Casgliadau Arlein

Starboard broadside view of S.S. EMPIRE CONNELL, at Cardiff Dock, about 1947/1948.

The 1,241 gross ton steamer Empire Connell was built at Sunderland in 1909 for Norwegian owners. Seized as a war prize during the Second World War, she was managed by Charles M. Willie & Co. from 1945 until 1947. Willie's main shipping activity today is the operation of regular liner services from UK ports to Spain and Portugal. (Source: Shipping at Cardiff: Photographs from the Hansen Collection 1920-1975 by David Jenkins, 1993).

S.S. EMPIRE CONNELL (998gt). Built 1908 as ODLAND by Sunderland Shipbuilding Ltd., Sunderland for Dampskibsakties Odland of Norway. 1922 - Sold to Borre Dampskibsselskap AS and renamed ODLAND 1. 1924 - Sold to Dampskibs AS Martha and renamed BRITA. 1928 - Sold to Rederi AB Väsby, Sweden. She retained her name but her port of registry was changed to Lergerbet. 1940 - On the 9th April BRITA was seized by the Germans at Bergen while en route from Sweden to France with a cargo of woodpulp. Germany assumed ownership and she was renamed DESIDERUS SIEDLER (managed by F.G. Rheinhold, Danzig). May 1945 - Seized by the Allies at Copenhagen. Transferred to MoWT and renamed EMPIRE CONNELL (managed by Charles M Willie & Co. Ltd). 1947 - Sold to H P Lenaghan & Sons Ltd, Belfast and renamed BALLYHOLME BAY. 1951 - Sold to Pattison Orient Line, Hong Kong and renamed LAURE PATTISON. She was broken up in 1952.