Official No: 160269
Builder: Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow
Launched: 26 June 1929
Pennant No: B391
Into Service: 22 December 1939
Out of service: end of WW2
Fate: 31 October 1962 Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: One of a group of additional vessels requisitioned by the Admiralty in WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA
Career Data:
26 June 1929 launched by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow as Yard Nr: 826 named Gryfevale for Gryfevale Steamship Co Ltd., (A Crawford & Co Ltd., Managers), Glasgow
September 1929 completed
13 September 1939 sailed Antofagasta independently to Balboa arriving 24 September 1939
24 September 1939 sailed Christobal independently to Kingston, Jamaica arriving 29 September 1939
4 October 1939 sailed Kingston, Jamaica in escorted convoy KJ3 to Madeira arriving 22 October 1939
24 October 1939 sailed Maderia independently to Alexandria arriving 5 November 1939
24 November 1939 sailed Alexandria independently to Gibraltar arriving 4 December 1939
22 December 1939 mined 3 miles east of the Tyne Piers off Whitley Bay by a mine laid by the German submarine U-61 on 2 December 1939, towed into the River Tyne and beached to prevent her sinking, salved and repaired and taken on demise charter by the Admiralty – name unchanged – for service as a Water Distilling Ship. Finally served with the British Fleet Train – hence the B-Pennant Nr:
23 November 1939 the Scotsman newspaper reported the mining thus …
1944 owners became Anglo-Danubian Transport Co Ltd., London – name unchanged
1946 renamed Charles Dickens by her owners
1948 purchased by Chine Shipping Co Ltd., London – name unchanged
1952 purchased by Wheelock Marden & Co Ltd., London – name unchanged
1952 purchased by Fukuyo Kisen K K, Tokyo and renamed Fukuyo Maru
30 October 1962 arrived at Inoshima for demolition by Japanese ship breakers