Official Number:                     164464

Builder:                                   Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill

Launched:                              22 February 1935

Pennant No:                           B518

Into Service:                           1939

Out of service:                        1945

Fate:                                       1957 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:

19 February 1935 the launch was postponed due to high winds

22 February 1935 launched by  Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill as Yard Nr: 235 named SAN ADOLFO for Eagle Oil & Shipping Co Ltd, London.

May 1935 completed

17 May 1935 sailed from Haverton Hill for Puerto Mexico

7 June 1935 sailed Puerto Mexico for the Lizard for orders

25 June 1935 at Dingle

29 June 1935 sailed Stanlow for Puerto Mexico

8 August 1935 in the Irish Sea in collision with the collier ‘The Lady Belle’ – (341grt/blt 1900). Both ships suffered damage

The Lady Belle

29 August 1935 arrived at Tampico

24 October 1935 sailed Tampico

11 January 1936 arrived Liverpool from Tampico

19 January 1936 passed Gravesend

16 March 1936 sailed from Plymouth for Puerto Mexico

4 April 1936 arrived Puerto Mexico from Plymouth

14 September 1936 berthed at Avonmouth from Dublin

16 September 1936 arrived at Plymouth from Avonmouth

19 September 1936 sailed Plymouth for Falmouth

6 October 1936 sailed Falmouth to Tampico with two passengers. Captain Patterson was the Master

26 March 1937 sailed Manchester for Puerto Mexico

21 June 1937 arrived at London from Aruba

6 July 1937 sailed the River Tyne for a Mexican port

19 August 1937 sailed from Miami to Mobile after suffering propellor damage

3 September 1937 100 miles east of Tampico lost a propellor blade while on passage to Aruba. Discharged lubricating oil into the tanker San Conrado and discharging her cargo oil into tanks at Tampico to expose the propellor

14 February 1938 arrived at Minatitian, Mexico

9 May 1938 arrived Belfast from Houston, Texas

7 July 1938 sailed Avonmouth to Manchester

21 August 1938 berthed at Salt End Jetty, Hull from Houston

26 August 1938 arrived River Tyne at Hawthorn Leslie’s

16 September 1938 berthed at Balfast

19 September 1938 sailed Belfast

23 October 1938 sailed Curaçao

20 December 1938 sailed Curaçao for Stanlow

18 February 1939 berthed at Ellesmere Port from Curaçao with two DBS

21 February 1939 sailed Ellesmere Port for Curaçao

21 April 1939 sailed from Santos, Brazil for Aruba

21 May 1939 berthed at Ellesmere Port

10 June 1939 sailed Ellesmere Port

25 June 1939 berthed at Curaçao

19 July 1939 sailed Ardrossan

3 August 1939 sailed Aruba for Buenos Aires

1939 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an Escort Oiler name unchanged and gave valuable service on the Russian Convoys

5 September 1939 sailed Punta Arenas independently to Valparaiso arriving on 12 September 1939

1 October 1939 sailed Valparaiso independently to Punta Arenas arriving on 7 October 1939

7 October 1939 sailed Punta Arenas independently to Montevideo arriving on 12 October 1939

16 October 1939 sailed Montevideo independently to Trinidad arriving 2 November 1939

2 November 1939 sailed Trinidad independently to Curacao arriving on 5 November 1939

6 November 1939 sailed Curacao independently to Halifax arriving on 17 November 1939

18 November 1939 sailed Halifax in the escorted convoy HX9 to the Downs arriving on 4 December 1939. The convoy was protected by HMS WARSPITE

HMS WARSPITE

4 December 1939 sailed Southend in unescorted convoy FN 49 to Methil arriving the next day

21 December 1939 sailed Methil to the River Tyne arriving on the next day

4 January 1940 repairs completed

10 January 1940 sailed the River Tyne in unescorted convoy FS68 arriving at Southend the next day

12 January 1940 passed Dungeness in the escorted convoy OA72 from Southend until dispersal on the 17 January 1940 and then independently to Curacao arriving 30 January 1940

