cargo ship COMMISSAIRE PIERRE LECOQ

Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes, 1920 - 1933

History

To replace the losses of ships during the first World War, the English government decides in December 1916 a vast new shipbuilding program standardized in some types easy and fast to realize. 800 orders are placed to the United Kingdom, Canada, the USA and Japan, whose names are preceded by the prefix WAR. 20 steel ships are built in Japan, from which 4 are taken again after the war by Messageries Maritimes (CHEF MECANICIEN MAILHOL, COMMANDANT MAGES, COMMISSAIRE PIERRE LECOQ, LIEUTENANT DE LA TOUR) and 1 with the Compagnie de Navigation Fabre (SYRIA). Launched in June 1917 under the name of WAR PRINCE for Shipping Controller and put under management of Furness Withy & Co. Acquired in January 1901 by Messageries Maritimes, baptized according to the name of the purser Pierre Lecoq, medal-holder of the rescue for his behaviour at the time of the typhoon met by the COLOMBO on 27 September 1910 and, transferred in the Air Force, killed during the battle on March 23, 1918. Assigned from 1920 to 1933 to the line Dunkerque-Far East. Sold in December 1933 to Kulukundis Shipping Co. and renamed MOUNT PELION under Greek flag. On the way from Halifax to Belfast in convoy SC107 torpedoed on November 2, 1942 by the german submarine U522 in the south east of Belle Isle (northern of Newfoundland) making 7 victims out of 39 men of crew. 12 ships of the convoy are sunk by a pack of 5 submarines.