{{EngvarB|date=March 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image= |image_caption= }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header= | country = | flag = |name=*''Ravelston'' (1906-41) *''Empire Bond'' (1941-46) *''Prenton'' (1946-50) *''Agios Dionysissios'' (1950-51) *''Sandenis'' (1951) *''San Denis'' (1951-59) |ordered= |awarded= |builder=William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool |yard_number=738 |laid_down= |launched=23 June 1906 |completed=August 1906 |christened= |acquired= |registry=*{{flagicon|UKGBI|civil}} Grangemouth (1906-22) *{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Grangemouth (1922-50) *{{flagicon|Greece|old}} Greece (1950-59) |identification=*UK Official Number 90525 (1906-50) *Greek Official Number 1126 (1950-59) *Code Letters HGVJ (1930-33) *{{ICS|Hotel}}{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Victor}}{{ICS|Juliet}} *Code Letter GQTP (1933-46) *{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Quebec}}{{ICS|Tango}}{{ICS|Papa}} |owner=*Prenton Steamship Co Ltd (1906-41) *Ministry of War Transport (1941-46) *Rethymnis & Kulukundis (1946) *Vellisarios Kattoula (1946-50) *Argo Maritime Transport Co (1950-51) *D G Coucoumbani (1951) *G Frangistis(1951-59) |operator=*Prenton Steamship Co Ltd (1906-41) *Gillespie & Nichol (1941-46) *Rethymnis & Kulukundis (1946) *Vellisarios Kattoula (1946-50) *Argo Maritime Transport Co (1950-51) *D G Coucoumbani (1951) *G Frangistis(1951-59) |commissioned= |recommissioned= |decommissioned= |in_service= |out_of_service=11 May 1959 |renamed= |reclassified= |refit= |captured= |struck= |reinstated= |fate= Scrapped 1959 }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption= |tonnage=*{{GRT|2,088}} *DWT 1,293 |length={{convert|288|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |beam= {{convert|43|ft|1|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |draught= |depth={{convert|18|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |propulsion=1 x triple expansion steam engine |speed= {{convert|9|kn|km/h}} |range= |capacity= |complement= |crew = }} }}
'''''Ravelston''''' was an {{GRT|2808|link=off}} cargo ship which was built in 1906 for the Ravelston Steamship Co Ltd. She was requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) in 1941 and renamed '''''Empire Bond'''''. In 1946 she was sold and renamed '''''Prenton'''''. Following a grounding in 1949, she was declared a constructive total loss, but was sold and repaired, returning to service as '''''Agios Dionysissios'''''. In 1951 she was renamed '''''Sandenis''''' and then '''''San Denis''''', serving until she was scrapped in 1959.
==Description== The ship was built by William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool.<ref name=Ships>{{cite book | last1=Mitchell|first1=W.H.|last2=Sawyer|first2=L.A. | year = 1995| title = The Empire Ships| publisher = Lloyd's of London Press Ltd| location = London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong|isbn=1-85044-275-4}}</ref> She was yard number 738. Launched as ''Ravelston'' on 23 June 1906, she was completed in August 1906. <ref name=Miramar>{{csr|register=MSI|id=1090925|accessdate=2 December 2009}}</ref>
The ship was {{convert|288|ft|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|43|ft|1|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|18|ft|8|in|m|2}}. She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of {{convert|21+1/2|in|cm}}, {{convert|34|in|cm}} and {{convert|57|in|cm}} bore by {{convert|39|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by the Central Marine Engine Works, West Hartlepool.<ref name=Ravelston>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0983.pdf|title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=2 December 2009}}</ref>
==Career== ''Ravelston'' was built for the Ravelston Steamship Co Ltd.<ref name=Ships/> Her port of registry was Grangemouth.<ref name=Ravelston/> On 28 January 1929, ''Ravelston'' was in collision with {{SS|Neion||2}} in thick fog off Dungeness, Kent. Both ships were severely damaged at the bow, with their forepeaks flooded.<ref name=Times290129>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Channel Collisions |date=29 January 1929 |page=16 |issue=45113 |column=C }}</ref> ''Ravelston'' was requisitioned in 1941 by the MoWT.<ref name=Ships/> She was renamed ''Empire Bond'' and was operated under the management of Gillespie and Nichol.<ref name=Bond>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/40/40a1063.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=2 December 2009}}</ref> ''Empire Bond'' was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
;ON 14 Convoy ON 14 departed Loch Ewe on 10 September 1941.<ref name=ON14>{{cite web|url=http://warsailors.com/convoys/onconvoys.html |title=ON Convoys – 1941-1945, Convoy ON 1 through ON 100 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=2 December 2009}}</ref>
;SC 46 Convoy SC 46 departed Sydney, Cape Breton on 24 September 1941.<ref name=SC46/> The convoy arrived in Liverpool on 10 October.<ref name=SC46a>{{cite web |url=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/1941/09/26.htm |title=September 26th, 1941 |publisher=Andrew Etherington |access-date=2 December 2009 |archive-date=23 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023090252/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/1941/09/26.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Empire Bond'' may have been in this convoy.<ref name=SC46>{{cite web|url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/scconvoys.html |title=SC Convoys – 1940-1945, Convoy SC 1 through SC 50 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=2 December 2009}}</ref>
On 14 March 1945, ''Empire Bond'' was in collision with {{HMCS|Assiniboine|I18|6}} in the English Channel.<ref name=Collide>{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-16C-Kempenfelt1AssiniboineRCN.htm |title=H.M.S. KEMPENFELT (i) (D18) |publisher=Naval History |access-date=2 December 2009}}</ref> In 1946, ''Empire Bond'' was sold to Rethymnis & Kulukundis, London and renamed ''Prenton''. Later that year she was sold to J Kattoula, Liverpool.<ref name=Ships/> On 9 February 1949, ''Prenton'' ran aground off Mytiki, Greece. She was refloated and towed to Preveza, arriving on 13 February. Although ''Prenton'' was declared a constructive total loss, she was sold to Argo Maritime Transport Co, Greece, who had her repaired and returned her to service as ''Agios Dionysissios''. In 1951, she was sold to D G Coucoumbanis, Greece and renamed ''Sandenis''. Later that year she was sold to G Frangistis, Greece and renamed ''San Denis''.<ref name=Ships/> She arrived for scrapping at Savona, Italy on 11 May 1959.<ref name=Miramar/>
==Official Numbers and Code Letters==
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. Under the UK Flag, she had the UK Official Number 90525. Under the Greek Flag, she had the Greek Official Number 1126.<ref name=Miramar2>{{cite web|url=http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/list?IDNo=1090925&search_op=OR |title=Search results for "1090525" |publisher=Miramar Ship Index |access-date=2 December 2009}}</ref> ''Ravelston'' used the Code Letters HGVJ from 1930,<ref name=Ravelston/> and GQTP from 1934.<ref name=Ravelston2>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/34/34b0699.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=2 December 2009}}</ref> ''Empire Bond'' also used the Code Letters GQTP.<ref name=Bond/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20P/slides/Prenton-01.html Photo of SS ''Prenton'']
{{Empire ships}} {{1949 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ravelston}} Category:1906 ships Category:Ships built on the River Tees Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom Category:Empire ships Category:Ministry of War Transport ships Category:Steamships of Greece Category:Merchant ships of Greece Category:Maritime incidents in 1949