Official Number: N/R
Laid down:
Builder: Nederlandsche Dok Maatschappij, Amsterdam
Launched: 29 April 1939
Into Service: 1943
Out of service: 1945
Fate: 20 February 1959 arrived Hong Kong to be broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA
Career Data:
29 April 1939 launched by Nederlandsche Dok Maatschappij, Amsterdam as Yard Nr 71 named ONDINA for N.V. Petroleum Maatschappij “La Corona”, The Hague
1 August 1939 completed
5 January 1942 sailed Liverpool in convoy OS16 to Freetown arriving 23 January 1942
5 May 1942 sailed Abadan to Fremantle, WA arriving 28 May 1942
2 June 1942 sailed Fremantle, WA to Abadan arriving 28 June 1942
29 June 1942 sailed Abadan to Adelaide SA arriving 1 August 1942
1 August 1942 sailed Adelaide, SA to Port Pirie, SA arriving 5 August 1942
7 August 1942 sailed Port Pirie, SA to Fremantle WA
4 September 1942 sailed Fremantle, WA to Abadan
5 November 1942 at 0615hrs sailed Fremantle, WA for Abadan in ballast, escorted by the corvette HMIS BENGAL to Diego Garcia
11 November 1942 intercepted by two Japanese commercial raiders – IJN AIKOKU MARU and IJN HOKUKU MARU – in position 19.38 N 93.05 E and was shelled and torpedoed and was abandoned, not before her DEMS gunners had opened fire and hit the HOKUKU MARU. One hit struck and exploded on the starboard torpedo tubes. These further exploded causing a massive explosion which removed the raiders stern and caused two float planes to be blown overboard. The raider developed a list to starboard and a large fire engulfed her super structure. Little could be done by the crew to save the raider and they were ordered to abandon ship. IJN HOKUKU MARU sank. The other raider continued to attack the Ondina with guns and torpedoes but being in ballast she did not sink. HMIS BENGAL had also been badly hit and believing the Ondina was about to sink made good her escape and reached Diego Garcia where the attack and believed loss were reported
The Ondina’s crew were ordered to abandon ship. The Captain was killed and other members of the crew had either been killed or were injured. Further attempts by the remaining raider to sink Ondina and to kill her crew was not successful but believing the tanker would sink and her crew would die she left them to pick up any survivors from her sunken sister ship. The crew of the Ondina later re-boarded her, her fires were extinguished and her list corrected. She commenced to make her own way back to Fremantle.
The Ondina was spotted by aircraft and HMAHS WANGANELLA arrived and the injured were transfered to her for urgent treatment
18 November 1942 arrived back at Fremantle and remained in Australia as a Depot Ship until the following year when she was eventually repaired and re-entered service
18 June 1943 sailed Fremantle WA to Exmouth Gulf, WA escorted by USS Isabel (PY10) and USS SC751 to establish herself as a mobile advance fuelling base
23 June 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA USS Isabel (PY10) alongside refuelling her woth 23,000 US gallons of fuel oil
3 July 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS Heron (AM10) alongside
4 August 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS William B Preston (AVP20) alongside to be refuelled with 41,549 US gallons of fuel oil
20 September 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS William B Preston (AVP20) alongside to be refuelled with 289 US gallons of diesel, 25,074 US gallons of AVGAS and 61,474 US gallons of fuel oil
21 September 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS Lark (AM21) alongside
4 November 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS Bowfin (SS287) and USS Bellfish (SS286) alongside being refuelled
10 November 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS Tuna (SS203) alongside being refuelled with 10,160 US gallons of diesel
27 November 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS Puffer (SS268) alongside being refuelled with 13,300 US gallons of diesel
2 December 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS Pompon (SS267) alongside being refuelled with 9,500 US gallons of diesel
4 December 1943 at Exmouth Gulf, WA with USS Cabrilla (SS288) alongside being refuelled with 9,760 US gallons of diesel
7 December 1943 at Exmouth Gulf WA with USS Chanticleer (ASR7) and HMNS Tjerk Hiddes. The US ship transferred 20,000 gallons of fresh water to Ondina and her divers inspected the rudder and propellors of both ships
22 December 1943 at 24.14S 112.33E with USS Rasher (SS269) alongside being refuelled with 13.300 US gallons of diesel
1 January 1944 sailed from Exmouth Gulf, WA under escort of HMAS HORSHAM
7 June 1944 sailed Key West in convoy KN318 to New York arriving 12 June 1944
19 June 1944 sailed New York in convoy HX296 to Liverpool arriving 3 July 1944
11 July 1944 sailed Liverpool in convoy ON244 to New York arriving 23 July 1944
4 August 1944 sailed New York in convoy HX302 to Loch Ewe arriving 17 August 1944
24 August 1944 sailed the Clyde and joined convoy ON250 from Liverpool to New York arriving 7 September 1944
13 September 1944 sailed New York in convoy HX308 to Liverpool arriving 28 September 1944
7 October 1944 sailed Liverpool and joined convoy ON258 which had sailed from Southend to New York arriving 24 October 1944
30 October 1944 sailed New York in convoy HX317 to Southend arriving 13 November 1944 during which serving as one of the Escort Oilers
19 June 1945 berthed at Rotterdam
24 February 1946 arrived Adelaide, SA
28 February 1946 arrived at Port Pirie, SA
2 March 1946 sailed Port Pirie, SA to Abadan in ballast arriving 25 March 1946
5 October 1951 alongside at Singapore
12 November 1953 at Kepple Dock, Singapore
1 April 1955 alongside at Singapore
12 August 1958 alongside at Singapore
20 February 1959 arrived Hong Kong for demolition by Hong Kong Salvage & Towage Ltd