s.s. 'Abonema' - A Wehrley postcard of the vessel loading coal at Nos. 19 and 20 tips of Penarth Dock during c.1908. [000] [002]

s.s. 'Abonema' was built at the yard of Irvine's Shipbuilding & Drydock Company Limited, West Hartlepool, Sunderland, and was launched on the 27th May 1907. She was a general cargo vessel with a gross registered tonnage of 2,982 (1,865 tons net.) belonging to Elder Dempster Lines Limited. The following year she was sold to the British and African Steam Navigation Company Limited, being under their ownership for twelve years. Following this she changed hands a number of times : Sapele (1920); San Jorge (1929); Santa Catharina (1934); Sirio and Kitty’s Brook (1941) She met her fate having been torpedoed by U-588 on the 9th or 10th of May 1942 whilst en-route New York to Argentia, Newfoundland, whilst loaded with a cargo of stores and with the loss of nine of her crew. She was of 324.7 ft. length x 45.9 ft. breath x 22.7 ft. depth.