Official Number: 133382
Laid down:
Builder: Earles Co Ltd., Hull
Launched: 8 March 1912
Into Service: 2 August 1914
Out of service: 22 March 1915
Fate: Wrecked 2 February 1944
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:
8 March 1912 launched by Earles Co Ltd., Hull as Yard Nr: 585 named Sorrento for T Wilson Son & Co Ltd., Hull
May 1912 completed
13 August 1913 at sea Carpenter Frank Hardouin discharged dead having fallen down the hold
2 August 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a Stores Carrier, name unchanged – appointed as Flotilla Supply Ship No.1
7 August 1914 commissioned as HMS Sorrento with Lieutenant Charles H Woldorf RNR appointed in command and Engineer John Dobson RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
15 August 1914 berthed at Sheerness
16 August 1914 sailed Sheerness arriving at Harwich later the same day
17 August 1914 discharging cargo
18 September 1914 at Harwich loading stores from MFA Stork (q.v)
14 October 1914 at Harwich Ship’s Cook J W Tindale paid off for wilfull disobedience and incompetence
6 December 1914 at Harwich MFA Empress berthed alongside
8 December 1914 at Harwich MFA Empress sailed
30 December 1914 at Harwich Stoker P Burns overstayed his leave by 36 hours – sentenced to 12 days loss of pay and rum stopped
5 January 1915 at Harwich Stoker A Clarke overstayed his leave by 18 hours – sentenced to 6 days loss of pay. Stoker H Edwards overstayed his leave by 22 hours – sentenced to 8 days loss of pay
11 January 1915 at Harwich MFA Stork berthed alongside
23 February 1915 at Harwich MFA Stork moved from alongside and berthed further along the quay
26 February 1915 at Harwich MFA Stork berthed alongside
27 February 1915 at Harwich collier Thames berthed alongside and supplied 153 tons of bunkers
10 March 1915 sailed Harwich to Sheerness and berthed there later the same day
16 March 1915 sailed Sheerness to Erith Reach
17 March 1915 moved from Erith Reach to Woolwich Buoys
19 March 1915 at Woolwich Buoys ss Elswick Grange berthed alongside
20 March 1915 sailed Woolwich Buoys to Deptford Dry Dock
22 March 1915 sailed Deptford Dry Dock to south West India Docks and berthed outboard of ss River Thames
26 March 1915 returned to owners
1916 owners purchased by Sir John Ellerman and new owners were styled as Ellerman’s Wilson Line, name unchanged
26 March 1916 at Avonmouth Fireman James Coates discharged dead having drowned
30 March 1916 at Avonmouth Able Seaman Norman McLeod discharged dead having drowned
19 May 1918 at 1.49N 1.49W Fireman William Warrington discharged dead – cause of death not shown
1 June 1918 at Dakar sailed in convoy with 10 other ships and escorted by the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS MACEDONIA
24 February 1919 berthed at Liverpool from Barry, South Wales with one passenger. Captain John Howgate was the ship’s Master
9 October 1919 at Genoa Fireman William Singleton discharged dead having drowned
4 January 1925 berthed at Hull
3 April 1925 sailed Venice
4 May 1925 arrived at Venice
3 April 1926 a fire was discovered in a hold while on passage from Hull while some 50 miles off Brest, France. Berthed at Brest for repairs
9 April 1926 sailed Brest for Palermo
28 March 1927 berthed at Albert Dock, Hull with two workman employed on a stage on the hull of the ship –
Press Cutting from Hull Daily Mail of the 28 March 1927
25 July 1927 arrived at Venice
10 January 1930 sailed Malta for London
7 March 1930 arrived Gibraltar sailing for Malta the same day
12 March 1930 arrived Malta sailing for Piraeus the same day
3 May 1930 sailed Gibraltar
10 May 1930 berthed at Albert Dock, Hull
11 June 1930 entered William Wright Dry Dock at Hull
1938 purchased for £12,000 by Palestine Maritime Lloyd (Cyprus) Ltd., (Palestine Maritime Lloyd Ltd, Managers) Haifa and renamed Miriam
February 1940 requisitioned by the MoWT (W. H. Muller & Co (London) Ltd., London
7 November 1942 sailed Loch Ewe in convoy WN358 to Methil arriving 9 November 1942. RFA OLIGARCH also was part of this convoy
24 November 1942 sailed Methil in convoy EN166 to Holyhead arriving 26 November 1942
28 November 1942 sailed Holyhead in convoy HM75 to Milford Haven arriving 29 November 1942
30 November 1942 sailed Milford Haven in convoy KX7 to Seville and Gibraltar arriving 8 December 1942
7 January 1943 sailed Lisbon in convoy MKS5 but had to return to Lisbon after straggling
7 February 1943 sailed Gibraltar joining convoy MKS7 to Liverpool arriving 17 February 1943
31 March 1943 sailed the River Clyde in convoy MKS12G to Tangier and Gibraltar arriving 12 April 1943
10 June 1943 sailed Gibraltar in convoy MKS14G to Liverpool arriving 21 June 1943
4 July 1943 sailed Liverpool in convoy OS51KM to Lisbon. The convoy split on 13 July 1943. RFA DINGLEDALE was an escort oiler in this convoy. HMS PROSPEROUS (later to become RFA PROSPEROUS) was the rescue tug in this convoy
29 July 1943 sailed Gibraltar in convoy KMS21 to Algiers arriving 31 July 1943
21 August 1943 sailed Algiers and joined convoy KMS23 to Malta arriving 24 August 1943
30 September 1943 sailed Bizerta and joined convoy MKS26 to Algiers arriving 2 October 1943. RFA DERWENTDALE also sailed in this convoy
22 October 1943 sailed Algiers and joined convoy KMS29 to Malta arriving 26 October 1943. HMS OCEAN SALVOR (later to become RFA OCEAN SALVOR) and HMS PRINCE SALVOR (later to become RFA PRINCE SALVOR) were also in this convoy
29 November 1943 sailed Augusta in convoy AH10A to Taranto arriving 30 November 1943
30 December 1943 sailed Bari in convoy HA15 to Augusta arriving 1 January 1944
1 February 1944 sailed Augusta in convoy AH22
2 February 1944 was wrecked 5 miles south of Taranto having lost her convoy in thick fog while on passage from Augusta to Brindisi with a cargo of automobile engines and general stores