Previous name: Hampstead
Subsequent name: HMS Aquarius, Santi
Official Number: 112768
Class: Stores and Distilling Ship
Pennant No: N 13 / N06
Laid down:
Builder: Austin & Son, Wear Dock, Sunderland
Launched: 25 September 1900
Into Service: 1905
Out of service: 1920 Sold out of service
Fate: Wrecked
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: Soon after the turn of the 20th Century, the Admiralty acquired a number of small tankers and store-ships and from the experiments conducted with these tankers was obtained the experience which resulted in the building of a large number of tankers of various sizes which were especially designed for their task of refuelling warships. None of these early ships were sister ships, and they became the first Admiralty vessels to fall into the new RFA category on its inception in 1905
25 September 1900 launched by S.P. Austin & Son Ltd, Wear Dock, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 211 named HAMPSTEAD for Wm Cory & Son Ltd, London
October 1900 completed
4 December 1900 sailed Barry, South Wales
6 December 1900 passed Prawle Point sailing east bound
23 January 1901 sailed Bueno Ayres
26 March 1901 arrived at Rosario
1901 purchased by the Admiralty
January 1902 was renamed AQUARIUS and was used as a stores and distilling ship
27 February 1903 the Portsmouth Evening News of this day reported on the refit of AQUARIUS –
24 April 1903 the Portsmouth Evening News reported on AQUARIUS again –
3 June 1903 arrived at Portsmouth
22 July 1903 sailed Devonport for exercises and then passage to Malta
25 July 1903 arrived at Gibraltar
7 August 1903 arrived at Gibraltar
10 August 1903 sailed Gibraltar
23 September 1903 arrived at Portsmouth for maintenance
7 October 1903 sailed Portsmouth for Portland to await orders
4 February 1904 at Arosa Bay sailing for Vigo
25 February 1904 at Weymouth Police Court eighteen stokers from the ship were charged under the Merchant Shipping Act with refusing to do their work. Mr Howard Bown, Admiralty Solicitor prosecuted. Evidence was given that on 20 February 1904 at Portland the men had requested to go ashore but the machinery being dirty – the ship had just returned in rough seas from Vigo – they were told to continue to do their work. They refused and the matter was reported to the Flag Captain who directed they be prosecuted. The men were civil and not disorderly and some had since expressed regret. The defendants pleaded in extenuation that the ship had been at sea four days since leaving Vigo and some had not been ashore for a month. The Bench considered the evidence and ordered the men to pay a fine of 5/- each. Reported in the Times of the 26 February 1904
27 May 1904 off Cape de Gatt Stoker Dan Gear discharged dead – tumor on the brain. Stoker Gear died on board HMHS MAINE (1)
3 June 1904 sailed Gibraltar for Portsmouth
9 June 1904 passed Portland Bill sailing east bound
15 June 1904 berthed on No: 14 Buoy at Portsmouth
29 July 1904 in Parliament the Government advised the new Ships Bill then passing through the chamber was needed due to fleet auxiliaries such a the Hospital Ship MAINE and the distilling ship AQUARIUS were not part of the Royal Navy (The Times of 30 July 1904) also reported in the Lloyds List newspaper on 29 July 1904 –
30 July 1904 anchored at Spithead
9 August 1904 together with five colliers arrived at Torbay before the flag ship HMS EXMOUTH flying the flag of Vice Admiral Sir Arthur K Wilson VC and the rest of the Channel Fleet
HMS EXMOUTH
16 September 1904 at Portsmouth Harbour berthed on South Slip Jetty
7 February 1905 berthed at Vigo from Villagarcia
22 February 1905 sailed Berehaven
20 March 1905 sailed from Berehaven
21 March 1905 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
22 March 1905 arrived Portland from Berehaven
25 April 1905 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
