Greatful thanks to Bill Rice for donating the lower image of RFA Delphinula 

Previous name:                           Buyo Maru

Official Nnmber:                          140285
                                                                      
Class:                                          Freighting Tanker

Pennant No:                                Y7.188

Signal Letters:                              GQTH / GLDM

Laid down:                                   1907
Builder:                                         Armstrong, Whitworth, Newcastle
Launched:                                   19 December 1907
Into Service:                                1915

Out of service:                             1946

Fate:                                            Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  Purchased by the Admiralty from commercial owners, she was used for naval oil freighting duties, mainly on a run from Chatham to Bermuda with naval stores then down to Trinidad to load oil for U.K. bases. Was the sister ship of “RFA” LUCIGEN

11 November 1907 Lloyds List newspaper reported …

19 December 1907  launched by Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd., Newcastle as Yard Nr: 804 for H.E. Moss & Co Ltd, Liverpool but was sold to Toyo Kisen Kabushika Kaisha, Yokohama and named BUYO MARU

February 1908 completed

27 March 1908 sailed Philadelphia

24 April 1908 sailed Port Tewfik

31 October 1908 sailed Cardiff

24 November 1908 sailed Philadelphia for Yokohama via Suez

28 December 1908 sailed Port Tewfik for Yokohama

21 January 1909 cleared Singapore for Yokohama

1 March 1909 sailed Japan for San Francisco

28 May 1909 sailed Honolulu for San Francisco

2 July 1909 arrived at Kobe

31 July 1909 arrived at Yokohama

30 October 1909 arrived at Taku

22 January 1910 sailed Shimonoseki for Noumea, New Caledonia

10 February 1910 berthed at Noumea, New Caladonia with a cargo of 5,000 tons of coal to discharge – reported in the Sydney (NSW) Morning Herald

6 April 1910 arrived Shimonoseki from Kobe

9 April 1910 sailed Shimonoseki for Hong Kong

22 April 1910 arrived at Kobe from Otaru

19 June 1910 sailed from Salina Cruz

29 August 1910 berthed at Honolulu from Valparaiso

4 September 1910 sailed Honolulu for Yokohama

5 May 1911 sailed Yokohama for Honolulu but delayed by adverse weather 

19 May 1911 berthed at Honolulu from Yokohama for bunkers. This was the ships first voyage after the fitting of a wireless telegraphy instrument – reported at length in the Hawaiian Star newspaper

22 August 1911 berthed at Honolulu for bunkers while on a voyage from South America to Yokohama loaded with 600 tons of nitrate and carrying 2 first class, 9 second class and 171 steerage class passengers. Sailed 24 August 1911 – reported in the Hawaiian Star newspaper

17 February 1912 berthed at Honolulu to discharge 750 tons of nitrate. Sailed for Yokohama 20 February 1912

9 May 1912 arrived at Honolulu from Hong Kong sailing later the same day for Valpariso

15 August 1912 sailed Valparaiso for Hong Kong

11 February 1913 berthed at Honolulu to discharge 900 tons of nitrate and load bunkers

September 1913 grounded at Iwaki, Japan

1915 purchased by the Admiralty, placed under management of Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co  Ltd, London and was renamed DELPHINULA

27 April 1917 secured at Camber, Hong Kong

14 May 1917 off Sandakan, Borneo stopped by HMS CADMUS and boarded to confirm identity – allowed to proceed

HMS CADMUS

2 November 1917 at sea Fireman Tung Lang Leung discharged dead – no reason given in records at the TNA

12 November 1917 off Perim stopped by HMS TOPAZE and boarded to confirm identity – allowed to proceed

HMS TOPAZE

2 August 1918 at Genoa Fireman Chey Tang discharged dead having drowned

24 August 1918 torpedoed by the German submarine U-63 (Kapitanleutnant Kurt Hartwig) – in the Mediterranean at 35°42N. 22°16E while on passage, in ballast, from Naples to Malta and then Milo in an escorted unnumbered convoy of eleven ships. The ship was damaged but there were no fatalities and she was able to reach Suda Bay, Crete under her own steam

