SS Train Ferry No. 3

History
Name:	1917-1940:TSS Train Ferry No. 3 1940-1945:HMS Daffodil
Operator:	1917-1924:British Army War Office 1924-1934:Great Eastern Railway as Great Eastern Train Ferry Company Limited 1934-1940:London and North Eastern Railway 1940-1945: Royal Navy
Port of registry:
Builder:	Fairfield Govan
Yard number:	540
Launched:	12 September 1907
Out of service:	18 March 1945
Fate:	Sunk
General characteristics
Tonnage:	2,678 gross register tons (GRT)
Length:	350.5 feet (106.8 m)
Beam:	58.7 feet (17.9 m)

TSS Train Ferry No. 3 was a freight vessel built for the British Army War Office in 1917.^[1]

History

The ship was built by Fairfield Govan and launched on 12 September 1917. Along with her sister ships SS Train Ferry No. 1 and SS Train Ferry No. 2, they were the first vessels to offer regular transport between Britain and continental Europe for rail freight vehicles. They were ordered by the British Army to provide rail freight transport from Richborough harbour to the continent to sustain the war effort. They had four sets of rails along the train deck and used a link span to load when in harbour.

On 1 February 1919 she was involved in the rescue of British and American soldiers from the American transport Narrangansett which had gone ashore on Bembridge Point, Isle of Wight. ^[2]

After their use by the British Army ended in 1922, they were purchased by the Great Eastern Railway

The Great Eastern Railway was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway company in 1923 with its interest in the Great Eastern Train Ferry Company. The new service was inaugurated on 24 April 1924 by Prince George, Duke of Kent.^[3]

In 1934, the Great Eastern Train Ferry Company was liquidated and she was bought by the London and North Eastern Railway.

In 1940 she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Daffodil. In 1941 was converted to a Landing Craft carrier. She was sunk on 18 March 1945 off Dieppe, Seine Maritime, France. ^[4]

Approximate position of wreck

References