1905 grounded on Kimmeridge Ledge, 2 miles West of St Alban’s Head, in thick fog while proceeding at 9 knots
1 June 1905 berthed at Portsmouth
9 August 1905 in No: 11 dry dock at Portsmouth Harbour
12 September 1905 arrived at Portland
16 September 1905 the Southern Times and Dorset Echo reported –
19 February 1906 sailed Portland to Portsmouth arriving the next day
6 March 1906 sailed Portsmouth to Portland arriving the same day
18 April 1906 sailed Portland to Portsmouth arriving the same day
9 May 1906 sailed sailed Portsmouth to Milford Haven arriving the next day
17 May 1906 sailed Milford Haven to Portland arriving the next day. The Master was Captain John E Edwards (Lieutenant Commander RNR) RFA
15 June 1906 at Dover to be part of Naval Exercises. Was part of Blue Side which consisted of 57 ships sailing for Portland at the end of the exercise
17 June 1906 sailed Portland to Milford Haven arriving the next day
23 June 1906 sailed Milford Haven to Lundy Island arriving the same day and anchored close to HMS MONTAGU which was aground. A wire hawser was made fast from the port quarter to the bow of HMS MONTAGU so that a hose could be run between the two ships. Over some five weeks some 1,600 tons of fresh water was supplied to HMS MONTAGU chiefly to the salvage plant on the battleship. The Aquarius was also used as stores ship for the salvage operation which was taking place on HMS MONTAGU
8 August 1906 sailed Lundy Island to Pembroke Dock arrived the next day
12 August 1906 Able Seaman Robert Smith discharged dead. He died in the Royal Naval Hospital at Pembroke Dock from natural causes
29 November 1906 berthed at Hull
1906 transferred to the White Ensign as a Repair and Distilling Ship
3 July 1907 with other ships of the Fleet was inspected in the Solent by H M the King
6 August 1907 arrived at Portland from Portsmouth
1 September 1907 was transfered from the Home Fleet to the Channel Fleet
2 November 1907 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head
7 December 1907 at Lamlash involved in a collision with HMS EXPRESS
9 December 1907 the Lloyds List newspaper reported –
11 March 1908 sailed Portland for Bantry
29 March 1908 when at anchor in Oitir More Bay, near Oban, was struck by a heavy squall, dragged her anchor and ran ashore, remaining there for four hours and then coming off under her own steam. An examination of the vessel was made in dock and it was ascertained that it was necessary as the result of grounding to effect some repairs to outer bottom plates, frames and bilge keel. – Hansard 14 May 1908
23 June 1908 arrived at Christiania
25 June 1908 sailed from Christiania
30 September 1908 passed up Kildonan
14 October 1908 off Kildonan
21 October 1908 passed up Kildonan in the company of HMS TYNE
25 January 1909 at Portland the steam pinnace of the battleship HMS SWIFTSURE carrying 30 men from HMS AQUARIUS ashore sank. All were saved except 2nd Class Armourer I Fall from the battleship who was drowned
HMS SWIFTSURE
March 1909 was in the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet
16 March 1909 sailed from New Harbour, Hollyhead
6 April 1909 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on St Catherines Point sailing east bound
22 June 1909 at Berehaven
14 September 1909 sailed Sheerness for Scapa Flow for manoeuvers
1 November 1909 Lieutenant E H Bate Royal Navy appointed as Commanding Officer
10 November 1909 sailed Chatham for Torbay
3 June 1910 passed St Catherine’s Point sailing east bound
6 June 1910 passed St Catherine’s Point
23 July 1910 arrived at Sheerness
26 August 1910 passed Flamborough Head sailing north bound
12 September 1910 arrived at St Andrews Bay, Fife to set targets for gunnery practice
26 September 1910 sailed Queensferry
29 September 1910 passed St Catherine’s Point sailing west bound
13 October 1910 passed Prawle Point sailing west bound
17 October 1910 together with HMS’s TOPAZ and SKIRMSHER passed Prawle Point sailing east bound