1 February 1940 sailed Curacao independently to Halifax arriving 10 February 1940

12 February 1940 sailed Halifax in the escorted convoy HXF20 to the River Clyde arriving 24 February 1940

3 March 1940 sailed the River Clyde independently to Liverpool arriving the next day

5 March 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB104 until dispersal on the 8 March 1940 and then independently to Trinidad arriving 21 March 1940

26 March 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Halifax arriving 4 April 1940

6 April 1940 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX33 to Liverpool arriving 20 April 1940

20 April 1940 sailed Liverpool independently to Scapa Flow arriving the next day

25 April 1940 sailed Scapa Flow to Trinidad arriving 10 May 1940

11 May 1940 sailed Trinidad to Bermuda arriving 29 May 1940

31 May 1940 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX47 to Halifax where it joined, on 8 June 1940 escorted convoy HX47 to Devonport arriving 16 June 1940

25 June 1940 sailed Plymouth to join unescorted convoy OA173G which reformed at sea off Falmouth as escorted convoy OG35 to Gibraltar arriving 1 July 1940

7 July 1940 sailed Gibraltar independently to Trinidad arriving 19 July 1940

22 July 1940 sailed Trinidad independently returning there on 8 August 1940

22 August 1940 sailed Trinidad to St Lucia arriving 23 August 1940

9 September 1940 arrived at Port of Spain, Trinidad from St Lucia

13 September 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Tortola, British Virgin Islands arriving 16 September 1940

19 September 1940 arrived Trinidad after sailing independently from Tortola, British Virgin Islands

27 September 1940 arrived St Lucia after sailing independently from Trinidad

5 October 1940 sailed St Lucia independently to Trinidad arriving 6 October 1940

16 October 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Antigua arriving on 18 October 1940

28 October 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Bermuda arriving on 8 November 1940

11 December 1940 sailed Bermuda independently to Trinidad arriving 18 December 1940

27 December 1940 arrived Cristobal and transitted the Panama Canal arriving Balboa the same day

27 December 1940 sailed Balboa independently to Valparaiso arriving 24 January 1941

25 January 1941 sailed Valparaiso independently to Callao arriving 30 January 1941

30 January 1941 sailed Callao independently to Valparaiso arriving 12 February 1941

13 February 1941 sailed Valparaison independently to Balboa arriving 6 March 1941

6 March 1941 transitted the Panama Canal

7 March 1941 sailed Christobal independently to Kingston, Jamaica arriving 9 March 1941

11 March 1941 sailed Kingston Jamaica independently to Bermuda arriving 16 March 1941

20 March 1941 sailed Bermuda independently to Trinidad arriving 25 March 1941

30 March 1941 at Victoria Hospital, Castries, St Lucia Able Seaman Leslie Wheeler discharged dead from TB

6 April 1941 sailed Trinidad independently to Bermuda arriving 15 April 1941

31 May 1941 involved in a collision and suffered damage – details at present unknown

1 June 1941 the Admiralty War Diary of this day page 759 refers to the collision (see above) and C in C WI reports that the ship will receive temporary repairs at Bermuda but full repairs will take 3 to 4 weeks. In consequence he proposed to retain her at Bermuda to refuel HM Ships until the return of RFA WAR BRAHMIN towards the end of June 1941 when he then proposed that the ship should sail to a US port for full repairs

8 July 1941 sailed Bermuda independently to New York arriving 12 July 1941

2 August 1941 sailed New York independently to Halifax arriving 6 August 1941

10 August 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX144 to Oban arriving 29 August 1941. RFA OLYINTHUS sailed in the same convoy

29 August 1941 sailed Oban in unescorted convoy WN174 to Methil arriving 1 September 1941

31 August 1941 passed Dunnet Head sailing east

4 September 1941 at Leith Docks for repairs – completed on 13 September 1941 

13 September 1941 sailed Methil joining in escorted convoy EC72 to Loch Ewe arriving 15 September 1941 thence independently to Trinidad arriving 9 October 1941

