HOVA after being renamed as Crawford Castle

Official Number:                      129150

Builder:                                  Northumberland Shipbuilding Co, Howden-on-Tyne

Pennant No:                    Y 3.1321 / Y 8.112

Launched:                              1910

Into Service:                           WW1

Out of service:                        18 August 1919

Fate:                                     5 December 1944 bombed and sunk

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 as a collier and later as a stores carrier

Career Data:

1910 launched by Northumberland Shipbuilding Co, Howden-on-Tyne as Yard Nr: 175 named HOVA for Francis S Holland, London

November 1910 completed

WW1 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a collier – name unchanged

10 November 1914 while on passage to Liverpool near Abrolhos Rocks spoken to my HMS CORNWALL

3 April 1917 near to 13.12N 51.56E stopped and boarded by HMS TOPAZE – allowed to proceed

28 June 1917 at 58.23N 11.53W stopped and boarded by HMS EBRO – allowed to proceed

November 1917 purchased by Union Castle Mail Steamship Co Ltd., London – name initially unchanged

6 December 1918 became a Stores Carrier – name unchanged

18 August 1919 returned to her owners – name unchanged

1920 renamed CRAWFORD CASTLE

October 1926 became the first Union Castle ship to berth at Killindini’s new harbour

1930 purchased by Wilhelm Kuntsmann, Stettin and rrenamed Victoria W Kuntsmann

1936 purchased by Emder Dampfer Kompagnie AG, Meden and renamed RADBOD

5 December 1944 bombed and sunk by aircraft at Selbervik near Aalesund, Norway