28 July 1911 arrived at Grangemouth from Queensferry
9 September 1911 sailed Queensferry for Dundee arriving the same day
10 January 1912 Lieutenant Bertram O F Phibbs Royal Navy appointed in Command
30 January 1912 sailed Sheerness for Harwich
22 July 1912 sailed from Grangemouth
15 October 1912 sailed from Harwich for Sheerness
6 March 1913 Commander Cyril T Hewlett-Cooper Royal Navy appointed in Command
1 July 1913 commission as a Repair Ship at Sheerness
6 July 1913 at Harwich
14 July 1913 sailed from Harwich
3 November 1913 sailed Harwich for Dover
1914 to 1915 served with the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, Forth
27 August 1914 at Queensferry with HMS TB36 berthed alongside
2 October 1914 entered the newly constructed docks at Rosyth and berthed alongside – being the first ship to do so
25 December 1914 Officer’s Steward 2nd Class Clarence Herbert Flatman discharged dead – drowned – he is buried in Queensferry Cemetery
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
1915 served Mediterranean submarines, then as a Water Carrier and Depot Ship
30 June 1915 at Rosyth
10 July 1915 off Immingham on passage to Sheerness
6 August 1915 at Mudros
29 August 1915 at Mudros – carpenters party onboard from HMS EUROPA
HMS EUROPA
31 August 1915 ERA 4th Class Mark Aitchinson Tarn discharged dead at Mudros. He is buried in East Mudros Military Cemetery in Grave 11 K 186. He died of dysentery
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
15 November 1917 Lieutenant Charles W Bray RNR discharged dead at Mudros. He is buried in East Mudros Military Cemetery in Grave 111 H 219. The original headstone for Lieutenant Bray’s grave was removed from East Mudros Military Cemetery and can now be found in Ipswich Old Cemetery, Suffolk on his father’s grave
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
14 March 1918 arrived at Port Mudros together with RFA KHARKI
16 March 1918 arrived at Port Mudros
26 March 1918 at Suda Bay, Crete together with RFA BACCHUS (1)
30 March 1918 Commander Robert L Way OBE Royal Navy appointed in Command
18 May 1918 at Suda Bay, Crete with a working party discharging cargo from No: 1 hold of RFA BACCHUS (1)
5 July 1918 at Subay Bay, Crete
11 July 1918 to 21 July 1918 at Suda Bay, Crete with ships carpenters on RFA BACCHUS (1) building three wooden deck houses for accommodation for ships officers on that ship
13 July 1918 at Suda Bay, Crete ships doctor attended RFA BACCHUS (1) to treat patient
22 July 1918 at Suda Bay received four ratings from RFA BACCHUS (1) for medical treatment
26 July 1918 at Suda Bay received four ratings from RFA BACCHUS (1) for medical treatment
6 August 1918 Officer’s Steward 2nd class Ernest W Hoskin discharged dead at Corfu. He is buried in Corfu British Cemetery in Grave 27
Corfu British Cemetery
© Iain MacFarlaine acknowledged
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
23 October 1918 at sea to the east of the Corinth Canal
11 November 1918 in the Mudros area
13 November 1918 at Ismid with HMS APHIS alongside – suppling her with water
16 November 1918 at Ismid
23 December 1918 Engineer Commander Harold B Sears DSO MID Royal Navy appointed Chief Engineer Officer
14 January 1919 at Constantinople
20 November 1919 berthed at Malta
8 December 1919 berthed at Devonport
9 December 1919 sailed Devonport to Sheerness
17 February 1920 paid off – source Navy List 1921
1920 placed on the Sales List by the Shipping Controller
14 May 1920 sold by the Ministry of Shipping (Directorate of Ship Purchase) and purchased for £60,000 by Cia Naviera Amaya (C de Zabala, Manager) Bilbao, Spain on the Spanish registry and was renamed SANTI
18 November 1922 stranded on rocks on Plana Island off Cape Santa Pola while on passage from Huelva to Alicante and her holds became full of water
22 November 1922 she broke amidships, making salvage impossible, and became a total loss