Official Number:                      147356

Laid down:

Builder:                                       Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill

Launched:                                 26 February 1925

Into Service:                              1939

Out of service:                           1945

Fate:                                            15 July 1954 broken up 

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:

26 February 1925 launched by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill as Yard Nr 85 named  ATHELPRINCE for United Molasses CoLtd, London

2 November 1925 completed

21 July 1934 arrived Kahului, Hawai with a reported leak in No 6 tank (details from Lloyds Casualty reports)

14 December 1935 put into Ponta Delgada while on passage from Liverpool to Curacao for repairs as some 10 feet of her bilge keel had been torn away (details from Lloyds Casualty reports)

1939 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an Escort Oiler name unchanged

9 September 1939 sailed Port Said independently to Alexandria arriving the next day

13 September 1939 sailed Alexandria independently

27 September 1939 sailed Piaeus independently to Port Said

2 October 1939 sailed Suez independently to Aden

8 October 1939 sailed Aden independently to Abadan arriving 17 October 1939

18 October 1939 sailed Abadan independently to Simonstown arriving 11 November 1939

11 November 1939 at Simonstown alongside HMS SUSSEX to refuel her

24 November 1939 sailed Simonstown independently to Durban arriving 28 November 1939

28 November 1939 sailed Durban independently to Abadan arriving 17 December 1939

20 December 1939 sailed Abadan independently to Cape Town arriving 17 January 1940

23 January 1940 sailed Cape Town independently to Durban arriving 27 January 1940

30 January 1940 sailed Durban independently to Freetown arriving 16 February 1940

15 May 1940 sailed from Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX43 to Halifax and joined escorted convoy HX43 on the 21 May 1940 and which arrived at Liverpool on 31 May 1940

11 June 1940 torpedoed and damaged by U-46 in position 43.42°N 13.20° W while in escorted Convoy OG 33F

13 August 1940 Captain Reginald McG Spencer and Chief Officer John H Flockhart both awarded a Commendation for services when the ship was torpedoed and damaged. Published in the London Gazette of this day

29 May 1941sailed from Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX130 to Halifax and joined escorted convoy HX130 on the 15 June 1941 and which arrived at Liverpool on 20 June 1941

12 June 1942 rescued twenty three survivors from the British steamer HARDWICKE GRANGE  which had been sunk by U-29 and landed them at Nuevitas, Cuba

1 May 1943 depth charge embarkation gear fitted and found to work completly successfully prior to sailing on convoy ONS4 – souce Admiralty War Diary of this date

11 June 1943 sailed from Belfast Lough in unescorted convoy BB299 to Milford Haven arriving on 13 June 1943

25 January 1944 radioed to Port Patrick Radio she was aground off K.1 Buoy and requested the assistance of a tug. FOIC Greenock replied a tug would be sent as soon as possible

10 June 1944 Chief Cook William E Woods awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil Division) in the Birthday Honours List 1944 – Published in the London Gazette of this day

15 September 1944 Bosun Charlie Marr discharged dead. He is buried at Norfolk (Forest Lawn) Cemetery, Virginia, United States of America in Section H, Row 1, Grave 44

1945 returned to her owners, name unchanged

9 January 1946 Captain Reginald Guy Thomas Franklin, the ships Master, appointed as an Officer of the Most Excelent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Years Honours List – Published in the London Gazette of this day

Captain Reginald G T Franklin OBE

15 July 1954 arrived Faslane for demolition by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd