Official Number:                     125781

Laid down:

Builder:                                 Swan, Hunter& Wigham Richardson Ltd., Wallsend

Launched:                             11 March 1909

Pennant No:                          Y 7.86

Into Service:                          23 February 1915

Out of service:                       29 January 1916

Fate:                                     Wrecked 1921

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:

11 March 1909 launched by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend as Yard Nr: 831 named Patella for Anglo SAxon Petroleum Co Ltd., London

12 March 1909 the Shields Daily News reported –

April 1909 complete

6 May 1909 sailed the Tyne on builders trials

7 May 1909 sailed the Tyne for Port Arthur, Texas

28 May 1909 arrived at Port Arthur, Texas

15 June 1909 off Newport News Messroom Steward Ah Sing discharged dead – drowned

19 June 1909 sailed Newport News for Barrow

2 July 1909 arrived at Barrow

9 July 1909 grounded at Taricarville but was reflosted

17 February 1910 at Singapore Fireman’s Cook Renjan Mabrook discharged dead from Beri Beri

13 September 1910 sailed Kurrachee for Bombay

8 March 1913 passed Ginraltar

18 July 1913 the Jarrow Express reported –

21 September 1913 at the General Hospital, Colombo Greaser Habeebulla discharged dead from natural causes

16 October 1913 arrived at Suez from Rangoon

20 February 1914 the Jarrow Express reported –

5 May 1914 at sea No 3 Tindall Abas Lullah discharged dead – drowned

10 May 1914 at Sea Fireman Lall Meah discharged dead – no causes shown in the Register of Deaths of Seaman

10 October 1914 at sea Fireman Lowe Fook discharged dead – drowned

23 February 1915 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Experditionary Force Tranport – name unchanged – until 29 July 1915 Rate of hire 9sh 1d on summer DW, 9sh 9d from 23 July 1915

30 July 1915 re-deployed as an oiler until 29 January 1916. Rate of hire £3,753 15sh per month

20 September 1915 in the North Atlantic Pumpman Wing Fook discharged dead from heart failure

1 April 1917 at 12.07N 43.04E sighted by HMS PERTH which was on the Perim Patrol

12 April 1917 at 05.01N 81.01E sighted and spoken to by HMS DIANA

18 April 1918 sighted by HMS PERTH which was on the Perim Patrol 

1 August 1918 at 12.07N 43.04E stopped and boarded by HMS ODIN, which was on the Perim Patrol, and examined before being allowed to proceed

24 September 1918 at the Sura Government Hospital Fireman Mon Wah discharged dead from beri beri

 17 August 1921 ran aground and was wrecked 1 mile North of Cape Razo while on passage from Port Arthur to Lisbon with a cargo of kerosene