Official No:                          161116

Builder:                        Cammrll, Laird ^ Co., Birkenhead

Launched:                    22 August 1929

Into Service:                 September 1939

Out of service:              WW2

Fate:                           1966 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:

22 August 1929 launched by Cammell, Laird & Co Ltd., Birkenhead as Yard Nr: 958 named ATHELTARN for United Molasses Co Ltd., London

September 1929 completed. Her maiden voyage took her to the Mediterranean, around the Greek Archipelago and through the Suez Canal to Durban where she was based. She was a coastal tanker and traded between Durban and Chinde, Mozambique

1931 returned to the UK and was laid up at Runcorn for a while during the Depression

19 March 1933 in the North Sea off Aberdeen in collision with the Grimsby steam trawler Succession. The trawlers Master and seven of her crew being drowned

13 January 1934 before the Court of Session, Edinburgh proceeding were heard where the Court found that the Atheltarn was three quarters to blame and the Succession was one quarter to blame for the collision. The question of the expences was a full award in favour of the Succession

12 December 1935 while on passage in ballast to Stege was in collision with the old railway bridge over the Masnetsund between the Isle of Zealand and Masnet. Part of the bridge (some 80 yards) collapsed, some striking the bow of the ship. No one was injured but five men escaped being killed by running off the bridge. The ship was not seriously damaged

7 February 1937 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

23 April 1938 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

September 1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Oiler – name unchanged

1940 owners became Athel Line Ltd., London – name unchanged

7 May 1943 at Devonport Chief Engineer Officer William Manson discharged dead – heart failure

8 September 1943 at Devonport alongside HMS CEYLON unloading oil from the cruiser

HMS CEYLON

21 January 1944 at Plymouth Sound alongside HMS BELLONA refuelling her with FFO

26 January 1944 at Plymouth Sound alongside HMS BELLONA refuelling her with FFO

28 January 1944 at Plymouth Sound alongside HMS BELLONA refuelling her with FFO

7 September 1944 at Plymouth Sound alongside HMS BELLONA refuelling her with 65 tons of FFO

18 JUly 1946 the Scotsman Newspaper reported –

30 September 1947 berthed at Alexandra Dock, Hull from Ipswich

3 October 1947 sailed from Alexandra Dock, Hull

1952 purchased by Everard Shipping Co Ltd., London and renamed ACCLIVITY

27 July 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing east

4 August 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing west

28 June 1957 sailed the River Wear for the Isle of Grain

2 July 1957 passed the Lloyds Signal station on Flanborough Head sailing north

9 October 1957 grounded at the entrance to Copenhagen Harbour

4 May 1966 arrived Boom for demolition by Van den Boshe & Co