The ninth of the Class that was  known as the Imperial Star Class to be delivered in the 1930's  from Harland & Wolff's yard at Belfast, powered by two 6-Cylinder Burmeister & Wain engines they must have been somewhat of an engineering challenge. The vessels varied considerably with their choice of power plants and other structural changes. The build dates extended over some 13 years, some of those being lost and replaced during WWII.

The Auckland Star  had a somewhat brief career. Completed in November 1939, just a month after  the outbreak of World War II on the 3^rd September 1939, when Great Britain declared war on Germany. The photograph above shows her being painted wartime grey in January 1940, presumably on Admiralty instructions. She was torpedoed only some five months later off southern Ireland.

AUCKLAND STAR  Sinking July 28th, 1940   - Taken from "Blue Star At War" by Taffrail

Under the command of Captain David R MacFarlane, she sailed from Townsville, Queensland, on May 25^th, 1940. After calling at Sydney, Capetown and St. Vincent, Cape Verde, the fine, sunny morning of July 28th found her about 80 miles west of Dingle Bay, in the south-west of Ireland. There was a northerly breeze with a slight sea.
The ship had no escort, and was steaming at her full speed of about 16 ½ knots and zigzagging, when, at about 04:00 hrs, she was suddenly torpedoed on the port side abreast of Number 5 and 6 holds. She started to settle at once, and at 04:30 the Captain was forced to give orders for the ship to be abandoned, telling the officers they were to stand by until she sank. Captain MacFarlane himself left the ship in the Second Officer's boat, and at 04:55 the German submarine U-99, which never appeared, fired a second torpedo which hit the Auckland Star in the engine-room and flung debris high into the air. The U-99 apparently, was in a hurry to make an end of it for at 05:15 she fired a third torpedo which exploded abreast of Number 2 hatch. About a quarter-of-an-hour later the Auckland Star rolled over to port, flung her bows into the air and sank by the stern, taking with her a large cargo, which included 10,700 tons of refrigerated meat.

The photographs above were taken by Cadet Robert Taylor, who was persuaded to part with the negatives at Dingle Bay by a reporter from the Evening Standard, on the promise of payment. The payment is still awaited ! Some things never change!

The above three images were kindly sent in by Stuart Rogers, whose friend Russell Mallet, the originals belong to. The report above is incorrect, in that Russell remembers the U-99 surfacing, he believes to take photographs. Obviously at the time they felt threatened by this feeling they might be shot up, although looking at the history of U-99's commander, Otto Kretschemer this would have not been the case!