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S.S. ELSA, glass negative
¾ Starboard stern view of S.S. ELSA, c.1936.
S.S. ELSA (1204 grt.). Built in 1884 by Bonn & Mees, Rotterdam (most likely their first newbuidling-yard no. 1). She entered service as ERASMUS for Bonke & Visser, of Rotterdam. In 1895 she was sold to African Association Ltd., Liverpool without change of name. In 1897 she was sold to Angf. A/B Labora (E.J. Odenius mgr.), Gothenburg and renamed ELSA. In 1907, Karl Fick became manager, in 1911 W. Lundqvist and in 1913 F. Magnusson. In 1916 she was sold, still as elsa to Red. A/B Ester (J.E. Osterlund mgr.), norrkoping (Sweden). In 1922 owners became Krook & Berggren, Stockholm. In 1924 she changed hands again to Red. A/B Gevalia (J.J. Malmberg mgr.), Gefle (Sweden). In 1937 she was sold to Red. A/B Fredrika (E. Hogberg mgr.) of Stockholm. In 1939, she was sold to E. Maidla mfl. (O. Treikelder mgr.), of Tallinn and renamed Urania. She was at the Norwegian port of Bergen on 8 April 1940 and seized by the Germans. In 1942 she was used for chemical experiments at Kiel. On 12 May she was damaged off Hela as a result of these experiments and hulked. The remaining hull fell in Soviet hands in 1945.