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Unnumbered Ships Photo Archive

HMS Bendish
ex-USS Santee
ex-USS Arvonian
ex-HMS Bendish

Freighter/"Q" Ship:

  • Built in 1905 as Rosedale by Richardson, Duck and Co., Ltd., Stockton-on-Tees, England
  • Launched 1 August 1905
  • Renamed Arvonian 1 September 1905
  • Acquired by the British Navy in August 1917 and renamed HMS Bendish
  • Acquired by the U.S. Navy 29 November 1917 and commissioned USS Arvonian the same day at the Admiralty Dockyard, Devonport, England
  • Renamed Santee 18 December 1917 and was fitted out as a decoy ("Q" Ship)
  • Decommissioned on 18 April 1918, returned to the Admiralty and renamed HMS Bendish
  • Resumed her former name, Arvonian in July 1919
  • Sold in November 1918 to the Rondda Shipping and Coal Exporting Co., Ltd. and renamed Brookvale
  • Sold in 1928 to Latvian owners and renamed Spidola
  • Captured by the Germans in 1943 and renamed Rudau
  • Sold in 1947 to Costa Rican interests and again renamed Spidola
  • Sold to German owners, (Walter Ritscher) and broken up at Hamburg, Germany in 1958.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 2,794 t.
  • Length 331'
  • Beam 47' 6"
  • Draft 20' 1"
  • Armament: Three 4" mounts, three 12-pounders, two .30 cal. machine guns and four 18" torpedo tubes
  • Propulsion: One triple-expansion Blair and Co., Ltd. steam engine, one shaft.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    SS Arvonian
    Santee 94k c. 1905 Joe Radigan
    USS Santee
    Santee 73k Painted in "dazzle" camouflage, circa late 1917 or early 1918
    Courtesy Captain David C. Hanrahan, USN, November 1929
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 41623    		 Robert Hurst
    Santee 114k Ship's after well deck awash, while being towed into Queenstown, Ireland after receiving torpedo damage on 27 December 1917
    Courtesy Captain David C. Hanrahan, USN, November 1929
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 41624
    Santee 89k View on board, taken after she was torpedoed on 27 December 1917, showing damage over her engine room hatch and boat destroyed by the torpedo explosion. HMS Bluebell is faintly visible in the right distance.
    Courtesy Captain David C. Hanrahan, USN, November 1929
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 41626
    Santee 91k Torpedo damage to the ship's hull, by her number six hold at the engine room bulkhead, taken while she was in drydock at Queenstown, Ireland, after being torpedoed 27 December 1917. The hole was 20 x 21 feet in size
    Courtesy Captain David C. Hanrahan, USN, November 1929
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 41625
    Santee 97k Ship's officers, wearing civilian clothing as part of Santee's disguise as an anti-submarine "decoy ship", circa late 1917 or early 1918
    Seated in front are (left to right): Lieutenant John R. Peterson, Jr., Executive Officer and Navigator; Commander David C. Hanrahan, Commanding Officer; and Lieutenant Robert E.P. Elmer, Gunnery Watch. Standing are (left to right): Acting Pay Clerk John P. Killeen; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Arthur D. Warwick, First Lieutenant of Watch; Assistant Surgeon Thomas L. Sutton, Medical Officer; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) James P. Compton, Torpedo Watch; and Machinist Charles C. Roberts, Engineer Officer
    Courtesy Captain David C. Hanrahan, USN, November 1929
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 41627    		 Bill Gonyo
    Santee 123k Ship's officers in U.S. Navy uniforms, with mascot dogs. Photographed on board Santee at Devonport dry dock, England, 20 February 1918
    Seated in front are (left to right): Lieutenant John R. Peterson, Jr.; Commander David C. Hanrahan, Commanding Officer; and Lieutenant Robert E.P. Elmer. Standing are (left to right): Acting Pay Clerk John P. Killeen; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Arthur D. Warwick; Assistant Surgeon Thomas L. Sutton, Medical Officer; Lieutenant James P. Compton; and Machinist Charles C. Roberts, Engineer Officer
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105428
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR David Carlisle Hanrahan, USN - USNA Class of 1898
    Awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal (1919) - Retired as Captain    		27 November 1917 - 8 April 1919
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    View the Arvonian
    DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by David Wright
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