Requisitioned Auxiliary – Macedonia

  

Macedonia 1

 

 
Macedonia 1
 
 

Official Number:                       142728

Laid down:                              

Builder:                                   Bonn & Mees, Rotterdam

Launched:                               11 April 1903

Pennant No:                            M 59 / M 1.76

Into Service:                            2 August 1914

Out of service:                         1920

Fate:                                      June 1931 Broken up

 

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  One of several ships requisitioned by the Admiralty for service during WW1

 

Career Data:

 

11 April 1903 launched by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast as Yard Nr: 355 named Macedonia for Peninsula & Oriental Steam Navigation Co Ltd., London

January 1904 completed at a cost of £344,296. Carried 377 x 1st Class and 187 x 2nd Class passengers

12 February 1904 sailed on her maiden voyage from London to Bombay

29 April 1904 first voyage from London to Sydney

24 December 1904 twice in collision in the Thames when arriving from Australia. Firstly with the steamer Christrian IX below Gravesend causing considerable damage to the other vessel and later with the steamer Skaate which was anchored

14 November 1905 arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia

11 August 1906 arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia

17 March 1906 sailed from Bombay, India

26 May 1906 sailed from Bombay, India

30 September 1906 arrived at Suez

1907 placed on an experimental China to London route

30 May 1909 sailed from Colombo, Ceylon

8 June 1909 berthed at Fremantle, WA

12 July 1909 berthed at Fremantle, WA

30 October 1909 the Lloyds List newspaper reported …

 

30 10 1909 Lloyds List Macedonia

 

4 December 1909 sailed Port Said

11 December 1909 arrived Marseilles

14 December 1909 sailed Gibraltar for Plymouth

17 December 1909 arrived at Plymouth from Gibraltar

8 January 1910 sailed London for Bombay

11 January 1910 arrived at Gibraltar and sailed later the same day 

15 October 1910 arrived at Adelaide

25 August 1911 sailed London for Gibraltar, Bombay, Singapore and Sydney, NSW with 277 passengers. Captain J D Andrews was Master

1 November 1911 the NSW Police published details concerning four crew members who had deserted from the ship …

 

1 11 1911 NSW Police Gazette

 

17 October 1913 sailed London for Gibraltar, Bombay, Wellington, New Zealand and Australian ports with 273 passengers. Captain C D Bennett was Master

2 August 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Armed Merchant Cruiser and was converted as such in nine days

8 August 1914 commissioned as HMS MACEDONIA at Tilbury Docks

11 August 1914 sailed Tilbury Docks and berthed on No: 1 Lower Buoy off Gravesend

12 August 1914 sailed Gravesend

17 August 1914 off Funchal, Maderia

25 August 1914 anchored off Port Grande, Cape Verde Islands later sailing in the evening

28 August 1914 anchored off Port Grande, Cape Verde Islands. Commenced coaling from lighters

29 August 1914 recommenced coaling – loaded 828 tons of bunker coal. Sailed

10 September 1914 arrived off Abrolhos Rocks and anchored

13 September 1914 supplied HMS BRISTOL with provisions

15 September 1914 to 17 September 1914 Collier Repton alongside suppling 1,600 tons of bunker coal. Sailed for Pernambuco

19 September 1914 arrived off Pernambuco

22 September 1914 sailed from off Pernambuco for Sierra Leone

24 September 1914 arrived off Sierra Leone. Collier Gripwell made fast alongside

25 September 1914 to 29 September 1914 received bunker coal from Collier Gripwell and shore lighters

8 December 1914 along with HMS BRISTOL was a support ship at the Battle of the Falkland Islands and between them they sank Admiral Von Spee’s supply ships Baden and Santa Isabel

Awarded the Battle Honour – Falkland Islands 1914

HMS BRISTOL 1910

HMS BRISTOL

9 December 1914 anchored in Port Stanley – Collier Trelawny berthed alongside – loaded bunker coal over 3 days. Collier Trelawny cast off

14 December 1914 sailed Port Stankey, Falkland Islands

2 January 1915 at St Vincent, Cape Verde Island. Loaded bunker coal sailing later in the day for Liverpool

13 January 1915 berthed at Liverpool

8 February 1915 sailed Liverpool

16 February 1915 arrived at St Vincent, Cape Verde Islands

1915 re-deployed as a Troop Transport – name unchanged

1916 purchased by the Admiralty for four years

17 November 1918 AMC service ended

1920 repurchased by her former owners and name reverted to Macedonia

1921 after refurbishment she enter the London – Bombay – Fast East Service

24 November 1922 carried out one voyage from London to Sydney

9 September 1927 sailed London for Gibraltar, Bombay and Kobe Japan with Captain H W Potter

19 September 1930 sailed London for Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Kobe Japan with Captain C C Dickinson as Master

18 September 1931 sailed London for Marseilles, France, SIngapore, Hong Kong and Kobe, Japan Captain C C Dickenson was Master

June 1932 reported broken up by Japanese ship breakers