SS King Orry (1913)

TSS (RMS) King Orry (III) – the third ship in the history of the Company to bear the name – was a passenger steamer which served with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, until she was sunk during the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940.

Construction and dimensions
King Orry was built by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead who also supplied her engines and boilers, at a cost of £96,000. She had a registered tonnage of 1,600 GRT; length 313'; beam 43'; depth 16'11" and with a design speed of 21 knots.

King Orry had accommodation for 1,600 passengers, and a crew of 51.

Service life
King Orry was the last ship built for the Steam Packet before the outbreak of the First World War, and represented another move forward in the marine engineering design of the Steam Packet steamers, for she was the first of the Company's ships to be built with geared turbines. This gave her a low propeller speed while keeping a high turbine speed. Her twin screws were driven by two single-reduction geared turbine engines developing 9,400 i.h.p.

She had only begun to establish herself within the Company's fleet, when she was requisitioned by the Admiralty at the outbreak of war in 1914.

First World War
King Orry saw service in both World Wars. She was fitted out as an Armed Boarding Vessel by Cammell Laird's in late November 1914, and then made passage for Scapa Flow. There she spent her time on patrol, tending to the crews of stricken ships, challenging suspects, and putting prize crews aboard where appropriate.



On one occasion she sent men aboard a large vessel laden with 10,000 tons of wheat for Germany, and her prize crew took the vessel into Kirkwall. Then, diverted to patrol down the fringe of the German minefield off the Heligoland Bight, she challenged and boarded six ships in one day, and put a prize crew aboard an oil tanker which she then directed to the East Coast of England.

After the Battle of Jutland, the Royal Navy was ordered to undergo intensive gunnery practice, and the King Orry turned to the business of target towing. She was well suited to this field of work, and was able to move the largest target at more than 12 knots. She even accompanied the Grand Fleet on exercises and acted as a 'repeating ship', that is, she transmitted the flagship signals to the battle squadron in line astern.

In 1916, King Orry was disguised as a peaceful trader, substantially changed in appearance, and sent to patrol off Norway under the name Viking Orry. There she was tasked with intercepting ships carrying contraband to Germany down the Scandinavian approach. Through fair weather and foul, but more usually foul in those northern waters, the King Orry stayed on station, suffering much storm damage, until she was ordered to Liverpool for repairs. She reached what had been once her regular port of call, but not before a shore battery at New Brighton had put shots across her bow when she failed to give a satisfactory answer to questioning signals.

She continued this record for the rest of the War. When the German Empire's High Seas Fleet surrendered at Scapa Flow on 21 November 1918, she was the sole representative of the British mercantile marine at the capitulation ceremony.

Admiral Beatty awarded her the place of honour in the middle of the centre line. So a small Manx steamer took station, surrounded by the victorious British Grand Fleet. It was symbolic of the work and sacrifice of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company ships during the First World War.

Inter-war period
After the Great War, the King Orry returned to the Steam Packet Company and resumed her service operating to the numerous ports then served by the Company.

Her most startling mishap in peacetime, was her stranding near the Rock Lighthouse, New Brighton, while entering the Mersey on 19 August 1921.

She was extensively overhauled in 1934, and then converted from coal to oil burning in 1939, when King Orry found herself once again at war.

Second World War
The King Orry carried some armament as an ABV (Armed Boarding Vessel). She was under the command of Cdr. J. Elliot RNR and was sent to Dunkirk as the plight of the British Expeditionary Force became stark. On her first visit to the stricken port, she succeeded in getting into the harbour where she embarked 1,131 soldiers. The ship cast off and made for Dover in the early hours of 27 May. Shore batteries off Calais opened up on her, and succeeded in inflicting some damage, and there were casualties aboard. However, she was able to continue to Dover, where she docked just before noon.

King Orry returned to Dunkirk in the late afternoon of 29 May. On passage, she survived a dive bombing attack, and made for the East Pier. A second and heavier attack was then made on her. Her steering gear was put out of action and all bridge instruments and woodwork were shattered. Even then, after colliding with the pier, the King Orry was still able to secure alongside. More attacks followed.

When darkness fell it was possible to see where she had been holed and to make temporary repairs. But in this condition it was apparent she was a danger to shipping that was already in enough danger. There was a risk she may founder in the approach channel to the harbour, but none-the-less after midnight she was ordered to leave and her commander succeeded in getting the badly damaged vessel clear of the harbour entrance.

Soon however, she began to list heavily to starboard. Her engine room started to flood and she was abandoned. Shortly after 02:00hrs, 30 May 1940, she sank. Other ships in the crowded and turbulent waters closed in and survivors, including the four Manx engineers, were picked up.

The position of the wreck of King Orry is given as LAT:51°07'N LON:002°21'E.

Operation Dynamo, whilst widely regarded as the Steam Packet's "finest hour", also saw its blackest day. Three vessels were lost from the fleet on 29 May; SS Mona's Queen (1934), SS Fenella (1936) and King Orry.