Previous name: Orchy
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 161920
Class: Special Service Freighter – Q-ship
Pennant No: X72
Laid down:
Builder: Ailsa, Troon
Launched: 1 May 1930
Into Service: March 1940
Out of service: 18 June 1941
Fate: 10 October 1959 broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: In 1939 Winston Churchill gave authority for a number of merchantmen to be requisitioned for service as Q-ships, although for security purposes they were referred to as Special service Freighters. A fleet of 9 small mainly coal-burning vessels were acquired , 6 for deep-sea work and 3 for coastal work. All were commissioned as HM ships under their original names but were given RFA cover names and on entering harbour and while in harbour they wore the Blue Ensign, behaved as RFA’s and adopted the RFA commercial practices. None of them was really suitable for their intended roles and met with a complete lack of success. Their Q-ship service officially ended on 2 March 1941
1 May 1930 launched by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon as Yard Nr 415 named ORCHY for Wm Sloan & Co, Glasgow
June 1930 completed
10 July 1930 is Bristol City Docks ‘T’ Shed from Glasgow loading a general cargo. Her Master was Captain Samuel J Hewitt
25 July 1930 arrived from Glasgow at Bristol City Docks and sailed again the same evening
14 August 1930 at Bristol City Docks ‘T’ Shed loaded cargo for Belfast and Glasgow
24 August 1930 arrived at Bristol City Docks ‘T’ Shed from Glasgow
19 October 1930 arrived at Bristol City Docks from Glasgow
About 13 April 1931 while on passage from Belfast to Glasgow Captain Samuel J Hewett was taken ill. He was taken ashore in Glasgow and died in a local infirmary
17 April 1931 sailed Bristol
29 April 1931 sailed from Bristol Docks for Glasgow
27 May 1931 sailed from Bristol Docks for Glasgow
29 July 1931 arrived at Bristol City Docks ‘T’ Shed from Glasgow
16 September 1931 arrived at Bristol City Docks ‘T’ Shed from Glasgow
14 October 1931 arrived at Bristol Docks from Glasgow
25 October 1931 arrived at Bristol Docks from Glasgow
27 October 1931 sailed Bristol Docks to Glasgow and Belfast
22 November 1931 arrived at Bristol Docks from Glasgow
24 December 1931 sailed Bristol Docks to Glasgow
26 March 1932 sailed from Bristol for Belfast and Glasgow
2 May 1932 berthed at ‘T’ Shed, Bristol City Docks from Glasgow
13 September 1932 at Bristol loading cargo for Belfast and Glasgow
3 December 1932 berthed at Bristol City Docks from Belfast and Glasgow
23 December 1932 berthed at ‘T’ Shed, Bristol City Docks from Glasgow
24 December 1932 sailed from Bristol City Docks for Belfast and Glasgow
1 January 1933 berthed at Bristol City Docks from Belfast and Glasgow
12 January 1933 at Bristol City Docks having arrived from Glasgow
26 July 1933 berthed at Bristol from Glasgow
11 October 1933 sailed City Docks, Bristol for Glasgow via Belfast
8 November 1933 at ‘T’ Shed, City Docks, Bristol from Glasgow
22 January 1934 at Avonmouth discharging cargo from Glasgow
17 February 1934 at Avonmouth loading cargo for Belfast and Glasgow
17 May 1934 at Avonmouth loading cargo for Belfast and Glasgow
27 December 1934 at Avonmouth loading cargo for Glasgow
18 January 1935 at Bristol in collision with ss Cambria – suffered some damage
7 August 1936 sailed Bristol
25 October 1936 arrived at Bute East Dock, Cardiff
31 December 1936 arrived at City Docks, Bristol from Glasgow via Belfast
16 December 1937 sailed from Bristol City Docks for Glasgow
26 July 1938 at Bristol loading cargo for Belfast and Glasgow
1 December 1938 sailed from Bristol City Docks for Glasgow
9 January 1939 sailed from Bute East Dock, Cardiff
5 September 1939 requisitioned for Government Service and it was originally planned to use her as an Army Stores Carrier
11 September 1939 sailed Bristol Channel in convoy BC 1S to the Loire arriving two days later
