Cento after being renamed Hamarland
Official Number: 131396
Laid down:
Builder: J L Thompson & Sons Ltd., North Sands, Sunderland
Launched: 26 September 1911
Pennant No: Y 3.292 / F 081
Into Service: 4 September 1914
Out of service: 1918
Fate: Broken up December 1957
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:
26 September 1911 launched by J L Thompson & Sons Ltd., North Sands, Sunderland as Yard No: 483 named Cento for Corinthian Shipping Co Ltd., (R Nicholson & Sons Ltd., Managers), Liverpool
November 1911 completed
24 September 1913 arrived River Tyne (Tyne Dock) from London
4 September 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a collier – name unchanged – until 24 August 1915
20 November 1914 when entering Barry Docks a moving buoy damaged her propeller – docked for repairs
6 April 1915 at Tirene disembarking ammunition to old 3rd Class Cruiser HMS HYACINTH
HMS HYACINTH
7 April 1915 at Tirene alongside the old 3rd Class Cruiser HMS HYACINTH supplying 437 tons of bunker coal
10 April 1915 sailed from Niororo Island
11 April 1915 off Niororo Island alongside the old 3rd Class Cruiser HMS HYACINTH supplying 355 tons of bunker coal and provisions
16 April 1915 off Rufiji Delta alongside the light cruiser HMS WEYMOUTH and supplied 308 tons of bunker coal
17 April 1915 off Niororo Island alongside the old 3rd Class Cruiser HMS HYACINTH supplying 380 tons of bunker coal
18 April 1915 alongside collier Reichenfels
21 April 1915 off Rufiji Delta alongside the light cruiser HMS WEYMOUTH together with the collier Childers and jointly supplied 278 tons of bunker coal
25 April 1915 off Rufiji Delta alongside the light cruiser HMS WEYMOUTH and supplied 211 tons of bunker coal
28 April 1915 off Rufiji Delta alongside the light cruiser HMS WEYMOUTH and supplied 150 tons of bunker coal
29 April 1915 off Niororo Island alongside the old 3rd Class Cruiser HMS HYACINTH supplying 188 tons of bunker coal and later alongside the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE and supplied 71 tons of bunker coal
HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE
30 April 1915 off Niororo Island alongside the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE and supplied 292 tons of bunker coal
6 May 1915 arrived at Zanzibar
25 June 1915 arrived at the River Tyne from London
14 February 1916 arrived at Abrolhos Rocks and in communication with the 2nd Class Crusier HMS VINDICTIVE
HMS VINDICTIVE
17 January 1917 re-deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport carrying hay from Glasgow to France for one trip and British timber from the UK to France until 16 August 1917
17 August 1917 re-deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport carrying British Timber from the Gulf to France until 20 February 1918
11 September 1917 when on passage from Queenstown to Cardiff in ballast torpedoed in the Atlantic 10 miles SE True of the Old Head of Kinsale by the German submarine UC-31 (Kurt Siewart). Damaged and put back into Queenstown the lives of two of the crew were lost
21 February 1918 re-deployed as a collier
24 January 1919 sailed the River Tyne for Naples
1919 sold to Wm. R Davies Steamships Co Ltd., Liverpool – name unchanged
1930 sold to Slobodna Plovidba Topic dd (Ant. Topic. Manager) Susak and renamed Jurko Topic
1934 sold to “Austria” Schiffahrts A G, Vienna and renamed Wein
1936 ownership reverted to Slobodna Plovidba Topic dd (Ant. Topic. Manager) Susak
1937 sold to Curt Mattson Rederi Ab, Helsinki and renamed Hammarland
1942 sold to Rederi A/B Jmaica (sven Salen, Manager) Stockholm and renamed Karlshamn
1947 sold to John Nurminen Varustamot Oy, Helsinki and renamed Arno Nurminen
29 December 1957 arrived at Trieste for demolition by Sidemar