SS Vandyck (1911)

Vandyck, Vauban and Vestris were intended for Lamport and Holt's service between Liverpool and Buenos Aires via Vigo and Leixões and Lisbon. But in 1911 the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company had taken over Lamport and Holt. RMSP chartered Vauban for a new and quicker service between Southampton and the River Plate. For this Vauban was briefly renamed Alcala and repainted in RMSP colours. By the end of 1913 RMSP had returned Vauban to Lamport and Holt and restored her to her original name and colours. However, RMSP effectively forced L&H out of the route between Britain and the River Plate.^[6] Lamport and Holt then transferred Vandyck, Vauban and Vestris to strengthen its service between New York and the River Plate via Barbados and Trinidad, where they became the largest and most luxurious ships on the route.^[4]

By 1914 Vandyck was equipped for wireless telegraphy, operating on the 300 and 600 metre wavelengths. Her call sign was MJY.^[10]

In July 1914 World War I began, and on 26 October that year the German cruiser SMS Karlsruhe intercepted Vandyck about 690 miles west by south of St Paul's Rocks.^[11][7] Vandyck was en route from Buenos Aires to New York carrying more than 200 passengers, most of whom were US citizens, and a cargo including more than 1,000 tons of frozen meat. Karlsruhe's crew transferred Vandyck's passengers and crew to the steamship Ascuncion, which took them to Pará in Brazil, where they landed on 1 November. Karlsruhe also took much of Vandyck's cargo, particularly the frozen meat. On 27 October Karlsruhe's crew sank Vandyck^[11] off the Brazilian state of Maranhão.^[7]

• Dunn, Laurence (1973). Merchant Ships of the World in Colour 1910–1929. London: Blandford Press Ltd. ISBN 0-7137-0569-8.
• Heaton, Paul M (2004). Lamport & Holt Line. Abergavenny: PM Heaton Publishing. ISBN 1-872006-16-7.
• The Marconi Press Agency Ltd (1914). The Year Book of Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony. London: The Marconi Press Agency Ltd.