Requisitioned Auxiliary – Fornebo

fornebo 1906

 

 

 fornebo 1906

 

Official Number:                     135200

Laid down:

Builder:                                 Sir Raylton Dixon & Co, Middlesbrough

Pennant Nr:                           Y 7.148

Launched:                              7 August 1906 

Into Service:                           22 November 1916

Out of service:                        17 June 1917

Fate:                                     17 June 1917 torpedoed and sunk

 

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:

 

7 August 1906 launched by Sir Raylton Dixon & Co, Middlesbrough as Yard Nr: 523 as a cargo ship. Named FORNEBO for A/S Atlantic, Oslo

September 1906 completed

1913 purchased by Quattuor Ltd, London  (Houlder, Middleton & Co Ltd, Managers), London – name unchanged

18 March 1913 sailed Sunderland for New York

24 April 1913 sailed New York

25 April 1913 sailed Norfolk VA

28 July 1913 sailed Bueno Aires for Gulfport

1915 purchased by Fornebo SS Co Ltd (Harold A de Mattos, Manager) Cardiff name unchanged

9 February 1915 the ships new owners wrote to the Master no doubt on Admiralty advice –

Submarine Warning 9th February 1915 page 001

Kindly donated by Alan M Walker, grandson of Captain Walker to whom the letter had been addressed

15 February 1915 at 37.54N 9.24W challenged by HMS VICTORIAN while on passage from Lisbon to Tyne Dock

11 May 1915 at Oran Captain William S Barnes discharged dead from a stroke

20 May 1916 arrived at Kola Inlet, Russia

4 October 1916 stopped by HMS ORCOMA at 58 24N 11 24W while on passage from Brest to Archangel with a cargo of munions. Given clearance and allowed to proceed

22 November 1916 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an oiler and placed under management of Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd, London – name unchanged. Was fitted with cylindrical tanks in her holds for the carriage of oil

13 June 1917 at 57.58N 17.22W stopped and boarded by Lieutenant F H Smiles RNR from HMS EBRO, checked and allowed to proceed

14 June 1917 at 58.50N 17.10W intercepted by HMS PATUCA. Was flying the flag of the day and so was allowed to proceed

17 June 1917 was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-78 when four miles N of Cape Wrath while on passage from Port Arthur, Texas to the UK with a cargo of fuel oil. There were no casualties