This is the merchant vessel ( pictured Left, click to enlarge) William Fielding served on she was the second vessel with the same name. I found this picture by pure chance and is the only one I know of in existence.

A short History and Description.
London and South Western steamer built and engined by J&W Dudgeon, London 1874.

Re-engined in 1890, by Day Summers 7 Co,Southampton, who built the first submarine.

The S.S South Western is mentioned in the 1881 Jersey (u.k) census. Although the vessel was never totally wrecked, she had by no means a quite life.
In December 1881 she was involved in a collision with a Norwegian bargee and in July 1893 was again in collision, this time with the Bay Fisher.

She was an attractive looking ship for her period and very typical of a passenger/cargo ferry with derricks to for and aft holds, open bridge, and six lifeboats, four on amidships superstructure and two aft. It looks as though she was originally intended to be the second of a pair of identical steamers with the S.S GUERNSEY but was obviously lengthened whilst on the stocks from 195.6ft. to 222.3ft. (Incidentally the S.S GUERNSEY was also lost at Cap de la Hague, this time on 8 April 1915 but she hit the rocks because the lighthouse was not working due to wartime black out conditions)!

Between the 16th & 18th March 1918 the South Western was sunk by the German submarine UB-59 in the English channel, while 9miles SW from St.Cathrines Point, Isle Of Wight, U.K, while on voyage from Southampton to St.Malo, carrying general cargo.

There is conflicting evidence about the sinking, of the S.S South Western.
The book "Merchant Fleets Vol24" states that she was en route from Jersey to St.Malo when she was sunk, and had left on the 16th March.
This date is an example of the difficulty with over night or en route sailings as she is recorded by different sources as having been sunk on both the 16th&17th March, but I believe it was the 17th and not the 16th, as stated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

I believe that the conflict between dates is down to the simple fact of the Captain of the S.S South Western taking note of when the first torpedo was fired

All together 24 lives where lost, with only six surviving, including the Captain.1918.

South western sunk ago!
has passed since south western sunk.
south western was sunk by UB-59 ago.

 

Vessel details.
Description	Details/Technical Information.
Built	1874 J & W Dudgeon, London
Type:	Cargo vessel with limited passenger accommodation. Iron, Single deck
Tonnages:	657gross/364net
Length:	222.3ft. (67.76m)
Beam:	27.1ft. (8.26m)
Draught:	13.5ft. (4.11m)
Engine:	2 cyl. compound by builders, developing 180NHP driving single screw
Speed:	14 knots

Vessel History.
Dates	Historical Information.
1874. September:	Launched.
1874. December 28(Monday):	Trials off Mouse Buoy.
1874. December 31(Thursday):	Delivered, having been increased in size during construction.
1875. January:	Entered service Southampton-St. Malo.
1875. April:	Placed experimentally on the Jersey mail route which was operated by paddlers. Her success enabled L & SWR to order the DIANA.
1890.	Converted to triple expansion and given a new boiler by Day, Summers & Co.
1915. April 29:	Grounded at Cap de la Hague. Limped into Cherbourg with 5ft (1.52m) of water in her forward hold. Patched and returned to Southampton for repairs.
Date Unknown.	South Western was one of the first ships in the South to be fitted with radio.

Livery details of South Western.
Part of vessel	Colour/Description.
Funnel:	Powdery yellow.
Hull:	Black, red boot-topping.
Upper works:	White hull side plating. Brown houses and internal alleyways.
Vents:	Black, red interiors.

If you can help with the research of this vessel or can fill in any gaps then please do contact me.