Official Number:                     165436

Builder:                                   Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow

Launched:                              12 February 1937

Into Service:                           1939

Out of service:                        1945

Fate:                                       4 March 1971 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:

12 February 1937 launched by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow as Yard Nr: 893 named SAN CIRILO for Eagle Oil & Shipping Co Ltd., London

13 February 1937 The Scotsman newspaper reported …

April 1937 completed

26 July 1937 berthed at Avonmouth from Abadan

2 August 1937 berthed at Fawley, Southampton Water

6 August 1937 berthed at Avonmouth via Hamburg

10 August 1937 sailed Avonmouth

29 September 1937 sailed Stanlow

27 October 1937 berthed at Houston, Texas to load cargo

3 February 1938 sailed Liverpool for Tampico

21 February 1938 arrived at Tampico

24 February 1938 sailed from Tampico for Aruba

16 June 1938 on passage from Abadan to Avonmouth

3 July 1938 docked at Avonmouth from Abadan

6 July 1938 sailed Avonmouth

22 July 1938 sailed Falmouth

5 August 1938 at 15°09N 72°05W Carpenter George Edwards discharged dead – natural causes

17 September 1938 arrived at Manchester

22 September 1938 sailed from Stanlow

10 November 1938 sailed Falmouth

8 January 1939 arrived at Sheerness

9 March 1939 arrived at Southampton

14 March 1939 sailed Plymouth

15 April 1939 berthed at Avonmouth from Aruba

17 April 1939 sailed Avonmouth

18 April 1939 arrived Belfast Lough

11 May 1939 at Curaçao

30 May 1939 sailed Swansea for Curaçao

1 July 1939 arrived at Southampton

13 July 1939 sailed from Falmouth

1 August 1939 sailed Curaçao

13 August 1939 when on passage to Liverpool was 683 miles WSW of Valentia

17 August 1939 berthed at Ellesmere Port from Curacao with 1 DBS passenger

20 August 1939 sailed Stanlow for Belfast Lough

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

7 September 1939 sailed Curaçao independently to Trinidad arriving on 10 September 1939

12 September 1939 sailed Trinidad independently to Kingston arriving on 16 September 1939

19 September 1939 sailed Kingston in convoy KJ1 to Liverpool arriving on 12 October 1939

26 October 1939 sailed Liverpool in ballast in convoy OB25 until it dispersed on 30 October 1939 and then idependently to Philadelphia arriving on 10 November 1939

14 November 1939 sailed Philadelphia independently to Halifax NS arriving on 16 November 1939

18 November 1939 sailed Halifax loaded with petrol in convoy HX9 to Avonmouth arriving on 3 December 1939

9 December 1939 sailed Avonmouth independently to Milford Haven arriving the next day

11 December 1939 sailed Milford Haven to join escorted convoy OB50 which then formed escorted convoy OG10 at sea on 13 December 1939 to Gibraltar passing The Rock on 18 December 1939

18 December 1939 passed Gibraltar and sailed independently to Constanza arriving on 25 December 1939

2 January 1940 sailed Constanza independently to Gibraltar arriving 19 January 1940

21 January 1940 sailed Gibraltar in convoy HG16F to the Downs arriving 29 January 1940

7 February 1940 sailed Southend in convoy OA87 to Avonmouth arriving 10 February 1940

5 March 1940 sailed Avonmouth independently to Milford Haven arriving the next day

6 March 1940 sailed Milford Haven joining convoy OB104 until its dispersal on 8 March 1940 and then independently to Baytown arriving 25 March 1940

29 March 1940 sailed Baytown independently to Halifax arriving 6 April 1940

6 April 1940 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX33 to Weymouth Bay arriving 20 April 1940 with a cargo of lubricating oil

22 April 1940 sailed Weymouth Bay independently to the Downs arriving 24 April 1940

11 May 1940 sailed Southend in convoy OA146 until it dispersed on 15 May 1940 and then independently to New York arriving 26 May 1940

