SS Irish Willow (1917)

SS Irish Willow

Oil painting by Kenneth King from the deck of U-boat U-753, signalling to Irish Willow "send master and ships papers" National Maritime Museum of Ireland
History
United States
Name	Lake Sunapee
Owner	United States Shipping Board (1918–23)
Operator	United States Army (1918) United States Navy (1918–1919)
Launched	28 December 1917
Out of service	1921–23
United States
Name	Frank Lynch
Owner	W.J. Gray, San Francisco (1923–37)
Greece
Name	Nestor
Owner	George D. Gratsos and Co Ltd. (1937–38)
Estonia
Name	Otto
Owner	K. Jurnas (1938–1946)
Ireland
Name	Irish Willow
Owner	K. Jurnas; M/s Egon Jurgenson (1938–1946)
Operator	Irish Shipping Limited (1942–46)
Route	Saint John, New Brunswick to Ireland(1942–45)
Fate	Returned to owners 6 May 1946, then sold
Panama
Name	Veraguas
Owner	Cia de Vapores (1946–60)
Fate	26 July 1960 Broken up by J Boel et fils
General characteristics
Type	Lake freighter[2]
Tonnage	2,009 GRT 1,197 NRT 3,000 DWT[1]
Length	252 ft (76.8 m)
Beam	43 ft 5 in (13.2 m)
Depth	18 ft 9 in (5.7 m)
Decks	1
Propulsion	Triple-expansion steam engine 260nhp (1918–23) 6-cylinder 4 S.C.S.A. Werkspoor diesel engine by Pacific Diesel Engine Co, Oakland, California 253nhp (1923–38) T 3-cylinder by John Lewis and Son, Aberdeen 153nhp (1938–60)
Capacity	130,000 cubic feet (3,681 m3)

Irish Willow was one of the few ships which maintained Irish trade during World War II.

At the outbreak of World War II, sometimes referred to in Ireland as "The Emergency",^[3][4] Ireland declared neutrality and became isolated as never before.^[5] Although Ireland had a substantial food surplus, there were shortages of specific foods such as fruits, wheat and tea. There were very few Irish ships as shipping had been neglected^[6] since independence. Foreign ships which had transported Irish cargoes, before the war, were soon unavailable.

No country had ever been more effectively blockaded because of the activities of belligerents and our lack of ships ...

— Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Éamon de Valera, Saint Patrick's Day address 17 March 1940

Otto, an Estonian ship, was in Cobh when the Republic of Estonia was annexed by the USSR. In October 1941 trustees for the absent owners leased her to Irish Shipping. She was renamed Irish Willow,^[7] She made 18 voyages to Saint John, New Brunswick, returning with wheat. She also exported food to Britain and imported coal. Initially Irish ships sailed in British convoys. In the light of experience they chose to sail alone, relying on their neutral markings. German respect for that neutrality varied from friendly to tragic.