Official Number: 136699
Class: FIRST 1000t ATTENDANT CLASS Oiler
Pennant No: N 98 / X 16 / X 15
Signal Letters: GQPT (1919)
Laid down:
Builder: Devonport Dockyard
Launched: 5 July 1913
Into Service: August 1914
Out of service: August 1935
Fate: Broken Up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: On the outbreak of WW1, the Admiralty embarked on a programme of tanker construction for the fledgling RFA Service and there were four ships in this Class, all of which were little more than powered barges. The early Swedish diesel engines in two of them gave endless trouble and ultimately, three of the Class were sold off at the end of the War as part of the Government Disposal Scheme. In April 1940, approval was given to build six 1500 ton Fleet Attendant Tankers, of which two were intended to replace two of this Class and the rest to replace larger Fleet Attendant Tankers for freighting duties, but eventually to replace the other 1000 tonners. As designed they were to have been 3200 tons full load displacement, 263 ft (O.A. ) x 38.5 ft x 16 ft, with steam engines developing 1,200 ihp giving a speed of 10 knots with 2000 miles endurance. Cargo was to have been 1,500 tons of fuel oil, 100 tons of diesel oil and 50 tons of petrol. There were no slips available in the U.K. for building and building capacity was sought in Canada but shipyards there could not cope either. In May 1940 the idea was abandoned.
20 July 1912 the Portsmouth Evening News reported that the Admiralty were to build two oil fuel vessels at Devonport and they were to be names RFA CAROL and RFA FEROL
3 July 1913 launched by H.M. Dockyard, Devonport as Yard Nr: named CAROL. Was built on a covered slip as one of the first oil carriers to have her engines and boilers almost right aft
5 July 1913 the Portsmouth Evening News reported
1 December 1913 Captain James D Ashworth RFA appointed as Master
Captain James D Ashworth RFA
8 January 1914 the Western Morning News reported –
18 May 1914 Mr Robert M Brown RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
August 1914 completed. Her maiden voyage from Devonport to Liverpool took 3 months to complete because of breakdowns
20 February 1915 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS YARMOUTH refuelling her – 80 tons FFO
HMS YARMOUTH
11 March 1915 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS CUMBERLAND to refuel her
HMS CUMBERLAND
19 March 1915 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS DONEGAL to refuel her
HMS DONEGAL
10 July 1915 at South Queensferry alongside HM TB Boat 36 to refuel her
4 August 1915 Engineer Robert M Brown RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Engineer Robert M Brown RNR
7 August 1915 Lieutenant Richard D Williams RNR appointed in Command
2 September 1915 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS WARRIOR to refuel her – received 120 tons of FFO
23 November 1915 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS LIVERPOOL to refuel her – supplied 120 tons of FFO
12 April 1916 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS WARRIOR to refuel her – received 360 tons of FFO. Cast off 13 April 1916
3 December 1916 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS RENOWN refuelling her with 495 tons of FFO
18 January 1917 Sub Lieutenant Frederick Charles Heath RNR discharged dead at the RN Hospital at Granton.
Buried in Edinburgh (Seafield) Cemetery in an unmarked grave but is remembered on the screen wall in the Cemetery.
Panel 3 remembers Sub Lieutenant Heath
August 1917 (date approximate) Lieutenant Francis E Prout RNR appointed in command
15 February 1918 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS GALATEA to refuel her
HMS GALATEA
9 March 1918 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS GALATEA to refuel her
4 April 1918 Engineer Lieutenant John Joseph McKeag RNR discharged dead. Buried in Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery, Scapa Flow
25 April 1918 Engineer Lieutenant John Rushton RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
18 September 1918 Lieutenant Allan H Furlong RNR appointed in command. Previously he had been in command of RFA FEROL
23 November 1918 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS CASTOR refuelling her
HMS CASTOR
3 December 1918 at Copenhagen alongside HMS CARADOC refuelling her with 70 tons of FFO
13 February 1919 Engineer Lieutenant W Iron RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Demobilised on 6 July 1919
23 March 1919 Ordinary Seaman Chas Daniel O’Brien MMR 931240 was transfered from RFA TREFOIL but failed to join RFA CAROL on this day.
1 July 1919 Engineer Lieutenant W J Windsor RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Demobilised on 11 November 1919 previously had served on RFA PETRELLA
17 October 1919 Engineer Lieutenant George A Calvert RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1920 based at Sheerness
14 March 1920 Captain Allan Hyde Furlong RFA discharged dead having been appointed in Command on 18 September 1918. He died at the Royal Marine Infirmary, Deal, Kent and is buried in Worthing (Broadwater) Cemetery
28 April 1920 Captain Thomas Drever RFA appointed as Master
17 November 1920 at Portland alongside HMS BARHAM to refuel her
HMS BARHAM
22 November 1920 at Portland alongside HMS BARHAM to refuel her again
26 January 1921 at Portland alongside HMS’s DRAGON and DUNEDIN to refuel them
19 April 1921 Chief Officer John W Pegden RFA appointed as Temporary Acting Master
21 July 1921 Mr George Alderson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
9 August 1921 Captain John Gow RFA appointed as Master
22 August 1921 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour and then sailed the same day
9 September 1921 Captain Walter E B Dyer RFA appointed as Master
1921 to 1924 based at Portland on Yard Craft Agreement
1923 was engaged in early OAS experiments while being towed by RFA PRESTOL
4 June 1925 arrived at Devonport
6 January 1928 laid up at Rosyth
11 February 1935 in reserve at Rosyth together with RFA’s Attendant, Burna, Dredgol, Trefoil and Turmoil with their disposal being considered
21 May 1935 offered for sale by Tender in the Times newspaper of this day
28 June 1935 purchased for £2,722 for scrap
August 1935 arrived for breaking up at Bo’ness by P. & W. McClellan
Press Cutting from the Dundee Couier of the 6 August 1935