Suevic's History

Last (and largest) of the Jubilee Class -  following Afric, Medic, Persic and Runic off the stocks. Suevic was Constructed by Harland & Wolff (Belfast) and launched December 8th 1901.

Suevic made her maiden voyage to Australia on March 23rd, 1901. For a period, she served (as did her sister ships) transporting troops to and from South Africa during the Boer War.   

On March 17th, 1907, the vessel ran aground on Stag Rock (Maeheere Rocks) - as did the Bardic  on another occasion - after a navigational error and failure to take proper soundings. Strenuous efforts were made to refloat her and to save the badly damaged bow section. However, she could not be budged and was finally cut in two with dynamite - the aft section was towed to Southampton and joined to a new bow constructed by Harland & Wolff in Belfast. For a while, wits referred to Suevic as 'The longest ship in the World' - for her stern was in Southampton and her bow was in Belfast!

By January 14th, 1908, Suevic had returned to service. Her career was uneventful, but profitable until the outbreak of the Great War (World War I) in 1914.  She and her sister ships were kept in operation because they could carry both soldiers and frozen meat (being equipped with refrigerated holds) across the Atlantic.   

In March 1915, Suevic made a single trooping voyage to Mudros in the Mediterranean (a wartime destination for RMS Olympic during her spell as a troopship), as part of the Dardanelles campaign. For the duration of the war, Suevic served the British Empire under the Liner Requisition Scheme until 1919. When she was returned to White Star, Suevic was refitted and her passenger accomodations were redesigned.

In January 1920, Suevic resumed her regular pre-war route to Australia. For four years, Suevic remained on this run; completing her 50th voyage to Australia in March 1924.

Suevic was sold to Yngvar Hvistendahl’s Finnvahl A/S (a Norwegian company) for £35,000 in 1928 and converted into a whaling ship (renamed Skyttern)  at Krupp’s Germaniawerft in Kiel (Germany). In 1940, during World War II, she was interned in Gothenburg (Sweden) with other Norwegian vessels.

On the night of 31st March/1st April 1942, after a legal case heard in Sweden confirmed the rights of the exiled Norwegian Government and established the British Government's right to charter the detained ships, Skyttern and other Norwegian vessels  made a dash for neutral waters. Unfortunately, German naval forces had plenty of prior warning of the breakout. Armed trawlers intercepted the escaping ships and some were sunk. Skyttern developed steering problems (some sources suggest this was caused by sabotage) and was overhauled by a gunboat. It signalled demands for her to stop and then fired a shot which passed underneath the bridge and through the boatswain's cabin. Faced with a choice between being boarded or scuttling, the British officer in command of Suevic/Skyttern opted to send her to the bottom off Maseskjaer. He detonated pre-prepared explosive charges - but gave little or no warning; one man was killed and other members of the crew were injured by the blast and subsequent fire.

The former White Star vessel burned from stem to stern and sank. Her crew were captured and taken on board by the German boat (even though the incident took place in Swedish waters).