Ship

• Built by Cantieri Riuniti del Adriatico Shipyard, Triest-Monfalcone, Italy
• Keel laid: March 1934
• Completed in August 1935
• Length: 162 m, 526 feet
• Breadth: 70 feet
• Draught: 24 feet
• Displacement: 14,294 tons
• Main engine: Sulzer
• Speed: 18 knots
• Passengers: 796 (first class 46, second class - tourist 370, third class 400)
• Crew: 350
• One of the first ships of her type with an indoor swimming pool. She was lavishly decorated by contemporary Polish artists.

History

• Named: Pilsudski for the Gdynia-America Line
• First voyage, a transatlantic crossing from Gdynia to New York on September 15th 1935. The second east-west crossing encountered storms in the Atlantic which revealed certain shortcomings with the vessel, of a structural nature and of the quality of seaworthiness in poor weather. It was necessary for repairs to be undertaken at New York prior to the next sailing. A round trip Gdynia - New York - Gdynia sailing would take about twenty five days, approximately ten round trips per year were completed. Summer cruises were also made to the Norwegian fjords and Christmas/New Year cruises to the Caribbean.
• 1939 Confiscated by the United Kingdom as part of the war effort and converted in Newcastle to carry troops. Painted in wartime black and grey. Commandeered by the British Government for military use, using their Polish crews.
• 26.11.1939 at 4:36am she struck two mines and sank, approximately 25 miles from Withernsea on her first journey from Newcastle to New Zealand, in thirty three metres of water at 53.45.75N & 00.45.67E. At the time there were 163 crew (including 7 British sailors) onboard plus soldiers - the exact number of which is still unknown. There is also some speculation that more passengers boarded the ship just before it sailed. It is reported possibly the ship had a cargo of iron & steel on her outward voyage. After the explosions the ship began listing to port, and although giving the impression that it would sink quickly it lingered for several hours before finally sinking. Of the crew on board all but two survived, despite the choppy seas the close proximity of other ships and naval vessels allowed for timely rescue of the crew. Captain Mamert Stankiewicz was one of the last people to leave the stricken ship, and clung to a life raft until he was rescued by a ship travelling to Hartlepool. The captain who died from hypothermia after being rescued.
• She is reputedly the largest wreck off the Yorkshire Coast. The bow and midships remains intact, though collapsing of the decks is occurring. The stern is broken off.