Official Number:                        129496

Laid down:

Builder:                                      R Williamson & Son, Workington

Pennant No:                             Y 3.752 / Y 2.136

Launched:                                 14 April 1910

Into Service:                              6 June 1915

Out of service:                           1917

Fate:                                          Broken up 7 January 1932

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:

14 April 1910 launched by Russell & Co., Port Glasgow as Yard Nr: 595 named Earl of Forfar for Earl of Forfar Steamship Co Ltd., (John M Marshall, Manager), Glasgow

May 1910 completed

2 June 1910 sailed from Liverpool

20 February 1911 arrived Bellingham

20 September 1912 sailed New York

9 February 1913 sailed St Lucia

4 June 1913 sailed New York for Dunkirk

12 October 1914 in the Mount Stuart Dry Dock, Cardiff for refit

31 December 1914 arrived Buenos Ayres from Cardiff

6 June 1915 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a collier – name unchanged – until 16 July 1915

24 September 1915 arrived at Port Said from Calcutta for London

27 October 1915 arrived London from Calcutta

12 November 1915 re-deployed as a collier until 4 February 1916

20 May 1916 re-deployed as a Transport carrying sugar until 22 June 1916

23 June 1916 re-deployed as an Ammunition Carrier to Northern Russia for the Russian Government a/c until 29 July 1916

8 November 1916 severely damaged due to an explosion of the Russian munitions steamer Baron Driesden at Archangel. Repaired and sold (some sources say seized) by Russian owners

1917 sold to West Russian Steamship Co Ltd., Archangel and renamed Baklan

7 September 1917 following the explosion and damage of 8 November 1916 the ships Master at the time – Captain James Campbell Hurry – was awarded the Albert Medal. He was on shore at the time and he attempted to return to the ship. Voices were heard on his ship which was burning and exploding furiously. Calling for volunteers he led them onboard and rescued seven injured men some of whom he carried personally to a tug. To get to the wounded he had to lift several live shells from the deck. Within 10 minutes of the last man being rescued the deck blew up  – see London Gazette of this date. In addition the following were also awarded the Albert Medal for saving life at sea on this occasion –

Captain George Parker Bevan, C.M.G., D.S.O., Royal Navy

Lieutenant (acting Lieutenant-Commander) Maurice MacMahon, Royal Naval Reserve

Lieutenant Edward Henry Richardson, Royal Naval Reserve

2nd Engineer Officer Christopher Watson,

Able Seaman James Dixon Henry,

Able Seaman Malcolm Thompson

6 February 1918 the Coventry Evening Telegraph reported …

1920 sold to A/S D/S Mette Jensen (C P Jensen, Manager), Copenhagen and renamed Mette Jensen

3 March 1921 sold to Hamburg Americka Packetfahrt Akt. Ges(Hamburg-America Linie, Managers), Hamburg and renamed Sachsenwald

7 January 1932 arrived Savona for demolition by Italian ship breakers