Aberdeen Line SS Miltiades
and the Marathon 1903 &1904
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With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian,
Author, CruisenShip Reviewer and Maritime Lecturer
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having completed features on well over 700 Classic Liners and
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but above all a great deal of pleasure!

The above image
shows the SS Marathon after her rebuilding in 1912
Please
Note: Photographs & Images on this page are from the
authors personal collection, unless mentioned otherwise!
Introduction:
I have had a good collection of photographs and
postcard of these ships for years, but somehow I never got around
to writing on them. Then I suddenly realised how neglected these
two wonderful ships are, for there is really nothing about them
in books, or very much online as I have been told. Thus I
decided, even in my retirement to commence to slowly write on
these two rather amazing passenger liners, for they were the very
last of their kind, and their beauty would never be seen again!
Company Background:
The Aberdeen Line operated between London and Australia
sailing via South Africa, was managed by their owners, being
George Thompson & Company, which was founded at Aberdeen. The
company long occupied a prominent position in the cargo and
passenger trades to Australia, due to the voyages of their two
most noted clippers in the early 1900s to Melbourne and to Sydney,
and the general high standard of their fleet in those days with
their exceptional immunity from loss of time over more than half
a century. It was the SS Aberdeen, built in 1881, being their
earliest ocean steamer to demonstrate the superior merits of
triple-expansion engines and the companys reliability!
Their sailing vessels was soon reduced to just
one 2,093 ton ship, and she also was removed from the fleet for
the reputation of the firm would be going ahead with modern steam
passenger liners bearing time-honoured names of former ship known
as the "fliers" such as the Miltiades and Marathon!.
These two twin-screw steamers, Miltiades, 6,793 tons, and Marathon,
6,772 tons, each 15.5 knots max, were the two of the most
successful at the time greatly due to their good speed! In fact,
the maiden voyage of the Miltiades from London to Melbourne, took
just 35 days, her time from Plymouth being a record passage of 34
days steaming.
Thus here is the story of the sail and steam
turbine engines liners between Britain and Australia the SS
Miltiades and her identical sister the Marathon. I am sure that
after you have read this feature and seen their photographs, you
will be suitably impressed!
Building, Launching & Maiden voyages:

The first postcard
released by Aberdeen Line of the SS Marathon
This card was in a
very poor condition, but I have carefully restored it as is now
These rather graceful passenger liners the SS
Miltiades and the Marathon were designed by a man who had sheer
genius, he was the maritime architect Fred J. Stephen who
designed these ships combining the old with the new of the day
and, ended up with two of the finest ships afloat. In addition
they would be the last ships of their kind never to be built as
you will read a little later when I come to their descriptions.
With their designs complete and the Aberdeen
Line (George Thompson and Company) being totally delighted with
them, they placed an order for both the 6,795 GRT (Gross
Registered Tonnage) ships to be built by Alex Stephen & Sons
at Glasgow. The engines were also made by the builders and were
of the surface-condensing, direct-acting triple-expansion type,
capable on the voyage about 6,600 IHP, and propelling the ship at
a service speed, fully laden of 14 knots, but they had a maximum
of 15.5 knots.
The first ship to be launched was the SS
Miltiades, which had been built in yard 401, and that occurred on
Tuesday, August 11, 1903 she was transferred to het fit-out berth
and she was very soon completed. The Miltiades departed London on
November 3, 1903 for her maiden voyage to Sydney, sailing via Cape
Town and Melbourne, arriving in Melbourne in record time on
December 10.

Newspaper clipping
dated December 11, 1903

SS Miltiades seen
during her early voyages to Australia
Next to be launched was the identical sister
the SS Marathon which was launched from yard 402 on Wednesday,
November 18, 1903. Both ships had been fitted out and completed
close together and the Marathon was delivered early in January
1904, and later that month, on January 27, she departed London
and sailed via the same route as her sister to Sydney, where she
arrived on March 8. There was no doubt that both these ships were
proving to be most popular and thus were very successful liners
for the company!

