image kindly donated by Mike Burns

Official Number:                      121239

Laid down:

Builder:                                  D & W Henderson, Meadowside

Launched:                              5 May 1905

Into Service:                           3 August 1914

Out of service:                        25 April 1915

Fate:                                     24 June 1917 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:

5 May 1905 launched by D & W Henderson, Meadowside as Yard Nr: 443 named CROWN OF ARRAGON for Crown of Arragon SS Co Ltd., (Prentice, Service & Henderson, Managers) Glasgow

May 1905 completed

22 September 1905 arrived at Newport News from New Orleans after being held in quarantine for five days at Old Point. Yellow Fever had broken out at New Orleans. Sailed for Glasgow later in the day

31 May 1906 berthed at Quebec, Canada from Barbados

1907 owners restyled as Crown SS Co Ltd, Glasgow name unchanged

9 July 1907 sailed Quebec, Canada for London

4 October 1907 berthed at Newport News from Barbados

28 September 1909 berthed at Queenstown for Cork from Montreal

6 October 1909 berthed at Truro

25 April 1910 berthed at Hamburg from Mobile

25 June 1910 sailed Montreal for West Indian ports

15 September 1910 sailed Gravesend for Dartmouth, Devon

17 September 1910 sailed Dartmouth for West Indian ports

20 October 1910 arrived at Galveston

25 October 1910 sailed Galveston for Liverpool

8 December 1910 arrived Antigua

30 June 1911 arrived at Gravesend from Rimouski

30 March 1912 berthed at Honolulu to discharge after being delayed by a month due to serious storm damage been occasioned in the Bay of Biscay having sailed from Bristol. She was forced to return to Falmouth for repairs

4 April 1912 sailed Honolulu for San Pedro, San Francisco, Victoria and Vancouver

7 January 1913 sailed Glasgow for West Indian ports

3 August 1914 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as a Supply Ship name unchanged.

8 August 1914 ship commissioned this day with Lieutenant Robert F Henschel RNR appointed in command and Engineer John McAdam RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Ship denominated as Squadron Supply Ship No 15. Lieutenant Henschel RNR had been the Captain of this ship before she was requisitioned.

30 September 1914 at Abrolhos Rocks provisioned HMS CORNWALL

2 October 1914 at Abrolhos Rocks provisioned HMS BRISTOL

HMS BRISTOL

28 November 1914 arrived at Abrolhos Rocks and provisioned HMS CARNARVON

HMS CARNARVON

11 December 1914 at Port William, Falkland Islands provisioned HMS CORNWALL

12 December 1914 at Port William, Falkland Islands alongside and provisioned HMS ORAMA

13 December 1914 at Port William, Falkland Islands provisioned HMS CARNARVON

25 April 1915 re-deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport carrying stores on cross channel, Mediterranean and Canada services

30 December 1915 gave assistance to the crew of the ss Clan Macfarlane which was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean by the German U-38 (Kptlt. Max Valentiner) 66 miles SE x S from Cape Martello in Crete in position 34°50 N 25°55 E on a voyage from Glasgow and Liverpool to Bombay with general cargo and with a total loss of 52 lives, including that of her Master, over the following days before the survivors were rescued.. 24 survivors took to the boats and it was not until 7½ days later that they were rescued by the CROWN OF ARRAGON who landed them at Valetta, Malta. 6 names are recoded on the Tower Hill Memorial and 45 names on the Bombay / Chittagong Memorials. 4 men died on the day of her loss, 21 on 02/01/16, 3 on 03/01/16, 17 on 04/01/16, 3 on 06.01/16, 2 on 07/01/16 and 1 on 08/01/16

24 November 1916 while on passage from Hull to Halifax at 59° 40N 8° 54W intercepted and stopped by HMS ANDES. Ordered to proceed

24 June 1917 torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UC-17 (Oberleutnant zur See Werner Furbringer) 124 miles SW by W of Bishop Rock in position 48°.10 N 08°.14 W with a cargo of Government Stores with the loss of one life – Fireman Yong Lo who is remembered with pride on the Hong Kong Memorial which is located in the Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong. The rest of the crew were rescued by HMS LYRA and landed at Plymouth