Official Number:                     169033

Builder:                                 Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Deptford Yard, Sunderland

Pennant No:                   

Launched:                              27 August 1942

Into Service:                           WW2

Out of service:                        1945

Fate:                                     23 May, 1959 broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of a group of additional ships requisitioned by the Admiralty to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

27 August 1942 launched by Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Deptford Yard, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 743 named Empire Cavalier for the MoWT

18 September 1942 arrived at the River Tyne from Sunderland

November 1942 completed under management of Mungo, Campbell & Co Ltd., Newcastle and requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Escort Oiler 

25 November 1942 sailed the Tyne and joined the convoy FN874 from Southend to Methil arriving the next day

30 November 1942 sailed Methil in convoy EN168 to Loch Ewe arriving 2 December 1942 and then joined convoy ON151 which had sailed Liverpool on 3 December 1942.

ss Manchester Exporter

Involved in a collision with ss Manchester Exporter at Belfast Lough. Arrived at Halifax on 22 December 1942. Manchester Exporter remained at Belfast for repairs

27 February 1943 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy ON166 to New York arriving 3 March 1943

8 March 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX229 to Liverpool arriving 23 March 1943

18 April 1943 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON179 to New York arriving 6 May 1943

15 June 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX244 to Belfast Lough arriving 29 June 1943 with a cargo of petrol

29 June 1943 sailed Belfast Lough in unescorted convoy BB304 to Swansea arriving 1 July 1943

14 July 1943 sailed Swansea independently to Milford Haven arriving the same day

15 July 1943 sailed Milford Haven joing escorted convoy ON193 to New York arriving 30 July 1943

7 August 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX251 to Halifax but had to return

16 August 1943 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX252 to Liverpool arriving 29 August 1943 with a cargo of petrol

15 September 1943 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON202 to Philadelphia arriving on 1 October 1943

3 October 1943 sailed Philadelphia independently to New York arriving the next day

11 October 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX261 to Liverpool arriving 26 October 1943 with a cargo of petrol

13 November 1943 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON211 to New York arriving 29 November 1943

22 December 1943 sailed New York independently to Hampton Roads

25 December 1943 sailed Hampton Roads in escorted convoy UGS28 to Augusta arriving 15 January 1944 with a cargo of USN fuel

17 January 1944 sailed Augusta in unescorted convoy AH19 to Bari arriving on 19 January 1944

24 January 1944 sailed Bari in unescorted convoy HA20 to Augusta arriving 26 January 1944

26 January 1944 sailed Augusta in escorted convoy MKS38 to Bizerta arriving 28 January 1944

1 February 1944 sailed Bizerta in escorted convoy GUS29 to New York arriving 22 February 1944

11 March 1944 sailed New York independently to Hampton Roads arriving the next day

24 March 1944 sailed Hampton Roads in escorted convoy UGS37 but had to put back with engine defects

 3 April 1944 sailed Hampton Roads in escorted convoy UGS38 to Gibraltar arriving 18 April 1944

12 April 1944 dropped out of convoy UGS38 with engine trouble. USS Menges (DE320) also dropped out of convoy to screen Empire Cavalier until repairs had been completed

USS Menges (DE320)

13 April 1944 still astern of convoy being screened by USS Menges (DE320)

14 April 1944 still astern of convoy being screened by USS Menges (DE320)

15 April 1944 rejoined convoy UGS38

6 May 1944 sailed Gibraltar in escorted convoy KMS49 to Algiers arriving 8 May 1944. RFA PRESTOL and RFA CELEROL both sailed in various parts of this convoy

18 May 1944 sailed Algiers in escorted convoy KMS49 to Gibraltar arriving 20 May 1944

20 May 1944 sailed Gibraltar in escort convoy MKS49G which r/v with convoy SL158the next day to Loch Ewe arriving 4 June 1944. RFA SCOTTISH AMERICAN was the escort oiler on this convoy

5 June 1944 sailed Loch Ewe in unescorted convoy WN592 to Methil arriving on 7 June 1944

8 June 1944 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy FS1477 to the River Tyne arriving the next day

12 July 1944 sailed the River Tyne in unescorted convoy FN1415 to Methil arriving the next day

14 July 1944 sailed Methel in unescorted convoy EN408 to Loch Ewe arriving 16 July 1944 and then joining in escorted convoy ON245 from Liverpool to New York arriving 2 August 1944. Acted as an escort oiler during this later convoy

10 August 1944 sailed New York independently to Hampton Roads

13 August 1944 sailed Hampton Roads in escorted convoy UGS51 to Bone arriving 1 September 1944

5 September 1944 sailed Bone in escorted convoy MKS60 to Algiers arriving the next day

30 September 1944 sailed Algiers in escorted convoy GUS52 to New York arriving 7 October 1944

10 October 1944 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX313 to Swansea arriving 23 October 1944. Acted as an escort oiler during this convoy

26 October 1944 sailed Swansea

31 October 1944 sailed St Helens Roads in escorted convoy MTM10 to Southend arriving the next day

5 November 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy TMM12 to Spithead arriving the next day

6 November 1944 sailed Spithead in escorted convoy EMF28 to Swansea arriving 10 November 1944

26 January 1945 sailed Swansea independently to Milford Haven arriving the next day

28 January 1945 sailed Milford Haven in escorted convoy ON281 to New York arriving 12 February 1945

16 February 1945 sailed New York in escorted convoy UGS75 to Gibraltar passing there on 4 March 1945 then independently to Pireaus arriving 10 March 1945

11 March 1945 sailed Pireaus independently to Istanbul arriving 13 March 1945

14 March 1945 sailed Istanbul independently to Odessa arriving the next day

19 October 1945 purchased by British Tanker Co Ltd., London and renamed British Cavalier

13 April 1947 at 32.24N 29.43E Able Seaman Karl Johannsen discharged dead from heart failure

1956 owners restyled as BP Tanker Co Ltd. Named unchanged

5 August 1956 at 48.39N 5.21W Deck Serang Sk Hoosein Bawa discharged dead heart attack

19 December 1956 at 23.04N 17.08W 2nd class Seaman Sher Ali Noor Mohamed discharged dead from heart failure

20 May 1959 sold for scrap

23 May 1959 arrived at Briton Ferry for breaking up by T W Ward Ltd.