Official Number:                     112650

Laid down:

Builder:                                 Odense Staalskibsvaerft ved A P Moller, Odense

Pennant No:                   Y 7.4

Launched:                              18 November 1899 

Into Service:                           1914

Out of service:                        1918

Fate:                                      1942 broken up after being mined

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1 to augment the ships of the RFA.

Career Details:

11 November 1899 launched by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd., Low Walker as Yard Nr: 695 named Strombus for Shell Transport & Trading Co Ltd., (M Samuel & Co., Managers) London

25 November 1899 the Stockton Herald, South Surham & Cleavland newspaper reported …

January 1900 completed

29 July 1907 owners restyled as Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd., London name unchanged

1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an oiler, name unchanged

29 October 1914 while on passage from Sabine to Dartmouth spoken to by HMS VENUS

5 July 1916 Captain A White discharged dead. He is buried in Suez War Memorial Cemetery in grave C.29

2 December 1916 while on passage from Leith to Newport News stopped by HMS AVENGER checked and allowed to proceed

4 June 1918 torpedoed and damaged by UC-20 in the Mediterranean while on passage from Marseilles to Port Said with a cargo of boxwood, war materials and empty drums and was towed to Malta for repairs then returned to her owners. Fifth Engineer Officer Lionel James McMillian discharged dead. He was buried at sea and is remembered with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial

1926 purchased by Cia Ballenera del Peru Ltd., Peru name unchanged

1929 Purchased by Hvalfanger A/S Africa (Waalman & Bugge, Managers) Tonsberg name unchanged

1930 Managers became B Gunderson, Sandefjord

1933 Managers became F Bettum, Sandefjord

1935 Managers became H Waalman, Tonsberg

1936 purchased by A/S Sevilla (O ANderson, Manager) Tonsberg name unchanged

26 October 1940 mined off Swansea and broke in two while on passage from Swansea to South Gerorgia with a cargo of coal and patent fuel. The fore part floated away and sank but the aft part was beached in position 51.33.48N 03.56.48W. No loss of life

12 November 1942 the aft part arrived Britton Ferry for demolition by T W Ward Ltd.