SS Königin Luise (1896)

SS Königin Luise ("Queen Louise") was a Barbarossa-class ocean liner built in 1896 by Vulcan Shipbuilding Corp. of Stettin, Germany, for the North German Lloyd line of Bremen. She served on the company's Australian, Far East, and North Atlantic routes for nearly two decades.

For other ships with the same name, see SS Königin Luise.
Königin Luise arriving in Fremantle, 1919
History
German Empire
NameKönigin Luise
NamesakeQueen Louise of Prussia
OwnerNorddeutscher Lloyd
Builder
Yard number232
Launched17 October 1896
FateHanded to Great Britain as war reparations April 10, 1919
United Kingdom
NameKönigin Luise
OwnerUK Shipping Controller
OperatorOrient Steam Navigation Company London
Acquired1919
Renamed1921, Omar
FateSold to Byron SS Co. London, July 1924
United Kingdom
NameEdison
OwnerByron SS Co London
OperatorByron SS Co London
AcquiredJuly 1924
FateScrapped in Italy 1935
General characteristics
Class and typeBarbarossa-class ocean liner
Tonnage11,103 GRT
Length523.1 ft (159.4 m) p/p 552 ft (168 m) o/a
Beam60.1 ft (18.3 m)
Depth34.9 ft (10.6 m)
Installed power846 NHP, 8,000 hp or 6,000 kW
Propulsiontwo quadruple-expansion steam engines, twin screws
Speed15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement231

During World War I, Königin Luise was one of only two ships of her class to avoid being interned in neutral ports, spending the war in German ports. After the war, Königin Luise was allocated as war reparations to the United Kingdom, sold to the Orient Steam Navigation Company in 1921 and renamed Omar. She was sold again in 1924 to the Byron SS Co of London and operated on the Piraeus – New York service until scrapped in 1935.[1]

Königin Luise

Königin Luise was built by AG Vulcan for the North German Lloyd (NDL) line and completed 17 March 1896.

Along with her sister ships Friedrich der Grosse, Barbarossa and Bremen, the Königin Luise worked Australian, Far East, and North Atlantic routes for NDL. On Australian and Far East voyages she used the Suez Canal, and was one of the largest ships regularly using the canal.

At the outbreak of World War I Königin Luise was in port in Germany, thus avoiding internment, and due to the Royal Navy blockade, she was laid up. Following the Armistice, she was allocated as war reparations to the UK, and was surrendered to the UK Shipping Controller on 10 April 1919. She was allocated to the Orient Steam Navigation Company.

In mid 1919, she departed from Devonport, England, carrying Australian troops returning home, including Victoria Cross winner James Park Woods.[2] On 20 October 1919, British troops embarked her (now described as HT Konigin Luise) in India to travel to England. On 8 September 1920, during third London – Australia voyage, she collided at Lisbon with the British steamship Loughborough, which sank.

Omar

In January 1921 the ship was sold to the Orient Steam Navigation Company, which renamed her Omar.

Edison

The ship was again sold in July 1924 to Byron SS Co. of London, and renamed Edison. She worked the Piraeus – New York route until being scrapped in 1935 in Italy.

References
  1. Arnold Kludas. Great Passenger Ships of the World Vol 1 1858-1912. Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 18. ISBN 0-85059-174-0.
  2. Jarrett, Ian (21 April 2014). "Tale of two ships". The West Australian. Retrieved 31 December 2015.

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