Official Number:                       161137

Laid down:

Builder:                                    Wm Hamilton & Co (1928) Ltd, Glen Yard, Port Glasgow

Launched:                                31 October 1939

Into Service:                             1939

Out of service:                          23 February 1943

Fate:                                       23 February 1943 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:

31 October 1929  launched by Wm Hamilton & Co (1928) Ltd, Glen Yard, Port Glasgow as Yard Nr 410 named ATHELPRINCESS for United Molasses Co Ltd, London.

December 1929 completed

14 March 1930 berthed at London – one crew member diagnosed with a case of syphilis – treated at the Seaman’s Hospital, Royal Albert Dock

1939 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an oiler

3 September 1939 sailed from Cape Town independently to Freetown arriving on 15 September 1939

21 September 1939 sailed Freetown in convoy SL2 to Liverpool arriving on 10 October 1939

29 October 1939 sailed Liverpool in convoy OB27 until this convoy dispersed on 3 November 1939 and then independently to Trinidad arriving on 18 November 1939

20 November 1939 sailed Trinidad independently to Curacao arriving on 25 November 1939. She sailed the same day, again independently to Halifax arriving on 5 December 1939

12 December 1939 sailed Halifax in convoy HX12 to Dunkirk arriving on 29 December 1939. RFA ARNDALE was also part of this convoy

4 January 1940 sailed Dunkirk independently to Spithead arriving on 9 January 1940

1940 nominal ownership passed to Athel Line Ltd, London name unchanged

11 January 1940 sailed Spithead to join convy OA 70G, which had sailed from Southend,  Then formed convoy OG 14 untill dispersal and sailed independently to Demerara arriving on 29 January 1940

31 January 1940 sailed Demerara independently to Trinidad arriving on 2 February 1940

7 February 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Halifax arriving on 19 February 1940

22 February 1940 sailed Halifax in Convoy HX22 to Liverpool arriving on 8 March 1940

18 March 1940 sailed Liverpool in Convoy OB 112 until dispersal on 23 March 1940 and then independently to Antilla, Cuba arriving on 7 April 1940. She sailed the same day, independently, to Matanzas, Cuba.

12 April 1940 sailed Matanzas, Cuba independently to Halifax arriving on 18 April 1940

22 April 1940 sailed Halifax in convoy HX 37 to Liverpool arriving on 6 May 1940

12 May 1940 sailed Liverpool in convoy OB147 until dispersal on 14 May 1940 and then independently to Nuevitas, Cuba arriving 30 May 1940

27 October 1942 Captain Egerton G B Martin awarded a Commendation – Published in the London Gazette of this day

23 February 1943 torpedoed and sunk by U-522 in the Atlantic W of Madeira in position 32.02 N 24.38 W while on passage from Liverpool to Curacao in ballast and as a straggler from Convoy UC1 with the loss of one life. Fifty survivors were rescued by the sloop HMS WESTON, transferred to the American destroyer USS HILARY P. JONES and landed at San Juan, Puerto Rico 

10 August 1943 DEMS Gunner – Petty Officer Arthur W Ayling, Royal Navy, P/J 73290 awarded a Mention in Despatches for services when the ship was torpedoed and sunk – Published in the London Gazette of this day

31 August 1943 Captain Egerton G B Martin, Chief Officer David Cornwell, Second Officer John M Lloyd, Second Engineer Officer Peter H Watson and Able Seaman Edward Risley all awarded a Commendation for services when the ship was torpedoed and sunk – Published in the London Gazette of this day

10 June 1944 Captain Egerton G B Martin appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Civil Division – Published in the London Gazette of this day