The S.S. ST DAVID was a triple-screw turbine steamer built in 1906 by John Brown & Co. Ltd., Clydesbank for the Great Western Railway. She was one of four vessels built between 1906 and 1908 for the GWR’s newly-inaugurated service from Fishguard to Rosslare.
During World War 1 the S.S. St David saw service as a hospital shop bringing wounded service men home from France. When a replacement St David was built in 1932, this ship was then renamed Rosslare however it was not long before she was withdrawn from service and broken up in 1933
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I was intrigued by the comment from Keith Bennett. He says, “According to family history my
great grandfather Captain Mason brought the St David from Neyland to Fishguard Harbour when the port commenced operations in 1906.”
My great grandfather is also a Captain John Mason who was captain of the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry.
Surely this is the same person? In which case I’d be grateful to hear from Keith if that’s possible.
According to family history my great grandfather Captain Mason brought the St David from Neyland to Fishguard Harbour when the port commenced operations in 1906
My great-uncle, Captain Arthur Evans (b. 1875 Neyland. d. 1963 Goodwick), who was Commodore Captain of the GWR fleet at Fishguard Harbour and later Assistant Marine Superintendent in the Marine Department, commanded the s.s. St. David at the outbreak of WW1. According to the GWR Magazine, it states …..”At the outbreak of war Captain Evans was in command of the company’s turbine steamer St. David, which was requisitioned by the Admiralty for hospital work between England and France. He took the St. David out of Ostend shortly before the occupation of that port by the Germans, and the vessel was one of the last to leave before the enemy arrived. The s.s. St Andrew, to which Captain Evans was appointed early in the war, had some narrow escapes from mines and submarines, and was bombed by enemy aircraft both in Dover and Boulogne. However, she escaped undamaged.”
My great-uncle had a long and interesting sea-faring career before retiring to live at “Fairhaven”, Manorowen Road which has a beautiful view of the harbour and where I spent many summer holidays as a youngster.
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