23 September 1941 Captain Harold Corbin Archer awarded a Commendation – details published in the London Gazette of this day

Captain Harold Corbin Archer

14 October 1941 sailed Trinidad independently to Bermuda arriving 20 October 1941

20 October 1941 sailed Bermuda independently to Halifax arriving 28 October 1941

28 October 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX157 with 1 passenger but returned to Halifax the next day

3 November 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX158 to Belfast Lough arriving 18 November 1941

19 November 1941 sailed Belfast Lough in escorted convoy BB102 to Milford Haven arrivingthe next day

21 November 1941 sailed Milford Haven in un-escorted convoy WP69 to Portsmouth arriving 25 November 1941

28 November 1941 sailed Portsmouth to the Solent

30 November 1941 sailed the Solent to Milford Haven arriving 3 December 1941

6 December 1941 sailed Milford Haven joining in escorted convoy ON44 until dispersal on 15 December 1941 and then independently to Trinidad arriving 30 December 1941. RFA BELGOL also sailed in this convoy

3 January 1942 sailed Trinidad independently to Gibraltar arriving 19 January 1942 escorted by corvettes HMS SPIRAEA and HMS STELLA CARINA

30 January 1942 sailed Gibraltar independently to Trinidad arriving 12 February 1942

7 April 1942 escorted to Gibraltar by HMS COREOPSIS and HMS MYOSOTIS 

22 April 1942 sailed Gibraltar and the tanker THORSHOLM to Trinidad and Curacao escorted by HMS STONECROP and HMS MYOSOTIS to approx. 23 degrees West

9 May 1942 sailed Trinidad independently to Freetown arriving 24 May 1942

4 June 1942 sailed Freetown in escorted convoy SL112 to Loch Ewe arriving 22 June 1942

23 June 1942 sailed Loch Ewe in escorted convoy WN300 to Scapa Flow arriving the next day

29 June 1942 sailed Lyness in unescorted convoy WN302 to Methil arriving the next day

1 July 1942 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy FS843 to the arriver Tyne arriving the same day

4 August 1942 sailed the Tyne joining in unescorted convoy FN776 to Methil arriving the same day

10 August 1942 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN122 to Scapa Flow arriving the next day

10 September 1942 sailed Lyness in unescorted convoy EN135 to Loch Ewe arriving the next day. RFA WAR NIZAM also sailed in this convoy

1 October 1942 sailed the Clyde in escorted convoy KX1 to Gibraltar arriving 14 October 1942. This convoy consisted of 6 merchant ships with 8 escorts

29 November 1942 sailed Gibraltar in convoy TE7A

21 December 1942 joined unescorted convoy GUS2 passing Gibraltar from Casablanca to New York arriving 10 January 1943

4 January 1943 Captain Harold C Archer appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) – Civil Division and Bosun Edward J O’Beirne awarded the British Empire Medal – Civil Division (BEM) both in the New Years Honours List 1943. Details pubished in the London Gazette of this date

14 January 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX223 to the Clyde arriving 2 February 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy. ss Fort Amherst (later to become RFA AMHERST) also sailed in this convoy as far as Haliax

15 February 1943 sailed the Clyde and joined escorted convoy UC1 from Liverpool to Curaçao arriving 6 March 1943

4 March 1943 Chief Steward William Allison Woolley discharged dead. He is remembered with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial. Cause of death unknown

Courtesy Brian Watson

12 March 1943 sailed Curaçao in unescorted convoy TAG47 to Guantanamo arriving 15 March 1943

15 March 1943 sailed Guantanamo in unescorted convoy GN47 to New York arriving 23 March 1943

25 March 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX231to the Clyde arriving 10 April 1943

12 April 1943 sailed the Clyde and joined escorted convoy ON178 from Liverpool to New York arriving 2 May 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy

7 June 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX243 to Liverpool arriving on the 21 June 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy

24 June 1943 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON190 to New York arriving 8 July 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy

15 July 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX248 to Loch Ewe arriving 27 July 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy

29 July 1943 sailed Loch Ewe in unescorted convoy WN460 to Invergordon arriving the next day

1 August 1943 sailed Invergordon in unescorted convoy EN263 to Loch Ewe arriving the next day. Admiralty tanker British Lady (not an RFA) was also in this convoy on passage to Sacpa Flow where she was to remain as base oiler until 1945

8 August 1943 sailed Loch Ewe and joined the escorted convoy ON196 which had sailed from Liverpool and arrived at New York on 21 August 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy

21 August 1943 sailed New York independently to Philadelphia arriving the next day

24 August 1943 sailed Philadelphia independently to New York arriving the next day27 August 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX254 to Loch Ewe arriving 11 September 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy and was in collision apparently with the ss James I Mackay on 10 September 1943

11 September 1943 sailed Loch Ewe in unescorted convoy WN478 to Invergordon arriving the next day

14 September 1943 sailed Invergordon in unescorted convoy EN280 to Loch Ewe arriving the next day then sailing the same day to join escorted convoy ON202 from Liverpool to New York arriving 1 October 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy

31 October 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX264 to Loch Ewe arriving 17 November 1943. Acted as an Escort Oiler during this convoy

22 November 1943 sailed Loch Ewe in escorted convoy JW54B to Archangel arriving 3 December 1943. Acted as the only Escort Oiler during this convoy

23 December 1943 sailed Kola Inlet in escorted convoy RA55A to Loch Ewe arriving 1 January 1944. Acted as the only Escort Oiler during this convoy. On arrival at Loch Ewe sailed under escort to the Clyde arriving 2 January 1944

12 January 1944 sailed the Clyde under escort to Akureyri, Northern Iceland arriving 18 January 1944

21 January 1944 sailed Akureyi, Northern Iceland to join in escorted convoy JW56A from Loch Ewe to Kola Inlet acting as the Escort Oiler arriving 28 January 1943

2 March 1944 sailed Kola Inlet in escorted convoy RA57 to Loch Ewe and the River Clyde acting as one of two Escort Oilers arriving 12 March 1944

23 March 1944 sailed the River Clyde and joined in escorted convoy ON229 from Liverpool to New York acted as one of three Escort Oilers arriving 7 April 1944

12 April 1944 sailed from New York in escorted convoy HX287 for Liverpool – acted as one of two Escort Oilers. Arrived at Liverpool 26 April 1944

26 April 1944 sailed Loch Ewe in unescorted convoy WN575 for Methil arriving 28 April 1944

4 May 1944 sailed from Liverpool in escorted convoy ON235 for New York – acted as one of two Escort Oilers. Arrived at New York 18 May 1944

25 July 1944 sailed from Loch Ewe in unescorted convoy WN612 to Methil arriving on 27 July 1944

27 August 1944 sailed from Methil in unescorted convoy EN427 to Loch Ewe arriving on 29 August 1944

1 September 1944 sailed from Liverpool in escorted convoy ON251 to New York arriving on 19 September 1944 and then independently to Curaçao 

23 Septmber 1944 sailed from New York to Guantanamo in unescorted convoy NG461 arriving 29 September 1944

29 September 1944 sailed Guantanamo to Curaçao in convoy GAT163 arriving on 6 October 1944

10 October 1944 sailed independently from Curaçao to Cristobal arriving on 12 October 1944

13 October 1944 transitted the Panama Canal sailing from Balboa the same day and arrived at Brisbane, Australia 11 November 1944 independently

13 November 1944 sailed from Brisbane, Australia to Sydney, NSW, Australia arriving 15 November 1944 independently

21 November 1944 sailed from Sydney, NSW, Australia to Darwin, Australia  arriving 1 December 1944 independently

3 December 1944 sailed from Darwin, Australia to Sydney, NSW, Australia arriving 12 December 1944 independently

14 December 1944 sailed from Sydney, NSW, Australia to Cairns, Australia arriving 19 December 1944 independently

21 December 1944  sailed from Cairns, Australia to Sydney, NSW, Australia arriving 25 December 1944 independently

1 February 1945 at Manus, Admiralty Islands

27 February 1945 in the company of RFA’s ARNDALE, CEDARDALE and WAVE KING sailed Sydney, NSW escorted to Manus, Admiralty Islands by HMAS WHYALLA and arriving on 9 March 1945

