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 …
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 …
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
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