SS Grampian

SS "Grampian" was a ship built by the Scottish shipbuilding company, Stephen & Sons Ltd., in 1907. In 1919 it struck an iceberg but was able to make its way back to port. In 1921, during a refit in Antwerp, the ship was gutted by a fire and abandoned to its insurance underwriters. She was sold for scrap in 1925.
Career.
In 1907, Sir Montagu Allan of Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers ordered the "Grampian" from the Stephen & Sons Ltd. building yards, as the company was expanding and had just added offices in Boston and London. In 1917, Sir Montagu Allan, who represented the third generation of the Allan family, sold the family company to Canadian Pacific Steamships (CP Ships). It was not long before the Allan name had disappeared from commercial shipping.
During World War I, the "Grampian" was used as a troop transport ferrying soldiers of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) from Canada to the war in Europe. In between ferrying the CEF, she did commercial work.
Iceberg strike.
During the summer of 1919, "Grampian" was on her way from Montreal to Liverpool, with 750 passengers and a crew of 350. Of the passengers, 500 were women and children. On July 10, 1919, the ship struck an iceberg off Cape Race on the southeastern tip of Dominion of Newfoundland. 
The crash was very similar to the collision of the RMS "Titanic" with an iceberg seven years before. However, "Grampian" was spared the "Titanic"s fate as the iceberg did not strike the side of the ship, as had happened with the "Titanic". The decision to hit the iceberg head-on was a conscious choice by the captain, who knew the dangers of an iceberg slicing open the ship's metal plating. When the iceberg was sighted, the captain realized he could not avoid it and so decided to hit it squarely in the bow. The ship was traveling slowly at the time. Even with the slow speed, the front of the ship was crushed. "Grampian" was not damaged below its waterline and was able to steam to port in St. John's, Newfoundland. Passengers in the smoking-room reported that the impact was slight and they were not even thrown from their seats. Two men working in the forward part of the ship were killed, and two were injured during the collision.
Fire.
While undergoing a refit in Antwerp in 1921, the ship was gutted by a fire and sank in of water. Adjusters deemed the ship a write-off and abandoned it to the insurance underwriters. She was sold for scrap in 1925.
Bibliography.
Notes
References