Official Number:                      162332

Laid down:

Builder:                                  Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson , Wallsend

Launched:                              24 October 1930

Into Service:                           1939

Out of service:                        1943

Fate:                                     February 1943 torpedoed and sunk

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

24 October 1930 launched by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend as Yard Nr: 1437 named CORDELIA for Oil Tank Steamship Co. Ltd., (C.T. Bowring & Co Ltd, Managers) Liverpool

25 October 1930 the Daily Herald newspaper reported …

3 November 1931 completed

28 September 1932 at Quebec Bosun Alfred Carmichael discharged dead – he fell into the dock and drowned

28 April 1934 the Master radioed that the ship was ice bound in heavy pack ice, the fore peak and fore hold were leaking, the plates on both sides of the bows were indented. Vessel reported as being 100 miles south east of Fame Point, St Lawrence – source Lloyds casualty reports

30 April 1934 arrived at Quebec

11 November 1934 the Canso Wireless Station reported at 6.12am that the ship, while on passage from Hampton Roads to Montreal was ashore at Eddy Point, Gut of Canso. It was further reported that the ship was in no immediate danger. The rescue tug Foundation Franklin was on way to assist – source Lloyds casualty reports

13 November 1934 refloated this day and anchored in Inhabitants Bay

14 November 1934 the tanker Vancolite reported on way to the Cordelia to take off some of her cargo and thus lighten her

15 November 1934 the Master reported by radio to the ships owners that a certificate of seaworthiness granted and the ship had sailed for Montreal

7 December 1934 at 28°37N 88°30W Able Seaman John Brown discharged dead having fallen overboard and presumed drowned

7 February 1935 while on passage from the River Tyne to Falmouth and then New Orleans broke down with engine damaged when 40 miles off Start Point. Made for Falmouth for repairs

8 February 1935 arrived at Falmouth

25 July 1935 arrived at Quebec in tow with engines disabled. Estimated 10 days for repairs to be undertaken

1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an oiler, name unchanged

21 September 1939 sailed Southend in escorted convoy OA8 until dispersal on the 24 September 1939 and then independently to Gibraltar arriving 1 October 1939

7 October 1939 sailed Gibraltar independently to Abadan arriving 27 October 1939

29 October 1939 sailed Abadan independently to Port Said

14 November 1939 sailed Port Said independently for Gibraltar but returned to Port Said on 16 November 1939

16 November 1939 sailed Port Said independently to Gibraltar arriving 24 November 1939

8 December 1939 sailed Gibraltar in escorted convoy HG10 to the Downs arriving 18 December 1939 with a cargo of FFO for Rosyth. RFA THERMOL also sailed in this convoy with a cargo of FFO for Devonport

20 December 1939 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy FN57 to Methil arriving 22 December 1939 for Rosyth

29 December 1939 sailed Rosyth independently to the River Tyne arriving the same day

7 February 1940 sailed the River Tyne in unescorted convoy FS90 to Southend arriving 9 February 1940

10 February 1940 sailed Southend in escorted convoy OA89 until it dispersed on 13 February 1940 and then independently to Trinidad arriving 28 February 1940. RFA ALDERSDALE also sailed in this convoy as far as Plymouth

2 March 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Halifax

18 March 1940 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX28 to Portsmouth arriving 2 April 1940 with a cargo of FFO. RFA ALDERSDALE also sailed in this convoy with a cargo of FFO for Scapa Flow

19 May 1940 sailed from Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX44 to join escorted convoy HX44 for Liverpool arriving 3 June 1940

18 October 1941 sailed from Belfast Lough in escorted convoy BB90 for Milford Haven – was mined, damaged and was towed in

3 February 1943  torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-632 south of Iceland in position 56°37 N 22°58 W while on passage from Curaçao to the Clyde via New York with a cargo of 12,000t of fuel oil as a straggler from Convoy HX 224 with the loss of all but one of the forty six men aboard. The sole survivor was rescued by the German U-boat and was subsequently landed at Brest and detained