Official No: 129335
Pennant No: Y8.13 / Y3.819 / Y3.810
Laid down:
Builder: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Launched: 17 August 1909
Into Service: 4 October 1914
Out of service: 30 January 1918
Fate: Sunk by submarine gunfire
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:
17 August 1909 launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen as Yard Nr 470 named FERRYHILL for Andrew Abercromby, Aberdeen
August 1909 completed
2 February 1910 sailed Inverness
11 February 1910 sailed Montrose
1910 change of owners to C. R. Davidson & Co. Coal Merchants, Aberdeen
8 June 1910 at North Harbour, Lerwick grounded on a shoal having loaded a cargo of herring
10 June 1910 berthed at Aberdeen for repairs
26 September 1910 berthed at Grangemouth
7 December 1910 arrived at Buncrana from Yarmouth with a cargo of empties and salt
19 September 1911 when sailing from Sunderland for Aberdeen grounded – little in any damage
23 September 1911 the Aberdeen Daily Journal reported the gounding (see above) –
4 October 1914 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as a stores carrier – name unchanged – until 28 May 1915
29 May 1915 re-deployed for service as a collier until 6 June 1915
7 June 1915 re-deployed as a stores carrier until 18 July 1915
19 July 1915 re-deployed again a collier until 7 July 1916
25 February 1916 Chief Engineer Officer Charles Officer discharged dead. While on charter to the Admiralty the ship was moored in Ramsgate Harbour. She was berthed outboard of a hulk. The Chief Engineer returning to his ship apparently fell into the water and was drowned
8 July 1916 re-deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport carrying
- ammunition between Littlehampton and France
- carrying stores between Newhaven and France
- providing a cross channel service from Littlehampton
28 January 1918 the death of the Chief Engineer subject to a claim for compensation. An appeal was heard in the House of Lords this day – reported at length in The Times of the 29 January 1918
1918 change of owners to Ferrum S. S. Co. Ltd (G. T. Gillie & Co. Managers).
30 January 1918 sunk by the German submarine UB54 (Oberleutnant zur See Egon von Werner) by gunfire 15 nautical miles west of Cape d’Antifer when she was in ballast during a voyage from Le Havre to Littlehampton. There were no casualties.