SS Avondale Park
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Career |
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Name: |
Avondale Park |
Owner: |
Canadian Government (1943)
Ministry of War Transport (1944) |
Operator: |
Park Steamship Co Ltd (1943)
Witherington & Everett (1944) |
Port of registry: |
Montreal |
Builder: |
Foundation Maritime Ltd |
Launched: |
February 1944 |
Completed: |
May 1944 |
Identification: |
Code Letters VDDN
UK Official Number 175378 |
Fate: |
Torpedoed and sunk, 7 May 1945 |
General characteristics |
Tonnage: |
2,878 GRT
1,653 NRT |
Length: |
315 ft 5 in (96.14 m) |
Beam: |
46 ft 5 in (14.15 m) |
Depth: |
22 ft 9 in (6.93 m) |
Installed power: |
Triple expansion steam engine |
Propulsion: |
Screw propellor |
Crew: |
34, plus 4 DEMS gunners |
Avondale Park was a 2,872 GRT Park cargo ship which was built in 1944. She was the last merchant ship to be sunk by Germany in the Second World War, on 7 May 1945, the day of German surrender.
Description
The ship was built by Foundation Maritime Ltd. at Pictou, Nova Scotia. She was launched in February 1944,[1] and completed in May 1944.[2]
The ship was 315 feet 5 inches (96.14 m) long, with a beam of 46 feet 5 inches (14.15 m) and a depth of 22 feet 9 inches (6.93 m). She had a GRT of 2,878 and a NRT of 1,653.[2]
She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders 20 inches (51 cm), 31 inches (79 cm) and 55 inches (140 cm) diameter by 39 inches (99 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Canada Iron Foundries, Three Rivers, Quebec.[2]
History
Avondale Park was built for the Canadian Government and operated by the Park Steamship Co Ltd. The United Kingdom Official Number 175378 and code letters VDDN were allocated. Her port of registry was Montreal, under the British flag.[2] She was later chartered by the Ministry of War Transport, who placed her under the management of Witherington & Etheridge, Newcastle upon Tyne.[1]
Avondale Park was a member of Convoy EN 491, which departed Hull on 6 May 1945 bound for Belfast via Methil. On 7 May 1945, the convoy was attacked by U-2336 and two ships were sunk, Sneland I and Avondale Park, which became the last British merchant ship to be sunk during the Second World War.[1] The sinking, at just after 23:00, was in the last hour of the Second World War in Europe, with the official surrender taking place at midnight.[3] Avondale Park sank at . Two of the 38 crew were lost.[1] A signal was sent to the U-boats on 4 May 1945 ordering them to surrender but U-2336 did not receive the signal.[4]
References
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Canadian type |
Albert Park · Alexandra Park · Champlain Park · Cromwell Park · Eastwood Park · Elgin Park · Fairmount Park · Frontenac Park · Garden Park · Gaspesian Park · Grafton Park · Hampstead Park · Highland Park · Lakeside Park · Lakeview Park · Montebello Park (I) · Noranda Park · Outremont Park · Portland Park · Princeton Park · Rupert Park · Selkirk Park · Seven Oaks Park · Simcoe Park · Sunalta Park · Waverley Park · Wellington Park · Winona Park ·
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Dominion type |
Bell Park · Cartier Park · Dartmouth Park · Lorne Park · Maissoneuve Park · Sutherland Park · Westdale Park · Yoho Park (I) ·
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North Sands type |
Alder Park · Algonquin Park · Banff Park · Belwoods Park · Chippewa Park · Dentonia Park · Elk Island Park · Elm Park · Gatineau Park · Glacier Park · Green Gables Park · High Park · Hillcrest Park · Jasper Park · Kawartha Park · Kildonan Park · Kootenay Park (I) · La Salle Park · Lafontaine Park · Laurentide Park · Mount Douglas Park · Mount Orford Park · Mount Revelstoke Park · Mount Robson Park (I) · Nemiskan Park · Point Pelee Park · 1Point Pleasant Park · Port Royal Park · Prince Albert Park · Rideau Park · Riverdale Park · Riverview Park · Rocky Mountains Park · Rondeau Park · Rosedale Park · Runnymede Park · Sibley Park · Stanley Park · Tweedsmuir Park · Westmount Park · Whiteshell Park · Withrow Park · Yamaska Park ·
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Revised type |
Argyle Park · Ashby Park · Baldwin Park · Evangeline Park · Hamilton Park · Mohawk Park (I) · Mulgrave Park · Rockland Park · Shakespeare Park · Sunset Park · Willow Park ·
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Scandinavian type |
Ainslie Park · Avondale Park · Beresford Park · Bloomfield Park · Cataraqui Park · Chigneto Park · Confederation Park · Crescent Park · Dufferin Park · Fawkner Park · Kelowna Park · Kensington Park · Lansdowne Park · Liscombe Park · Manitou Park · Mayfair Park · Montmorency Park · Oakmount Park · Rockcliffe Park · Rockwood Park · Taber Park · Taronga Park · Victoria Park · Wentworth Park · Woodland Park ·
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Tankers |
Eglinton Park · Millican Park · Nipiwan Park · Norwood Park · Otterburn Park · Springbank Park ·
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Victory type |
Arlington Beach Park1 · Aspen Park · Atwater Park · Beaton Park · Bowness Park · Brentwood Bay Park1 · Bridgeland Park · Buffalo Park · Clearwater Park1 · Connaught Park · Cornish Park · Coronation Park · Crystal Park · Cypress Hills Park1 · Dominion Park · Dorval Park · Dundurn Park · Dunlop Park · Earlscourt Park · Goldstream Park · Green Hill Park · Hastings Park · Kitsilano Park · Kootenay Park (II) · Leaside Park · Louisbourg Park · Mewata Park · Mission Park · Mohawk Park (II) · Montebello Park (II) · Moose Mountian Park1 · Mount Bruce Park1 · Mount Maxwell Park1 · Mount Robson Park (II) · Mount Royal Park1 · Parkdale Park · Queens Park · Queensborough Park · Quetico Park1 · Richmond Park · Salt Lake Park · Sapperton Park · Seacliff Park · Silver Star Park · 1Strathcona Park · Sunnyside Park · Tecumseh Park · Temagami Park · Tipperary Park · Tobiatic Park · Tuxedo Park · Wascana Park · Westbank Park · Westend Park · Weston Park · Westview Park · Whiterock Park · Wildewood Park1 · Willowdale Park1 · Windermere Park · Winnepegosis Park · Yoho Park (II) ·
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Unclassified |
Hector Park · Riding Mountain Park1 ·
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