Requisitioned Auxiliary – Athelstane

 Athelfoam2

 Athelfoam2

Image when she was Athelfoam

 

Official Number:                        142729

Laid down:

Builder:                                    Irvine’s Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co Ltd, West Hartlepool

Launched:                                1918

Into Service:                             1939

Out of service:                          9 April 1942

Fate:                                         9 April 1942 bombed 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:

 

1918 launched by Irvine’s Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co Ltd, West Hartlepool as Yard Nr 595 named WAR GHURKA for the Shipping Controller

December 1918 completed and placed under management of Hunting & Son, Newcastle                

1919 purchased by Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd, London name unchanged

6 May 1920 berthed at San Francisco from Singapore

2 December 1920 alongside at the Main Wharf, Kepple Harbour, Singapore

21 December 1920 alongside at the Main Wharf, Kepple Harbour, Singapore

1922 renamed CAPRELLA by her owners

1924 purchased by British Molasses Co Ltd, London and renamed ATHELFOAM

1926 owners became United Molasses Co Ltd, London name unchanged

8 September 1929 at Bruges grounded (details from the Lloyds Casualty Reports)

9 September 1929 at Bruges refloated (details from the Lloyds Casualty Reports)

1931 purchased by D/S A/S Vard (G O Aarvald & Co, Managers) Oslo and renamed  HIRD

1935 returned to United Molasses Co Ltd, London and renamed ATHELSTANE          

1939 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an oiler

25 October 1939 sailed the Gareloch independently to the Clyde

26 October 1939 sailed the Clyde independently to Liverpool arriving the next day

16 November 1939 sailed Liverpool in convoy OB36 which reformed as Convoy OG7 the following day and arrived at Gibraltar 24 November 1939

24 November 1939 sailed Gibraltar independently to Port Said arriving 2 December 1939

2 December 1939 sailed Port Said independently to Abadan arriving 16 December 1939

18 December 1939 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 27 December 1939

30 December 1939 sailed Aden independently to Abadan arriving 9 January 1940

11 January 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 19 January 1940

24 January 1940 sailed Aden independently to Abadan arriving 1 February 1940

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

3 February 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Suez arriving 18 February 1940

19 February 1940 sailed Port Said

24 February 1940 sailed Malta independently to Haifa arriving 3 March 1940

5 March 1940 sailed Haifa independently to Alexandria arriving 6 March 1940

20 March 1940 sailed Alexandria independently to Port Said arriving the next day

22 March 1940 sailed Suez independently to Abadan arriving 4 April 1940

5 April 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 15 April 1940

15 April 1940 sailed Aden independently to Suez arriving 21 April 1940

23 April 1940 sailed Port Said

29 April 1940 sailed Malta independently to Port Said arriving 3 May 1940 

4 May 1940 sailed Suez independently to Abadan arriving 17 May 1940

19 May 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Cape Town arriving 15 June 1940

23 June 1940 sailed Cape Town independently to Abadan arriving 18 July 1940

20 July 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 1 August 1940

6 August 1940 sailed Aden in convoy BN2A to Port Sudan arriving 10 August 1940

14 August 1940 sailed Port Sudan in convoy BS2A to Aden arriving 17 August 1940

18 August 1940 sailed Aden independently to Bombay, India arriving 25 August 1940

18 September 1940 sailed Bombay, India independently to Abadan arriving 25 September 1940

29 September 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Colombo, Ceylon arriving 10 October 1940

14 October 1940 sailed Colombo, Ceylon independently to Abadan arriving 25 October 1940

25 October 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Colombo, Ceylon arriving 6 November 1940

10 November 1940 sailed Colombo, Ceylon independently to Abadan arriving 19 November 1940

21 November 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 1 December 1940

3 December 1940 sailed Aden

14 December 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 23 December 1940

29 December 1940 sailed Aden in convoy BN11B to Port Sudan arriving 1 January 1941

5 January 1941 sailed Port Sudan joining convoy BS12 which had sailed Suez on 3 January 1941 and dispersed on 11 January 1941. Athelstane continued onto Abadan independently arriving 20 January 1941  

1941 transferred to Tankers Ltd, London name unchanged

23 January 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Trincomalee arriving 5 February 1941

9 February 1941 sailed Trincomalee independently to Abadan arriving 20 February 1941

22 February 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 4 March 1941

5 March 1941 sailed Aden in convoy BN18 to Port Sudan arriving 8 March 1941

15 March 1941 sailed Port Sudan independently to Abadan arriving 26 March 1941

27 March 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 10 April 1941

12 April 1941 sailed Aden independently to Port Sudan arriving 16 April 1941

21 April 1941 sailed Port Sudan independently to Abadan arriving 4 May 1941

11 May 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 21 May 1941

22 May 1941 sailed Aden independently to Massawa arriving 25 May 1941

3 June 1941 sailed Massawa independently to Aden arriving 8 June 1941

7 June 1941 sailed Aden independently to Bombay 14 June 1941

7 July 1941 sailed Bombay independently to Abadan 15 July 1941 

18 July 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Cape Town arriving on 17 August 1941

21 August 1941 sailed Cape Town

15 September 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Bombay arriving 23 September 1941

7 October 1941 sailed Bombay independently to Abadan arriving 14 October 1941

15 October 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving Aden 24 October 1941

30 October 1941 sailed Aden indpendently to Mahe arriving 6 November 1941

8 November 1941 sailed Mahe independently to Mauritius arriving 13 November 1941

15 November 1941 sailed Mauritius independently Abadan arriving 29 November 1941

1 December 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Capetown arriving 27 December 1941

3 January 1942 sailed Capetown independently to Port Elizabeth arriving 5 January 1942

16 January 1942 sailed Port Elizabeth independently to Abadan arriving 9 February 1942

12 February 1942 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 22 February 1942

24 February 1942 sailed Aden independently to Abadan arriving 4 March 1942

7 March 1942 sailed Abadan independently to Colombo arriving 19 March 1942

21 March 1942 sailed Colombo in convoy C10 – no further details are currently available

28 March 1942 sailed Addu Atol escorted to Colombo arriving 31 March 1942

4 April 1942 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee arriving 6 April 1942            

9 April 1942 sailed from Trincomalee escorted by HMS HOLLYHOCK and with the Requisitioned Auxiliary British Sereant, all three were bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft about 70 miles from Trincomalee in position 07.30 N 81.56 E while on passage to Colombo carrying a cargo of fuel oil.  No casualties. When the two tankers and their escort sailed from Trincomalee RFA Pearleaf (1) also sailed and escaped

22 December 1942 Captain Henry Moore and Deck Topas Joseph Johns both awarded a Commendation for services when the ship was bombed and sunk in the Indian Ocean – Published in the London Gazette of this day