# SMS Teodo

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Collier

History Austria-Hungary Name SMS Teodo Namesake Teodo (Tivat) Builder Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino (STT), Trieste Yard number 501 Laid down 14 March 1914 Launched 8 January 1915 Completed 17 February 1916 Fate Ceded to Italy as war reparation, 1921 History Name 1921: Teodo 1924: Barbana 1926: Barbana G 1940: Empire Airman Owner 1921: Italian Government, Ministry of Transport 1924: Ministry of Marine, Italy 1926: Società Anonima di Navigazione Garibaldi, Genoa 1940: Ministry of War Transport Operator Owner operated except:- Mark Whitwill & Son Ltd, Bristol (1940) Port of registry 1921: Genoa 1940: Newcastle upon Tyne Identification Italian official number 1496 (1926-40) UK Official Number 165788 (1940) Code letters NFVG (1926-40) Code letters GLZT (1940) Fate Sunk, 23 September 1940 General characteristics Tonnage 6,561 GRT Displacement 13,200 tons[1] Length 449 ft 8 in (137.06 m) Beam 55 ft 6 in (16.92 m) Depth 34 ft 1 in (10.39 m) Propulsion 1 × triple-expansion steam engine (STT) 369 hp (275 kW) Speed 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) Complement 112 (as SMS Teodo)[1] Crew 37 (as Empire Airman)[2]

Approximate location of the sinking of *Empire Airman*.

**SMS *Teodo*** was a 6,561-ton [collier](/source/Collier_(ship_type)) built in 1915 for the [Austro-Hungarian Navy](/source/Austro-Hungarian_Navy). She was ceded to Italy in 1921 as a [war reparation](/source/War_reparation). She was renamed ***Barbana*** in 1924 and ***Barbana G*** in 1926. In 1940, she was seized by the United Kingdom and renamed ***Empire Airman***. On 21 September 1940, *Empire Airman* was torpedoed and sunk by the [German submarine *U-100*](/source/German_submarine_U-100_(1940)).

## History

SMS *Teodo* was built by [Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino](/source/Stabilimento_Tecnico_Triestino), [Trieste](/source/Trieste) as yard number 501 and launched on 8 January 1913, being completed on 17 February 1916.[3] SMS *Teodo* was a Pola Class collier of the [Austro-Hungarian Navy](/source/Austro-Hungarian_Navy).[4] At the end of the [First World War](/source/First_World_War), under Article 137 of the [Treaty of Saint-Germain](/source/Treaty_of_Saint-Germain-en-Laye_(1919)), SMS *Teodo* was classed as a merchant ship[5] and passed to the Italian Government Ministry of Transport. In 1924, she was passed to the Italian Ministry of Marine and renamed *Barbana*. In 1926, she was sold to the Società Anonima di Navigazione Garibaldi, Genoa and renamed *Barbana G*.[2] On 6 November 1929, she collided with the Italian cargo ship [*Atlantide*](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SS_Atlantide_(1898)&action=edit&redlink=1) in the [Nieuwe Waterweg](/source/Nieuwe_Waterweg) at [Rotterdam](/source/Rotterdam), [South Holland](/source/South_Holland), Netherlands. *Atlantide* was consequently beached.[6] *Barbana G* was captured off [Leith](/source/Leith) and taken to [Methil](/source/Methil)[2] on 10 June 1940 and passed to the [Ministry of War Transport](/source/Ministry_of_War_Transport), being renamed *Empire Airman*[7] under the management of Mark Whitwill & Sons Ltd, [Bristol](/source/Bristol).[8]

### Convoys

[Convoy HX 72](/source/Convoy_HX_72) sailed from [Halifax, Nova Scotia](/source/Halifax%2C_Nova_Scotia) on 9 September 1940.[9] *Empire Airman* was carrying a cargo of iron ore,[9] she was bound for [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff).[10] At 00:22 on 22 September, *Empire Airman* was hit by a torpedo fired by the [German submarine *U-100*](/source/German_submarine_U-100_(1940)). The ship was taken in tow but sank on 23 September at [55°11′N 15°07′W / 55.183°N 15.117°W / 55.183; -15.117](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=SMS_Teodo&params=55_11_N_15_07_W_). Thirty-three of the thirty-seven crew were killed in the attack. Four survivors were rescued by [HMS *La Malouine*](/source/HMS_La_Malouine).[2] Those lost on *Empire Airman* are commemorated at the [Tower Hill Memorial](/source/Tower_Hill_Memorial), London.[11]

