Clive Ketley Collection

Official Number:                     119879

Laid down:

Pennant No:                          Y 3.204

Signal Letters:                       HDFC

Builder:                                 Robert Stephenson & Sons Ltd. 

Launched:                             17 June 1905

Into Service:                           6 August 1914

Out of service:                       1918

Fate:                                     Missing in the North Atlantic 20 January 1929

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:

17 June 1905 launched by Robert Stephenson & Sons Ltd., Hebburn on Tyne as Yard No: 90. Was named Teesbridge for North of Scotland Steamship Co Ltd., (Crossby, Magee & Co., Managers), West Hartlepool

15 August 1905 Register opened at West Hartlepool as Mr: 17/1905 in the Register Book

August 1905 completed

28 October 1905 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound

2 November 1905 passed Portland Bill sailing east bound

6 November 1905 arrived at Hamburg, Germany

7 November 1905 grounded at Hamburg – managed to refloat herself undamaged

6 August 1914 requisitioned for service as a Collier until 8 October 1914

29 April 1916 checked by HMS JESSAMINE when off the south coast of Ireland

25 June 1916 served as a collier until 27 July 1916

26 October 1916 served as a collier until 18 December 1916

29 November 1916 at Ismailia alongside HMS EURYALUS supplying 800 tons of bunker coal

HMS EURYALUS

19 December 1916 served as a Transport carrying wheat from Australia until 19 May 1917

20 May 1917 served as a collier until 29 June 1917

30 June 1917 served as a Transport carrying sugar from Java until 22 November 1917

3 July 1917 stopped and boarded by HMS EURYALUS 

23 November 1917 served as a collier until 21 February 1918

22 February 1918 served as a Transport carrying wheat from Argentina until 13 May 1918

6 April 1918 on convoy passage from Rio de Janerio with other Merchant ships protected by HMS HIMALAYA

20 April 1918 hauled out of line with defects to the ships steering resuming station the next day

14 May 1918 served as a Transport carrying sugar from Cuba until 14 August 1918

15 August 1918 served as a collier until 23 March 1919

22 November 1918 at Ismid, Turkey supplied HMS SEVERN with 96 tons of bunker coal

26 November 1918 at Ismid, Turkey supplied RFA BACCHUS (1) with 49.5 tons of bunker coal

9 January 1929 sailed from Fowey

20 January 1929 sent out a distress call in position 48.31° 48.00° while on passage to Philadelphia carrying china clay and subsequently went missing with the loss of all 31 members of the crew on board