2 April 1945 and 3 April 1945 at San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf with the tanker USS GAZELLE (IX116) moored alongside – 41,677 barrels of fuel oil transfered from the US tanker

8 April 1945 during Operation Iceberg at 21°12N 129°17E alongside HMS BLACK PRINCE refuelling her

HMS BLACK PRINCE

30 April 1945 part of the British Pacific Fleet as part of Task Force 112 (Fleet Train) in the US Seventh Fleet under Read Admiral D B Fisher

6 May 1945 during Operation Iceberg RASed astern with HMS HOWE

18 May 1945 refuelled HMAS NEPAL by the trough method and supplied 310 tons of FFO

31 May 1945 at Manus, Admiralty Islands

30 June 1945 at Manus, Admiralty Islands together with RFA’s BACCHUS (2), BROWN RANGER, GREEN RANGER, RAPIDOL and WAVE MONARCH

17 July 1945 refuelled HMAS NEPAL alongside

31 July 1945 sailed Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands with Requisition Auxiliary San Ambrosio escorted by HMAS’s GERALDTON, IPSWICH and HMS USK to rendevouz with HMS PHESANT at 36°50N 152°00E on 8 August 1945

6 August 1945 RAS’ed astern with HMAS’s GERALDTON and IPSWICH and HMS USK

15 August 1945 RAS’ed astern with HMAS BURNIE

HMAS BURNIE

20 August 1945 RAS’ed astern with HMAS BURNIE

22 August 1945 at sea at 21°07N 133°43E Pumpman James Kelly discharged dead – natural causes

27 August 1945 while on passage from Entiwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands to San Pedro Bay, Leyte RASed HMAS GERALDTON 

25 October 1945 at Sydney, NSW Bosun Karl Olin discharged dead – suicide by hanging

September 1945 at Subic Bay, Luzon lost an anchor. USS Teaberry (AN34) detailed to grapple for it on the 18 and 19 September 1945

11 November 1945 arrived Newcastle, NSW

17 November 1945 sailed Sydney, NSW for Manus, Admiralty Islands

26 November 1945 arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands

1945 returned to her owners name unchanged

11 January 1946 sailed Darwin

6 February 1946 arrived at Abadan

14 February 1946 sailed Bombay for Abadan

23 February 1946 sailed Abadan for Suez

28 March 1946 arrived at Abadan

30 March 1946 sailed Abadan for Swansea

26 April 1946 arrived Swansea

8 October 1946 Captain Harold C Archer and Chief Engineer Officer John F Nestor both awarded a Mention in Despatches for the wind up of the war in the Pacific. Details published in the London Gazette of this day

9 November 1946 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard

6 March 1947 from Falmouth arrived at Curaçao

9 August 1947 sailed Punta Arenas for Curaçao

11 November 1947 sailed Liverpool for Falmouth

13 November 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard eastbound

21 January 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard westbound

12 February 1948 sailed Curaçao for Buenos Aires

3 March 1948 arrived Buenos Aires

17 April 1949 sailed Curaçao for LEFO

12 May 1949 arrived on the River Tyne

22 August 1949 sailed from Maderia

14 March 1951 berthed at Middledock, Grangemouth

1957 arrived River Tyne for overhaul by Swan, Hunter & Wigham, Richardson but after preliminary work had been carried out, the fall in freight rates made an extensive overhaul an uneconomic proposition.

May 1957 laid up in the River Fal.

13 October 1957 arrived Grays, Essex for demolition by T.W Ward Ltd

8 February 1958 The Sphere newspaper published ….

showing San Adolfo at the ship breakers yard