31 May 1940 sailed New York independently to Halifax arriving 4 June 1940

5 June 1940 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX48 to the Downs arriving 20 June 1940

29 June 1940 sailed Southend in convoy OA176 until it dispersed on 2 July 1940 and then independently to Aruba arriving 15 July 1940

20 July 1940 sailed Aruba independently to Bermuda arriving 25 July 1940 and then independently to Halifax arriving 27 July 1940

16 October 1940 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX81 to Liverpool arriving 2 November 1940

2 December 1940 sailed Liverpool in convoy OB253 until dispersal on 6 December 1940 and the independently to Curacao arriving 23 December 1940

25 December 1940 sailed Curacao independently to Bermuda arriving 31 December 1940

3 January 1941 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX 101 to join escorted convoy HX101 at Halifax to Oban arriving 21 January 1941

24 January 1941 sailed Oban independently to Avonmouth arriving 27 January 1941

3 February 1941 sailed Avonmouth independently to the River Clyde arriving 5 February 1941

9 February 1941 sailed the River Clyde in convoy OB284 until dispersal on 14 February 1941 and then independently to Curaçao arriving 3 March 1941

5 March 1941 sailed Curaçao independently to Bermuda arriving 11 March 1941

11 March 1941 sailed Bermuda independently to Halifax arriving 14 March 1941

17 March 1941 sailed Halifax in convoy HX115 to the River Clyde arriving 3 April 1941

5 April 1941 sailed the River Clyde in convoy WN110 to Methil arriving 9 April 1941

19 April 1941 sailed the River Clyde in escorted convoy OB312 until dispersal on 25 April 1941 and then independently to Aruba arriving 8 May 1941

10 May 1941 sailed Aruba independently to Bermuda arriving 15 May 1941

18 May 1941 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX128 to Halifax and joined escorted convoy HX128 on 27 May 1941. From convoy HX128 arrived at Belfast Lough 6 June 1941

6 June 1941 sailed Belfast Lough in unescorted convoy BB30 to Avonmouth arriving 9 June 1941

13 June 1941 sailed Avonmouth independently to Milford Haven arriving the next day

16 June 1941 sailed joining convoy OB335 being detached and sailing independently to Mobile arriving on 3 July 1941

3 July 1941 sailed Mobile and sailed independently to New Orleans arriving 7 August 1941

10 August 1941 sailed New Orleans independently to Halifax arriving 19 August 1941

21 August 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX146 to the River Clyde and Ardrossan arriving 7 September 1941 with a cargo of AVGAS

18 September 1941 sailed the River Clyde in convoy ON17 until it dispersed on 29 September 1941 and then independently to New York arriving 5 October 1941

12 October 1941 sailed New York independently to Halifax arriving 14 October 1941

16 October 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX155 to Belfast Lough arriving 30 October 1941

31 October 1941 sailed Belfast Lough in escorted convoy BB95 to Avonmouth arriving 2 November 1941

6 November 1941 sailed Avonmouth independently to Milford Haven arriving the next day

12 November 1941 sailed Milford Haven and joined the Liverpool convoy ON36 but returned with engine defects arriving at Oban on the 14 November 1941 

16 November 1941 sailed Oban independently to Loch Ewe arriving the next day

Sailed from Loch Ewe independently to Key West arriving 11 December 1941

11 December 1941 sailed Key West independently to Port Arthur arriving 15 December 1941

16 December 1941 sailed Port Arthur independently to Curaçao arriving 23 December 1941

25 December 1941 sailed Curaçao independently to Kingston arriving 27 December 1941

27 December 1941 sailed Kingston independently to Cristobal arriving 30 December 1941

31 December 1941 sailed Balboa independently to Wellington, New Zealand arriving 26 January 1942

29 January 1942 sailed Wellington, New Zealand independently to Nelson arriving the same day

1 February 1942 sailed Nelson independently to Fremantle, Australia arriving 15 February 1942

16 February 1942 sailed Fremantle independently to Abadan arriving 8 March 1942

10 March 1942 sailed Abadan independently to Colombo arriving 19 March 1942

21 March 1942 while on passage from Colombo to Melbourne heavily damaged by Japanese submarine I-62 torpedo attack approximately 420 miles south of Colombo at 06.40 N 79.40 E. HMAS NORMAN was sent to provide assistance

