Official Number:                    105317

Laid down:                              

Builder:                                 Scott & Co., Greenock

Pennant No:                  Y8.138 

Launched:                             5 June 1895

Into Service:                          5 May 1915

Out of service:                       1920

Fate:                                    January 1924 broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

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

Career Data:

5 June 1895 launched by Scott & Co., Greenock as Yard Nr: 328 named MENELAUS for Ocean Steamship Co Ltd (Alfred Holt, Managers), Liverpool

July 1895 completed at a cost of £53,532

26 February 1907 the ship, having sailed from Jeddah to Singapore numerous pilgrims died – mostly from ‘senile decay’

11 January 1911 the ship, having sailed from Jeddah to Java numerous pilgrims died – mostly from ‘senile decay’ 

5 May 1915 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a Kite Balloon ship – name unchanged

1915 awarded the Battle Honour “Belgian Coast 1915”

21 July 1915 Commander Charles W N McCulloch Royal Navy (Retired) appointed in command

11 October 1915 Fireman George Houghton MMR discharged dead having drowned. He is buried in Dunkirk Town Cemetery in grave V.A.28

2 November 1915 Fireman Frank Oxten MMR and Fireman Ernest Myers MMR both discharged dead. Fireman Oxten is remembered with pride on the Plymouth Naval Memorial and Fireman Myers is buried in Dunkirk Town Cemetery in grave I. A. 3

March 1916 purchased by the Admiralty

30 May 1916 ship at Scapa

1 January 1917 location from pink list of this day – at Scapa

June 1917 served as an Ammunition carrier

6 July 1917 at Murmansk with a working party from HMS GLORY onboard

4 April 1918 sailed Port Said in a convoy of seventeen ships escorted by HMS’s ACACIA, COLNE, LYCHNIS and RENARD

1920 purchased by W R Davies Steam Ship Co., London and renamed DAVO

January 1924 broken up at Genoa