View source for SS City of Bradford (1903)

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}} 
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= A. J. Jansen - The 'City of Bradford' LLR NELMS A 82.jpg
|Ship caption= Painting of ''City of Bradford'' by AS Jansen
}} 
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header= 
|Ship country= 
|Ship flag= 
|Ship name= *1903: ''City of Bradford''
*1916: ''Donau''
*1919: ''City of Bradford''
*1936: ''Hanne''
|Ship namesake= *1903: [[Bradford]]
*1916: [[Danube]]
|Ship owner= *1903: [[Great Central Railway]]
*1923: [[London and North Eastern Railway|LNER]]
*1936: Near East Shipping Co
|Ship operator= *1903: FM Barwick
*1914: {{flagicon|German Empire|naval}} [[Imperial German Navy]]
*1919: FM Barwick
*1923: Joseph Man
*1933: Edward Rutter
*1936: Louis Sangursky
|Ship registry= *1903: {{flagicon|UK|civil}} [[Port of Grimsby|Grimsby]]
*1936: {{flagicon|UK|civil}} [[Port of London|London]]
|Ship route= [[Port of Grimsby|Grimsby]] – [[Port of Hamburg|Hamburg]]
|Ship ordered= 
|Ship builder= [[Earle's Shipbuilding|Earle's Shipbldg & Eng Ltd]], [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]]
|Ship original cost= 
|Ship yard number= 483
|Ship laid down= 
|Ship launched= 23 July 1903
|Ship sponsor= 
|Ship completed= September 1903
|Ship maiden voyage= 
|Ship acquired= 
|Ship in service= 
|Ship out of service= 
|Ship reclassified= WW1: [[repair ship]], [[Ship's tender|tender ship]], escort ship
|Ship refit= 
|Ship identification= *UK [[official number]] 118913
*[[code letters]] VFRM (until 1933)
*{{ICS|Victor}}{{ICS|Foxtrot}}{{ICS|Romeo}}{{ICS|Mike}}
*[[Maritime call sign|call sign]] MCXZ (1934 onward)
*{{ICS|Mike}}{{ICS|Charlie}}{{ICS|X-ray}}{{ICS|Zulu}}
|Ship fate= Sunk by air attack 1942
|Ship notes= 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type= [[Passenger ship]]
|Ship tonnage= *1903: {{GRT|1345}}, {{NRT|731}}
*1913: {{GRT|1349}}, {{NRT|739}}
*1923: {{GRT|1360}}, {{NRT|677}}
|Ship displacement= 
|Ship length= {{cvt|256.5|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{cvt|34.5|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught= {{cvt|17|ft|10|in|abbr=on|2}}
|Ship depth= {{cvt|15.7|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship decks= 1
|Ship power= 356 [[Horsepower#Nominal horsepower|NHP]]
|Ship propulsion= [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion steam engine]]
|Ship speed= {{convert|14|kn|km/h}}
|Ship capacity= 
|Ship crew= 
|Ship armament= [[Defensively equipped merchant ship|DEMS]]
|Ship sensors= [[Submarine signals|submarine signalling]]
|Ship notes= [[sister ship]]: {{SS|City of Leeds|1903|2}}
}}
|}

'''SS ''City of Bradford''''' was a [[Great Britain|British]] [[Passenger ship|passenger]] and [[cargo ship|cargo]] [[steamship]] that was built in [[Yorkshire]] in 1903, renamed '''''Donau''''' in 1916, reverted to ''City of Bradford'' in 1919 and became '''''Hanne''''' in 1936.

In the [[World War I|First World War]] the [[Imperial German Navy]] captured her and used her as an [[auxiliary ship]]. In the [[World War II|Second World War]] she was sunk by an air attack in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] in 1942.

==Building==
In 1903 [[Earle's Shipbuilding]] and Engineering of [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]], [[Yorkshire]] built a pair of ferries for the [[Great Central Railway]]. ''City of Leeds'' was launched on 8 June 1903.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19030609/129/0008 |title=Relations with the West Riding |url-access=subscription |newspaper=[[Yorkshire Post]] and Leeds Intelligencer |place=Leeds |date=9 June 1903 |access-date=10 November 2015 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://shippingandshipbuilding.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=202252&vessel=CITY+OF+LEEDS |title=City of Leeds |work=Shipping and Shipbuilding |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> Jane Robinson,{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} wife of the Great Central's [[chief mechanical engineer]] [[John G. Robinson]], launched ''City of Leeds''{{'}} [[sister ship]] ''City of Bradford'' on 23 July.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19030724/027/0004 |title=Earle's Co. and the "City of Bradford" |url-access=subscription |newspaper=[[Hull Daily Mail]] |place=Hull |date=24 July 1903 |access-date=10 November 2015 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref><ref name=SAS>{{cite web |url= http://shippingandshipbuilding.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=202251&vessel=CITY+OF+BRADFORD |title=City of Bradford |work=Shipping and Shipbuilding |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref>

''City of Bradford''{{'}} registered length was {{cvt|256.5|ft|abbr=on}}, her [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] was {{cvt|34.5|ft|abbr=on}} and her depth was {{cvt|15.7|ft|abbr=on}}. As built, her [[tonnage]]s were {{GRT|1341}} and {{NRT|735}}. She was [[Ship registration|registered]] at [[Port of Grimsby|Grimsby]]. Her UK [[official number]] was 118913 and her [[code letters]] were VFRM.<ref>{{cite book |author=Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen |year=1904 |title=Mercantile Navy List |page=79 |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=City+of+Bradford&year=1904&submit=Enter |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |via=Crew List Index Project |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref>

