ss Eastcliffe as Clare Lilley

Official Number:                      133599

Laid down:

Builder:                                  J Priestman & Co, Southwick, Sunderland

Pennant No:                           Y 3.1544 / D 82

Launched:                              24 January 1917

Into Service:                           6 April 1917

Out of service:                        1918

Fate:                                      Captured and sunk 17 March 1942

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:

24 January 1917 launched by J Priestman & Co., Southwick, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 529 named Cliffside for John John Priestman (Hansen Bros. Managers) Newcastle

April 1917 completed

6 April 1917 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a collier – name unchanged – was temporarily released on 30 May 1917

12 May 1917 attacked by a submarine when on passge in the Mediterranean – the torpedo missed

May 1917 J Morrison & Son, Newcastle became Managers and renamed Eastcliffe the following year

7 August 1917 re-deployed on Italian Government service as a collier until 13 September 1917

14 September 1917 re-deployed on French Government service as a Transport carrying steel and oats until 14 December 1917

15 December 1917 re-deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport carrying oats until 23 June 1918

24 June 1918 re-deployed as a collier until 19 August 1918

20 August 1918 re-deployed as a Transport carrying wheat from the United States until 6 December 1918

7 December 1918 re-deployed as a transport carrying wheat from Australia

27 September 1919 arrived at Suez from Karachi when on passage to Hull

1919 sold to Ivar A Christensens, Rederi A/S (I A Christensen, Manager) Oslo and re-named Modig

1923 owners restyled as A/S Ivarans, Rederi (Same Manager) Oslo – name unchanged

1934 sold to Clare Shipping Co Ltd., London and re-named Clare Lilley

17 March 1942 ran ashore in bad weather at Black Rock Point near Portuguese Cove, Halifax, NS while awaiting a Halifax pilot when on passage from New York to Liverpool via Halifax carrying bombs and ammunition and broke in two with the loss of 5 lives

1970’s the munitions aboard the wreck were largely removed

Notes:

Collier Pennant Nr: previously allocated to Cliffside