Official No: 132295
Builder: Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull
Launched: 9 November 1911
Into Service: 7 August 1914 and 21 May 1940
Out of service: 1919 and 1940
Fate: Sold (1919) and mined (1940)
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:
9 November 1911 launched by Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull as Yard Nr 581 as the passenger / cargo streamer named GOURKO for T. Wilson, Sons & Co Ltd, Hull
January 1912 completed and carried 27 x 1st Class passengers. Sister to BORODINO
8 February 1912 passed St Catherines Point while on passage to Hull
14 February 1912 from the Hull Daily Mail –
20 May 1913 sailed Hull for St Petersburg
22 June 1913 arrived at St Petersburg
21 December 1913 arrived at Riga from Hull
7 August 1914 purchased by the Admiralty for service as a Theatre, Canteen and Amenity Ship, based at Scapa Flow, name unchanged. Captain John R Owen as Master
13 August 1914 sailed Hull for Scapa Flow
14 February 1916 at Scapa Flow secured alongside HMS KING GEORGE V
31 March 1916 at Scapa Flow secured alongside HMS WARRIOR on F6 berth
5 July 1916 at Scapa Flow secured alongside HMS ANTRIM
6 August 1916 at Scapa Flow secured alongside HMS ANTRIM
14 May 1917 at Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow secured alongside HMS FEARLESS – cast off the next day
HMS FEARLESS
4 July 1917 at Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow secured alongside HMS FEARLESS – cast off the next day
12 July 1917 at Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow secured alongside HMS FEARLESS – cast off the next day
30 May 1918 at Scapa Flow a concert party from HMS COMMONWEALTH came on board to watch the entertainment
HMS COMMONWEALTH
11 July 1918 at Scapa Flow berthed alongside HMS COMMONWEALTH delivering frozen meat and potatoes
27 July 1918 at the Fleet Base, Scapa Flow Sailor Alexander Singer discharged dead from influenza and empysema
3 February 1919 at Scapa Flow secured alongside HMS VINDICTIVE
18 March 1919 at Regent Quay, Aberdeen Fireman and Trimmer James Parker and Fireman and Trimmer Walter Watt both discharged dead from an over intoxication from alcohol
Fireman & Trimmer Walter Watt
1919 purchased by Ellerman’s Wilson Line Ltd, Hull and refitted for commercial service with her name unchanged
19 April 1920 arrived at Hull
4 August 1920 sailed Marseilles for Genoa
29 September 1920 sailed Gravesend for Constantinople
29 December 1920 sailed Hull for Alexandria
29 January 1921 sailed Alexandria for Hull
18 March 1921 arrived at Gibraltar
December 1922 Captain Montgomery was Master
19 March 1924 at Abbassuch Lunatic Asylum, Cairo 3rd Officer Robert Edward Newton discharged dead from paralysis
3rd Officer Robert Edward Newton
15 August 1924 arrived at Hull Roads
25 November 1925 at the Port of London the Medical Officer of Health had the ship fumigated with sulphur dioxide at the ship owners request
29 October 1926 when berthed at Hull being loaded a beam supporting the hatches fell on a gand of men below with two being badly injured.
4 February 1927 at Hull Police Court proceedings arising from the accident of 29 October 1926 resulted in the foreman Martin Gettings being convicted of an offence under the Factories Act and he was fined £3
5 August 1927 sailed New York for Hull
25 August 1928 arrived at New York from Hull
20 September 1928 arrived at Hull from New York
31 July 1929 passed Prawle Point
3 August 1929 arrived at Hull from New York
15 August 1929 sailed Newcastle for Antwerp
21 August 1934 berthed in London from New York and St. Johns NB with 3 passengers
9 October 1934 berthed in London from New York and St. Johns NB with 1 passenger
8 October 1939 sailed Gibraltar in convoy GREEN 4 – detached to sail independently on 13 October 1939 to Port Said arriving 17 October 1939
11 November 1939 sailed Port Said in escorted convoy HG8 to Liverpool with a cargo of dried fruit arriving 30 November 1939
6 February 1939 sailed Gibraltar in escorted convoy HG18F to Liverpool arriving 15 February 1940
26 April 1940 sailed Gibraltar in escorted convoy HG28F to Liverpool arriving 5 May 1940
21 May 1940 again purchased by the Admiralty for use as a blockship but …
4 June 1940 sank after hitting a mine off Dunkirk enroute to where it had been proposed to scuttle her as a blockship. Mechanician William B Tanner discharged dead.