Requisitioned Auxiliary – British Marquis

 British Marquis

 

 British Marquis 

as CONTE DI MISURATA

 

Official Number:                       125685

Laid down:

Builder:                                    Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd, Deptford Yard, Sunderland

Launched:                               30 March 1908

Pennant No:                    Y7.30

Into Service:                            10 August 1914

Out of service:                         1918

Fate:                                        9 November 1941 sunk by gun fire

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1 to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

 

30 March 1908 launched by Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd., Deptford Yard, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 628 named Servian for Petroleum Steamship Co Ltd., (Lane & MacAndrews Ltd., Managers) London

May 1908 completed

18 December 1908 arrived at Sunderland from Port Arthur, Texas

25 March 1910 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Belfast and Manchester

11 May 1910 arrived at Philadelphia from Manchester

11 July 1910 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Rotterdam

2 September 1910 arrived Port Arthur, Texas from the River Tyne

4 April 1911 sailed Port Arthur Texas for Hamburg

18 April 1912 arrived at Philadelphia from London

22 April 1912 sailed Philadelphia for Hamburg

8 August 1912 at Gravesend

15 December 1912 arrived at Liverpool from Philadelphia

29 August 1913 arrived Port Arthur, Texas from Amsterdam

10 August 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Oiler Transport name unchanged until 14 February 1916

29 June 1915 arrived at Simons Bay, Simonstown and anchored

30 June 1915 docked at Simonstown with the assistance of 2 PO’s & 25 Seaman from HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE

 

1 KILFAUNS Castle

HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE

 

29 October 1915 at 59°05N 15°2W intercepted by HMS PATUCA confirmed identity and allowed to proceed

June 1917 purchased together with six other ships by British Tanker Co Ltd., London name unchanged although nominal owners remained unchanged

7 June 1917 re-deployed as an Admiralty Oiler Transport until 1918

December 1917 registered owners became British Tanker Co Ltd., London

1918 renamed British Marquis by her owners

10 October 1918 was a straggler in a convoy from New York to London being escorted by HMS BAYANO

6 December 1921 sailed from Abadan for LEFO

12 October 1928 was 290 miles north of Wick when on passage to Swansea

21 January 1930 purchased by Soc. Anon. Impresi Navali ed Affini, Venice and renamed Conte Di Misurata

1934 owners became Cia. Industrie Maritime Affini, Rome – name unchanged

1935 owners restyled as Impresi Navali Commerciale Soc Anon, Rome – name unchanged

9 November 1941 sunk by gunfire from HMS’s AURORA and PENELOPE in position 37.08N 18.09E while on passage from Messina to Tripoli carrying petrol

Notes:

 

The 7 ships purchased and renamed by British Tanker Co Ltd from Petroleum Steamship Co Ltd were as follows and all were requisitioned for Admiralty service as Oiler Transports :

CARPATHIAN                       BRITISH PEER

DANUBIAN                          BRITISH KNIGHT

PINNA                                BRITISH EARL                 

ROCK LIGHT                        BRITISH VISCOUNT

ROUMANIAN                        BRITISH BARON

SERVIAN                             BRITISH MARQUIS

TEREK                                BRITISH DUKE

She was the 1st of 2 ships to bear this name in the BTC Fleet.