL 137/MKS 26 - Liverpool) Loch Ewe, Oct 16, 1943
WN.494 (Loch Ewe - Methil) Methil, Oct 18, 1943
Methil, Oct 19, 1943 FS.1250 (Methil - Southend) Southend, Oct 21, 1943
Southend, Nov 18, 1943 FN.1182 (Southend - Methil) Tyne, Nov 20, 1943
Tyne, Nov 22, 1943 FN.1184 (Southend - Methil) Methil, Nov 23, 1943
Methil, Nov 23, 1943 EN.310 (Methil - Loch Ewe) Oban, Nov 26, 1943
Oban, Dec 1, 1943 ONS.24 (Liverpool - Halifax)
XB.88 (Halifax - Boston) Cape Cod Canal, Dec 19, 1943
Cape Cod Canal, Dec 19, 1943 Independent New York, Dec 20, 1943
New York, Jan 1, 1944 NK.587 (NYC - Key West) Tampa, Jan 9, 1944
Tampa, Jan 22, 1944 not reported Key West, Jan 23, 1944
Key West, Jan 24, 1944 KG.684 (Key West - Guantanamo) Guantanamo, Jan 27, 1944
Guantanamo, Feb 3, 1944 GZ.58 (Guantanamo - Cristobal) Cristobal, Feb 7, 1944
Balboa, Feb 8, 1944 Independent Sydney NSW, Mar 16, 1944
Independent Port Kembla, Mar 19, 1944
Sydney NSW, Mar 19, 1944 Independent
Port Kembla, Mar 23, 1944 Independent Newcastle NSW, Mar 25, 1944
Newcastle NSW, Apr 2, 1944 Independent Adelaide, Apr 7, 1944
Adelaide, Apr 17, 1944 Independent Fremantle, Apr 24, 1944
Fremantle, Apr 26, 1944 Independent Mombasa, May 17, 1944
Mombasa, May 28, 1944 Independent Zanzibar, May 29, 1944
Zanzibar, Jun 3, 1944 KD.4 (Kilindini - Durban) Durban, Jun 14, 1944
Durban, Jun 20, 1944 DC.53 (Durban - Capetown) Capetown, Jun 24, 1944
Capetown, Jun 28, 1944 Independent Montevideo, Jul 17, 1944
Montevideo, Jul 26, 1944 Independent Rosario, Jul 28, 1944
Rosario, Aug 3, 1944 Independent Buenos Aires, Aug 4, 1944
Buenos Aires, Aug 15, 1944 Independent Freetown, Sep 1, 1944
Freetown, Sep 8, 1944 SL.170 (Freetown - r/v WITH MKS 61)
SL.170MK (r/v SL 170/MKS 61 - Liverpool) Belfast, Sep 26, 1944
Belfast, Oct 6, 1944 Independent Cardiff, Oct 8, 1944
Cardiff, Nov 1, 1944 Independent Liverpool, Nov 2, 1944
Liverpool, Nov 13, 1944 OS.95KM (Liverpool - Convoy Split)
KMS.69G (ex OS 95/KMS 69 - Gibraltar) Passed Gibraltar, Nov 23, 1944
Passed Gibraltar, Nov 23, 1944 KMS.69 (Gibraltar - Dispersed) Augusta, Nov 27, 1944
Augusta, Nov 28, 1944 Independent Naples, Nov 29, 1944
Naples, Dec 12, 1944 Independent Augusta, Dec 13, 1944
Augusta, Dec 14, 1944 Independent Gibraltar, Dec 19, 1944
Gibraltar, Dec 19, 1944 Independent Rio De Janeiro, Jan 6, 1945
Rio De Janeiro, Jan 11, 1945 Independent Victoria (bz), Jan 12, 1945
Victoria (bz), Jan 18, 1945 Independent Freetown, Jan 30, 1945
Freetown, Jan 31, 1945 Independent Casablanca, Feb 10, 1945
Casablanca, Feb 15, 1945 MKS.83G (Gibraltar - Liverpool) Southend, Feb 22, 1945
Southend, Feb 23, 1945 FN.1642 (Southend - Methil) Tyne, Feb 24, 1945
Tyne, Mar 11, 1945 FS.1753 (Methil - Southend) Southend, Mar 13, 1945
Southend, Mar 17, 1945 ON.291 (Southend - NYC) New York, Apr 5, 1945
New York, Apr 19, 1945 Independent
Boston, Apr 22, 1945 BX.158 (Boston - Halifax) Halifax, Apr 24, 1945
Halifax, Apr 28, 1945 SC.174 (Halifax - Liverpool) Milford Haven, May 15, 1945
Milford Haven, May 15, 1945 BTC.159 (M Haven - Southend) Downs, May 18, 1945
Downs, May 19, 1945 TAM.173 (Southend - Antwerp) Antwerp, May 20, 1945
Antwerp, May 27, 1945 ATM.167 (Antwerp - Southend) Downs, May 28, 1945
Downs, May 28, 1945 Independent Barry, May 30, 1945
Barry, Jun 2, 1945 Independent Bone, Jun 10, 1945
Bone, Jun 21, 1945 Independent Middlesbrough, Jul 3, 1945

Service post WW2

I have found no information about the service history of Uffington Court after the war other than what is shown in the Career Highlights section.


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