Official Number: 125451
Laid down:
Builder: Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Willington Quay
Pennant No: Y 7.36
Launched: 24 November 1908
Into Service: 7 September 1914
Out of service: 24 October 1916
Fate: Sunk 24 October 1916
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1 to augment the ships of the RFA
Career Data:
24 November 1908 launched by Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Willington Quay as Yard Nr: 170 named CLEARFIELD for Hunting & Son, Newcastle
27 November 1908 Lloyds List newspaper reported …
January 1909 completed
15 June 1909 passed Dunnett Head for New York
2 July 1909 sailed New York for Rouen
14 July 1909 passed Prawle Point sailing east
24 July 1909 arrived on the River Tyne from Rouen
1 August 1909 passed Sagres
21 September 1909 passed Nantucket when on passage from the River Tyne to New York
16 October 1909 arrived at Dartmouth from Bordeaux. Fireman James Foster was arrested by PC Causeley for being drunk. He appeared at Dartmouth Magistrates’ Court where he pleased Guilty and was fined 8sh 4d or 7 days imprisonment
17 October 1909 sailed Dartmouth for Kustendje
23 October 1909 the Dartmouth & South Hams Chronicle newspaper reported …
5 November 1909 sailed Kustendje for Cette
27 November 1909 arrived at Rouen
26 December 1909 cleared Constantinople for Rouen
5 January 1910 passed Gibraltar
6 January 1910 passed Peniche, Portugal
11 January 1910 passed Havre for Rouen. Arrived at Rouen from Batoum
15 January 1910 sailed Rouen for Dartmouth
18 January 1910 sailed Dartmouth
21 January 1910 passed Sagres
4 Fenruary 1910 sailed the Tyne for Batoum
16 February 1910 passed Gibraltar
17 October 1910 arrived Philadelphia from the River Tyne
21 December 1910 arrived at Savona
23 December 1910 sailed from Savona
4 February 1911 sailed for Batoum
24 February 1911 passed Gibraltar sailing east
7 April 1911 sailed New York for Savona
29 April 1911 sailed from Savona for Algiers
30 May 1911 sailed New York for Flushing
8 June 1911 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard when sailing east
14 June 1911 at the River Tyne from Rotterdam
11 July 1911 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard when sailing west
27 July 1911 arrived at the River Tyne
30 July 1911 sailed for Philadelphia
13 August 1911 arrived Philadelphia from the River Tyne
7 September 1911 at Sarona from Philadelphia
27 September 1911 arrived at New York from Savona
27 November 1911 sailed New York
7 January 1912 sailed New York for the River Tyne
19 February 1912 passed Gibraltar
5 June 1912 arrived London from Port Arthur, Texas
31 October 1912 at 22°33N 88°20W Bosun Jacob Rasmusen discharged dead – killed when he fell down a tank
3 December 1912 at Port Arthur, Texas
6 January 1913 arrived at Manchester from Puerto Mexico
25 January 1913 sailed London for Tuxpan
13 April 1913 at Beaumont Seaman Dimitri Filipinco discharged dead – natural causes
20 July 1913 sailed New York for Tuxpan
13 September 1913 arriven Thameshaven from Tuxpan
2 October 1913 sailed the River Tyne for Tuxpan
1914 owners became Hunting SS Co Ltd (Hunting & Son, Managers) Newcastle – name unchanged
31 July 1914 arrived Port Arthur, Texas
7 September 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an oiler name unchanged
15 September 1914 the Dundee Evening Telegraph reported …
5 April 1915 at Queensferry HMS TB35 alongside being refuelled
9 April 1915 at Rosyth alongside HMS PRINCESS ROYAL to refuel her with 70 tons FFO
HMS PRINCESS ROYAL
31 October 1915 anchored at Folkstone Gate
2 November 1915 arrived at London from Puerto Mexico
24 October 1916 was torpedoed and sunk by gunfire from German submarine U-55 while on passage from Invergordon to Hampton Roads in ballast off the Flannan Islands, Outer Hebrides with the loss of all 36 of her crew