Official Number:                       95522 

Laid down:

Builder:                                    Armstrong, Mitchell & Co Ltd., Low Walker

Launched:                               26 December 1888

Pennant No:                            Y 7.67

Into Service:                            WW1

Out of service:                         WW1

Fate:                                       3q/1924 broken up

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:

26 December 1888 launched by Armstrong, Mitchell & Co Ltd., Low Walker as Yard Nr: 536 named Darial for Darial Steamship Co Ltd (Lane & MacAndrew Ltd., Managers) London

28 December 1888 Lloyds List newspaper reported …

January 1889 completed

8 May 1890 arrived at the River Tyne from New York via Rotterdam

18 January 1895 the Shields Daily News reported –

1895 Managers became Galbraith, Pembroke & Co., London – name unchanged

1899 purchased by Genesee Steamship Co Ltd., (F E Bliss, Manager) London and renamed Genesee

June 1899 transferred to Anglo-American Oil Co Ltd., (J H Usmar, Manager), London – name unchanged

20 November 1904 arrived at Philadelphia

3 June 1908 passed the Old Head of Kinsale when sailing east bound from Galveston to Manchester

4 June 1908 arrived at Liverpool

21 March 1914 berthed at the Anglo-American Oil wharf at Manchester

5 October 1914 spoken to by HMS VENUS when on passage from Birkenhead to New York

HMS VENUS

22 March 1915 entered Eastham Locks on the Manchester Ship Canal from New York

25 March 1915 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an oiler – name unchanged

9 February 1916 off Fair Isle passed by HMS TENBY CASTLE

11 February 1917 & 12 February 1917 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS AVENGER refuelling her with FFO. RFA MIXOL was also alongside the warship at the same time refuelling her. The warship received a total of 2,979 tons of FFO from both tankers

HMS AVENGER

23 March 1917 a torpedo was fired at her by an unknown submarine in the North Sea but the torpedo missed

27 September 1917 again a further torpedo was fired at her and again the torpedo missed

1 January 1918 torpedoed and damaged by German submarine UB-33 off Flamborough Head while on passage from the Tyne to London. The ship righted herself after listing heavily to port. Her Master sent the majority of the crew away to the escorting patrol boat, and with the four who remained, one of whom was a sixteen year old Apprentice, brought the ship safely into Hartlepool

21 July 1918 torpedoed and damaged by German submarine UC-70 4 miles N x W of Flamborough Head while on passage from Middlesborough to the Humber in ballast – there were no casualties

1 November 1919 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

19 July 1920 berthed at Brixham from Texas City being the first tanker to discharge into the new oil tanks which had been constructed in the Breakwater Quarry. Captain Swann was the ship’s Master

3q of 1924 broken up