HMPSS Polish Monarch/ (HMS ?) Polmont

[Nick Colley]

Folks, attached, hopefully, are images of the front and back of a ppc acquired many years ago. I have an October 1918 Navy List and can find no mention of any vessel bearing the name Polish Monarch, or of a vessel (of any category) named 'Polmont'. For once, Mr.Google is exhibiting remarkable ignorance (or am I not phrasing the query properly ?).

Does anyone have any insight into what this/these vessel(s) was/were ?

The Polmont endorsement on the back is not mine, btw - made by a previous owner.

Thanks a lot !

chrs
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[Frank Schofield]

Nick

POLISH MONARCH. Built 1912 4292 tons
Ex Polmont, ex Karpat
Water Carrier 13.3.16 - 15.3.16 (two days)
Collier YS 1102 from 30.4.16
Not in any of my Navy Lists
hope of some use

Frank Schofield

[Nick Colley]

Splendid, Frank ! Many thanks indeed  :)

chrs
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[Michael Dobbs]

Nick / Frank

One query from me - what does HMPSS stand for please ?
(His Majesty's Polish Steam Ship ?)

Thanks, Mike

[Frank Schofield]

Mike

My first thoughts were HIS MAJESTIES PADDLE STEAMER SQUADRON, I even looked up the WW1 paddle steamers
but studying the photo you cannot see any paddles, side or stern

After that I have no idea what it stands for

Frank

[Nick Colley]

Mike, that's what I thought, but it seems far too obvious => I reserve judgement, so to speak.

Frank, the dazzle camouflage is unhelpful, but having put the card under a magnifying glass, I am confident that the vessel is not equipped with paddle wheels.

I suppose 'P' could indeed be 'Polish'. If the original name of the vessel was 'Karpat', then that sounds vaguely Slavic/Eastern European ? But, thinking out loud, when did Poland regain its status as a sovereign state in its own right ? Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland#World_War_I_and_the_issue_of_Poland.27s_independence) suggests late 1918, so by Christmas 1918, P for Polish could be legitimately credible.

But I waffle.

chrs
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[Michael Gould]

This is a very old post I had missed. Polish Monarch ex Polmont ex Karpat is listed in British Warships Dittmar & Colledge as a water carrier 13.3.16 to 15.3.16 becoming collier Y3.1102 from 30.4.16. No indication what happened to it. 4292 tons launched 1912. Don't know pss but it is unlikely to be Polish. Paddle is more likely but this book usually identifies these. Would have thought it was a bit big for a WW1 paddle ship.  Michael Gould