Official Number: 140293
Laid down:
Builder: Palmer’s Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd., Jarrow
Pennant No: Y 7.164
Launched: 11 November 1916
Into Service: 13 September 1917
Out of service: WW1
Fate: 7 May 1944 torpedoed and sunk
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: One of several ships requisitioned by the Admiralty for service during WW1 to augment the ships of the RFA
Career Data:
11 November 1916 launched by Palmer’s Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd., Jarrow as Yard Nr: 846 named Madrono for H E Moss & Co. London (as Nominees)
April 1917 completed
13 September 1917 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an oiler – name unchanged
26 June 1918 when out of station in an escorted convoy of 23 ships between Halifax and the UK approached by HMS DUKE OF EDINBURGH. Regained station in the convoy
1919 owners became A/S Tankfart IV (W. Wihelmsen, Manager) Tonsberg – name unchanged
1929 purchased by Skibs Akt. Ges. Madrono (H Borge, Manager) Tonsberg – name unchanged
1939 purchased by A/S Norsk Rutefart (A.I. Langfelt & Co., Managers) Kristiansand – name unchanged
26 January 1939 sailed the River Wear for Rouen, France via Flushing
13 June 1940 with 33 other ships formed escorted convoy OG33 at sea for Gibraltar which arrived there on 19 June 1940
10 July 1940 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX57 to join Convoy HX57 on 15 July 1940
12 December 1940 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX96 to join Convoy HX96 on 18 December 1940
7 August 1941 sailed Belfast Lough in unescorted Convoy BB58 for Milford Haven arriving the next day
4 July 1942 captured by the German auxiliary cruiser Thor in position 29°S 70°E while on passage from Melbourne to Abadan in ballast and was taken to Japan by a prize crew. Owners became Waried Tankschiff-Reederei GmbH, Hamberg and was renamed Rossbach
7 May 1944 torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine USS Burrfish in position 33°14N 134°40E when south of Muroto Zaki, Shikoku