PS Duchess of Montrose



PS Duchess of Montrose was a paddle steamer launched in 1902 and operated by the Caledonian Steam Packet Company as a River Clyde excursion steamer. She saw active service during the First World War after being requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted into a minesweeper. She was lost near Dunkirk on 18 March 1917 after striking a mine.

Construction
In October 1901 the Caledonian Steam Packet Company invited tenders from six of the Clyde shipyards to build a replacement for the paddle steamer Meg Merrilies. On 29 October 1901 they accepted an offer made by John Brown & Company of Clydebank to build the ship for £19,572, and the keel was laid in Clydebank on 19 December 1901. The minutes of the Caledonian Steam Packet Company for 4 February 1902 record that: It was agreed, subject of the approval of Her Grace, the Duchess of Montrose, that the new steamer should be named Duchess of Montrose.Duchess of Montrose was launched on 8 May 1902 and achieved the contracted speed during trials on 4 June 1902.

Design
Duchess of Montrose was fitted with a triple-expansion steam engine incorporating four cylinders (two high-, one intermediate-, and one low-pressure) arranged in tandem to drive two cranks. This arrangement was considered more efficient than the conventional two-cylinder compound steam engine and provided greater manoeuvrability at piers. The use of relatively small paddle wheels, intended to save wear and tear, meant that Duchess of Montrose had a diminutive paddlebox and, in conjunction with a very vertical funnel, she was easily recognisable amongst the Clyde fleet. She featured saloons fore and aft and an open bow under the promenade deck.

Excursion steamer
Initially employed on the Ayr station, she went on to service both the Gourock and Wemyss Bay routes before being used for general railway connections further upstream.

Troopship
On 15 February 1915, along with Duchess of Argyll and Duchess of Hamilton, she was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a troopship and spent the first few months of her service ferrying troops from Southampton to France. It is reported that she initially arrived in Southampton in her Caledonian Steam Packet livery but was soon repainted naval grey.

Minesweeper
In May 1915 she was given the pennant number PP585 and converted into a minesweeper by Lieutenant Commander W G Rigg. This work involved having the end of her saloon cut away to main deck level and replaced with minesweeping equipment. From 14 July 1915 she was stationed at Dover under the command of Lieutenant Alexander Duff Thomson Royal Naval Reserve and from April 1916 she was stationed at Dunkirk.

Salvage of SS Sussex
Between 1 and 3 January 1917, PS Duchess of Montrose, HMS Myrmidon (1900), HMS Nepaulin, HMS Redcar, HMT Security assisted in the salvage of SS Sussex, each ship receiving a portion of the salvage money.

Loss
On the morning of Sunday 18 March 1917, Duchess of Montrose left Dunkirk harbour and at 9am began sweeping close to the Gravelines Buoy. She recovered five mines (from Barrage 248 laid by the U-Boat UB-12 ) before stopping for low water. Around an hour after she resumed sweeping, Duchess of Montrose hit a mine amidships, broke in two and sank in less than a minute. Her wreck lies at 51.05°N, 2.11667°W

Casualties
Thirty-one of the crew of Duchess of Montrose are reported to have been rescued, but twelve men were lost in the sinking.

Nine of those lost have no known grave and their names are recorded on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.


 * Norman MacDonald is buried at Dunkirk Town Cemetery (Grave Ref: I.I.7)
 * Cyril Hambly Panther is buried at Lewisham (Hither Green) Cemetery
 * Donald John MacLennan is buried at Scarp Burial Ground

The grave of William Earnest Sparkes is located at Dover (St James's) Cemetery; he is reported to have died of heart disease on 8 July 1917, four months after the sinking.

Bravery awards
Lieutenant Alexander Duff Thomson RNR received the Distinguished Service Cross on 2 July 1917 for minesweeping operations carried out in Duchess of Montrose between 1 June 1916 and 31 March 1917. His citation read: His zeal and attention to duties are above the average, and I have had personal experience of his coolness and resource. He was blown up in P.M.S. Duchess of Montrose and 10 days afterwards, as soon as a ship could be found for him, he was again sweeping in the area in which he was blown up.