Milwaukee

Vessel name on Arrival: Empire Waveney

Original Builder: Blohm & Voss of Hamburg. Germany

Original Yard No: 483

Official Number:

Vessel Type: passenger

GRT: 16754

Year Built: 1929

Arrival Date: 24/09/1947

Breakup Started: 24/09/1947

Date First Beached: 11/11/1947

Date Breakup Completed: 12/04/1948

Draught For’d: 9' 0

Draught Aft: 10' 6"

Name Changes:

 

Launched as M.V. MILWAUKEE for the Hamburg Amerika Line

 

Towards the end of the War, the vessel, which had been taken over in 1940 by the Kriegsmarine for service as an Accommodation and Depot Ship at Kiel, was badly damaged by the RAF by bombing, to prevent the large vessel being used as a Nazi escape ship.  At the end of the war she was taken ober by the Amercians and returned to the USA for repair and fitting-out as an Amercian ship.  However, this plan was abandoned and she was acquired by the British Ministry of Transport in November 1945, renamed M.V. EMPIRE WAVENEY, and laid up at the Canada Dock, Liverpool, for repairs and conversion to be carried out by Harland & Wolff, under Managers Cunard White Star. 

 

However, on 1st of March 1946, a fire broke out and the vessel was gutted and sunk as a result.

Other Information:

 

Large twin-screw passenger-cargo liner for  Europe-USA Atlantic service.

 

20-02-1929  :  Launched

11-06-1929  :  Completed

 

Dimensions :  546 feet  x  72 feet

 

Propulsion  :  Four double-acting 2-stroke MAN diesel engines, two coupled to each shaft through reduction gears

Total Output  :  12,000 BHP

Vessel Speed  :  16 knots

 

She was refloeated on 4th of May 1946 and drydocked.  The inspection and survey carried out determined the vessel was beyond economic repair and she was sunsequently declared a total loss.

 

On 26-01-1947, she departed Liverpool bound for Dalmuir on the Clude for breaking by Messrs Arnott Young.

On 25-09-1947, her hulk departed the Clyde bound for Troon for final demolition at the WSSCL facility at Troon.