Final voyage of ss Haupiri (ON 89094) in 1916.

[jcmac]

I have tracked a vessel ss Haupiri (ON 89094) under command of Master, Donald MacDonald, from New Zealand via Australia to Cape Town,SA (18.11.1915-1.1.1916; 8.1.1916-24.2.1916).
On 6.3.1916 with Master MacDonald in charge the vessel sails into the Mediteranean, then via Bay of Biscay and English Channel to London.

NZ papers report in August 1916 that the Haupiri  "....was filled with cement and sunk by the Admiralty at a port .."somewhere across the Channel" ...in the bottom of an enemy harbour mouth."

NZ papers report that Master, D.MacDonald, returned as a passenger from London (27.6.1916) on ss Tongariro via New York and Panama Canal to Auckland,NZ arriving on 26.8.1916.

BT165/1326 (Extracted Logs) lists under Haypiri 89094. Voyage 6.3.1916 - 24.4.1916.

WW1 Naval records held at TNA,London in the list of Royal Navy shipping note:-
(Royal Navy Support and Harbour vessels of WW1.....)
HAUPIRI (ex Richmond), listed as miscellaneous, built 1885, 715grt. In commisioned service 26.10.1916 - 31.3 1919.

The 10.1916 - 3.1919 dates are a puzzle !!!!
Is anyone able to clarify what the 24.4.1916 date refers to ?
Is anyone able to direct me to further detail of the date and final disposal site ?
jcmac.

[tonepad]

May have something to do with the change of owners in 1916.

https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?255432


Try https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk (a subscription site)

SALE OF METHYLATED SPIRITS
... husband is away, I will put you on'probation for six months. DUNDEE-BUILT STEAMER SOLD The shelter-deck steamer Haupiri (cx-Richrnond), 715 tons gross, built and engined Messrs Gourlay Brothers & Co., Dundee, in 1885, and owned by the Union ...

Published: Saturday 17 June 1916
Newspaper: Dundee People's Journal
County: Angus, Scotland
Type: | Words: 491 | Page: 6 | Tags: none


BUSINESS NOTES
... dimensions 235 ft. 3 in. , by 37 ft. 1 in. by 14 ft. in., has been sold for about £25,000. The steel shelter-deck steamer Haupiri, 715 tons gross, built at Dundee in 1885 by Messrs Gourlay Bros. •& Co., engines 23 and by 30 in. stroke, dimensions 178 by 27 ft ...

Published: Thursday 17 February 1916
Newspaper: Dundee Courier
County: Angus, Scotland
Type: | Words: 1007 | Page: 5 | Tags: none

or on Findmypast


Tony

[ShaunJ]

Is anyone able to clarify what the 24.4.1916 date refers to ?

That's when she arrived in London and berthed at Bellamy's Wharf.

[HMac]

Interesting. Not seen anything official about being sunk as a blockship.

There are files at Kew [Admiralty] showing her in a collision at Immingham in 1917 - see piece HD/1917/332 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/4bb32f76-dafe-4ed9-9f0f-b335ad53df02
There are also ship’s logs (Admiralty) for the period 1917 – 1919 held at Kew.

BT165/1326 (Extracted Logs) lists under Haypiri 89094. Voyage 6.3.1916 - 24.4.1916.

That is the file at TNA Kew where the Ship’s Official Logbook for the period March – April 1916 is held.

In commissioned service 26.10.1916 - 31.3 1919.

This means the ship was taken up by the Admiralty during those years as a mercantile auxiliary and manned by a crew of Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and Mercantile Marine Reserve (MMR) personnel. So, during this period she was not in Mercantile service but Admiralty service.

The 10.1916 - 3.1919 dates are a puzzle !!!!

– see above (Admiralty service)

Is anyone able to clarify what the 24.4.1916 date refers to?

The logbook would be deposited at the Mercantile Marine Office (MMO) at the end of a foreign voyage or 6 monthly if on the home trade service.

Is anyone able to direct me to further detail of the date and final disposal site?

She left the British registry in 1920 bought by Greek interests and foundered off Milos on 6 February 1921 on a voyage Piraeus to Crete as per this link https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?255432

Any questions please feel free.
Regards
Hugh

[ShaunJ]

NZ papers report in August 1916 that the Haupiri  "....was filled with cement and sunk by the Admiralty at a port .."somewhere across the Channel" ...in the bottom of an enemy harbour mouth."

That report was incorrect: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19171011.2.97

[HMac]

Makes sense - she wasn't sunk but was taken up for Admiralty service.
Regards
Hugh

[Andy J2022]

Well done Shaun and HughMac. What intrigues me is why on the initial voyage from NZ to the UK she sailed through the Med. Yes obviously if she had gone through the Suez Canal that would have been the case, but she reportedly first put into Cape Town en route. Surely she wouldn't have back tracked up the East coast and round the Horn of Africa to go through the Suez once she had rounded the Capes Agulhas and Good Hope.

[ShaunJ]

Not sure about the Mediterranean bit.

I can see from newspaper reports that she went from Wellington to Fremantle, then to Cape Town (where her new owners put a new crew on board), then to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, then to London.

[jcmac]

I must first thank all of you for these responses which clarify the situation.
I am now about to read through all the attachments to arrive at the final explanation of what actually took place.
 jcmac.