Official Number:                      129266

Builder:                                  Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co, Govan

Pennant No:                    M75

Launched:                              9 April 1910

Into Service:                           19 November 1914

Out of service:                        18 July 1915

Fate:                                     1923 broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1

Career Data:

9 April 1910 launched by Earle Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd., Hull as Yard No: 566 named Eskimo for Wilson Line (Thomas Wilson, Sons & Co Ltd.,Managers), Hull

May 1910 completed for her owners’ Hull – Scandinavia service. Could accommodate 109 x 1st Class, 39 x 2nd Class & 420 x 3rd Class passengers

28 June 1910 maiden voyage from Hull to Christiana (now Oslo)

November 1911 used by the the Admiralty for Official Guests at the Coronation Naval Review at Spithead

19 November 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Armed Merchant Cruiser, fitted out at Liverpool and commissioned as HMS ESKIMO by Commander C W Trousdale Royal Navy

18 December 1914 at Liverpool while berthed struck on the port bow by ss Kerrimore causing slight damage

23 December 1914 sailed Liverpool

27 December 1914 arrived at Scapa Flow

30 December 1914 sailed Scapa Flow

31 December 1914 anchored off Peterhead

9 January 1915 sailed Peterhead

17 January 1915 arrived at Alexandrovsk

25 January 1915 sailed Alexandrovsk

31 January 1915 arrived at Scapa Flow

December 1914 to February 1915 served with the 10th Cruiser Squadron west of the Hebrides and the severe weather during this period proved the weakness of using her on such an exposed station and expecting her to maintain a speed of 13 knots

14 February 1915 sailed Scapa Flow

17 February 1915 damaged by heavy seas with ammunition for 6″ gun aft being carried away and lost overboard

20 February 1915 arrived at and made fast in James Watt Dock, Greenock

February 1915 withdrawn from the 10th Cruiser Squadron

18 July 1915 decommissioned and returned to her owners as Eskimo

26 July 1916 captured by the German Auxiliary Cruiser Moewe at Risor, Norway and was taken to Swinemunde where her crew were interned

13 November 1916 was assigned to Kaiserliche Marine and rebuilt as a Net Depot and Command Ship

4 March 1917 commissioned for Netzsperrverband Ostee

19 January 1919 arrived on the River Tyne having been recovered and was returned to Ellerman’s Wilson Line Ltd., Hull but was not refitted

1921 purchased by Compagnie de Navigation Paquet, Marseilles – name unchanged

1923 reported broken up in France