Official Number:                        118353

Laid down:

Builder:                                   Wm Gray & Son Ltd., West Hartlepool

Pennant Nr:                             M 33 / T 07 / T 32

Launched:                               15 January 1901

Into Service:                           27 July 1915

Out of service:                         12 December 1918

Fate:                                      Broken up 1 September 1932

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1 to serve as an auxiliary minesweeper

Career Data:

13 October 1913 launched by Wm Denny & Bros, Dumbarton as Yard Nr: 703 named FOLKSTONE for South Eastern & Chatham Railway Co., London

3 December 1903 completed at a cost of £22,519

9 October 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Auxiliary Minesweeper and commissioned as HMS FOLKSTONE. Was initially based at Scapa Flow with the Grand Fleet

1 November 1914 fitted out as a Auxiliary Minesweeper at Millwall

15 December 1914 Engineer Lieutenant Edward Macdonald RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

February to October 1915 later served in the Dardanelles Campaign as a Fleet Messenger – name unchanged

16 December 1915 sailed Salonika

19 December 1915 arrived at Salonika and berthed alongside HMS ARK ROYAL sailing later in the day

22 December 1915 arrived at Salonika

4 April 1916 arrived at Port Mudros

13 May 1916 sailed from Port Mudros

2 January 1917 ships whaler lost at Salonika – other ships swept for the whaler

28 January 1917 at Salonika alongside HMS ENDYMION delivering mail

10 May 1917 sailed Port Mudros

17 May 1917 arrived at Port Mudros

1 June 1917 sailed Port Mudros

25 June 1917 arrived at Port Mudros

26 June 1917 sailed Port Mudros

7 July 1917 arrived at Port Mudros

14 July 1918 arrived at Stavros and anchored sailing later in the day

21 July 1918 arrived at Stavros and anchored sailing later in the day

16 August 1918 Lieutenant Commander Ralph W Goodacre RNR appointed as Commanding Officeer

4 October 1918 re-commissioned

16 April 1919 arrived at Port Mudros

31 January 1920 returned to her owners and renamed FOLKSTONE

1 January 1923 owners became Southern Railway Co., London – name unchanged

November 1926 purchased by Major Henry Keswick, Dumfries and converted by Day, Summers & Co at Southampton into his private yacht and renamed SOLWAY

1929 owner became Mrs Henry Keswick who sold the boat to Lyman N Hine and it was renamed BWANA

1931 purchased by Sir Andrew H Maguire, Southampton and the name reverted to SOLWAY

1935 reported broken up by Pollock, Brown & Co Ltd., Southampton