Official Number:                      131771

Builder:                                  Palmer’s Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd., Hebburn

Launched:                              9 July 1910

Pennant No:                           M.04 / M.1.21

Into Service:                           14 November 1914

Out of service:                        12 September 1918

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 WW1 to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

9 July 1910 launched by Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead as Yard Nr: 762 named Sarnia for the London & South Western Railway Co., Southampton

April 1911 completed for her owner’s Channel Islands service. Could carry 980 passengers 

13 April 1911 maiden voyage to the Channel Islands

14 November 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Armed Boarding Steamer and was converted for this role at Southampton

18 November 1914 Commander H G Muir DSO RD RNR appointed as Commanding Officer

1 December 1914 commisioned as HMS SARNIA

2 December 1914 Engineer Lieutenant Henry Hill RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

February 1915 was sent to the Mediterranean as a Trooper for the Dardanelles Campaign

11 April 1915 attcked by a submarine – location and result not known

4 June 1915 arrived at Gibraltar

16 June 1915 in collision with ss Baron Ardrossan – further details unknown. Following a Board of Enquiry the Admiralty required the Vice Admiral commanding the Eastern Mediterrean Squadron to caution Commander Henry G Muir RD RNR to exercise more care in future – source the National Maritime Museum

9 August 1915 at Port Mudros

28 October 1915 in collision with and sank the former ferry HMS HYTHE. HMS SARNIA, having landed her consignment of troops on the beaches at Gallipoli, commenced her journey back to Mudros. The night was dark and the ship was darkened, when at 8.10pm off Cape Helles, she sighted another ship right ahead also darkened, at a distance of about half a mile.

HMS HYTHE

Both ships sounded their whistles and HMS SARNIA turned to port, but the other vessel, which was HMS HYTHE laden with 230 troops for the beaches, altered course to starboard. The inevitable happended a few minutes later, with HMS SARNIA striking HMS HYTHE on the port side, about twenty-five feet from the stem, ripping a hole as far as the mast. The two ships remained locked together, during which several men jumped onboard HMS SARNIA. They then drifted apart and HMS HYTHE settled and sank. The Court of Enquiry judged that the officer of the watch of HMS SARNIA should have turned to starboard but under the circumstances, being a very difficult decision, no further action was taken. Eleven of the crew of HMS HYTHE and one hundred and forty four troops were killed

7 May 1916 arrived at Port Mudros

25 May 1916 with HMS SKIRMISHER sailed from Port Mudros

31 May 1916 Commander Henry George Muir R.D. R.N.R. the ship’s Commanding Officer was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order as detailed in the London Gazette of this day. His appointment said – H.M.S. “Sarnia.” – “Sarnia” has carried out the arduous duties of a ferry steamer, plying between Mudros and the peninsula, carrying troops and military stores, entailing constant moving and going alongside other ships. Commander Muir has handled his ship well, and it is owing to his zeal and attention to duty that the work has been satisfactorily performed under trying conditions. 

23 June 1916 arrived at Port Mudros with HMS RAGLAN

30 June 1916 arrived at Port Mudros

14 July 1916 sailed with HMS SENTINEL from Port Mudros

24 July 1916 sailed from Port Mudros

31 July 1916 sailed from Port Mudros

7 August 1916 with HMS FOXHOUND sailed from Port Mudros

28 August 1916 with HMS LATONA sailed from Port Mudros

2 September 1916 arrived at Port Mudros

8 September 1916 Steward John Edward Le Huquet MMR discharged dead. He is buried in East Mudros Military Cemetery in grave III F 182.

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

Steward John E Le Huquet is also remembered with pride on the Waterloo Railway Station Memorial, London (indicated)

24 September 1916 arrived at Salamis

26 September 1916 sailed from Salamis

5 October 1916 arrived at Port Mudros

12 October 1916 arrived at Port Mudros

15 October 1916 with HMS RATTLESNAKE sailed from Port Mudros

22 October 1916 with HMS FORESIGHT sailed from Port Mudros

29 October 1916 with HMS LATONA sailed from Port Mudros

19 January 1917 arrived at Port Mudros

24 January 1917 Stoker John Pickering discharged dead. He is remembered with pride on the Plymouth Naval Memorial

20 September 1917 sailed Alexandria

21 September 1917 on passage from Alexandria to Suda Bay, Crete with HMS SNAEFELL

6 May 1918 at Malta with HMS WELLAND berthed alongside

5 June 1918 arrived at Milo

12 September 1918 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U65 in position 31.58N 30.55E while on passage from Alexandria to Port Said with the loss of 53 lives. Those lost are remembered with pride on the Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth Naval Memorials

19 September 1919 in the London Gazette of this day Commander Henry George Muir DSO, RD, RNR. was ‘mentioned’ to the Admiralty for Valuable Services during the War