13 October 1918 Able Seaman Ah Ping discharged dead from natural causes. He was buried in Suda Bay War Cemetery, Crete, Greece in grave X1 B 19

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

21 August 1919 arrived at Port Said

20 October 1919 at Constantinople Greaser Spirami Vella discharged dead – drowned

9 February 1920 arrived at Port Said from Constantinople

14 May 1920 called at Gibraltar from Alexandria for orders

9 June 1920 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Devonport

2 July 1920 arrived at Portmouth from Texas

7 July 1920 sailed from Portsmouth for Port Arthur, Texas

1 August 1920 sailed Galveston, Texas for Sheerness with a cargo of 45,000 barrels of FFO – reported in the Galveston Daily News of the next day

25 August 1920 arrived at Sheerness from Houston, Texas

2 September 1920 sailed Sheerness for Houston, Texas

30 September 1920 sailed Galveston, Texas for Sheerness

21 October 1920 arrived at Portsmouth to discharge from Port Arthur

23 October 1920 sailed from Portsmouth

29 October 1920 berthed at Portsmouth

1 November 1920 sailed from Portsmouth

6 November 1920 sailed Portsmouth for Singapore

25 November 1920 arrived at Aden from Portsmouth

30 January 1921 arrived at Cape Town, South Africa from Batavia

31 January 1921 Chief Cook and Baker George Albert Ernest Ettie discharged dead at Cape Town, South Africa – he is buried in Woltemade Cemetery, Cape Town, South Africa – he died of Cerebral Malaria