## Official number and code letters

Official Numbers were a forerunner to [IMO Numbers](/source/IMO_ship_identification_number). *Barbana G* had the Official Number 1496 on the Italian register.[12] *Empire Airman* had the Official Number 165788 on [Lloyds Register](/source/Lloyds_Register).[8] *Barbana G* used the [Code Letters](/source/Code_Letters) NFVZ.[12] *Empire Airman* used the Code Letters GLZT[8]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Stile_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Stile_1-1) ["Teodo 17 Feb 1916"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060220041416/http://www.stile.coventry.ac.uk/cbs/staff/beech/ahnavy/teodo.htm). stile.coventry.ac. Archived from [the original](http://www.stile.coventry.ac.uk/cbs/staff/beech/ahnavy/teodo.htm) on 20 February 2006. Retrieved 19 December 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Uboat_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Uboat_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Uboat_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Uboat_2-3) ["Empire Airman"](http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/549.html). uboat.net. Retrieved 19 December 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Miramar_3-0)** ["1165788"](https://www.miramarshipindex.nz/ship/1165788). [Miramar Ship Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Miramar). Retrieved 19 December 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Pola_4-0)** ["Colliers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090125122547/http://hicon.pl/~pothkan/hhwn/AH-Aux.html). hicon.pl. Archived from [the original](http://www.hicon.pl/~pothkan/hhwn/AH-Aux.html) on 25 January 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Germaine_5-0)** ["Treaty of Peace between the Allied and Associated Powers and Austria; Protocol, Declaration and Special Declaration"](http://www.emersonkent.com/historic_documents/saint_germain_1919.pdf) (PDF). emersonkent.com. Retrieved 19 December 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Times071129a_6-0)** "Casualty reports". *The Times*. No. 45354. London. 7 November 1929. col. A, p. 25.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Mariner_7-0)** ["Empire - A"](http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/EmpireA.html). Mariners. Retrieved 19 December 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Airman_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Airman_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Airman_8-2) ["NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS"](https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/40/40a1056.pdf) (PDF). Plimsollshipdata. Retrieved 19 December 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Purnell_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Purnell_9-1) Purnell, Tom. ["Canonesa, Convoy HX72 & U-100"](https://canonesa.uk/). *canonesa.uk*. Retrieved 18 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ubootwaffe_10-0)** ["EMPIRE AIRMAN"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070325064050/http://ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=100;nr=13). Ubootwaffe.net. Archived from [the original](http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=100;nr=13) on 25 March 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-THM_11-0)** ["Ship Index A-F"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111006025450/http://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hill/Ship%20Index%20A-F.html). Brian Watson. Archived from [the original](http://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hill/Ship%20Index%20A-F.html) on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Barbanag_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Barbanag_12-1) ["NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS"](https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0124.pdf) (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 19 December 2008.

## External links

- [List of dead from *Empire Airman*](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/annemariepurnell/canmem3.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20081007042636/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/annemariepurnell/canmem3.html) 7 October 2008 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

