Official Number:                      146518

Builder:                                    Palmers Co Ltd., Hebburn

Launched:                               19 October 1921

Into Service:                            1939

Out of service:                         31 March 1942

Fate:                                        Torpedoed and sunk

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 October 1921 launched by Palmers Co Ltd., Hebburn as yard Nr: 870 named SAN GERARDO for Eagle Oil Transport Co Ltd, London

March 1922 completed

5 April 1922 sailed from the River Tyne for Tampico

19 June 1922 sailed Tuxpan for LEFO

23 March 1923 sailed Tuxpan for Rio de Janeiro

11 April 1924 arrived at Curaçao

26 April 1924 on passage from Curaçao to the Lizard for orders

6 May 1924 on passage from Curaçao to the Lizard for orders

8 June 1924 sailed London for Tampico

11 February 1925 berthed at Avonmouth from Tuxpan

31 August 1925 berthed Sheerness from Tampico, Mexico with one DBS passenger

4 September 1925 sailed Sheerness

11 November 1925 berthed at Avonmouth on the Western Arm Extention for dry docking

25 November 1925 flooded out of the dry Dock at Avonmouth

2 May 1926 berthed at Avonmouth from Tampico, Mexico with two passengers. Captain A Hulbert was Master

4 January 1927 sailed from Buenos Airies for San Pedro

5 June 1927 at Monte Video

9 December 1927 sailed San Pedro for Valparaiso

22 April 1928 sailed from the Salt End Jetty, Hull for Curaçao

6 October 1928 while on passage from Aruba to Thameshaven with cargo off the Nore in collision with ss City of Lancaster of the Ellerman Lines. The City of Lancaster was holded aft of the engine room, was making water and was beached on the West Oaze Bank. The San Geraldo has damaged to her stem and bows and continued to Thameshaven 

19 November 1928 proceedings in the Admiralty Division of the High Court commenced with regard to the collision (above)

21 November 1929 sailed Falmouth, in ballast

23 November 1929 in heavy weather some 600 miles from Falmouth lost her rudder and the stern post had been torn away. Radioed for assistance

25 November 1929 taken in tow by the Dutch tug Ganges and later had further towing assistance from the Dutch tug Zwarte Zee. 

1 December 1929 arrived in tow at Falmouth

1930 owners restyled as Eagle Oil & Shipping Co Ltd, London name unchanged

19 February 1930 sailed Falmouth to Aruba

2 January 1931 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound

17 January 1931 sailed Falmouth to Aruba with 4 passengers

23 May 1931 at Buenos Aires

17 November 1931 sailed from Santos for Pureto Mexico

16 February 1932 sailed Falmouth to Puerto Mexico with 6 passengers

31 May 1932 berthed at Avonmouth from Aruba with 4 passengers

15 September 1932 having arrived from Puerto Mexico grounded at Montevideo in the entrance channel. Discharged her cargo into Shell Mex lighters – details from Lloyds Casualty reports

16 September 1932 refloated after lightening (see above) with no apparent damage – details from Lloyds Casualty reports

5 February 1933 berthed at Southampton

11 August 1933 at Rio de Janeiro on arrival in charge of the pilot struck rocks causing damage to the forward pump room (flooded) and aft pump room with some tanks leaking badly – details from Lloyds Casualty reports

4 September 1933 entered dry dock at Rio de Janeiro

5 September 1933 having been surveyed and received temporary repairs at Rio de Janeiro sailed for the UK in ballast 

23 October 1933 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

26 October 1933 arrived at Liverpool from Falmouth

17 January 1934 sailed Avonmouth

22 January 1934 sailed London for Pureto Mexico

29 May 1934 sailed Curaçao

3 October 1934 at 127 miles east of Alcran, Gulf of Mexico took the ss San Fernando in tow to Mobile after she had damage to her main and LP turbines. They arrived at Mobile on 12 October 1934