The SS Marathon is
seen here in 1904, but we do not know the precise date, but it
could well be her maiden voyage
Ships Description:
The Ships: The Miltiades and her sister
were the very last liners of any size to be built that had that
famed traditional Aberdeen Clipper Bow, which was
complete with a stunning timber Figurehead. Her
excellent hull was complemented by her Counter Stern! She had a
black hull with red boot topping that had a thin white line
above, an all white superstructure Stained timber featured on the
forward superstructure of the Bridge and one deck below, being
rather traditional of the day! To complete the picture she has
two tall masts and a single yellow (buff) funnel making her look
most elegant!
To reduce rolling in bad weather, the ships
were fitted with bilge keels, and as the ships has a good beam
there was ample deck space for all passengers!
Venues and Cabins:
First Class accommodated 90 passengers
and their accommodations where located on Bridge Deck, with other
cabins on Upper Deck, where the Saloon was to be found. The
Drawing Room, Writing Room, and Library were located on Boat
Deck, whilst the Smoking Room was on Bridge deck, and of course
there was also fine Dining Room, thus there was an excellent
range of public venues for First Class! Most of the
accommodations were outside two-berth cabins; however there were
some upper berths for of three or four. Then there were several
special twin deluxe rooms that were so arranged that they could
be converted into special luxury Staterooms, thus a two roomed
Suite. In addition there were also a few single cabins for the
solo travellers. The Captain had his quarters up on Boat deck.
Sadly to date I have not been able to locate
any interior images of her public venues, or First Class cabins,
etc. The same applied to Third Class public venues, but I do have
one photo of a cabin, as you will see below.
Third Class was located in what was
called in those days the Poop, being the aft built up
section of the ship. It was quite spacious and it offered its
passengers a Music Room as well as a Smoking Room and a Dining
Room. Accommodation wise there was a variety of choice from two
and four berth cabins being the best available, then there were
the male and female dormitories for the Immigrants to Australia.

A Third Class four
berth cabin
Cargo: Particular attention has been
paid to transporting general cargo as well as frozen foods, in
fact all gear used for her five holds will be the very latest and
the most suitable to handle all cargos with expediency,
especially the frozen food holds for those days! The
refrigeration machinery was the very latest kind ever to be
fitted on any ship to date, and it was be capable of maintaining
a temperature as low as was required for a hold space of a
100,000 cubic feet. The smaller holds were also cooled and were
be adapted for fruit, butter and chilled provisions for
passengers and crew.

The SS Marathon is
seen at the Tenerife wharves Brisbane in 1904 - the famed
historic wool stores are just behind
The wool stores
today they have been converted into super luxury spacious
apartments (condos)

An Aberdeen Line
Advertisement featuring the Miltiades and Marathon

Here we see the SS
Miltiades (right) and the White Star Line SS Runic in Melbourne,
both seen fully decked out
State Library of Victoria
A New Era:
Australia had only just celebrated the 1910 New
Year and each year on January 26 the country Celebrates
Anniversary Day being one of the most important days
in the countrys year!
The Days background:
Anniversary Day, is the countries official
Foundation Day and ANA Day, thus the official
National day of Australia. It is celebrated annually on January
26, as the date commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at
Sydney Cove, New South Wales in 1788 and the proclamation at that
time of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia
that was then still known as New Holland. These days,
January 26 is called Australia Day!

