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Official Number:                          112801

Laid down:

Builder:                                      Bartram & Sons Ltd., South Dock, Sunderland

Pennant Number:                Y 3.1133

Launched:                                  22 December 1900

Into Service:                               1 April 1916

Out of service:                            1 April 1917

Fate:                                         Torpedoed and sunk 1 April 1917

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:

29 June 1900 launched by Bartram & Sons Ltd., South Dock, Sunderland as Yard No: 181 named Zambesi for “Z” Steamship Co., (Turner, Brightman & Co; Managers), London

January 1901 completed

30 January 1901 passed Prawle Point sailing west

28 September 1909 sailed Nawiliwili for Newcastle, New South Wales

6 December 1909 sailed Moji for Melbourne

1 February 1916 sighted by the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS ORBITA sailing south between Cape St Francis Light House and Cape Recife Light House off the South African Coast

HMS ORBITA

1 April 1916 requisitioned as a Collier until 14 May 1916

27 April 1916 at St. Vincent, Cape Verde Islands berthed alongside the Battleship HMS SWIFTSURE supplying 610 tons of bunker coal

6 May 1916 at St. Vincent, Cape Verde Islands with hands from the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS AVENGER employed in the collection of stores for the warship

HMS AVENGER

4 July 1916 re-deployed again as a Collier until 15 December 1916

6 August 1916 arrived at Abrolhos Rocks

8 August 1916 at Abrolhos Rocks berthed alongside 3rd Class Cruiser HMS AMETHYST with the warships hands employed in embarking provisions and stores

12 August 1916 at Abrolhos Rocks with hands from the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS MACEDONIA employed in the collection of stores for the warship

20 August 1916 at Abrolhos Rocks receiving 81 lbs of beef from the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS EDINBURGH CASTLE

25 August 1916 at Abrolhos Rocks berthed alongside HMS EDINBURGH CASTLE and received fresh water from the warship

25 September 1916 at Abrolhos Rocks berthed alongside HMS GLASGOW

26 September 1916 at Abrolhos Rocks berthed alongside the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS MACEDONIA supplying bunker coal

27 September 1916 at Abrolhos Rocks berthed alongside 3rd Class Cruiser HMS AMETHYST supplying 190 tons of bunker coal

18 October 1916 at Vicosa Reef  berthed alongside 3rd Class Cruiser HMS AMETHYST supplying 108 tons of bunker coal

7 November 1916 at Vicosa Reef  berthed alongside 3rd Class Cruiser HMS AMETHYST supplying 460 tons of bunker coal

15 November 1916 at Abrolhos Rocks  berthed alongside the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS MACEDONIA supplying 848 tons of bunker coal

30 November 1916 at Vicosa Reef  berthed alongside 3rd Class Cruiser HMS AMETHYST supplying 380 tons of bunker coal

8 December 1916 sailed from Vicosa Reef

16 December 1916 re-deployed as a Transport carring wheat from the River Plate area until 23 February 1917

24 February 1917 re-deployed again as a Collier until …

1 April 1917 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-63 (Otto Schultze) in the Mediterranean 15 miles N x W Alexandria when on passge from the River Tyne to Port Said with a cargo of coal with the loss of three lives. Those killed were Apprentice John Robert Hamp, Chief Cook Benjamin Frederick Harris and Assistant Steward George Phillips. Each is remembered with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial, London

Notes:

Was one of ten of a fleet of fifteen tramp steamers owned by Turner, Brightman & Co which were lost during WW1