31 March 1935 berthed at Avonmouth from Puerto Mexico with 5 passengers and 1 DBS passenger. Captain A R Hicks was the Master

1 May 1935 sailed from Aruba for Montevideo

28 May 1935 sailed La Plata for Buenos Ayres

12 July 1935 at 4°45N 43°00W Greaser Frederick Wassell discharged dead – natural causes

24 August 1935 arrived at Aruba

16 September 1935 at Montevideo on arrival grounded, refloated and docked after lightering about 1,000 tons of her cargo – details from Lloyds Casualty reports

14 November 1935 berthed at Avonmouth to discharge

18 November 1935 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

7 June 1936 sailed Santos, Brazil for Aruba

1 October 1936 sailed Falmouth to Aruba with 5 passengers

2 October 1936 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

26 December 1936 sailed Aruba

11 January 1937 berthed at Avonmouth from Tuxpan

12 January 1937 sailed Avonmouth

19 April 1937 arrived Rio de Janeiro from Aruba

12 September 1937 berthed at Avonmouth from Mexico

8 February 1938 sailed Santos, Brazil for Curaçao

29 August 1938 sailed Buenos Aires for Curaçao

6 October 1938 berthed at Liverpool from Curaçao with 2 DBS passengers.  Captain J W Tozer was Master

20 December 1938 sailed Curçao for Shell Haven

8 January 1939 when on passage to Shell Haven passed Niton this day

17 January 1939 sailed Shell Haven

10 March 1939 on passage to Montevideo

21 March 1939 sailed Buenos Airies for Curaçao

22 July 1939 sailed Buenos Airies for Curaçao

1939 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an oiler

3 September 1939 at 33°50S 53°30’W the German blockade runner Olinda scuttled herself to avoid capture by HMS AJAX. 36 members of her crew were made Prisoners of War and placed on the San Gerardo 

German Blockade Runner Olinda

5 September 1939 sailed Montevideo independently to Buenos Aires arriving the next day

11 September 1939 sailed Buenos Aires independently to Trinidad arriving 30 September 1939 and then sailed the same day to Curaçao arriving 2 October 1939

6 October 1939 sailed Curaçao independently to Trinidad arriving 10 October 1939

10 October 1939 sailed Trinidad independently to Montevideo arriving 1 November 1939

2 November 1939 sailed Montevideo independently to Buenos Aires arriving the next day

6 November 1939 sailed Buenos Aires independently to Trinidad arriving 25 November 1939

25 November 1939 sailed Trinidad independently to Curaçao arriving 28 November 1939

1 December 1939 sailed Curaçao independently to Aruba arriving the same day

3 December 1939 sailed Aruba independently to Halifax arriving 13 December 1939

20 December 1939 sailed Halifax in convoy HX 13 to Liverpool arriving 4 January 1940. “RFA” SCOTTISH AMERICAN also sailed in this convoy to Scapa Flow

15 February 1940 sailed Liverpool in convoy OB 92 until the convoy dispersed on 18 February 1940 and then independently to Curaço arriving 7 March 1940

8 March 1940 sailed Curaço independently to Aruba arriving the next day

10 March 1940 sailed Aruba indpendently to Las Piedras

12 March 1940 sailed Las Piedras independently to Halifax arriving 23 March 1940

25 March 1940 sailed Halifax in convoy HX30 to Liverpool arriving 9 April 1940

17 April 1940 sailed Liverpool in convoy OB131 until it dispersed on 21 April 1940 and then independently to Curaçao arriving on 6 May 1940

10 May 1940 sailed Curaçao independently to Halifax arriving on 19 May 1940

20 May 1940 sailed Halifax in convoy HX44 to Avonmouth with a cargo of crude oil arriving 3 June 1940

16 July 1940 sailed the River Clyde in convoy OB184 until the convoy dispersed on 18 July 1940 and the independently to Bermuda arriving 29 July 1940

