from the Hocken Collection, University of Otago, New Zealand 

Official Number:                      169829

Laid down:

Builder:                                   Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard Inc, Baltimore

Launched:                               8  February 1944

Into Service:                            February 1944

Out of service:                         1948

Fate:                                       27 March 1964 scrapped 

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:

8 February 1944 launched by Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard Inc., Baltimore as Yard No: 2323 named Saminver for the United States War Shipping Administration

February 1944 completed and bareboat chartered to the MoWT under management of Blue Star Line Ltd., London and requisitioned for Admiralty service – name unchanged

17 March 1944 sailed Baltimore independently to New York arriving the next day

21 March 1944 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX284 to Swansea arriving 7 April 1944. Served as an escort oiler during this convoy

28 April 1944 in the Greenock area was engaged in replenishment at sea trials

4 May 1944 in the Admiralty War Diary of this date on page 1092 it was reported that she had transfered 950 tons of fuel in varying weather conditions. 

6 June 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM1 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

10 June 1944 sailed Seine Bay in unescorted convoy FTM3 to Southend arriving the next day

16 June 1944 believed sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM11 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

19 June 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM12 to Southend arriving the next day

25 June 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM17 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

28 June 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM21 to Southend arriving the next day

1 July 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM23 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

4 July 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM27 to South End arriving the next day

8 July 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM30 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

12 July 1944 sailed Seine Bay in unescorted convoy FTM35 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

15 July 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM37 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

19 July 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM42 to Southend arriving the next day

27 July 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM47 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

30 July 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM53 to Southend arriving the next day

6 August 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM57 to Seine Bay arriving the next day. The convoy Commodore was onboard.

9 August 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM63 to Southend arriving the next day. Convoy consisted of 16 ships and 4 LST’s. This movement was part of Operation Nepune – source Admiralty War Diary of this day

19 August 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM63 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

23 August 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM73 to Southend arriving the next day

27 August 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM67 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

31 August 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM77 to Southend arriving the next day

4 September 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETM71 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

11 September 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTM2A to Southend arriving the next day

27 September 1944 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy ETM79 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

2 October 1944 sailed Seine Bay in unescorted convoy FTM9A to Southend arriving the next day

9 October 1944 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy ETM83 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

15 October 1944 sailed Seine Bay in unescorted convoy MTM3 to Southend arriving the next day

27 October 1944 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy TMM8 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

3 November 1944 sailed Seine Bay in unescorted convoy MTM11 to Southend arriving the next day

5 January 1945 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy TAM39 to Antwerp. While at Antwerp received damage from a near miss during an air raid

15 January 1945 Carpenter Robert William Haill discharged dead from asphyxiation. He is buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp, Belgium in  Plot V, Row A, Grave 78

28 January 1945 sailed Antwerp in unescorted convoy ATM49 to Southend arriving the next day

8 February 1945 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy TAM74 to Antwerp arriving 10 February 1945

11 February 1945 sailed Antwerp in unescorted convoy ATM61 to Southend arriving the next day

20 February 1945 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy TAM86 to Antwerp arriving the next day

24 February 1945 sailed Antwerp in unescorted convoy ATM74 to Southend arriving the next day

4 March 1945 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy TAM98 to Antwerp arriving the next day

7 March 1945 sailed Antwerp in unescorted convoy ATM85 to Southend arriving the next day

15 April 1945 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy TAM139 to Antwerp arriving the next day

17 April 1945 sailed Antwerp in unescorted convoy ATM127 to Southend arriving the next day

24 April 1945 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy TAM148 to Antwerp arriving the next day

26 April 1945 sailed Antwerp in unescortee convoy ATM136 to Southend arriving the next day

5 July 1945 arrived at Southend from Antwerp

9 August 1945 arrived at London from Antywerp

29 August 1945 sailed Gravesend

18 September 1945 arrived Gravesend from Hamburg

10 October 1945 arrived at Antwerp from London

26 November 1945 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head sailing south arriving later this day at Antwerp

15 December 1945 sailed Gravesend

30 January 1946 arrived at Gravesend from Hamburg

5 June 1946 arrived Pireus from Hull

20 September 1946 sailed Liverpool for Naples

24 September 1946 passed Gibraltar

22 June 1947 at Lyttleton, New Zealand Assistant Cook Kenneth Davis discharged dead having drowned

6 October 1947 berthed at Townsville to load cargo for the UK

15 November 1947 arrived at Colombo while on passage from Cairns, Australia to the UK

1948 returned to the United States Martime Commission, name unchanged and laid up at Beaumont, Texas

26 December 1963 purchased for $45,000 for scrap

27 March 1964 arrived Baltimore for demolition by Southern Scrap Material Co Ltd