Sent in by an
ssMaritime supporter, but source is unknown - *Please see my
Photo Notes at the bottom of the page!
The photograph above shows the Aberdeen liner
SS Marathon fully dressed with flags as she had been chosen to be
the flagship for the Anniversary Day Regatta on
January 26, 1910. The photo was taken from around Cremorne
Point and Fort Denison is visible behind the stern of the
ship in the middle of the harbour.
Their Rebuilding: As the Miltiades and
Marathon continued their voyages, the management began to realise
that they needed either to built larger ships due to the demand
for these long voyages to the land of opportunity.
but with the situation as it was in Europe, they felt that
another solution might be better and they did decide on a rather
adventurous option, and it was one of the first attempted, one
that became more popular in the modern days! Lengthen the ship!
Thus in 1912 she was taken to the Alex Stephen
shipyards on July 3, 1912 to be lengthened, adding accommodations
and further facilities onboard. Externally she was given an
additional funnel, although it was a dummy, but it certainly made
her look wonderful, as with her superb bow and long sleek lines,
she looked one of the finest liners around! Upon Completion on
September 12, 1912 her tonnage had increased to 7,848 GRT. She
soon returned to her regular duties, but World War I would in due
course halt her passenger days for five years. For interest, her
sister the SS Miltiades was also lengthened and she entered the
very same yard two days after the Marathon had left it on
September 14.

The ship has been
cut in half, and here we look forward

Looking aft

Here we see a new
SS Marathon on September 18, 1912
State Library of Victoria

Postcard provided
by Mr. John Farthing Newport Iowa U.S.A., whose father-in-law,
Mr. Robinson sailed
to Fremantle (Perth), Western Australia in 1912/13

A wonderful stern
view of the SS Miltiades after her rebuilding
The Shaw Savill liner SS Gothic was chartered
by the Aberdeen Line to operate four voyages whilst the Marathon
and Miltiades were lengthened. Throughout the charted the Gothic
showed the Aberdeen livery, on the funnel and did fly the
Aberdeen Lines house flag from her fore mast.
Although both ships were considered to be well
built, and due to their hull configuration they were considered
as the most stable ships around, especially when it came to
roiling. And that certainly was true, but when sailing in really
bad seas such as going around the Cape they could pitch like
crazy, and the photograph below does make the point, I would
think!

A dramatic
photograph of the SS Marathon sailing around the Cape for Australia
World War I:
In 1915 both ships were requisitioned for
trooping duties and having received the respective refurbishments
to make them suitable as a troopship The HAMT Marathon - A74
headed for Australia as she transported many Australian soldiers
and countless medical officers and staff to England, after which
they went to the European front.
The Miltiades was leased by the Commonwealth of
Australia and she operated the following voyages: On February 7,
1916 it she took on board mostly Medical Officers and staff from Adelaide.
Then on August 1, 1916 there were further Medical Officers from Melbourne,
and on August 9, 1916 she collected the balance of her capacity
of Medical Officers and staff in Fremantle. On January 24, 1917
she came to Adelaide for the next time to collect another group
of Medical Officers. Her final official leased voyage from Australia
was on August 2, 1917 for her final collection of Medical staff
from Sydney.

The Marathon is
seen in her camouflage livery arriving in Melbourne on January 1,
1919
To be able to see
the many soldiers onboard CLICK HERE for an extra large version
1600 pixels or 22.22 inches
State Library of Victoria
The Marathon was leased by the Commonwealth of
Australia from October 27, 1916 until July 28, 1917, and she
operated the following voyages: On October 27, 1916 berthed at
Pinkeba wharves, she took on board the 49th Battalion, 7th
Reinforcements & Medical Officers in Brisbane, then sailing
to the United Kingdom where they disembarked at Plymouth on
January 9, 1917. Also on these same departures, the records show
that the Australian 17th.Reinforcement Battalion of the 26th.Battalion
boarded the Marathon in Brisbane. One of those soldiers was one
of Australias heroes who tragically died fighting most
gallantly during the retaking of Zonnebeke Ridge on
October 4; this was the 19-year-old Private William Ernest
Foster. SS Marathon transported countless men to Europe, but
sadly far too many never came home, as from these brigades that
went thousands died in France and Belgium!