Pola-class colliers Pola Teodo List of ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1929 Shipwrecks 2 Jan: Malakoff 16 Jan: Hsin Wah 12 Feb: Alloway 19 Feb: Kanowna 22 Mar: I'm Alone 25 Mar: Muggia 29 Mar: Selje 26 May: Aleutian 9 Jul: HMS H47 17 Jul: USS General Alava 1 Aug: Asakaze 30 Aug: San Juan 7 Sep: Kuru 9 Sep: Andaste 11 Sep: Acielle 2 Oct: Commandant Bultinck 22 Oct: Milwaukee 29 Oct: Wisconsin 31 Oct: Senator 4 Nov: Gilbert San 29 Nov: Norwich City 7 Dec: Ägir 18 Dec: Fort Victoria Unknown date: San Antonio Other incidents 5 Jan: Siboney 20 Jan: President Garfield 29 Jan: City of Cairo 28 Feb: Liberty Glo 7 Mar: Thétis 10 Mar: Pengreep 22 Mar: USCGC Dexter 25 Mar: Germaine L D 26 Mar: Europa 28 Mar: Libia 30 Mar: Naïade 6 Apr USS Childs 7 Apr Paris 18 Apr Paris 27 Apr: Duchess of Richmond April (unknown date) Franconia 15 May: Irwell May (unknown date): Duke of Lancaster, Duke of Rothesay 9 Jul: HMS L12 11 Jul: I-55, Kinugasa 3 Aug: Medway Queen 9 Aug: Viceroy of India 20 Aug Paris September (unknown date): Binnendijk, Eider 5 Oct: NRP Adamastor 12 Oct: USFS Widgeon 13 Oct: Empress of Canada 19 Oct: Bowes Castle 20 Oct: USAT Liberty 6 Nov: Barbana G 13 Nov: Ro-63 22 Nov: Parizhskaya Kommuna 7 Dec: Aba 18 Dec: Algonquin 24 Dec: Roosevelt 1928 1930

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in June 1940 Shipwrecks 1 Jun: HMS Basilisk, Foudroyant, HMS Havant, Ioanna, HMS Keith, Scotia 7 Jun: HMS Carinthia 8 Jun: HMS Acasta, HMS Ardent, HMS Glorious, HMT Juniper 9 Jun: Max Wolf, Prins Olav 10 Jun: Olterra 11 Jun: Bruges 12 Jun: HMS Calypso, C 60 13 Jun: HNLMS O 13, HMS Odin, Train Ferry No. 2 15 Jun: HMS Andania 16 Jun: HMS Grampus, Rastrello 17 Jun: Champlain, HMS Lancastria, Ingénieur Riebell 18 Jun: Achille, Agosta, Clemenceau, Cyclone, Dordogne, Kergroise, Ouessant, Pasteur 19 Jun: Mexique, Niagara, HMS Orpheus 20 Jun: Empire Conveyor 21 Jun: Vliereede 23 Jun: HMS Khartoum 25 Jun: HMCS Fraser 27 Jun: Console Generale Liuzzi 29 Jun: Uebi Scebeli Unknown date: U-122 Other incidents 9 Jun: Empire Commerce 10 Jun: Barbana G, Monte Piana 25 Jun: HMS Calcutta Unknown date: Mari Chandris 1939 1940 1941 May 1940 July 1940

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in September 1940 Shipwrecks 1 Sep: HMS Ivanhoe 2 Sep: UJ-121 Jochen 3 Sep: U-57 5 Sep: V 201 Gebrüder Kähler, V 403 Deutschland 7 Sep: HMS Inanda, HMS Inkosi 8 Sep: Antonios Chandris 13 Sep: Flandre 15 Sep: HMS Dundee 17 Sep: Borea, Aquilone, Crown Arun, HMS Sussex, Tregenna, V 304 Breslau 18 Sep: City of Benares 20 Sep: Commissaire Ramel, Java, New Sevilla 21 Sep: Canonesa 23 Sep: Empire Adventure, Empire Airman, L'Audacieux, Persée 24 Sep: Ajax, HMS Wellesley Other incidents 4 Sep: Sakito Maru 7 Sep: Méduse 21 Sep: Empire Adventure 25 Sep: HMS Resolution 27 Sep: Augusto Riboty, Nicolò Zeno 1939 1940 1941 August 1940 October 1940

v t e Empire ships By suffix, Empire x A B Ca–Cl Co–Cy D E F G H I–J K L M N O P R Sa–Sh Si–Sy Ta–Te Th–Ty U–Z See also: Fort ship, Liberty ship, Park ship, Ocean ship, Victory ship.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SMS Teodo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Teodo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Teodo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.