Official Number:                       118659

Pennant Nr:                     Y 3.406 

Laid down:

Builder:                                   Wood, Skinner & Co Ltd, Bill Quay, Newcastle

Launched:                               6 May 1905

Into Service:                            24 October 1914

Out of service:                         1919

Fate:                                       23 June 1955 broken up

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

Career Data:

6 May 1905 launched by Wood, Skinner & Co Ltd, Bill Quay, Newcastle as Yard Nr: 125 named Leafield for Steamship Leafield Co Ltd., Newcastle

9 May 1905 Lloyds List newspaper reported …

May 1905 completed

2 March 1907 sailed Cork for Queenstown

4 March 1907 sailed Queenstown for Cardiff

24 October 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a Collier – name unchanged – rate of hire 7sh 6d until 31 December 1914, then 11sh until 24 February 1916. This rate of hire was increased on 24 February 1916 to 11sh 6d until 28 February 1918 thence 15sh

16 November 1914 at Busta Voe alongside HMS DRYAD supplying 90 tons of bunker coal

HMS DRYAD

25 November 1914 at Long Hope alongside HMS DRYAD supplying 93 tons of bunker coal

9 December 1914 at Long Hope alongside HMS DRYAD supplying 102 tons of bunker coal

8 February 1915 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS DEFENCE supplying 235 tons of bunker coal

HMS DEFENCE

19 March 1915 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS LANCASTER supplying 470 tons of bunker coal

1915 owners now Donald & Taylor, Glasgow – name unchanged

17 March 1916 off hire voyage until 20 April 1916

15 June 1916 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS DEVONSHIRE supplying 230 tons of bunker coal

HMS DEVONSHIRE

22 July 1916 deployment changed to French Government service until 13 February 1918 then reverted to Admiralty service again as a collier with the same original pennant number

8 December 1918 sighted a submarine on her starboard bow and tried unsuccesfully to ram it. The encounter is interesting as being apparently the first occasion on which a submarine put up a smoke screen to cover her retreat from a merchant ship. Source HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR – THE MERCHANT NAVY, Volume 3, Spring 1917 to November 1918 (Part 2 of 2) by Archibald Hurd

1923 purchased by Clyde Commercial Steamships Ltd., (R W Bryce & W G Taylor, Managers) Glasgow – name unchanged

1932 purchased by Mirupanu Steamship Co Ltd., Glasgow and renamed Mirupanu

1946 purchased by D/S Draco A/S (R Fisher-Neilzen, Manager), Copenhagen and renamed Salling

1954 purchased by Behwa Shipping Co Inc., Monrovia and renamed Jolly

23 June 1955 arrived Boom for demolition