Chief Cook and Baker George A E Ettie

31 January 1921 at Cape Town, South Africa Chief Steward Alfred Russell discharged dead – cerebral malaria

1 April 1921 arrived at Suez from Abadan

2 April 1921 sailed Port Said for Portsmouth  

18 April 1921 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

21 April 1921 sailed Portsmouth Harbour

27 April 1921 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

15 June 1921 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

30 June 1921 arrived at Port Said from Portsmouth when on passage to Abadan

7 July 1921 arrived at Aden from Portsmouth

22 August 1921 sailed Portsmouth for Port Arthur, Texas

13 September 1921 arrived at Port Arthur, Texas from Portsmouth

5 October 1921 at Halifax berthed alongside HMS CAMBRIAN and refuelled her

6 October 1921 at Halifax berthed alongside HMS CALCUTTA and refuelled her with 653 tons of FFO

HMS CALCUTTA

7 October 1921 at Halifax berthed alongside HMS RALEIGH and refuelled her with 867 tons of FFO

HMS RALEIGH

22 October 1921 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Devonport

1 November 1921 passed Bermuda while on passage to Devonport

14 November 1921 arrived at Devonport from Port Arthur, Texas

17 December 1921 sailed Portsmouth for Plymouth and then to Port Arthur, Texas

18 December 1921 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

30 December 1921 Seaman Walter James Anders discharged dead – accidental drowning. He was buried at sea

Seaman Walter James Anders

5 February 1922 arrived Plymouth from Port Arthur, Texas

24 February 1922 sailed Plymouth for Port Arthur, Texas

25 March 1922 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Devonport

12 May 1922 at Milford Haven

17 April 1923 Mr Henry C Etty RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Previously served on RFA Turmoil (1)

Chief Engineer Officer Henry C Etty RFA

18 April 1923 arrived at Tilbury from Sheerness entering dry dock

14 October 1923 at Port Arthur, Texas

16 October 1923 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Amsterdam

17 November 1923 arrived at the River Tyne for dry docking

21 November 1923 the Admiralty Fuel and Stores Officer, Singapore advertised in the Straits Times –

4 December 1923 sailed from Sheerness

13 January 1924 back at Sheerness

18 January 1924 sailed Sheerness for Trinidad

24 February 1924 sailed Plymouth for Port Arthur

6 April 1924 at Devonport

22 May 1924 Captain Frederick J Sweeting RFA appointed as Master

26 September 1924 berthed at Port Arthur to load

6 November 1924 sailed Southampton for Bermuda

2 December 1924 sailed Baytown for Lisbon

27 December 1924 berthed at Avonmouth

29 December 1924 berthed at Eastham, Liverpool

21 January 1925 arrived at Philadelphia from Manchester

24 January 1925 sailed from Philadelphia for Gibraltar

1 May 1925 in the Bute Dry Dock at Cardiff

5 May 1925 sailed for Trinidad

1 June 1925 sailed Trinidad for Curaçao

3 June 1925 sailed Curaçao for Devonport

7 August 1925 sailed Devonport for Malta

16 August 1925 at Malta

21 August 1925 sailed from Malta for Devonport

5 September 1925 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

10 Septermber 1925 at Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde

19 September 1925 at Malta

24 September 1925 sailed from Malta for Rosyth

6 October 1925 Mr Frederick L Angus DSM RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Frederick L Angus RFA

11 October 1925 at Devonport

24 October 1925 sailed Devonport for Trinidad

15 November 1925 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

4 December 1925 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

5 December 1925 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

8 December 1925 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour for Trinidad

26 December 1925 at Trinidad

21 January 1926 at 5.27pm in the Firth of Clyde off Cloch Point while in ballast from Old Kilpatrick to Trinidad was involved in a collision with ss Belfri. Delphinula suffered damage to the starboard bow between the hawse pipe to the break of the forecastle all above the water line. She proceeded up river to Rothesay Dock for survey. The collision later became the subject of High Court action on 15 June 1926 and this was reported in Lloyds List Law reports

12 February 1926 sailed from the River Clyde for Trinidad

25 July 1926 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

27 September 1926 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

1 October 1926 sailed from the Oil Fuel Jetty, Gosport

15 October 1926 sailed Falmouth for Bermuda

20 November 1926 Captain John B Hurst RFA appointed as Master until 8 December 1926

Captain John B Hurst RFA

1 December 1926 berthed at Invergordon to discharge cargo

4 December 1926 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

7 December 1926 & 8 December 1926 berthed at the Oil Fuel Jetty, Gosport

9 December 1926 Captain Wm Alfred Wooster RFA appointed as Master

Captain Wm Alfred Wooster RFA

11 December 1926 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty

14 December 1926 Mr Leonard A Sharp RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Leonard A Sharp RFA

14 December 1926 sailed Portsmouth for Kingston, Jamaica arriving on 29 December 1926

17 December 1926 the Hampshire Telegraph newspaper reported –

1 January 1927 arrived at Trinidad

5 January 1927 sailed Trinidad for Marquesas Island

10 January 1927 arrived at Cristobal

11 January 1927 transitted the Panama Canal – commenced at 0715hrs completed by 1500hrs

12 January 1927 cleared for sea from Balboa into the Pacific Ocean

7 February 1927 berthed at Tai-o-hae Bay, Nukahiva, Marquesas Islands to await the arrival and then replenish the battlecruiser HMS RENOWN with the Duke & Duchess of York onboard

