Official Number:                         106086

Laid down:

Builder:                                     Sir Raylton Dixon & Co Ltd., Middlesborough

Pennant No:                       Y3.1475 / Y8.91

Launched:                                  17 May 1897

Into Service:                                8 August 1914

Out of service:                             31 January 1919

Fate:                                          Sunk while on passage to breakers

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

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

Career Data:

 26 October 1896 ordered

17 May 1897 launched by Wm Denny & Bros, Dumbarton as Yard Nr: 565 named RANGOON for British & Burmese Steam Navigation Co (P. Henderson & Co., Manager0

22 June 1897 completed at a cost of £49, 578 as a passenger / cargo vessel. Carried 48 x 1st Class passengers

28 December 1899 passed Malta

1907 purchased by Nautilus Steam Shipping Co Ltd., (F.W Ritson, Manager) Sunderland and renamed PALM BRANCH

April 1909 grounded in the River Plate

16 June 1909 the Shields Daily News reported proceedings in the Admiralty Division of the High Court the previous day –

15 September 1910 at Sao Francisco, Brazil Captain Brayan Peters, 1st Mate Thomas James Wilkinson, Able Seaman Elijah John Charles Bromley, Ordinary Seaman Norman Doughty, Able Seaman Thomas Medhurst, Able Seaman Ruben Butler all discharged dead – each drowned

15 April 1912 arrived at the Port of London from South American ports with nine passangers

29 May 1913 arrived at Liverpool from Chilean ports with five passengers. Captain H J Ritson was the ships Master

4 August 1914 arrived at Liverpool from Paita, Peru with six passengers

8 August 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Expeditionary Force Transport – name unchanged – until 28 November 1916

29 November 1916 re-deployed carrying wheat until 8 December 1916

9 December 1916 re-deployed as an Expeditionary Force Transport until 26 December 1916 while repairing War Risk Damage

22 December 1916 re-deployed carrying wheat until 14 February 1917

15 February 1917 re-deployed as a collier until 14 March 1917

15 March 1917 re-deployed as an Ammunition Carrier for the Russain Government until 13 July 1917

14 July 1917 re-deployed as a collier for the Italian Government until 27 August 1917

28 August 1917 re-deployed as a wheat carrier from the United States until 9 October 1917

10 October 1917 re-deployed working for the French Government carrying steel and oats until 26 November 1917

27 November 1917 re-deployed as a collier until 17 January 1918

18 January 1918 re-deployed working for the Belgian Government carrying general cargo from North Yorkshire to Calais

18 July 1918 became a stores carrier – name unchanged

20 August 1918 at Murmansk

24 August 1918 at Murmansk with a working party from HMS GLORY onboard

HMS GLORY

5 September 1918 at Murmansk with a working party from HMS GLORY onboard

31 January 1919 returned to her owners – name unchanged

26 June 1919 arrived at Port of London from Chilean ports with eight passengers

1930 purchased by Societe Italiana Carbonamento Navi, Genoa and renamed CARBONAVI

1930 purchase by B Burger, M Stromeyer & G Tarica (Burger & Tarcia, Managers), Budapest and renamed ARPAD

 3 January 1934 abandoned in a sinking condition in position 16.45S 88.20E while on passage from Port Natal to Japan to the breakers’ yard