The Irish Spruce

The bad luck usually associated with the number thirteen was very much in evidence in the case of the thirteenth ship acquired by Irish Shipping Limited in establishing the company's wartime fleet. The Finnish vessel, Vicia, was first considered for purchase by the company's Directors on 3rd July, 1941, but it was not until 11th April, 1945, when the war had almost run its course, that she sailed on her first voyage for the company. In September, 1941, the vessel was still at Quebec. There were difficulties encountered in establishing clear title to the ship as well as in securing the necessary warrant but eventually these difficulties were overcome and the Vicia was bought for £85,000. However, the acquisition was then further complicated as a result of court action being taken against the owners by four ship's Officers who claimed they had been signed on the ship in the United States and were assured they would be repatriated to there at the end of the voyage. They won their court action and were awarded damages for loss of wages and repatriation expenses. One of those Officers was later to become a familiar figure on Irish Shipping vessels. He was Hungarian born Istvan Remenye, better known to his company colleagues as Stephen Remenyi, and he subsequently joined Irish Shipping as a ship's Cook but was soon a Chief Steward on board many of the company's vessels. He resigned from the company in the 1950's and emigrated to South Africa with his Dublin-born wife.

The Vicia was built by Furness Withy, at West Hartlepool in 1896 for Thompson Shipping Co. Ltd. of Sunderland, where she was registered, and was named Carham. She had a deadweight of 3,900 tons. In 1918 she was sold to Swedish owners and renamed Sigrid. In 1927, she was bought by A/B Transport of Helsingfors who changed her name to Vicia and she traded under that name until she was taken over by Irish Shipping Limited.

In May, 1942, the Vicia was renamed Irish Spruce ( Pictured above), and was sent to Rushbrooke Dockyard to undergo extensive repairs which were originally expected to be completed within six or seven months. However, due to congestion at Rushbrooke, the vessel did not get into the drydock until June, 1944, and on examination it was estimated that even more extensive repairs would have to be carried out. It was anticipated that repairs would not be completed until February, 1945, and were, in fact, completed on 11th April, 1945. She sailed from Cork on 12th April for St. John, New Brunswick, where she loaded wheat and general cargo for Limerick and arrived back at her discharge port on 29th May, 1945. Capt. William Jeffares of Cork was Master of the Irish Spruce on her maiden voyage for the company. Her Chief Officer was James Gaul of Wexford who was to die tragically on Christmas Eve 1956, when he was drowned in Baltimore Harbour while serving as Chief Officer on the second Irish Cedar. James Gaul had been Master of the Wexford Steamship Co. vessel Kerlogue in 1942.

The Irish Spruce made several voyages for the company after the war until 2nd September, 1949, when she was sold to Turkish owner, Capt. Harmaradensi Osman of Saviki and renamed Osman. Master of the Irish Spruce on her final voyage for the company was Capt. J. Stiven. In 1952 she was taken over by other Turkish owners and changed name again for the last time. As the Kaptan Uzonoglu she was withdrawn from Class in 1955 and thus ended an adventurous career lasting fifty-nine years.