Official Number: 162394
Laid down:
Builder: Ardrossan Dockyard Ltd., Ardrossan
Pennant Nr:
Launched: 13 October 1933
Into Service: 1939
Out of service: 8 August 1940
Fate: Torpedoed and sunk 8 August 1940
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA
Career Data:
13 October 1933 launched by Adrossan Dockyard Ltd., Ardrossan as Yard Nr: 352 named Fife Coast for Coast Lines Ltd., Liverpool
2 November 1933 the Cornishman newspaper reported …
November 1933 completed
1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a stores carrier – name unchanged
6 July 1940 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy CW1 to Yarmouth Roads arriving the next day
7 July 1940 sailed Yarmouth Roads independently to Falmouth arriving 10 July 1940
7 August 1940 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy CW9 to Yarmouth Roads. On 8 August 1940 while part of the convoy torpedoed and sunk by German E-Boats S21 & S27 west of Beachy Head carrying a cargo of refined sugar. Four of the crew were killed – Able Seaman Thomas Marshall, 2nd Engineer Officer John Robson, Able Seaman Percy Horace Wright and Chief Engineer Officer Leonard Young. Able Seaman Marshall is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery Plot 12, Row C Grave 14 while the others are remembered with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial
Notes:
The Coast Lines Group was originally formed in 1913 and consisted of a large group of Companies which were brought together in subsequent years. Transfers of ships between the constituent members were quite common after 1920 and Coast Lines retained all the previous Company names. Some of these were as follows with year of acquisition; British & Irish Steam Packet Co Ltd in 1917; City of Dublin Steamship Co Ltd, City of Cork Steamship Co Ltd and Belfast Steamship Co Ltd in 1918/19; Burns & Laird Lines Ltd in 1922; British Channel Islands Shipping Co Ltd in 1937 and Tyne-Tees Steamship Co Ltd in 1943