Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Co. Ltd – ships built, wrecked during WW2
HF with thanks to Mike T: The excellent website wrecksite lists 26 ships built at the HK & Whampoa Docks which were subsequently permanently disabled/sunk during World War 2.
At the time of their demise these ships were Australian, British, Dutch, German, Japanese, Norwegian or Thai.
The ships were lost because of:- “air-raid, foundered, gunfire-shelled, mined, ran aground (wrecked), scuttled or torpedo”
The oldest ship was built in 1914 and the newest in 1941.
The link below gives a description of how and where each ship was lost plus further information.
http://www.wrecksite.eu/ownerBuilderView.aspx?1152
Related Indhhk articles – WW2
- World War Two – 1945 BAAG report – dairy supplies in occupied HK
- World War Two – 1945 BAAG report – intro and contents
- World War Two – 1945 BAAG report on Dockyards in occupied Hong Kong
- World War Two – 1944 BAAG reports – Four HK Shipyards
- HK Industry during World War Two
- Hong Kong Industry during World War Two – Transport
- World War Two – Hong Kong Industrial Images from the Imperial War Museum
- World War Two – BAAG, Mateys and Allied attempts to disrupt Hong Kong Dockyards
- CLP’s Hok Un Power Station – immediately post World War Two
Hi,
I am interested in two water boats built for Hammer & Co of Singapore Daisy and Heather. They were built circa 1938. The official number for Daisy was 06556, I believe. Both escaped Singapore as it fell to the Japanese. Daisy was scuttles at the mouth of the Djambi river but raised post war and returned to her owners. I believe she was finally scrapped in the 1950’s.
Essentially I am interested in any and all available surviving information on these ships. Are there any surviving pictures of these ships that are available to download or to purchase? How many men would have been a “normal” crew for them?
Any suggestions where I can find further information on these ships would be gratefully received.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Both Daisy and Heather were built by Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Co for W. Hammer & Co. Ltd. in 1938. Both ships were identical with machinery aft, 163 gross tons, 59 net tons and were 100.3 x 22.1 x 8.7 L X B X depth in feet. Both had Crossley 5 cylinder oil (diesel) engines. Both were registered in Singapore. I don’t have their official numbers, but 06556 does not look correct to me- British registered ships (and Straits Settlements was included in British registry with blocks of numbers reserved for the Colonies) were 6 numbers and the numbering in 1938 for Singapore was around 132000.
Daisy left Singapore pm on 13/2/42 with refugees and was scuttled in the Djambi River. 16/2/42. The ship was raised by the Japanese and used as a dumb (non self propelled) lighter and was refitted and returned to service after the war. I have no information on her final fate- you might advise your source on her being scrapped in the 1950’s (that would be logical).
Heather departed Singapore 13/2/42 (“Black Friday”) after hurried conversion to a hospital launch carrying patients to Muar Atebo and then ferried wounded from Pompong is (bear where several large refugee ships had been sunk). On 25/2/42 the ship arrived Dabo and took 51 patients to Djambi. The ship is presumed scuttled Djambi on 26/2/42. The ship was refloated by the Japanese and recovered after the war.
There are no prize court proceedings for either Daisy or Heather but many of the prize court records for the Singapore area are missing.
Crew numbers are unknown. A typical crew size for an English motor coaster at this time was 8 but a pumpman and probably assistant would be required so say 10. Labour was cheaper in the Far East so it is possible there were more.
I don’t have photos of either Daisy or Heather unfortunately. I do have a photo of a Hong Kong water-boat (taken 1935) but am unclear on copyright so not in a position to share on this forum.