Cameron-class steamship

SS Clan Buchanan (1937)
Class overview
Built:	1935–42
In service:	1936–70
Completed:	20
Lost:	at least 8
Retired:	all
Preserved:	0
General characteristics
Displacement:	7,178 – 10,700 GRT
Length:	425–488 ft (130–149 m)
Beam:	57–63 ft (17–19 m)
Draft:	27–30 ft (8.2–9.1 m)
Propulsion:	2 × 3-cylinder triple-expansion engines 2 × low-pressure exhaust steam turbines; twin screw
Speed:	16–17.5 knots (18.4–20.1 mph; 29.6–32.4 km/h)
Complement:	78

The Cameron-class steamers was a class of British cargo steamships. They were designed for Clan Line and were also used by Scottish Shire Line and the Royal Navy.

• Clan Macarthur, launched in 1935, sunk in the Indian Ocean by German submarine U-181 in August 1943.
• Clan Macaulay, launched in 1936, damaged by bombing at Malta, scrapped in 1963.
• Clan Buchanan, launched in 1937, sunk in the Indian Ocean by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin in 1941.
• Clan Cameron, launched in 1937, scrapped 1959.
• Clan Campbell, launched in 1937, sunk by bombing off Malta 1942.
• Clan Chattan, launched in 1937, sunk by bombing off Crete in 1942.
• Clan Chisholm, launched in 1937, sailed in convoy from Gibraltar and torpedoed and sunk by U-48 in October 1939.
• Clan Cumming, launched in 1937, convoy duties to Malta and Piraeus, torpedoed off Piraeus in January 1941 but reached port, sunk by mine in the Gulf of Athens April 1941.
• Clan Ferguson, launched in 1938, torpedoed and sunk by aircraft on a Malta convoy August 1942.
• Clan Forbes, launched in 1938, convoy duties to Malta and Piraeus disguised as HMS Maidstone with a dummy funnel, scrapped in 1959.
• Clan Fraser, launched in 1938, convoy duties to Malta and Piraeus. Hit by aerial bombs in Piraeus harbour in April 1941 whilst carrying a cargo of ammunition, exploded and sunk.
• Clan Menzies, launched in 1938, sunk by torpedo off Ireland in 1940.
• Clan Macdonald, launched in 1939, war service as Convoy Commodore ship on Mediterranean convoy to Piraeus 1941, thence to Brisbane and back to United Kingdom, bombed in UK, transferred to Houston Line in 1960, scrapped in China 1970.
• Clan Lamont, launched in 1939, served as a Landing Ship Infantry on D-Day making 6 crossings carrying troops, was commissioned as HMS Lamont in July 1944 and served in the Far East. She was restored to Clan Line 1947 and scrapped in Japan in 1961.

SS Clan Campbell

Two members of the class were built for Scottish Shire Line, which was closely associated with Clan Line:

• Perthshire, launched in 1936 and scrapped in Japan 1964.
• Lanarkshire, launched in 1940 and scrapped in Japan 1963.

HMS Athene, later Clan Brodie

The Admiralty requisitioned three members of the class for the Royal Navy in 1942 while they were being built:

• HMS Athene (seaplane depot ship), launched in 1940, returned to Clan Line in 1946 as Clan Brodie, and scrapped in Hong Kong in 1963.
• HMS Engadine (seaplane depot ship), launched in 1941, returned to Clan Line in 1946 and renamed Clan Buchanan, and scrapped in Spain in 1962.
• HMS Bonaventure (submarine depot ship for X-craft) launched in 1942, returned to Clan Line in 1948 as Clan Davidson, and scrapped in Hong Kong in 1963.

One other ship is a member of this class:

• Ocean Courier, launched in 1942, completed at Portland, Maine for the Ministry of War Transport, damaged by E-boat torpedo in English Channel 1944, transferred to Clan Line in 1948 and renamed Clan Macbean, scrapped 1960.

References

• Houterman, Hans; Koppes, Jeroen. "Dawn to Deni". Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939–1945. World War II Unit Histories.
• Bax, John; Robins, Terry. "Part Six". Clan Line. Merchant Navy Officers.