Official No:                            118709

Builder:                          Edward’s Shipbuilding, Howdon on Tyne

Launched:                      19 June 1905

Pennant No:                           M 17 / M 1.07

Into Service:                  28 October 1914

Out of service:                6 September 1917

Fate:                             6 September 1917 ran ground and was wrecked

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1

Career Data:

19 June 1905 launched by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd., Dundee as Yard Nr: 180 named Fiona for London & Edinburgh Shipping Co Ltd., Leith

September 1905 completed

6 November 1905 the Dundee Courier newspaper reported …

10 January 1909 arrived at Leith from London with a general cargo

17 October 1909 arrived at Leith from London

8 May 1912 sailed Leith for London

17 January 1914 sailed Leith for London

22 January 1914 arrived at Leith from London

30 January 1914 arrived at Leith from London

28 October 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Armed Boarding Steamer and was commissioned as HMS FIONA

2 December 1914 Private R Powers RMLI discharged dead. He is buried in Edinburgh (Seafield) Cemetery and is remembed on a Screen Wall G222

14 August 1915 stopped by HMS ARLANZA – confirmed all correct and joined HMS ARLANZA on patrol

17 August 1915 left patrol with HMS ARLANZA for harbour and to load bunker coal

30 June 1916 arrived at Busta Voe and anchored,  later sailing the same day

7 July 1916 arrived at Busta Voe and anchored,  later sailing the same day

21 July 1916 arrived at Busta Voe and anchored,  later sailing the same day

31 October 1916 arrived at Busta Voe and anchored

21 November 1916 arrived at Busta Voe and anchored

22 November 1916 sailed Busta Voe

10 March 1917 sailed Scapa Flow with HMS DUKE OF EDINBURGH

HMS DUKE OF EDINBURGH

20 March 1917 at 62°22’N 1°8’W together with HMS DUKE OF EDINBURGH stopped and boarded a Norwegian steamship John Blumer which was on passage from New York to Bergen – steamship allowed to proceed

28 March 1917 at 62°51’N 1°43’W together with HMS DUKE OF EDINBURGH stopped and boarded a Norwegian steamship Cometa on passage from Bergen to South America via Sierra Leone – steamship allowed to proceed

29 March 1917 at 62°52’N 2°30’W together with HMS DUKE OF EDINBURGH stopped and boarded a Norwegian steamship Camilla on passage from New York to Rotterdam – steamship allowed to proceed. Later at 62°30’N 0°33’W together with HMS DUKE OF EDINBURGH stopped and boarded a Danish Barquentine Atlantic on passage from Cadiz to Bergen  – Barquentine allowed to proceed

2 April 1917 sailed Olna Firth

26 June 1917 arrived at Olna Firth

6 September 1917 ran aground and was wrecked on Clettack Skerry part of the Pentland Skerries. Able Seaman Peter Gray RNVR, Ordinary Seaman Percy Walter Walters RNVR and Private Thomas Henry Taylor RMLI each discharged dead. They are remembered with pride on the Chatham Naval Memorial each having no grave but the sea