17 September 1939 sailed the Loire in convoy BC1SR to the British Channel arriving two days later
October 1939 transferred to the Admiralty for conversion into a Special Service Freighter at Portsmouth Dockyard
15 October 1939 Commander Charles V Jack Royal Navy (Rtd) appointed as Commanding Officer
17 October 1939 commissioned as HMS Orchy
March 1940 conversion completed. Cover name RFA ANTOINE. Complement 69. Armed with 4 x single 4 inch guns, 1 x 12 pdr gun, 4 x Lewis machine guns, 2 x single 21-inch torpedo tubes, 36 x depth charges and was fitted with Asdic
14 April 1940 sailed Spithead for Portland after work-up to carry out Asdic trials, then to Holyhead at the start of her first cruise. Operated around the Home Coast – West Coast of Ireland – North of Scotland – SW Approaches
25 June 1940 at 51°26N 10°38W picked up the 19 survivors of the ss Catherine, a Panamanian registered cargo vessel, which had been sunk the previous day by the German submarine U47
26 June 1940 landed the survivors (see above) at Milford Haven
20 February 1941 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
23 February 1941 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
18 June 1941 as her presence in the SW Approaches did not attract any attacks from U-boats she was withdrawn from her Special Service role and was transferred to MoWT control as ORCHY
Between 22 July 1941 and 2 October 1942 undertook forty two sailings in convoy between Belfast Lough and Milford Haven or in reverse
7 November 1942 in collision with the coaster Eveleen off Grey Point, Belfast Lough. The Eveleen sank but was refloated on 9 November 1943 – she was buckled across her deck due to the strain of hoisting and also the suction of the mud. She was beached in Ballyholme Bay but was later refloated again and taken to Belfast for repairs before re-entering service as Empire Eveleen for the MoWT in 1944
11 November 1942 at Bristol Craneman Donald Cook discharged dead – drowned
3 January 1945 Able Seaman John Matheson awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil Division) – see the London Gazette page 136 of this date
25 October 1945 arrived Avonmouth from Belfast
1946 returned to her owners – name unchanged
9 January 1946 Fireman Edward Albert Hamilton awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil Division) – see the London Gazette page 325 of this date
Fireman Edward A Hamilton BEM
21 May 1946 berthed at Avonmouth from Glasgow and Belfast
19 June 1946 berthed at Avonmouth from Glasgow
2 January 1947 arrived at Bristol City Docks from Belfast
28 March 1947 berthed at Avonmouth from Belfast
12 April 1947 berthed at ‘T’ Shed, Avonmouth
30 August 1947 berthed at Avonmouth from Glasgow and Belfast
October 1947 it was reported in the Free Presbyterian Magazine that the Master, Officers and crew of ss Orchy had donated £5 to the Ness Manse Building Fund (on page 120)
14 December 1947 arrived at Belfast from Swansea
18 April 1948 arrived at Avonmouth ‘T’ shed
20 April 1948 sailed from Avonmouth for Belfast
11 February 1949 arrived at City Docks, Bristol from Glasgow via Belfast
31 January 1953 discovered the wreckage of the ferry Princess Victoria which had foundered with the loss of 133 lives in the Irish Sea. Vessels engaged in searching for the Princess Victoria had been provided with a incorrect location until the Orchy found the wreckage elsewhere and reported it by radio
1955 owners restyled as Wm Sloan & Co Ltd. Glasgow
1956 converted from coal to oil fuel burning
June 1958 owners taken over by Coast Lines Ltd., Liverpool – name unchanged
10 October 1959 arrived at Troon for breaking up by West of Scotland Shipbreaking Co Ltd.
28 October 1959 breaking up commenced
1 March 1960 hulk beached
18 April 1960 demolition completed
Notes:
- RFA Antoine was a cover name for the ‘Q’ Ship HMS Orchy. The name Antoine was used when the ship was in port so her true identity was not disclosed. She never sailed as an RFA or in the RFA Fleet