SS Patroclus (1923)

History
United Kingdom
Name	Patroclus
Namesake	Patroclus
Owner	China Mutual SN Co
Operator	Alfred Holt & Co (1924–39) Royal Navy (1939–40)
Port of registry	Liverpool (1924–39)
Route	Liverpool – Far East
Builder	Scotts Shilbuilding & Eng Co
Yard number	518
Launched	17 March 1923
Completed	11 June 1923
Identification	UK official number 147218 code letters KPFD (until 1933) call sign GCXF (1934 onward)
Fate	Sunk by torpedoes 4 November 1940
General characteristics
Type	refrigerated cargo and passenger liner
Tonnage	11,314 GRT 6,912 NRT
Length	498.8 ft (152.0 m)
Beam	62.3 ft (19.0 m)
Depth	26.4 ft (8.0 m)
Propulsion	2 × steam turbines; twin screws
Speed	15.5 kn (28.7 km/h)
Capacity	155 first class passengers
Sensors and processing systems	wireless direction finding (by 1934)
Armament	as armed merchant cruiser: 6 × BL 6-inch Mk XII guns 2 × QF 3-inch 20 cwt AA guns
Notes	sister ships: Sarpedon, Hector and Antenor

SS Patroclus was a British steam turbine passenger and refrigerated cargo liner launched in 1923. She was the third of five ships to bear the name.^[1]

In the Second World War Patroclus served as an armed merchant cruiser. A U-boat sank her in November 1940 with the loss of 76 of her complement.