Official Number:                       120596

Pennant No:                     Y 3.256

Laid down:

Builder:                                   Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co, Willington Quay, Newcastle

Launched:                               1 August 1905

Into Service:                            8 August 1914

Out of service:                         11 May 1917

Fate:                                      11 May 1917 wrecked

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of a group of additional requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1 to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

1 August 1905 launched byTyne Iron Shipbuilding Co., Willington Quay, Newcastle as Yard Nr:154 named Aphrodite for Cornhill Steamship Co Ltd (Harris & Dixon Ltd., Managers) London

2 August 1905 the Shields Daily News reported thus –

August 1905 completed

21 September 1906 arrived at Darien

23 March 1909 sailed Rio de Janerio for Glasgow

18 May 1909 arrived at Buenos Ayres from Glagow

2 July 1909 sailed Buenos Ayres for a UK port

16 January 1910 sailed Buenos Ayres for Natal

9 February 1910 sailed Durban for Galle

23 June 1910 arrived River Plate

25 June 1910 arrived Buenos Ayres

24 July 1911 arrived at Negapatam from Delagoa Bay

4 August 1911 sailed Pondicherry for Marseilles

20 December 1911 arrived Gulf Port from Maderia

1912 purchased by Redcroft Steam Navigation Co Ltd., (Lewis Lougher & Co. Manager) Cardiff and renamed Lady Charlotte

8 August 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Expeditionary Force Transport – name unchanged

18 August 1914 usage changed to Collier Transport until 2 February 1916. Off hire from 15 November 1915 until 24 December 1915

17 March 1915 arrived at Simons Bay and berthed alongside HMS ARMADALE CASTLE delivering bunker coal

18 March 1915 at Simons Bay finished delivering bunker coal to HMS ARMADALE CASTLE – supplied 1,030 tons

30 April 1915 at Kibondo spoke to HMS HYACINTH

8 May 1915 sailed Zanzibar

9 May 1915 arrived at Tirene Bay and collected a quantity of coal bags from HMS LACONIA

10 May 1915 at Tirene Bay alongside HMS LACONIA delivering an estimated 297 tons of bunker coal

17 May 1915 off Mafia Island HMAS PIONEER made fast alongside to receive bunker coal

19 May 1915 at Tirene Bay alongside HMS HYACINTH delivering 342 tons of  bunker coal

20 May 1915 at Tirene Bay alongside HMS PICKLE to receive bunker coal

22 May 1915 sailed Tirene Bay

26 May 1915 at 10:00hrs arrived at Niororo Island and anchored. Sailed at 16:00hrs

30 May 1915 anchored at Tirene Bay

1 June 1915 sailed from Tirene Bay. Communicated with HMS WEYMOUTH

4 June 1915 anchored at Tirene Bay

5 June 1915 sailed from Tirene Bay

6 May 1916 deployed as a Collier to Northern Russia for the Russian Government account until 23 August 1916

24 May 1916 stopped by HMS PATIA at 58.18N 16.19W while on passage from Cardiff to the White Sea – allowed to proceed

24 August 1916 deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport until 25 September 1916

26 September 1916 deployed as a Collier to Northern Russia for the Russian Government account until 3 December 1916

4 December 1916 usage changed to Collier Transport until 6 January 1917

7 January 1917 sailed to Cuba to collect a cargo of sugar returning 30 April 1917

1 May 1917 usage changed to Collier Transport

11 May 1917 wrecked in position 49.55N 6.18W while on passage from Cardiff to Alexandria with a cargo of coal