SS Hong Peng aground after the Hong Kong typhoon of 2 September 1937
Official Number: 123558
Laid down: 1898
Builder: Wallsend Slipway Co Ltd, Newcastle
Launched: 12 December 1898
Into Service: 27 April 1942
Out of service: July 1946
Fate: Broken up
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
Career Data:
1898 laid down as CLARENCE for African Steamship Co, London
12 December 1898 launched by Sir Raylton Dixon & Co Ltd, Middlesbrough as Yard Nr 457 named ANVERSVILLE having been transferred to Cie Maritime Belge du Congo, Antwerp
May 1899 completed as a passenger /cargo vessel carrying 100 x 1st Class and 70 x 2nd Class passengers
22 October 1900 berthed at Antwerp
7 August 1901 sailed Antwerp for the Congo
1 November 1901 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Cape Coast, Accra and the Congo with 51 passengers. Captain A Flemyng was the Master
25 January 1902 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Axim, Sekondi-Takoradi, Cape Coast and Accra with 20 passengers. Captain A Flemyng was the Master
19 April 1902 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Sierra Leone, Axim, Sekondi, Cape Coast and Accra with 26 passengers. Captain J G Lovejoy was the Master
11 July 1902 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Sekondi-Takoradi, Matadi, Accra and Axim with 12 passengers. Captain J G Lovejoy was the Master
12 September 1902 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Axim, Sekondi-Takoradi, Accra, Sierra Leone, Cape Coast and the Congo with 22 passengers. Captain J G Lovejoy was the Master
17 November 1902 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Axim, Sekondi-Takoradi, Cape Coast, Accra, and Matadi with 22 passengers. Captain J G Lovejoy was the Master
16 January 1903 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Axim, Accra, Sekondi-Takoradi and Grand-Bassam with 13 passengers. Captain J G Lovejoy was the Master
20 March 1903 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Axim, Sekondi-Takoradi, Cape Coast and Matadi, Congo with 10 passengers. Captain J G Lovejoy was the Master
22 May 1903 sailed Southampton to Tenerife, Axim, Sekondi-Takoradi, Sierra Leone and Cape Coast with 12 passengers. Captain J G Lovejoy was the Master
12 November 1904 sailed Sekondi with a cargo of gold bullion
17 August 1905 sailed Antwerp for Teneriffe and West African ports
20 October 1905 sailed Southampton for Accra with Sir John Rodger and Lady Rodger the Governor of the Gold Coast as passengers returning to the colony
1906 transferred to African Steamship Co (Elder Dempster & Co, Managers) London and renamed DAKAR
15 February 1913 in collision with the Norwegian steamer LYNG 15 miles off the Eddystone Lighthouse
31 March 1915 suffered a major bunker fire whilst at Forcados which completely gutted the ship
31 May 1915 the burnt-out wreck was abandoned
1918 owners now the British Government (Shipping Controller)
1920 she was salved by Nigeria Marine and returned to the U.K.
1922 purchased by N.V. Hollandsche Zuid Afrikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij, Amsterdam and renamed BLOEMFONTEIN
1926 purchased by Ho Long Steamship Co Ltd (Lim Kian Beng, Managers) London, registered in Singapore and renamed HONG PENG
28 February 1928 Chief Engineer Officer Cyril Webb
20 March 1933 at Rangoon 2nd Officer W G Monroe found Guility of smuggling 228 ozs of cocaine in 12 tins in his cabin. He was sentenced to 18 months rigorous imprisonment. He appealed against the conviction and sentence claiming the crew had planted the drugs in his cabin
14 June 1934 Sailor Ang Ah Song appeared before Singapore criminal court and pleaded guilty to smuggling chandu. He was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment or a fine of $1,200 dollars. Being unable to pay he was sent to the cells where he attempted to hang himself. Prevent by a prison officer
14 June 1937 while entering Swatow Harbour fouled a buoy and damaged her bottom plates. To ensure her safety she was beached
2 September 1937 damaged in the Great typhoon at Hong Kong when more than 30 ships were driven ashore
10 August 1939 arrived at Fremantle from Singapore
13 August 1939 sailed Fremantle for Geraldton
30 August 1939 sailed Singapore for Fremantle arriving on 8 September 1939
13 September 1939 sailed Fremantle for Geraldton arriving the next day
14 September 1939 sailed Geraldton to Batavia
20 Seotember 1939 berthed at Singapore
10 October 1939 at Geraldton
11 October 1939 berthed at Fremantle
18 October 1939 sailed Fremantle to Geraldton arriving the next day
19 October 1939 sailed Geraldton
3 November 1939 sailed Singapore to Geraldton
11 November 1939 berthed at Geraldton sailing 3 hrs later to Fremantle arriving the next day
21 November 1939 sailed Fremantle to Geraldton arriving the next day
2 December 1939 berthed at Singapore
4 February 1940 sailed from Singapore for Geraldton arriving 12 February 1940
13 February 1940 sailed Geralton to Fremantle arriving the next day
22 February 1940 sailed February 1940 to Geraldton arriving the same day
24 February 1940 sailed Geraldton to Singapore arriving 3 March 1940
8 April 1940 sailed Singapore
9 February 1942 sailed Madras to Rangoon in convoy MR4 arriving on 14 February 1942 with troops and stores
27 April 1942 hulked at Singapore; requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as a floating Ammunition Hulk, name unchanged
4 April 1944 sailed Bombay to Colombo in convoy BM92 arriving on 9 April 1942
20 April 1944 sailed Colombo to Calcutta in convoy JC45 arriving on 27 April 1944. RFA BACCHUS (2) was in the same convoy
July 1946 returned to her owners
March 1947 reported broken up at Singapore