23 March 1942 arrived Colombo for repairs escorted by HMAS NORMAN

12 April 1942 sailed Colombo independently to Bombay arriving 16 April 1942

10 July 1942 sailed Bombay independently to Port Elizabeth arriving 1 August 1942

11 August 1942 sailed Port Elizabeth independently to Trinidad arriving 3 September 1942

5 September 1942 sailed Trinidad in escorted convoy TAG3 to Guantanamo in ballast arriving 11 September 1942

12 September 1942 sailed Guantanamo in convoy GN3 to New York arriving 20 September 1942

5 January 1943 Captain John Thompson and Chief Engineer Officer John F Smith both appointed as Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) – Civil Division, Chief Officer Edward J Osborne appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) – Civil Division, Bosun George E Donaldson and Carpenter Edwin C Rogers awarded British Empire Medals – Civil Division and Second Officer Edward R Roe. Second Engineer Officer Finlay Wood, First Radio Officer Ellis A Owen, Pumpan James E Benton and Pumpman Robert A Lowden each awarded Commendations for services when the ship was torpedoed and damaged on 21 March 1942. Details were published in the London Gazette of this day

2 February 1943 sailed New York independently to Philadelphia arriving the next day

5 February 1943 sailed Philadelphia independently to New York arriving the next day

7 February 1943 sailed New York in convoy UGS5 to Gibraltar arriving 25 February 1943

7 March, 1943 sailed Gibraltar to Oran arriving 9 March 1943

17 March 1943 sailed Oran to Algeria arriving the next day

20 March 1943 Third Engineer Officer Stanley Arkwell Bone discharged dead from natural causes. He is buried in El Alia Cemetery, Algeria in grave 12 K 2

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

25 March 1943 sailed Algiers to Gibraltar arriving 27 March 1943

5 April 1943 sailed Gibraltar in convoy TE20A to Algerirs arriving 7 April 1943

10 April 1943 sailed Bone in convoy MKS11 to Liverpool arriving 23 April 1943

30 April 1943 sailed the River Clyde joining escorted convoy ON181 from Liverpool to New York arriving 17 May 1943

28 May 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy UGS9 to Casablanca arriving 16 June 1943

18 June 1943 arrived Fedala, French Morocco from Casablanca and berthed at the Petroleum Quai to discharge cargo

19 June 1943 at Fedala, French Morocco the French tanker Melusine arrived and berthed outboard of the San Cirilo and received cargo

20 June 1943 sailed Fedala, French Morocco for Casablanca

21 June 1943 sailed Casablanca in escorted convoy GUS8A to Philadelphia arriving 11 July 1943

13 July 1943 sailed Philadelphia independently to New York arriving the next day

15 July 1943 sailed New York in convoy HX248 to Belfast Lough loaded with AVGAS arriving 28 July 1943

28 July 1943 sailed Belfast Lough in unescorted convoy BB313 to Avonmouth arriving 30 July 1943

5 August 1943 sailed Avonmouth independently to Milford Haven arriving the same day

3 August 1943 Third Officer Robert V Hart, Fourth Engineer Officer Norton Howarth and Fifth Engineer Officer Leslie Harrison each awarded Commendations for services when the ship was torpedoed and damaged on 21 March 1942. Details were published in the London Gazette of this day 

