Fleet tender
Encyclopedia
Fleet tenders were British merchant
ships that were fitted with a wooden superstructure
to resemble battleships during the Second World War. They were known as fleet tenders for security reasons, and were built to fool German reconnaissance planes.
Three ships were converted in 1939 and another one (HMS Centurion
) in 1941. The three converted in 1939 were 7,900-tons merchant ships:
These three ships never left the home waters of the United Kingdom and became obsolete in 1941. The SS Mamari was wrecked off The Wash
and then attacked by German torpedo boats. The SS Pakeha and SS Waimana were converted back to merchants and returned to cargo use, but as the Empire Pakeha and Empire Waimana under the Ministry of War Transport
HMS Centurion was a First World War-era battleship, disarmed under the Washington Naval Treaty
. In 1941 she was fitted with a dummy after-funnel, mainmast and main armament, to resemble HMS Anson. She left the home waters to sail around the Cape of Good Hope
to Bombay and in June 1942 was a part of a convoy to Malta
(operation Vigorous
). HMS Centurion was used as a blockship
off the Normandy
coast as part of the Gooseberry shelter
for Omaha Beach
.
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
ships that were fitted with a wooden superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
to resemble battleships during the Second World War. They were known as fleet tenders for security reasons, and were built to fool German reconnaissance planes.
Three ships were converted in 1939 and another one (HMS Centurion
HMS Centurion (1911)
HMS Centurion was the second battleship of the King George V class, built at HM Dockyard, Devonport.The Battleships of the King George V class had been designed as Dreadnought Battleship....
) in 1941. The three converted in 1939 were 7,900-tons merchant ships:
- SS Pakeha as HMS RevengeHMS Revenge (06)HMS Revenge was the lead ship of the Revenge class of battleships of the Royal Navy, the ninth to bear the name. She was launched during World War I in 1915. Though the class is often referred to as the Royal Sovereign class, official documents of 1914–1918 refer to the class as the Revenge class...
- ASS Waimana as HMS Resolution
- SS MamariSS Zealandic (1911)SS Zealandic was a British ocean liner initially operated by White Star Line. She was used both as a passenger liner and a cargo ship as well as serving during both world wars....
, "Fleet Tender C" as HMS HermesHMS Hermes (95)HMS Hermes was an aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy. The ship was begun during World War I and finished after the war ended. She was the world's first ship to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier, although the Imperial Japanese Navy's was the first to be commissioned...
These three ships never left the home waters of the United Kingdom and became obsolete in 1941. The SS Mamari was wrecked off The Wash
The Wash
The Wash is the square-mouthed bay and estuary on the northwest margin of East Anglia on the east coast of England, where Norfolk meets Lincolnshire. It is among the largest estuaries in the United Kingdom...
and then attacked by German torpedo boats. The SS Pakeha and SS Waimana were converted back to merchants and returned to cargo use, but as the Empire Pakeha and Empire Waimana under the Ministry of War Transport
HMS Centurion was a First World War-era battleship, disarmed under the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
. In 1941 she was fitted with a dummy after-funnel, mainmast and main armament, to resemble HMS Anson. She left the home waters to sail around the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
to Bombay and in June 1942 was a part of a convoy to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
(operation Vigorous
Operation Vigorous
Operation Vigorous was a World War II Allied operation to deliver a supply convoy that sailed from Haifa and Port Said on 12 June 1942 to Malta. The convoy encountered heavy Axis air and sea opposition and returned to Alexandria on 16 June....
). HMS Centurion was used as a blockship
Blockship
A blockship is a ship deliberately sunk to prevent a river, channel, or canal from being used.It may either be sunk by a navy defending the waterway to prevent the ingress of attacking enemy forces, as in the case of HMS Hood at Portland Harbour; or it may be brought by enemy raiders and used to...
off the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
coast as part of the Gooseberry shelter
Mulberry harbour
A Mulberry harbour was a British type of temporary harbour developed in World War II to offload cargo on the beaches during the Allied invasion of Normandy....
for Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
.