Official Number:                       132827  

Laid down:

Builder:                                   Wm Dobson & Co., Walker on Tyne

Pennant No:                            Y.8.28 / Y.3.597

Launched:                               26 February 1903

Into Service:                            25 October 1914

Out of service:                         1919

Fate:                                      1987 – presumed scrapped

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

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

Career Data:

26 February 1903 launched by Wm Dobson & Co., Walker on Tyne as Yard Nr: 126 named Waterland for N V Scheepvaart en Steenkolen Maatschappij, Rotterdam

28 February 1903 the Shields Daily Gazette newspaper reported …

March 1903 completed

8 December 1903 in the Firth of Forth in collision with the steamer Stella of Haugesund. The Stella sank and three of her crew were drowned. The Waterland rescued the remainder of Stella’s crew and landed them at Methil. Waterland suffered her bow being crushed and her stem broken. The Stella of 350 tons was bound from Burntisland to Haugesund with a cargo of coal. The Waterland was in ballast on passage from Ymuiden to Methil

9 May 1906 34 miles off Whitby in dense fog Waterland, while on passage from Leith to Amsterdam with a cargo of coal, was in collision with the French sailing ship Dutchesse de Berry on passage from Tacoma to Leith with a cargo of grain. Both ships put into the River Tyne for survey and repairs. Waterland’s bows and forepeak were badly damaged. The French ship had several plates damaged above the water line on the port quarter

23 July 1906 before the Admiralty Division of the High Court before Mr Justice Bargrave Deane and two Elder Brethen of Trinity House the collision of 9 May 1906 (see above) was the subject of proceedings. Lawyers for the Master and Owners of the Waterland admitted their ship was travelling at half speed in the fog and judgement was given against them

18 March 1907 at the Court of Appeal before the Lord Chief Justice of England, Lord Justice Fletcher Moulton and Lord Justice Kennedy with Nautical Assessors an appeal was brought by the Owners and Master of the Waterland. While the Owners and Master of the Waterland admitted their ship was to blame for the collision they held that the French Sailing Ship was also to blame under Article 15 of the Regulations For Preventing Collisions at Sea as this vessel had a defective foghorn for some two hours before the collision and no steps had been taken to repair it. The Appeal Court found that the French sailing ship was also to blame for the collision

1913 purchased by Furness, Withy & Co Ltd., West Hartlepool – name unchanged

25 October 1914 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a Stores Carrier, name unchanged

23 March 1915 became a collier – name unchanged

1919 returned to her owners – name unchanged

1920 transferred to Prince Line Ltd., (Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd., Managers) Newcastle and renamed Egyptian Prince

1922 transferred to Khedivial Mail Steamship & Graving Dock Co., London and renamed Ramleh

1930 purchased by Ahmed Ibrahim El Kouedy, Alexandria and renamed Lateef

1934 purchased by Ovadia Israil Ovadia, Alexandria – name unchanged

1946 purchased by A Tanielan, Alexandria and renamed Ramleh

1947 purchased by N Kyriacou, Alexandria and renamed Shadwan

1955 purchased by Trans-Mediterranean Nav Co., Alexandria – name unchanged

1987 deleted from the Register – presumed scrapped