Official Number: 149687
Laid down:
Builder: Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Scotstoun
Launched: 18 June 1928
Into Service: 1939
Out of service: 1945
Fate: 21 August 1961 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:
18 June 1928 launched by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Scotstoun as Yard Nr 18 named BENEDICK for Bear Creek Oil & Shipping Co Ltd ( C.T. Bowring & Co Ltd, Managers) Liverpool
19 June 1928 the Scotsman newspaper reported …
August 1928 completed
10 August 1928 registration No: 34/1928 at Liverpool refers
6 November 1929 arrived at the River Tyne from Southampton
10 May 1930 at Nagasaki Medical University Hospital, Nagasaki Ships Cook William Wilkie discharged dead after an operation for an abcess of the liver
27 December 1935 at 45°55N 15°25W Chief Steward William Henry Calvert discharged dead from natural causes
22 September 1936 at Ambes, near Bordeaux, France broke her moorings and went aground. With the tide falling had to lighten her cargo by at least 1,000 tons – details from Lloyds Casualty reports
23 September 1936 at Ambes, near Bordeau, France refloated after lightening her cargo by 1.500 tons and the assistance of 3 tugs – details from Lloyds Casualty reports
7 January 1938 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Port de Bouc, France
1939 – 1945 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an oiler, name unchanged
18 September 1939 sailed Port Arthur independently to Kingston arriving 22 September 1939
26 September 1939 sailed Kingston in convoy KJ2 to Brest arriving 19 October 1939
25 October 1939 sailed Bordeaux independently to Cardiff arriving 30 October 1939
1 November 1939 sailed Cardiff independently returning to Cardiff on 9 November 1939
17 November 1939 sailed Cardiff independently to Milford Haven arriving the next day
19 November 1939 sailed Milford Haven in convoy OB37 until the convoy dispersed on 21 November 1939 and then idependently to Kingston arriving 15 December 1939
26 December 1939 sailed Kingston independently to Halifax arriving 29 December 1939
29 December 1939 sailed Halifax in convoy HX14 to Verdon arriving 13 January 1940
29 January 1939 sailed Verdon in convoy 31 XS to Casablanca arriving 2 February 1940
5 February 1940 sailed Casablanca independently to Curacao arriving 20 February 1940
21 February 1940 sailed Curacao independently to Halifax arriving 3 March 1940
5 March 1940 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX25 to the River Clyde with a cargo of FFO arriving on 22 March 1940
17 April 1940 sailed the River Clyde in escorted convoy OB132 until this convoy dispersed on 22 April 1940 thence independently to Colombia
11 May 1940 sailed Barranquilla independently to Kingston arriving 13 May 1940
14 May 1940 sailed Kingston independently to Fort de France
18 May 1940 sailed Fort de France independently to Casablanca arriving 3 June 1940
7 June 1940 sailed Casablanca in escorted convoy K3 to Bordeaux arriving 14 June 1940
18 June 1940 sailed Bordeaux independently to Falmouth arriving 20 June 1940
29 June 1940 sailed Falmouth joining escorted convoy OA175 until dispersal on 1 July 1940 and thence independently to Aruba arriving 15 July 1940
31 July 1940 sailed Aruba independently to Curacao arriving 1 August 1940
2 August 1940 sailed Curacaqo independently to New York arriving 9 August 1940
13 August 1940 sailed New York
27 August 1940 at Lago Hospital, Aruba Able Seaman Patrick O’Brien discharged dead from cancer
1 April 1942 arrived at Gibraltar escorted by HMS’s COREOPSIS and COLTSFOOT
7 April 1942 sailed Gibraltar to Trinidad in company with the tanker Sandar and with both being escorted by HMS’s COREOPSIS and COLTSFOOT
27 May 1942 arrived at Gibraltar from Trinidad escorted by HMS’s JONQUIL and ST NECTAN
31 May 1942 sailed Gibraltar together with COWRIE and ANDREA BROVIG and escorted by HMS’s JONQUIL, GERANIUM and SPIRAEA until dark on 4 June 1942
29 March 1943 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN210 to Loch Ewe arriving 31 March 1943
5 April 1943 sailed from Liverpool in escorted convoy ONS3 to Halifax arriving on 28 April 1943. During this convoy acted as an Escort Oiler
6 May 1943 sailed Boston in escorted convoy BX49 to Halifax arriving 8 May 1943
31 August 1943 sailed from Liverpool in escorted convoy ONS17 to Halifax arriving on 16 September 1943. During this convoy acted as an Escort Oiler
30 November 1943 sailed from Liverpool in escorted convoy ONS24 to Halifax but was forced to turn back. During this convoy would have acted as an Escort Oiler. She also carried 60 depth charges
29 December 1943 sailed from Liverpool in escorted convoy ONS26 to Halifax arriving on 18 January 1944. During this convoy acted as an Escort Oiler
29 January 1944 sailed from Hailfax in escorted convoy SC152 to Liverpool arriving 15 February 1944. During this convoy acted as an Escort Oiler
16 February 1945 at Robbins Reef, Upper New York Bay in collision with USS Edison (DD439). Destroyer damaged between frames 22 to 33. The destroyer made her way to berth E2, Bayonne Annex, Navy Yard, New York. A US board of enquiry enquiried into the circumstances of the collision
USS Edison (DD439)
24 June 1946 in the Birthday Honours List Captain Ralph Gordon Dunn appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the Bitish Empire – OBE – Civil Division
27 July 1945 at Port Aransas Second Cook John Cuthbert discharged dead having drowned
27 February 1946 at Hospital at St Vincent Donkeyman William Hosking discharged dead from natural causes
19 November 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westbound
23 December 1951 at 28°25N 22°07E Second Engineer Robert John Hately Dunn discharged dead having accidentally drowned
1953 purchased by Cia Panamena Europea Nav, Liberia and renamed NONNA MARO
21 August 1961 arrived Savona for demolition