Name Walter L M Russ Out of service 15 July 1945 Length 75 m | Builder Neptun AG Launched 1927 | |
Owner Ernst Russ (1927-45)
Ministry of War Transport (1945) Port of registry Hamburg (1927-33)
Hamburg (1933-45)
Hamburg (1945) Identification Code Letters RGKJ (1927-34)
Code Letters DHZG (1933-45) | ||
Walter L M Russ was a 1,538 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1927 by Neptun AG, Rostock, Germany for Ernst Russ. In 1945, she was seized by the Allies and passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). It was intended that she would be renamed Empire Concourse but she ran aground on 15 July 1945 at Grassholm in St George's Channel, and was wrecked.
Contents
Description
The ship was built in 1927 by Neptun AG, Rostock.
The ship was 246 feet 9 inches (75.21 m) long, with a beam of 40 feet 1 inch (12.22 m) a depth of 15 feet 5 inches (4.70 m). She had a GRT of 1,538 and a NRT of 890.
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had two cylinders of 19 5⁄16 inches (49.1 cm), 31 1⁄2 inches (80 cm) and 51 3⁄16 inches (130.0 cm) diameter by 35 7⁄16 inches (90.0 cm) stroke. The engine was built by AG Neptun.
History
Walter L M Russ was built for Ernst Russ, Hamburg. The Code Letters RGJK were allocated. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DHZG. On 2 March 1936, she was in collision with the German schooner Condor in the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal. The schooner sank.
Walter L M Russ was seized by the Allies in May 1945 at Schleswig. She was passed to the MoWT. It was intended that she would be renamed Empire Concourse. On 15 July 1945, Walter L M Russ ran aground at Grassholm, in the Bristol Channel and was wrecked. Nine crew were rescued by the Angle Lifeboat, Elizabeth Elson. James Watkins, the lifeboat's Coxwain, was awarded a RNLI Bronze Medal for his part in the rescue. Walter L M Russ lies in 33 feet (10 m) of water.