This is the first
official Australian departure on October 27, 1916
One of those
soldiers was the 19-year-old heros - Private William Ernest
Foster
With thanks to the
wonderful and must visit the Australian War
Memorial in Canberra Australia H02230
Then on May 10, 1917 the 1st Infantry
Battalion, the 25th Reinforcements, and Medical Officers boarded
at Sydney. Another departure was on July 23, 1918 when Medical
Officers boarded the Marathon in Melbourne. I am aware that she
did return to Melbourne on January 1, 1919, bringing soldiers and
other repatriates home as the photographs above shows!
The Final Days:
The Miltiades returned to the Aberdeen
Lines commercial service to Australia on June 4, 1920 and
she headed for Australia once again, however as it turned out her
days after her war years would be hort lived operating just two
voyages.

The Miltiades seen
back in service and in Australian waters
Photograph from the
late Allan Green Collection - Australia
As when she returned from her Australian voyage
toward the end of 1920 she was purchased by Royal Mail Lines and
she was renamed Orcana and placed in their fleet and operated on
their regular services.

Royal Mail Lines
new liner SS Orcana
However, another change took place when she was
officially transferred to the Pacific Steam Navigation Company
(Pacific Line) in 1922 as a replacement for the three their
O ships that had been transferred to the North
Atlantic services
Thus on August 11, 1922 the SS Orcana commenced
her intended Round South America service, that
departed Liverpool and visited Montevideo, and Valparaiso, the
Panama Canal then back to Liverpool. However the Pacific Line
found that after her very first voyage she was far too expensive
to operate and thus they laid her up. She was first laid up at
Liverpool and then taken to Dartmouth where she remained until
she was sold to Arie Rijsdijk Boss & Zonen in 1923, who had
her towed to the Netherlands to be broken up at
Hendrik-ido-Ambracht in 1923.
The Marathon returned to the Aberdeen
Line after the war, and she was again placed on the Australia
service, commencing on October21, 1920, but she just made a
single return voyage to Australia before she was sold to Royal
Mail Line with her sister, and she was renamed the Oruba.

Royal Mail new SS
Oruba
In the following year the SS Oruba, was
transferred to the Pacific Steam Navigation Company and on May
26, 1921 she commenced her South American Round America Service.
In due course, when the Pacific Line decided that both ships were
proving to be too expensive to operate she was laid up in 1922,
and again like her sister, she was first laid up at Liverpool and
then at Dartmouth. She was sold to Schweitzer & Oppler of Berlin
on September 19, 1924 to be Scrapped. She headed for Hamburg Germany
where she was broken up in 1925.

A delightful
postcard of the SS Marathon after her rebuilding in 1912
SS
Miltiades & Marathon - Specifications 1903/04
& 1912:
Built
by:
Alex Stephen & Sons at Glasgow.
Yard:
Miltiades 401 / Marathon #
402.
Launched:
Miltiades - August 11, 1903.
.
Marathon - November 18, 1903.
Port
of Registry: Liverpool.
Tonnage:
1903: Miltiades - 6,793 GRT
(Gross Registered Tonnage).
Tonnage:
1904: Marathon 6,772
GRT.
Tonnage
1912: 7,848 GRT.
Length
1903/4: 454.10ft -
138.41m.
Length
1912:
504.10ft 153.65m.
Beam:
55.10ft 16.79m.
Moulded
depth: 33ft 10.05m.
Motive
Power: Triple-expansion
steam-engines - 6,600 IHP.
And sails forward and aft.
Screws:
Twin.
Speed:
14 knots - service speed, 15.5 knots maximum.
Passengers:
90 First Class and 150 Third
Class.
Crew:
Unknown.
Broken
up:
SS Miltiades/Orcana 1923 in the Netherlands.
.
SS Marathon/Oruba 1925 in Germany.
************************
Memories of Two Fine Historic Liners that were the Very Last
of a Kind!

A ship with the
ultimate classic lines seen in Australian waters!
State Library of Victoria
************************
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Photographs
on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or
from the authors private collection. In addition there
are some images that have been provided by Shipping Companies and
private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all
contributors. However, there are some photographs provided to me
without details regarding the photographer/owner concerned. I
hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make
them-selves known to me (my email address may be found only on www.ssmaritime.com),
in order that due credit may be given.
This
notice covers all pages, although, and I have done my best to
ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this
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updated!
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