View source for Cameron-class steamship

{{More footnotes|date=October 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin |sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= SS Clan Buchanan SLV Green.jpg
|Ship caption= ''Clan Buchanan'' (1937)
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=
|Builder=[[Greenock Dockyard Company]]
|Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}} ([[WWII]])
|Class before=
|Class after=
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range= 1935–42
|In service range= 1936–70
|In commission range= 
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed= 20
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost= 9
|Total ships scrapped= 11
|Total ships preserved= 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=
|Ship type=[[Cargo ship]]
|Ship tonnage= 7,178 – 10,700 [[Gross register tonnage|GRT]]
|Ship length= {{convert|425|-|488|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|57|-|63|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draft={{convert|27|-|30|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship power= 
|Ship propulsion=*2 × 3-cylinder [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion engines]]
*2 × low-pressure exhaust [[Steam turbine#Marine propulsion|steam turbines]]; twin [[Propeller|screw]]
|Ship speed= {{convert|16|-|17.5|kn|mph km/h}}
|Ship range= 
|Ship endurance=
|Ship complement= 78
|Ship armament=
|Ship armour=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''Cameron-class steamships''' were a [[ship class|class]] of UK [[Cargo ship|cargo]] twin-[[Propeller|screw]] [[steamship]]s. They were designed for [[Clan Line]] and were also used by Scottish Shire Line and the [[Royal Navy]].

The [[Greenock Dockyard Company]] built all members of the class.

Most members of the class had two [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion engines]], each coupled to a low-pressure exhaust [[Steam turbine#Marine propulsion|steam turbine]]. The exception was ''Lanarkshire'', which was built with six turbines and no reciprocating engines,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/40/40a0552.pdf |year=1940 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers and Motorships |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] |accessdate=23 October 2020 |archive-date=27 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027022337/https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/40/40a0552.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Clan Line ships==
Clan line owned 16 Cameron-class ships. Ten were sunk in the Second World War.
*{{SS|Clan Macarthur||2}}, launched in 1935, sunk in the [[Indian Ocean]] by {{GS|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 {{ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Pinguin}} in 1941.
*''Clan Cameron'', launched in 1937, scrapped 1959.
[[File:SS Clan Campbell SLV Green.jpg|thumb|{{SS|Clan Campbell|1937|3}}]]
*{{SS|Clan Campbell|1937|2}}, launched in 1937, sunk by bombing off Malta 1942.
*''Clan Chattan'', launched in 1937, sunk by bombing off Crete in 1942.
*{{SS|Clan Chisholm|1937|2}}, launched in 1937, sailed in convoy from [[Gibraltar]] and torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-48|1939|2}} 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.
*{{SS|Clan Forbes|1938|2}}, launched in 1938, convoy duties to Malta and Piraeus disguised as the depot ship {{HMS|Maidstone|1937|6}} with a dummy funnel, scrapped in 1959.
*{{SS|Clan Fraser|1938|2}}, 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]] for the [[Normandy Landings]] in 1944 making six 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.

==Shire Line ships==
Two members of the class were built for Scottish Shire Line, which was closely associated with Clan Line:
*''Perthshire'', launched in 1936, suffered an engine room fire in 1963 and was scrapped in Japan in 1965.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1936&builder=119&ref=8447 |title=Perthshire |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=5 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505162627/http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1936&builder=119&ref=8447 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*''Lanarkshire'', launched in 1940, became Bullard, King's ''Umgazi'' in 1959. She was renamed ''Grysbok'' in 1960. [[Safmarine]] acquired her in 1961 and renamed her ''South African Farmer''. She was scrapped in Japan in 1963.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1940&builder=119&ref=8461 |title=Lanarkshire |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=5 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505162628/http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1940&builder=119&ref=8461 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Empire ships==
Three members of the class were launched and owned as [[Empire ship]]s.
*''Empire Song'', launched in 1940, owned by the [[Minister of Shipping|Ministry of Shipping]] and managed by Cayzer, Irvine. Taking part in the [[Malta convoys|Malta convoy]] Operation Tiger she was sunk by a mine in the Mediterranean in 1942.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1941&builder=119&ref=8462 |title=Empire Song |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=10 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110175200/https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1941&builder=119&ref=8462 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*''Empire Might'', launched in 1942, owned by the [[Ministry of War Transport]] and managed by [[Blue Star Line]]. Became Clan Line's ''Clan MacRae'' in 1946. Became Bullard, King's ''Umgeni'' in 1959. Renamed ''Gemsbok'' in 1960, ''South African Financier'' in 1961 and ''Santa Maria de Ordaz'' in 1962, then scrapped in 1962.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1942&builder=119&ref=8469&vessel=EMPIRE+MIGH |title=Empire Might |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=5 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505162626/http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1942&builder=119&ref=8469&vessel=EMPIRE+MIGH |url-status=live }}</ref>
*''Empire Wisdom'', launched in 1942, owned by the Ministry of War Transport and managed by Cayzer, Irvine. Blue Star Line took over management in 1944, and renamed her ''Royal Star'' in 1946. Renamed ''Caledonia Star'' in 1961. Scrapped in 1972.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1942&builder=119&ref=8470 |title=Empire Wisdom |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=5 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505162627/http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1942&builder=119&ref=8470 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Royal Navy ships==
[[File:HMS Athene 1943 AWM 302310.jpg|thumb|{{HMS|Athene}}, later ''Clan Brodie'']]
The [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] requisitioned three members of the class for the [[Royal Navy]] in 1942 while they were being built:
*{{HMS|Athene}} ([[Seaplane tender|seaplane depot ship]]), launched in 1940, returned to Clan Line in 1946 as ''Clan Brodie'', and scrapped in [[Hong Kong]] in 1963.
*{{HMS|Engadine|1941|6}} (seaplane depot ship), launched in 1941, returned to Clan Line in 1946 and renamed ''Clan Buchanan'', and scrapped in Spain in 1962.
*{{HMS|Bonaventure|F139|6}} ([[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.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web |url= http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersD2.html |last1=Houterman |first1=Hans |last2=Koppes |first2=Jeroen |title=Dawn to Deni |work=Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939–1945 |publisher=World War II Unit Histories}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/clanline5rev.html |last1=Bax |first1=John |last2=Robins |first2=Terry |title=Part Six |work=Clan Line |publisher=Merchant Navy Officers |access-date=26 February 2008 |archive-date=5 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305084806/http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/clanline5rev.html |url-status=dead }}

[[Category:Cameron-class steamships| ]]