Glendevon after being renamed Sailor Prince

Official Number:                       124243

Laid down:

Builder:                                   Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd., Troon

Pennant No:                            Y.3.1842

Launched:                               25 October 1907

Into Service:                            31 March 1915

Out of service:                         1919

Fate:                                      10 March 1936 broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of a group of  additional  ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during during WW1 to augument the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

25 October 1907 launched by Charles Connell & Co, Scotstoun as Yard Nr: 316 named Glendevon for Western Steamship Co Ltd., (William G Gardiner, Manager), Glasgow

28 October 1907 the Scotsman newspaper reported …

November 1907 completed

2 April 1908 at Newcastle NSW Quartermaster Ah Qwan discharged dead from heart disease

2 June 1908 at 7.00S 22.40E Able Seaman Murdo McAulay discharged dead – washed over board and drowned

2 August 1908 while on passage to Australia berthed at New York – Pier 37. The crew consisted in part of fifteen Chinese sailors – five jumped ship – one was caught by the Police

11 September 1908 berthed at Exeter from London with a cargo of cement

16 October 1908 berthed at Exeter

24 February 1909 berthed at Portland from Teignmouth

3 March 1909 berthed Cowes

29 October 1910 berthed at Exeter

1 May 1911 arrived at Suez while on passage from Calcutta to Dundee

23 May 1911 sailed Dundee

15 March 192 sailed St Lucia for Philadelphia

20 March 1912 arrived at Philadelphia from St Lucia

8 May 1912 at 20.06N 38.42E Fireman Trimmer Wong Sung discharged dead from heart failure

20 June 1912 sailed Koba for Otaru

27 November 1912 sailed Bahia Blanca

23 December 1912 sailed Las Palmas

1 February 1914 arrived at Malta from Cardiff

18 March 1914 arrived at Sabang from Sfax

13 June 1914 sailed Perim

27 June 1914 sailed Algiers for Rotterdam

4 March 1915 arrived at Dundee from Calcutta with a cargo of jute

31 March 1915 requisitioned for Admiralty service, initially as an Expeditionary Force Transport – name unchanged – until 30 December 1916

19 July 1915 in the Bristol Channel 2nd Steward Lee Fait discharged dead – suicide – jumped overboard

October 1915 became a decoy ship

5 July 1916 decoy ship service ended

31 December 1916 re-deployed as a Wheat Transport bringing cargo from Australia until 3 August 1917

1917 purchased by Rio Cape Line Ltd., London – name unchanged

4 August 1917 re-deployed as an Ammunition carrier for the Russian Government until 14 October 1917

8 August 1917 involved in a collision with the patrol vessel  HMS St Germain in the English Channel off Dungeness

HMS St Germain before WW1 as the Trawler Golden City

15 October 1917 re-deployed as a collier until 14 January 1918

15 January 1918 re-deployed in the French Government service carrying steel from the USA

21 February 1918 before the Admiralty Division of the High Court with Trinity Masters proceedings brought by the Admiralty were heard by Mr Justice Hill to recover damages from the colision of the 8 August 1917. The case was dismissed.

22 February 1918 the High Court proceedings were reported in the Scotsman newspaper …

1919 returned to her owners as GLENDEVON

19 May 1919 on passage from the UK to New York with, as part of its cargo, a Vickers Vimy Bomber which was later used by Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown to fly across the Atlantic as the first non-stop Transatlantic Flight from St John’s Newfoundland to Clifden, Connemara, Galway, Ireland

1921 renamed SAILOR PRINCE by her owners (Furness, Withy & Co Ltd., Managers), London

27 August 1929 arrived the River Tees from Immingham

1 September 1929 sailed the River Tees for Antwerp and Mediterrean ports

18 December 1929 berthed at Hull from Leingrad in ballast

21 December 1929 at King George Dock, Hull while Fireman & Trimmer Peter Reynolds was boarding he tripped and suffered broken ribs. He was conveyed to Hospital by Police Ambulance

28 December 1929 sailed the River Tees for London

26 November 1931 at Alexandria Harbour Fireman Trimmer Peter Walsh discharged dead – drowned

10 November 1933 at Salford Docks 3rd Mate William Bryan Donnelly discharged dead – coroners inquest returned an open verdict – death caused by immersion

10 March 1936 arrived Rosyth for demolition by Metal Industries Ltd