Official Number:                134703

Builder:                             Campbletown Shipbuilding Co

Launched:                         9 May 1914

Fate:                                  3 March 1940 mined 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

9 May 1914 launched by Campbeltown Shipbuilding Co, Campbeltown as Yard Nr: 99 named CATO for Bristol Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Bristol

June 1914 completed

4 November 1914 requitioned by the Admiralty as a store carrier – name unchanged – until 20 February 1915 at monthly rate of hire of £725

21 February 1915 re-deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport carrying Army stoes between London and France

15 January 1926 at Dublin on leaving her berth in Alexandra Basin struck the Port & Docks Board slip remaining there for 3 hours. On floating off it is believed damaged herself and the rails on the slip

18 September 1928 while loading a large iron girder at Bristol Docks a chain snapped and the girder fell killing a Frederick Foster aged 54

3 March 1940 struck a mine laid by German submarine U29 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart) and sank in the Bristol Channel 2½ miles SE of Nash Point in position 51.24N 03.33W while on passage from Dublin to Bristol with 400 tons of general cargo. 13 members (the Master, ten crew and two gunners) of her crew out of 15 were lost, the two survivors were picked up by the minesweeper HMS AKITA. Eleven are rememberd with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial – Panel 24 and two – Able Seaman William Cornelius is buried in Bristol (Canford) Cemetery (section NN grave 249) and Able Seaman Sydney Hennessy and is buried in Bristol (Arnos Vale) Cemetery (plot SSS Grave 823)