Requisitioned Auxiliary – British Viscount (1)

 

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Original Name:                         Rock Light

Official Number:                       95548

Laid down:

Builder:                                      Oswald Mordaunt & Co, Woolston

Launched:                                 19 December 1888

Into Service:                              5 July 1915

Out of service:                          23 February 1918

Fate:                                           23 February 1918 torpedoed and sunk 

 

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:

19 December 1888 launched by Oswald Mordaunt & Co, Woolston as Yard nr: 251 named ROCK LIGHT for Rock Light SS Co Ltd (C. Croshaw & Lane, Managers) London

21 December 1888 the Lloyds List newspaper reported …

 

21 12 1888 Lloyds List Rock Light

 

April 1889 completed

12 August 1890 arrived at New York from Shields

7 April 1891 passed Gravesend for Purfleet from Batoum

1 January 1892 passed Gravesend for Purfleet from Batoum

5 January 1892 passed Gravesend for Batoum

10 March 1892 passed Gravesend for New York via Dartmouth

23 April 1892 sailed Dartmouth for Philadelphia

5 June 1892 sailed Dartmouth for Philadelphia

23 June 1892 arrived Philadelphia

4 September 1892 arrived at London from Flushing

19 September 1892 sailed Dartmouth for Philadelphia

24 November 1892 arrived at Philadelphia from Flushing

27 November 1893 passed the North Foreland while on passage from Wilmington to London

1899 purchased by Shell Transport & Trading Co Ltd, London name unchanged

1907 purchased by Petroleum SS Co Ltd (Lane & MacAndrew Ltd, Managers) London name unchanged

5 July 1915 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an oiler, name unchanged

June 1917 purchased by British Tanker Co Ltd, London and renamed BRITISH VISCOUNT

9 January 1918 in collision with HMS ORVIETO close to the Bar Light Vessel during a heavy snow storm

23 February 1918 was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-91 when 12 miles NW of the Skerries while on passage from Liverpool to Queenstown with a cargo of fuel oil with the loss of six lives