SS Kirovograd

Kirovograd (Russian: Кировоград) was a 2,883 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1929 as Hercules by AG Weser, Bremen, Germany for Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun. She was seized by the British in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Dovey. In 1946, she was transferred to the Soviet Union under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement and renamed Kirovograd. She served until 1968, when she was scrapped.

History
Name
  • Hercules (1929-45)
  • Empire Dovey (1945-46)
  • Kirovograd (1946-68)
Owner
  • Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun (1939-40)
  • Kriegsmarine (1940)
  • Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun (1940-41)
  • Kriegsmarine (1941-42)
  • Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun (1942-45)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1945)
  • Ministry of Transport (1945-46)
  • Soviet Government (1946-68)
Operator
  • Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun (1939-40)
  • Kriegsmarine (1940)
  • Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun (1940-41)
  • Kriegsmarine (1941-42)
  • Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun (1942-45)
  • unknown manager (1945-46)
  • Soviet Government (1946-68)
Port of registry
  • Weimar Republic Bremen, Germany (1929-33)
  • Germany Bremen (1933-40)
  • Nazi Germany Kriegsmarine (1940)
  • Germany Bremen (1940-41)
  • Nazi Germany Kriegsmarine (1941-42)
  • Germany Bremen (1942-45)
  • United Kingdom London, United Kingdom (1945-46)
  • Soviet Union Soviet Union (1946-68)
BuilderAG Weser
Launched1929
Identification
  • United Kingdom Official Number 180601 (1945-46)
  • Code Letters GDYV (1945-46)
FateScrapped
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Tonnage
Length297 ft (91 m)
Beam46 ft (14 m)
PropulsionTriple expansion steam engine

Description

The ship was built in 1929 by AG Weser, Bremen.[1]

The ship was 297 feet (91 m) long, with a beam of 46 feet (14 m).[2] She was assessed at 2,883 GRT,[1] 1,616 NRT.[3]

The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine.

History

Hercules was built in 1929 for Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun, Bremen. In 1940, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine, returning to Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Neptun later that year. Hercules was requisitioned again in 1941 and returned to her owners again in 1942.[4]

In May 1945, she was seized by the Allies at Copenhagen, Denmark.[1] On 23 June she was declared a prize of war, along with her cargo,[5] which included 1½ tons of grease, which was sold by public tender in January 1946.[6] Hercules was passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Dovey.[1] The United Kingdom Official Number 180601 and Code Letters GDYV were allocated. Her port of registry was London.[3] In February 1946, Empire Dovey was transferred to the Soviet Union under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement.[7] She was renamed Kirovograd.[1] On 11 July 1960, she collided with the motor barge Gladys in the Medway Estuary off the Isle of Grain, Kent, United Kingdom. The barge sank.[8] Kirovograd served until September 1968, when she was scrapped in West Germany.[1]

References
  1. Mitchell, W.H.; Sawyer, L.A. (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p. not cited. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
  2. "EMPIRE - D - E". Mariners. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  3. "Signal Letters Database". Convoyweb. Retrieved 6 July 2011. (Enter GDYV or Empire Dovey in relevant search box)
  4. "Neptun Line / Dampfschifffahrts Gesellschaft Neptun 1873-1974 Bremen". The Ships List. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  5. "Public Notices". The Times. No. 50183. London. 2 July 1945. col F, p. 1.
  6. "Prize Court Sales". The Times. No. 50362. London. 29 January 1946. col F, p. 1.
  7. "Enemy Ships for Russia". The Times. No. 50376. London. 14 February 1946. col C, p. 2.
  8. "News in Brief". The Times. No. 54821. London. 12 July 1960. col G, p. 9.
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