Official No:                              166299

Builder:                                   Odense Staalskibsyaerft, Odense

Launched:                               24 October 1936

Pennant No:                            B538

Into Service:                            WW2

Out of service:                         WW2

Fate:                                     

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA as an Armaments Stores Issuing Ship

Career Data:

24 October 1936 launched by Odense Staalskibsyaerft, Odense as Yard Nr: 63 named Gudrun Maersk for A P Moller, Copenhagen

January 1937 completed

WW2 requisitioned for Admiralty Service and served as an Armaments Stores Issing Ship with the British Pacific Fleet Train – hence the B-Pennant Nr

2 April 1940 sailed Port Said independently to Bombay arriving on 13 April 1940

30 May 1940 sailed Bombay independently to Aden arriving 5 June 1940

7 June 1940 sailed Aden independently to Mombasa arriving 15 June 1940

18 June 1940 sailed Mombassa independently to Cape Town arriving 27 June 1940

29 June 1940 sailed Cape Town independently to Freetown arriving 10 July 1940

17 December 1941 arrived at Scapa Flow for Operation Anklet

22 December 1941 sailed Scapa Flow with RN units and RFA’s BLACK RANGER and GRAY RANGER to take part in Operation Anklet – a raid on the Lofoten Islands

1 January 1942 arrived back at Scapa Flow with RN Units and RFA’s BLACK RANGER and GRAY RANGER at the conclusion of Operation Anklet

16 February 1943 at Swansea Chief Steward Christian Kuhn discharged dead as a result of enemy action during an air-raid

17 July 1943 sailed Malta

29 September 1943 at sea DEMS Gunner Able Seaman Dennis Ralph Whitaker P/JX 291455 discharged dead – fell overboard believed drowned. Rembered with pride on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial

12 July 1945 sailed Manus, Admiralty Islands independently to Sydney, NSW arriving 19 July 1945

13 October 1945 arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands

15 October 1945 sailed from Manus, Admiralty Islands

1955 purchased by Basse & Co and renamed Sandaa

1962 purchased by J Ponte Naya and renamed Mateo

1966 purchased by Kastrinos & Psiakis and renamed Maya

1968 owners became J Psiakis and renamed Olympic

1974 purchased by and renamed Uniforce