Official Number:                        115808

Pennant No:                     Y.7.34

Laid down:

Builder:                                        Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd, Low Walker

Launched:                                  10 March 1902

Into Service:                                31 August 1914

Out of service:                            1918

Fate:                                             Torpedoed and sunk 27 April 1918

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:

10 March 1902 launched by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd, Low Walker as Yard Nr 720 named ROMANY for Caucasian Steamship Co Ltd ( Lane & MacAndrew Ltd, Managers) London

11 March 1902 the Shields Daily Gazette reported …

April 1902 completed

1902  purchased by Deutsche Russische Naptha Import Ges., Hamburg and renamed ROSSIJA

1907  purchased by Asiatic Petroleum Co Ltd, London and renamed ROMANY

1908  purchased by Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd., London name unchanged

7 May 1908 at Pulo Samboe Chief Engineer Officer Frederick W Banks discharged dead – asphyxiated by benzine fumes

24 May 1909 at sea Lascar Mahomed Adom discharged dead from heart failure

21 August 1909 at Pankalan Hospital sailor John Skritsky discharged dead from fever

20 July 1910 arrived at Port Eades, New Orleans from the River Tyne

25 July 1910 sailed Norfolk VA

7 May 1911 at sea off Yangtse River Quartermaster Toh Ah Lee discharged dead from heart failure

31 January 1913 arrived Philadelphia from Avonmouth

21 March 1913 arrived New York from Bordeaux

24 March 1913 at 40°36N 73°46W Sailor Osman Bin Pappall discharged dead from drowning – fell overboard

23 May 1913 ship at Singapore

20 August 1913 at the British Seamans Hospital, Constantinople Fireman Easop Ally discharged dead from Beri Beri

22 January 1914 at Suez Sailor Amat bin Hossein discharged dead from heart disease

18 March 1914 sailed Colombo for Gibraltar

19 September 1914 on passage from Portsmouth to Pembroke Dock. Challenged by HMS CAESAR and allowed to proceed

HMS CAESAR

31 August 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Oiler, name unchanged. Cost £2,689 per month until 31 May 1915 then £3,034 per month

11 October 1915 sailed Malta escorted by HMS RIBBLE

13 October 1915 on passage from Malta to Mudros still being escorted by HMS RIBBLE – arrived at Mudros on 15 October 1915

1 November 1915 at Mudros fire broke out onboard. Extinguished. Surgeon from HMS GRAFTON attended. Donkeyman H Too Foo discharged dead from burns

2 November 1915 at Y2 Berth, Mudros with HMS ARK ROYAL alongside – supplied 415 tons of FFO

3 December 1915 at Mudros alongside HMS CHATHAM – supplied 49 tons of FFO

13 December 1915 ceased to be requisitioned as an Admiralty oiler

4 May 1916 sailed Barcelona

3 June 1916 cleared to sail from Singapore

6 July 1916 sailed Alexandria

2 September 1916 sailed Tarakah for Singapore

31 August 1917 ship at Rangoon

7 November 1917 at Spezia Pantry Boy Chan Kwai discharged dead from consumption

27 April 1918 torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean by German submarine UB-48 in position 38°22 N 08°04 E, some 47 miles SW of Cape Spartivento, Sicilly while on passage from Marseilles to Port Said in ballast