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: H.M.C.S. Iris. The Iris is the sixth cable ship, specially built for the job, to appear on stamps; one can hardly include the Leviathan in this category, although she undoubtedly proved more successful in this service than in the work for which she was built. The Iris was built during 1901-02 by D. J. Dunlop on the Clyde, for the Pacific Cable Branch, In 1902 the first section of the Pacific cable was laid from Fanning Island to Suva, Norfolk Island, Australia and New Zealand. The vessel had a long career, being in service exactly half-a century.
One of the most interesting events in the ship's history was in 1917, when she was responsible for the capture of the German captain, Count von Luckner, master of the German sea-raider Seeadler. After he had been interned in the Fiji Islands he made a dramatic escape, taking the commandant's launch, with some of the toughest prisoners, and making out to sea. Three days after the break-out he seized the schooner Moa. After overpowering her crew, he prepared to continue his raiding; off Macauley Island, where he intended to put the Moa's crew ashore, smoke was sighted on the horizon, and he had to run for it, but his luck was out. H.M.C.S. Iris, now with two guns mounted on her decks, had been despatched to find him. The Iris quickly gained on him and he hove to, rather than lose the lives of his men. The Germans were taken to Auckland, where they were imprisoned for the rest of the war.
A new chapter in the career of the Iris began when she was transferred to Imperial and International Communication, Ltd. (now Cable and Wireless, Ltd.) in 1929 and was renamed C.S. Recorder. Her last voyage began in March 1952, when she left Singapore for England, arriving on May 15, 1952 at Plymouth. She was subsequently broken up. The stamp design shows the cable ship hove-to while her crew are hard at work repairing a break in a cable at sea.
SG 88 Sea Breezes 4/68

Built as a cable ship under yard no 252 by D.J.Dunlop & Co., Port Glasgow for the Pacific Cable Board, London.
1902 Launched under the name HMCS IRIS.
Tonnage 2.253 gross, 985 net, dim. 295.0 x 40.7 x 15.1ft., draught 20.6ft.
Two six cyl. triple expansions steam engines, 495 nhp., speed 14.5 knots, twin screws. Later replaced by one of 3.120 hp.
Four cable tanks.
Delivered October 1902.


After completing based at Auckland, specifically to maintain the company’s Pacific cable network.
1907 She laid a cable between Norfolk Island and Suva.
In 1914 she rescued some of the crew of the schooner STRATHCONA who on her maiden voyage to the north grounded onto the South Minerva Reef.

When Count Von Luckner, the commander of the German raider SEEADLER escaped from internment on Motuihe Island, New Zealand in December 1917, with the fast motorboat PEARL, they then boarded the scow MOA and with this vessel Count von Luckner and some men tried to escape.
The IRIS sailed out in pursuit for the escaped prisoners, and at that time she carried a armament of 2 – 6 pdrs. did fall in with the RANGI and from Captain Francis of the RANGI he got the information in which direction the escaped prisoners were heading.
The crew of the IRIS recaptured on 21 December Von Luckner off Curtis Island in the Kermadecs.

1931 Transferred to the Imperial & International Communications, Ltd., London, renamed RECORDER.
She was still based in New Zealand. (a other source gives transferred 1929.)
1937 Transferred to Cable & Wireless, Ltd., London.
1939 Based at Singapore and used a cable repair ship.

1940 Moved to the Mediterranean. From 1942 till 1946 in Royal Navy service.
1947 Had a major refit in Durban, South Africa.

She was broken up at Rosyth in 1952 by Metal Industries, Ltd., where she arrived 21 May 1952.

Norfolk Island 1967 30c sg88, scott111.
Canada 2002 sg?, scott?

Sources: http://riv.co.nz/rnza/tales/vonluckner1.htm http://www.atlantic-cable.com/stamps/Ca ... ndexir.htm
Log Book Volume 32 page 10/11. Log Book Vol 15 page 28. Out of Auckland by Clifford Hawkins. Register of Merchant Ships Completed in 1902. Ships of the Royal Navy, Vol. 2 by J.J. Colledge.