Official Number:                      161132  

Laid down:

Builder:                                   Palmers’ Co Ltd, Jarrow

Launched:                               19 July 1929

Into Service:                            1939

Out of service:                         1945

Fate:                                      1959 scrapped

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

19 July 1929 launched by Palmers’ Co Ltd, Jarrow as Yard Nr 993 named LUCULUS for Lucigen SS Co Ltd (H.E. Moss & Co, Managers) Liverpool

December 1929  completed

5 September 1939 sailed Philadephia independently to Galveston arriving 16 September 1939

1939 requisitioned  for Admiralty service as an oiler and gave good service on the Russian Convoys as an Escort Oiler

18 September 1939 sailed Galveston to Kingston, Jamaica

26 September 1939 sailed Kingston, Jamaica in escorted convoy KJ2 to Liverpool arriving 19 October 1939

18 November 1939 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB37 until dispersal on 21 November 1939 and then independently to Baton Rouge arriving 11 December 1939. RFA BISHOPDALE also sailed in this convoy for Bermuda

15 December 1939 sailed Baton Rouge independently to Halifax arriving 25 December 1939

29 December 1939 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX14 to Avonmouth arriving 11 January 1940

14 January 1940 sailed Avonmouth independently to Liverpool arriving the next day

26 January 1940 sailed Liverpool independently to the River Clyde arriving the next day

30 January 1940 sailed the River Clyde independently to Liverpool arriving 2 February 1940

7 February 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB86 until dispersal on 10 February 1940 and then independently to Port Arthur arriving 7 March 1940

7 March 1940 sailed Port Arthur independently to Houston

25 March 1940 sailed Houston in escorted convoy HX30 to the Downs arriving 9 April 1940

11 May 1940 sailed Southend in an unescorted convoy OA146 until dispersal on 15 May 1940 and then independently to New York City arriving 28 May 1940

2 June 1940 sailed New York City independently to Philadelphia arriving the next day

4 June 1940 sailed Philadelphia independently to Halifax arriving 8 June 1940

9 June 1940 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX49 to Liverpool arriving 23 June 1940

27 July 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB190 until dispersal on 31 July 1940 and then independently to the Cape Verde Islands arriving 9 August 1940

11 August 1940 sailed Cape Verde Island independently to Durban arriving 3 September 1940

4 September 1940 sailed Durban independently to Abadan arriving 23 September 1940

26 September 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Cape Town arriving 19 October 1940

19 October 1940 sailed Cape Town independently to Freetown arriving 2 November 1940

4 November 1940 sailed Freetown in escorted convoy SL54 to Oban arriving 25 November 1940

2 December 1940 sailed Oban joining in escorted convoy WN48 to Methil arriving 4 December 1940

8 December 1940 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy FS356 to Southend arriving 10 December 1940

21 December 1940 sailed the River Tyne joining in unescorted convoy FN364 to Methil arriving 23 December 1940

11 February 1941 sailed the River Tyne joining in unescorted convoy FN404 to Methil arriving the next day

13 February 1941 sailed Methil in escorted convoy EN71/1 to Loch Ewe arriving 15 February 1941

On or just after 15 February 1941 sailed Loch Ewe independently to Aruba arriving 12 March 1941

13 March 1941 sailed Aruba independently to Halifax arriving 24 March 1941

27 March 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX117 to Loch Ewe arriving 13 April 1941 then joining unescorted convoy WN114 to Methil arriving 16 April 1941

16 April 1941 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy FS465 to Southend arriving 18 April 1941

25 April 1941 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy FN458 to the River Tyne arriving 27 April 1941

19 May 1941 sailed the River Tyne and joined unescorted convoy FN468 to Methil arriving the next day

12 January 1942 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy FN603 to Methil arriving the 14 January 1942

5 April 1942 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy FS769 to Southend arriving 7 April 1942

25 December 1943 sailed from the Azores and joined escorted convoy GUS26 to Hampton Roads arriving 24 January 1944

30 March 1946 sailed Portsmouth Harbour for Falmouth

1952 purchased by Stevinson, Hardy & Co Ltd, London and renamed BRAZENE

1956  purchased by Mageolia Nav SA (Southern Shipping & Finance, Managers) Panama and renamed PANTANASSA

20 October 1959 arrived La Spezia for demolition