Official Number:                     145221

Builder:                                   Standard Shipbuilding Corp, Shooters Island, New York

Launched:                              29 January 1921

Into Service:                           1939

Out of service:                        1940

Fate:                                        mined 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:

29 January 1921 launched by Standard Shipbuilding Corp, Shooters Island, New York as Yard Nr: 29 named SAN TIBURCIO for Eagle Oil Transport Co Ltd, London

March 1921 completed

14 July 1921 at Tuxpam, Mexico Sailor Gordon S Zinch discharged dead having been hit by a falling derrick and killed

1 October 1921 sailed from Port Arthur for London

20 May 1922 berthed at Avonmouth from Tampico with 4 passengers. Captain William Piper was Master

24 July 1922 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

29 August 1922 sailed New Orleans for Le Havre, France

21 November 1922 sailed Tuxpan

4 October 1923 sailed Panama for the UK

3 November 1923 sailed Portishead to Tampico with 1 passenger

26 November 1923 sailed Tampico for the Lizard for Orders

18 December 1923 berthed at Avonmouth from Tampico with 1 passenger. Captain R W Davis was Master

13 January 1924 arrived at Port Arthur, Texas from Portishead

28 April 1924 sailed Valparsiso for San Pedro

25 June 1924 sailed Hull for London

11 July 1924 in dry dock at London

1 September 1924 sailed Salt End Jetty, Hull for Tampico in ballast

30 August 1925 arrived at Granton from San Pedro via Hull – part cargo

19 August 1926 in the Indio Channel, River Plate in collision with the steamship Moliere

18 October 1927 berthed at Manchester from Tampico with 2 passengers. Captain D K Blyth was the Master

15 November 1927 sailed Avonmouth to Puerto Mexico with 6 passengers

21 December 1927 in an action in the High Court the San Tiburcio was found alone to blame

14 October 1928 reported by wireless she was 75 miles SE of Wick bound for Mexico

7 December 1928 at Stanlow DBS Carpenter August Elman discharged dead from heart disease

8 December 1928 berthed at Manchester from Tampico, Mexico with 4 DBS. Captain T F Cole was the Master

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

18 December 1930 sailed Eastham for Tampico

31 May 1931 berthed at London from Aruba with 1 DBS. Captain F S Bailey was Master

16 September 1931 sailed Aruba for LEFO

7 December 1931 sailed from Rio de Janeiro for Puerto Mexico

13 April 1933 sailed Falmouth to Puerto Mexico with 2 passengers. Captain F Kennett was the Master

8 December 1933 sailed Ardrosan for Tampico

1 January 1934 sailed Tampico for Shellhaven

21 April 1935 sailed from Puerto Mexico for Purfleet

14 May 1935 berthed at Purfleet from Puerto Mexico with 1 DBS. Captain E S Tong was Master

19 August 1935 sailed Liverpool for Aruba

13 May 1937 12 nmiles off Sandy Hook Greaser Martin Brannan discharged dead – drowned

29 July 1937 at sea Able Seaman Archibald Mcallister discharged dead – drowned

20 December 1937 sailed Curaçao for Shellhaven

9 January 1938 berthed at Shellhaven from Curaçao with 2 DBS

29 January 1938 sailed Falmouth for Curaçao

13 September 1938 sailed Buenos Aires for Curaçao

14 April 1939 sailed Ardrosan for Curaçao

27 June 1939 sailed Aruba for LEFO

17 July 1939 berthed at Liverpool from Aruba with 1 DBS. Captain E S Field was Master

1939 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an oiler

6 September 1939 sailed Ardrossan independently to Liverpool arriving the next day

1 October 1939 sailed Liverpool in Convoy escorted OB 13 until dispersal at 50N 14.20W on 4 October 1939 and then independently to Bermuda arriving 19 October 1939

19 October 1939 sailed Bermuda independently to Galveston arriving 28 October 1939

31 October 1939 sailed Galveston independently to Halifax arriving 12 November 1939

18 November 1939 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX 9 to Liverpool arriving on 2 December 1939. This convoy was escorted by the battleship HMS WARSPITE

HMS WARSPITE

25 January 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB79 until dispersal on 28 January 1940 then indepedently to Aruba arriving on 19 February 1940

21 February 1940 sailed Aruba independently to Halifax arriving 6 March 1940

9 March 1940 sailed Halifax in convoy HX 26 to Liverpool arriving on 26 March 1940 . The ocean escort was the battleship HMS MALAYA

18 April 1940 sailed Liverpool in convoy OB 132 to Pembroke Dock arriving the next day

22 April 1940 sailed Pembroke Dock independently to Scapa Flow arriving 25 April 1940

3 May 1940 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ARK ROYAL refuelling her then sailed escorted until …

4 May 1940 struck a mine laid by German submarine U-9 on 9 February 1940 and sank in the Moray Firth 4 miles E of Tarbet Ness while on passage from Scapa Flow to Invergordon with a part cargo of 2,193t of fuel oil and aircraft floats. All 40 of her crew were rescued by HM Trawler LEICESTER CITY (T/Lt. A.R. Cornish, RNR) and landed at Invergordon

H M Trawler Leicester City

26 July 1940 Third Officer George McArthur awarded a commendendation for services when the ship was mined and sunk Details published in the London Gazette of this day

1989 Royal Naval divers entered the stern magazine to remove ammunition stored there for the ships stern gun