30 July 1940 sailed Bermuda independently to Aruba arriving 5 August 1940

9 August 1940 sailed Aruba independently to Curaçao arriving the next day

13 August 1940 sailed Curacao independently to Montevideo arriving 6 September 1940

9 September 1940 sailed Montevideo independently to Buenos Aires arriving the next day

15 September 1940 sailed Buenos Aires independently to Curaçao arriving 8 October 1940

13 October 1940 sailed Curacao independently to Rio De Janeiro arriving 31 October 1940

4 November 1940 sailed Rio De Janeiro independently to Santos arriving the next day

7 November 1940 sailed Santos independently to Curaçao arriving 24 November 1940

27 November 1940 sailed Curacao independently to Montevideo arriving 20 December 1940

21 December 1940 sailed Montevideo independently to Buenos Aires arriving the next day

23 December 1940 sailed Buenos Aires independently to La Plata arriving the next day

25 December 1940 sailed La Plata independently to Curaçao arriving 13 January 1941

19 January 1941 sailed Curacao independently to Halifax arriving 30 January 1941

9 February 1941 sailed Halifax in convoy HX108 to the River Clyde with a cargo of FFO arriving 27 February 1941

9 March 1941 sailed the River Clyde joining convoy OB295 until dispersal on 14 March 1941 and then independently to New York arriving 29 March 1941

14 April 1941 at New York Deck Hand Ernest Frederick Lang discharged dead – natural causes

26 May 1941 sailed New York independently to Halifax arriving 30 May 1941

1 June 1941 sailed Halifax with a cargo of FFO in escorted convoy HX130 to Liverpool arriving 20 June 1941

26 June 1941 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB339 until detached to sail independently to Las Piedras arriving 22 July 1941

25 July 1941 sailed Las Piedras independently to Curaçao arriving the next day

29 July 1941 sailed Curacao independently to Las Piedras arriving the next day

1 August 1941 sailed Las Piedras independently to Halifax arriving 11 August 1941

14 August 1941 sailed Halifax independently to Sydney, Cape Breton arriving 16 August 1941

24 August 1941 sailed Sydney, Cape Breton with a cargo of crude oil in escorted convoy SC41 to Liverpool arriving 11 September 1941 with one passenger

26 October 1941 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy ON30 to dispersal and then independently to Las Piedras arriving 20 November 1941

21 November 1941 sailed Las Piedras independently to Curaçao arriving the next day

27 November 1941 sailed Curaçao independently to Freetown arriving 16 December 1941

22 December 1941 sailed Freetown independently to Curaçao arriving 6 January 1942

January 1942 sailed Curaçao independently to Halifax arriving 20 January 1942

23 January 1942 sailed Halifax with a cargo of FFO in escorted convoy SC66 to the River Clyde arriving 8 February 1942

23 February 1942 sailed the River Clyde joining escorted convoy OS20 until detached and then independently to Curaçao arriving 16 March 1942

19 March 1942 sailed Curaçao independently

31 March 1942 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-71 in the Atlantic SE of New York in position 36°00N 67°00W while sailing independently from Curaçao to Halifax N.S. with a cargo of 17,000t of fuel oil with the loss of 48 lives. 6 survivors were rescued by the British tanker Regent Panther and landed at Halifax. Those who were killed are rememberd with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial

Images courtesy of Brian Watson

14 July 1942 Able Seaman William McInch D/JX209902 Royal Navy awarded a Mention in Despatches for services when the ship was torpedoed and sunk. Details published in the London Gazette of this day

4 August 1942 Fireman William Hopkins awarded a Commendation for services when the ship was torpedoed and sunk and Bosun Kaal Olin awarded the Bitish Empire Medal – CIvil Division for services and his conduct during forty hours on a raft. Details published in the London Gazette of this day. Bosun Kaal Olin also received the ungazetted awarded of the Lloyds Bravery Medal