Official No:                              N/R

Builder:                                   Akt. Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen

Launched:                               31 December 1930

Into Service:                            WW2

Out of service:                         WW2

Fate:                                       Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:   One of a group of additional Norwegian-flagged ships which served as Escort Oilers during WW2

Career Data:

31 December 1930 launched by Akt. Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen as Yard Nr: 594 named GARONNE for Dampskibsinteresk Garonne (Fernley & Eger, Managers) Oslo

March 1931  completed

9 May 1939 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on St Catherine’s sailing east bound

Served as a Escort Oiler during WW2

23 October 1939 sailed Curaçao independently to Kirkwall arriving 14 November 1939

20 November 1939 sailed Kirwall

23 December 1939 sailed Sandefjord independently to Constanza arriving 18 January 1940

24 January 1940 sailed Constanza independently to Gibraltar arriving 2 February 1940

6 February 1940 sailed Gibraltar in escorted convoy HG18F to Liverpool arriving 15 February 1940

24 February 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB98 which reformed as escorted convoy OG20F at sea on 27 February 1940 passing Gibraltar on 4 March 1940 thence independently to Constanza arriving 12 March 1940

18 March 1940 sailed Constanza independently to Gibraltar arriving 27 March 1940

28 March 1940 sailed Gibraltar in escorted convoy HG24 to Liverpool arriving 7 April 1940

20 April 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB133 which reformed as escorted convoy OG27F at sea on 22 April 1940 to Gibraltar arriving 28 April 1940

4 May 1940 sailed Gibraltar independently to Port Said arriving 10 May 1940

11 May 1940 sailed Port Said independently to Haifa arriving the next day

14 May 1940 sailed Haifa independently to Gibraltar arriving 23 May 1940

23 May 1940 sailed Gibraltar in escorted convoy HG31 to Milford Haven arriving 31 May 1940

1 June 1940 sailed Milford Haven independently to Swansea arriving the next day

12 June 1940 sailed Swansea independently to Milford Haven arriving the next day

14 June 1940 sailed Milford Haven joining escorted convoy OB167 until dispersal on 17 June 1940 and then independently to Aruba arriving 30 June 1940

1 July 1940 sailed Aruba independently to Bermuda arriving 6 July 1940

9 July 1940 sailed Bermuda independently to Halifax arriving 13 July 1940

4 August 1940 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX63 to the Clyde arriving 19 August 1940

24 August 1940 sailed the Clyde independently to Ardrossan arriving 25 August 1940

28 August 1940 sailed Ardrossan independently to the Clyde arriving the same day

9 November 1940 sailed the Clyde independently to Swansea arriving 14 November 1940

20 November 1940 sailed Swansea independently to Milford Haven arriving the same day

21 December 1940 sailed Milford Haven joining escorted convoy OB263 from Liverpool until dispersal on 27 December 1940 thence independently to Aruba arriving 14 January 1941. RFA ABBEYDALE also sailed in convoy OB263

15 January 1941 sailed Aruba independently to Bermuda arriving 23 January 1941

28 January 1941 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX106 which joined escorted convoy HX106 on 2 February 1941 to Loch Ewe arriving 17 February 1941 thence sailing in escorted convoy WN86 to Methil arriving 19 February 1941

22 February 1941 sailed Methel in convoy FS418 to Isle of Grain. She grounded on 23 February 1941 in the Thames Estuary and eventually arrived 24 February 1941 with the assistance of a tug

7 March 1941 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy FN426 but returned to Southend the same day

9 March 1941 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy FN428 to Methil arriving 12 March 1941

17 March 1941 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN86A to Loch Ewe arriving 19 March 1941 and then independently to Curaçao arriving 10 April 1941

25 April 1941 sailed Curaçao independently to Halifax arriving 4 May 1941

6 May 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX125A to Liverpool arriving 23 May 1941 with a cargo of petrol

31 May 1941 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB329 until dispersal on 5 June 1941 and then independently to New York arriving on 17 June 1941

5 July 1941 sailed New York independently to Halifax arriving 8 July 1941

11 July 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX138 to Belfast Lough arriving 27 July 1941

28 July 1941 sailed Belfast Lough in unescorted convoy BB54 to Milford Haven arriving 30 July 1941

30 July 1941 sailed Milford Haven in unescorted convoy WP12 to Portmouth via Falmouth and Dartmouth

9 August 1941 sailed Yarmouth Roads in unescorted convoy PW17 to Milford Haven arriving 12 August 1941

13 August 1941 joined escorted convoy OS3 which had sailed from Liverpool until dispersed on 18 August 1941

16 September 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX150 to Liverpool arriving 30 September 1941

14 October 1941 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON26 until dispersal on 29 October 1941

3 November 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX158 tp Liverpool arriving 18 November 1941 

19 November 1941 sailed Belfast Lough in escorted convoy BB102 to Milford Haven arriving the next day

18 April 1942 at 50°59N 42°38W in collision with ss Manchester Division causing damage to the ss Manchester Division below the water line. After repairs she made for St. John. Two tugs sailed from Newfoundland to provide assistance

2 May 1942 sailed Belfast Lough in escorted convoy to Milford Haven arriving 3 May 1942

30 August 1942 sailed Boston in escorted convoy BX35C to Halifax arriving 1 September 1942

4 March 1943 sailed Hampton Roads in escorted convoy UGS6 to Oran arriving 22 March 1943

23 March 1943 when one mile off Mers El Kebir light was torpedoed. The torpedo struck on the starboard side. The ship anchored to await assistance

8 January 1944 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON219 to New York arriving 27 January 1944

13 February 1944 sailed Hampton Roads in escorted convoy UGS33 to Fayal

26 April 1944 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON234 to New York arriving 12 May 1944

25 August 1944 sailed Augusta in unescorted convoy AH63 to Bari arriving 27 August 1944

12 May 1945 sailed Boston in escorted convoy BX162 to Halifax arriving 14 May 1945. RFA AMHERST before RFA service as Fort Amherst also sailed in this convoy

1952 purchased by African Enterprises Ltd, Liberia and renamed AFRICAN HOPE

1954 purchased by Societe de Transports Internacionaux, Monaco and renamed FONTVIEILLE

3 July 1954 was extensively damaged by an explosion and fire after sparks ignited paint fumes while she was undergoing repairs at Bremerhaven with 4 workmen being killed. She was beyond economical repair and later that year was sold for £53,000 to Eisen und Metall K.G. Lehr & Co for demolition at Bremerhaven