Official No:                            162517

Builder:                        Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Scotstoun

Launched:                    25 September 1930

Into Service:                1939

Out of service:              22 February 1942

Fate:                            22 February 1942 torpedoed and sunk

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:

25 September 1930  launched by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Scotstoun as Yard Nr 30 named ADELLEN for Adellen Shipping Co Ltd, London

December 1930 completed

20 January 1931 while loaded with creoste and arriving at Tampico grounded on the bar at the entrance to the river – when berthed her bottom was found to be badly damaged – details from Lloyds Casualty Reports

11 July 1932 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

5 May 1933 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

6 January 1934 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

18 March 1935 at Dunkirk Hospital Chief Steward George Pratt discharged dead perforated stomach and peritonitis

27 April 1935 sailed Jacksonville for Pensacola

16 November 1936 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service

26 September 1939 sailed from Buenos Aires independently to Montevideo

28 September 1939 sailed Montevideo independently to Trinidad arriving on 17 October 1939

24 October 1939 sailed Trinidad independently to Halifax arriving on 3 November 1939

10 November 1939 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX8 to Liverpool arriving 27 November 1939

29 November 1939 sailed Liverpool independently to Scapa Flow arriving 1 December 1939 while under the escort of HMS FEARLESS

6 December 1939 sailed Scapa Flow independently to the River Tyne arriving on 9 December 1939

25 December 1939 sailed the River Tyne in unescorted convoy FS59 to Southend

26 December 1939 struck a mine and was badly damaged 16 miles NE of North Forland at 51.30N 01.43E. She entered the Thames and sailed up to Gravesend the next morning for repair

26 March 1940 sailed Southend in escorted convoy OA117 until dispersal on the 29 March 1940 and then independently to Wilmington arriving on 14 April 1940

16 April 1940 sailed Wilmington independently to Galveston arriving on 21 April 1940

24 April 1940 sailed Galveston independently to Curacao 

3 May 1940 sailed Curacao independently to Bermuda arriving on 8 May 1940

11 May 1940 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX42 to Halifax to join, on 17 May 1940, escorted convoy HX 42 to Scapa Flow arriving on 30 May 1940. Another requisitioned auxiliary tanker – Atheltemplar – was also in this convoy also sailing to Scapa Flow

5 June 1940 sailed Scapa Flow independently to Methil arriving the next day

9 June 1940 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy FS191 to Middlesborough arriving on 11 June 1940

Between 13 June 1940 and 21 June 1940 also was at Immingham and the River Tyne

21 June 1940 sailed the River Tyne to join unescorted convoy FS201 to Southend arriving 23 June 1940

25 June 1940 sailed Southend in escorted convoy OA174 until dispersal on 28 June 1940 and then independently to Wilmington arriving on 12 July 1940

14 July 1940 sailed Wilmington independently to New Orleans arriving on 18 July 1940

22 July 1940 sailed New Orleans independently to Trinidad arriving on 29 July 1940

2 August 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Gibraltar arriving 20 August 1940

20 August 1940 sailed Gibraltar independently to Trinidad arriving on 1 September 1940

5 September 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Bermuda arriving on 10 September 1940

13 September 1940 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX73 to Halifax to join escorted convoy HX73 to the Clyde arriving on 27 September 1940. The convoy commodore of HX73 complained in his notes that Adellen with two other ships – Scottish Star and Laurelwood – they had conducted prolonged night signalling and all three Masters should be seriously warned

5 October 1940 sailed the Clyde and joined escorted convoy OB224 from Liverpool until it dispersed on 12 October 1940 at 57.58°N 24.25°W then independently to Curacao arriving on 27 October 1940

29 October 1940 sailed Curacao independently to Bermuda arriving 3 November 1940

8 November 1940 sailed Bermuda in convoy BHX87 which joined escorted convoy HX86 (R) on 13 November 1940. This combined convoy then joined with Convoy HX85/1 which had sailed from Sydney, Cape Bretton on 11 November 1940. This total convoy then sailed to Liverpool arriving 25 November 1940

10 December 1940 sailed the Clyde and joined escorted Convoy OB257 from Liverpool until dispersal on 13 December 1940. The ship then sailed independently to Trinidad

2 January 1941 sailed Trinidad independently to Freetown arriving 16 January 1941

24 January 1941 sailed Freetown independently to New York arriving 9 February 1941

20 February 1941 sailed New York independently to Curacao arriving 27 February 1941

28 February 1941 sailed Curacao independently to Bermuda arriving 6 March 1941

9 March 1941 sailed Bermuda in convoy BHX114 which joined escorted convoy HX114 on 14 March 1941 to Milford Haven when it was bombed and set on fire. She anchored one mile south of St Annes Head. Five of the crew were wounded.

10 June 1941 sailed under tow from Milford Haven to Newport arriving the next day

12 February 1942 arrived at Milford Haven

13 February 1942 sailed Milford Haven and joined escorted convoy ON67 from Liverpool the next day

22 February 1942 torpedoed and sunk by U-155 in the Atlantic south of Cape Farewell in position 49.20N 38.15W on passage from Milford Haven to Trinidad in ballast as part of Convoy ON 67 with the loss of thirty six lives. Twelve survivors were rescued by the Canadian corvette HMCS ALGOMA  who transferred them to the Convoy Rescue Ship TOWARD which landed them at Halifax, N.S. Twenty nine of those who died are rememberd with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial

Image courtesy of Brian Watson