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