RMS Snaefell (III) was a packet steamer operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from 1910 until 1914. Built at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, she measured 270 feet in length, with a beam of 41 feet 4 inches, and a depth of 16 feet 6 inches. Her gross register tonnage was 1,368 GRT. The vessel was powered by two sets of vertical 4-cylinder triple-expansion engines, which produced a total of 5,300 indicated horsepower, enabling her to reach a designed speed of 19 knots. Her construction included carefully designed water-tight subdivisions, with seven bulkheads extending up to the main deck, enhancing safety. Snaefell was equipped with a cellular bottom for water ballast during summer service. Designed for both cargo and passenger transport, she could carry up to 1,241 passengers and had a crew of 43. As a Royal Mail Ship (RMS), she allocated specific spaces for mail, parcels, and valuables, alongside cargo such as furniture, foodstuffs, and motor cars. Her service primarily involved the Douglas–Liverpool route during winter and secondary routes in summer from Douglas and Ramsey. In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I, Snaefell was requisitioned and refitted as an Armed Boarding Vessel at Cammell Laird. She was armed with two 12-pounder guns, a 2-pounder anti-aircraft gun, and a crew of 105. She joined the Plymouth Patrol, tasked with intercepting and monitoring enemy shipping, including a brief encounter with a German submarine in April 1915. During her wartime service, Snaefell was actively involved in operations at Gallipoli, carrying troops and stores, and working with seaplanes for artillery spotting. She sustained damage from shellfire and went aground at times, requiring repairs in Alexandria. Later, she patrolled the Bulgarian coast and participated in the evacuation of Gallipoli, undertaking troop-carrying duties amidst threats from mines, shore batteries, and submarines. In spring 1918, she was refitted in Alexandria but was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine SM UB-105 in the Mediterranean on 5 June 1918, approximately 240 nautical miles east-southeast of Malta, resulting in the loss of three crew members. Her service exemplifies the transition from civilian packet operations to wartime naval duties, highlighting her significance in maritime history during the early 20th century.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.