==GCR and LNER career==
''City of Leeds'' and ''City of Bradford'' ran scheduled services between [[Port of Grimsby|Grimsby]] and [[Port of Hamburg|Hamburg]]. In 1913 ''City of Bradford''{{'}}s tonnages were revised to {{GRT|1349}} and {{NRT|739}}.<ref>{{cite book |author=Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen |year=1913 |title=Mercantile Navy List |page=107 |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=City+of+Bradford&year=1913&submit=Enter |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |via=Crew List Index Project |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref>

When the First World War began at the end of July 1914, ''City of Leeds'' was caught unawares. The German Navy captured her off [[Heligoland]]{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} and took her to Hamburg as a [[Prize (law)|prize]]. She was converted into a naval [[repair ship]], then a [[Ship's tender|tender ship]] and finally an escort ship. By 1916 she had been renamed ''Donau''. In 1919 she was returned to Grimsby and her name was reverted to ''City of Bradford''.<ref name=SAS/>

In 1923 ''City of Bradford''{{'}}s tonnages were revised again to {{GRT|1360}} and {{NRT|677}}.<ref>{{cite book |author=Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen |year=1923 |title=Mercantile Navy List |page=103 |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=City+of+Bradford&year=1923&submit=Enter |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |via=Crew List Index Project |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> In the same year the Great Central became part of the new [[London and North Eastern Railway]] (LNER), and ''City of Bradford'' became part of its fleet.{{sfn|Harnack|1930|p=413}}

By 1930 ''City of Bradford'' was equipped for [[wireless telegraphy]] and her navigation equipment included [[Submarine signals|submarine signalling]].<ref>{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0255.pdf |year=1930 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers and Motor Ships |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] |via=[[Southampton City Council]] |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> In 1934 the [[Maritime call sign|call sign]] MCXZ superseded her code letters.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/34/34b0191.pdf |year=1934 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers and Motor Ships |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] |via=[[Southampton City Council]] |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> From 1935 [[Associated Humber Lines]] managed her.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

==Near East Shipping Company==
In 1936 the LNER sold ''City of Bradford'' to the Near East Shipping Co, which was managed from [[Port of Haifa|Haifa]] in [[Mandatory Palestine|Palestine]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen |year=1937 |title=Mercantile Navy List |page=184 |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=Hanne&year=1937&submit=Enter |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |via=Crew List Index Project |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> Her new owner renamed the ship ''Hanne'' and registered her in [[Port of London|London]].<ref>{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/36/36b0968.pdf |year=1936 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers and Motor Ships |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] |via=[[Southampton City Council]] |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref>

In the Second World War ''Hanne'' was in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]. In November 1940 she was part of Convoy AS 5 from [[Port of Piraeus|Piraeus]] to [[Port Said]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/misc/index.html?yy.php?convoy=AS.5/1!~miscmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy AS.5 |work=Shorter Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> In February 1942 she was part of Convoy AT 29 from [[Alexandria Port|Alexandria]] to [[Tobruk]].<ref name=Hague>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/at/index.html?at.php?convoy=29/M!~atmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy AT.29 |work=AT Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, Convoyweb |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref>

Convoy AT 29 comprised only three merchant ships: the Palestinian ''Alisa'', Danish ''Bintang'', and ''Hanne''. It had no naval escort. The three ships left Alexandria on 20 February 1942.<ref name=Hague/> Two days later German aircraft attacked the convoy, sinking ''Hanne'' off the coast of [[Kingdom of Egypt|Egypt]] and ''Bintang'' off the coast of [[Italian Libya|Libya]]. Four members of ''Hanne''{{'}}s crew and 19 members of ''Bintang''{{'}}s crew were killed.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?131886 |last1=Vleggeert |first1=Nico |last2=Allen |first2=Tony |title=MV Bintang [+1942] |work=Wrecksite.eu |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?132079 |last1=Vleggeert |first1=Nico |last2=Allen |first2=Tony |title=SS Hanne (+1942) |work=Wrecksite.eu |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |last1=Duckworth |first1=Christian |last2=Langmuir |first2=Graham |year=1968 |orig-year=1948 |title=Railway and other Steamers |place=Prescot |publisher= T Stephenson and Sons |isbn=978-0901314123}}
*{{cite book |last=Harnack |first=Edwin P |orig-year=1903 |year=1930 |title=All About Ships & Shipping |place=London |publisher=[[Faber and Faber]] |edition=3rd}}

{{LNER Ships}}
{{February 1942 shipwrecks}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:City of Bradford}}
[[Category:1903 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in February 1942]]
[[Category:Passenger ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships of Associated Humber Lines]]
[[Category:Ships of the Great Central Railway]]
[[Category:Ships built in Kingston upon Hull]]
[[Category:Ships of the London and North Eastern Railway]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German aircraft]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Egypt]]
[[Category:Steamships of Germany]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War I auxiliary ships of Germany]]
[[Category:World War II merchant ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Cargo ships sunk by aircraft]]