Official Number:                        97741

Laid down:

Builder:                                   Charles Connell & Co, Scotstoun

Launched:                               27 October 1889

Into Service:                            28 May 1918

Out of service:                         2 December 1918

Fate:                                      Broken up 1923

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:

28 October 1889 launched by Charles Connell & Co, Scotstoun as Yard Nr: 162 named CAPELLA for Charente SS Co Ltd ( T & J Harrison, Managers) Liverpool

15 January 1890 completed at a cost of £38,000

25 January 1890 sailed on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Calcutta

16 May 1892 was struck by lightning, which caused little damage, but had a seriously affect on the ship’s magnetic field

30 March 1894 sailed Liverpool for Calcutta

9 April 1894 passed Gibraltar while on passage to Calcutta

12 September 1894 at Suez while on passage from Calcutta to London

November 1905 towed the disabled steamer LORD DUFFERIN into Queenstown

12 June 1908 ran aground when sailing from Savannah and was refloated undamaged with tug assistance. The accident was attributed to pilot error

2 April 1910 purchased by Ellerman Lines ( G Smith, Managers) London for £6,229 and renamed ASTURIAN

4 November 1912 seized by Greek forces as they believed her to be a blockade runner. Carrying a cargo of coal

29 October 1914 berthed at Liverpool from Alexandria

12 January 1915 sailed Liverpool for Bombay and Karachi 

12 November 1915 berthed at Liverpool from Alexandria

30 August 1916 sailed Liverpool for Tangiers and Malta. The press report with regard to this sailing advised that the vessel was insured under the Governments War Risk Insurance Scheme                  

18 February 1917 while on passage from Liverpool to Alexandria with general cargo was attacked by gunfire from the German U-64 in the Mediterranean in position 33.48 N 15.15 W with the loss of 2 lives – Cook Joseph Leo McCann was buried in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery and Able Seaman Charles Jones was killed and buried at sea

28 May 1918 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as a Stores Carrier, name unchanged

20 August 1918 the Ship’s Master J L Kenny discharged dead. He is buried in Murmansk New British Cemetery in grave A12

29 September 1918 at Archangel Assistant Troops Chef discharged dead

2 December 1918 returned to her owners

28 January 1922 at Volvo Harbour discharged dead having fallen from the Railway Pier and was presumed accidentally drowned

1922 purchased by Olivier & Co, London name unchanged

7 November 1922 her cargo of grain shifted in position 47.31 N 06.53 W in the Bay of Biscay and an emergency call was sent out

8 November 1922 the British steamer ADMIRAL COCHRANE arrived on the scene and eventually connected a towline to the stricken vessel which was running short of coal

11 November 1922 arrived el Ferrol in tow.

18 November 1922 sailed Ferrol after trimming the grain cargo and taking on a further supply of bunker coal

January 1923 laid up at Cardiff

3 September 1923 arrived Wewelsfleth, Germany for breaking up