7 August 1943 sailed Milford Haven in escorted convoy ON196 from Liverpool to New York arriving 21 August 1943

27 August 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX254 to Liverpool arriving 12 September 1943

15 September 1943 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON202 to New York arriving 30 September 1943

5 October 1943 sailed New York in convoy HX260 to Liverpool arriving 19 October 1943 with a cargo of petrol

24 October 1943 sailed Liverpool in convoy ON208 to New York arriving on 7 November 1943

15 December 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy HX271 to the River Clyde arriving 29 December 1943

6 January 1944 sailed the River Clyde independently to Loch Ewe arriving the next day

12 January 1944 sailed Loch Ewe in escorted convoy JW56A to Akureyri arriving 18 January 1944

21 January 1944 sailed Akureyri in escorted convoy JW56A to Archangel arriving 29 January 1944

2 March 1944 sailed Kola Inlet in convoy RA57 to Loch Ewe arriving 10 March 1944

15 March 1944 sailed the River Clyde and joined escorted convoy ON228 from Liverpool to New York arriving 1 April 1944

5 April 1944 sailed New York in convoy HX286 to Loch Ewe arriving 20 April 1944 with a cargo of petrol

21 April 1944 sailed Loch Ewe in convoy WN573 to Methil arriving 23 April 1944

29 April 1944 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN377 to Loch Ewe arriving 1 May 1944 and thence joined escorted convoy ON235 from Liverpool to New York arriving 18 May 1944

25 June 1944 sailed from Augusta in unescorted convoy AH51 to Bari arriving 27 June 1944

26 August 1944 sailed from Augusta in escorted convoy VN61 to Naples arriving the next day

30 August 1944 sailed Naples in unescorted convoy NV61 to Augusta arriving the next day

10 December 1944 at St. George’s Hospital, Bombay, Able Seaman George Bain Steven discharged dead from enteric fever. He was buried at the time in Bombay (Sewri) Cemetery but was moved by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1960 to Kirkee War Cemetery

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

11 December 1944 sailed Bombay independently to Bahrein arriving 16 December 1944

19 December 1944 sailed Bahrein independently to Sydney, NSW arriving 19 January 1945

23 January 1945 sailed Sydney, NSW independently to Abadan arriving 24 February 1945

26 February 1945 sailed Abadan independently to Colombo arriving 6 March 1945

12 March 1945 sailed Colombo independently to Abadan arriving 21 March 1945

22 March 1945 sailed Abadan independently to Bombay arriving 28 March 1945

31 March 1945 sailed Bombay independently to Abadan arriving 6 April 1945

8 April 1945 sailed Abadan independently to Colombo arriving 17 April 1945

21 April 1945 sailed Colombo independently to Abadan arriving 29 April 1945

1 May 1945 sailed Abadan independently to Suez arriving 14 May 1945

17 May 1945 sailed Suez independently to Aden arriving 22 May 1945

22 May 1945 sailed Aden independently to Abadan arriving 29 May 1945

31 May 1945 sailed Abadan independently to Fremantle, Australia arriving 23 June 1945

29 June 1945 sailed Fremantle, Australia to Wellington, New Zealand arriving 11 July 1945

26 October 1945 arrived at the River Tyne from Sheerness

1945 returned to her owners name unchanged

4 March 1946 berthed at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

29 May 1946 berthed at Palmers Jarrow, River Tyne

10 December 1946 sailed Aruba for Brazil

6 February 1947 arrived at Curaçao

16 February 1947 at Curaçao

18 February 1947 sailed Curaçao for LEFO

21 May 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westwards

26 July 1947 pass Cristobal

6 March 1948 sailed Rouen for Falmouth

20 January 1949 arrived at Aruba

22 December 1949 arrived The River Tyne from Helsinki berthing at Swan Hunters Yard

31 January 1950 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne together with RFA DINGLEDALE

3 January 1951 berthed at Middle Docks, RIver Tyne 

20 September 1951 arrived at Lisbon

3 January 1952 sailed Curaçao for New Jersey

8 January 1953 berthed at Swan Hunters Yard, River Tyne

16 February 1954 berthed at Swan Hunters Yard, River Tyne

12 April 1955 suffered a port boiler furnace burst when off the mouth of the River Amazon which caused  the deaths of six Engineer Officers and five Ratings

1955 purchased by Erice Soc. Per Azioni di Nav, Italy and renamed SPORTIVO 

13 February 1956 a Department of Transport enquiry into the boiler explosion (above) opened

1957 converted into a bulk carrier, name unchanged

1969 owners became Elios Soc per Azioni di Nav, Italy name unchanged

1970  ownership reverted to Erice Soc per Azioni di Nav, Italy name unchanged

4 March 1971 arrived La Spezia for demolition.