HMS RENOWN

10 February 1927 sailed Marquesas Islands for Trinidad

26 February 1927 radioed Colon, Republic of Panama

1 March 1927 sailed Colon, Republic of Panama for Trinidad

4 April 1927 arrived at Rosyth

24 May 1927 sailed Sierra Leone for Trinidad

9 June 1927 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

24 June 1927 arrived at Pembroke Dock

2 July 1927 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

4 July 1927 made fast to No: 9 buoy, Portsmouth Dockyard

6 July 1927 in Dry Dock 9 at Portsmouth Harbour

7 July 1927 in Dry Dock 9 at Portsmouth Harbour

14 July 1927 in Dry Dock 9 at Portsmouth Harbour

18 July 1927 sailed from Portsmouth for Trinidad

6 August 1927 sailed from Trinidad

31 August 1927 at Trinidad

6 September 1927 sailed from Trinidad for Devonport

23 September 1927 arrived at Portland Dorset

30 September 1927 sailed Portland, Dorset for Trinidad

6 November 1927 sailed from Sierra Leone for Trinidad

18 November 1927 at Trinidad

9 December 1927 sailed from Sierra Leone for Trinidad

24 April 1928 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

15 July 1928 sailed from Trinidad for Devonport

1 August 1928 Mr John B Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 October 1928 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour 

18 October 1928 Captain Wm Alfred Wooster RFA appointed as Master

27 October 1928 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour passing the Lloyds Signal Station on Saint Catherines Point sailing west

14 January 1929 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

28 May 1929 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

1 June 1929 sailed from Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

9 September 1929 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

12 September 1929 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour passing the Lloyds Signal Station on St Catherines Point sailing west

13 September 1929 reported by radio she was 60 miles south of Lands End

18 November 1929 sailed from Trinidad for Devonport

3 December 1929 was 340 miles south west of Lands End when on passage from Trinidad to Devonport

12 December 1929 Mr Ernest K Horsley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Ernest K Horsley RFA

18 November 1929 sailed from Trinidad

3 December 1929 340 miles SW of Lands End when on passage to Trinidad

16 January 1930 radioed she was 500 miles SW of Valentia when on passage to Devonport

7 March 1930 sailed from Bermuda for Trinidad

15 March 1930 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

2 April 1930 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

28 April 1930 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

14 May 1930 berthed at Trinidad

17 May 1930 sailed from Trinidad

3 June 1930 passed Dover having sailed from Devonport

21 June 1930 arrived at Bermuda to deliver naval stores 

27 June 1930 in W/T contact with the Cable & Wireless Ltd radio station on Bermuda

1 July 1930 arrived Trinidad from Port Victoria, Sheerness

3 July 1930 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

22 July 1930 arrived Port Victoria, Sheerness from Trinidad

19 August 1930 arrived at Trinidad from Sheerness

8 September 1930 sailed Trinidad

26 September 1930 arrived at London from Trinidad

2 October 1930 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

3 October 1930 arrived Plymouth Sound

4 October 1930 berthed at the South Yard, Devonport Dockyard for a refit

25 October 1930 at Devonport in refit together with RFA WAR KRISHNA

17 November 1930 Captain William H Green RFA appointed as Master

Captain William H Green RFA

12 December 1930 sailed from Trinidad

30 December 1930 at the Old Kilpatrick Admiralty Oil Fuel Depot on the River Clyde

8 January 1931 sailed from the Old Kilpatrick Admiralty Oil Fuel Depot

10 January 1931 arrived at Devonport from the Old Kilpatrick Admiralty Oil Fuel Depot on the River Clyde sailing later the same day for Trinidad

10 February 1931 at Devonport

21 March 1931 sailed from Plymouth Sound

26 March 1931 passed Gibraltar for Port Said

2 April 1931 while on passage to Abadan arrived Port Said

9 April 1931 passed Perim for Abadan

16 April 1931 arrived at Abadan

4 May 1931 at Port Said

17 May 1931 sailed from Gibraltar for Trinidad

24 June 1931 passed the Lizard Head sailing east

12 July 1931 sailed Plymouth for Trinidad

13 July 1931 when on passage to Trinidad reported she was 310 miles SW of Valentia

28 July 1931 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

21 August 1931 when on passage to Trinidad was 40 miles from Lands End

10 September 1931 sailed from Trinidad for Devonport

6 October 1931 to at least 6 November 1931 was at Plymouth

16 November 1931 Captain William H Green RFA appointed as Master

1 December 1931 sailed Plymouth for Trinidad

25 December 1931 sailed from Trinidad

14 January 1932 arrived at Milford Haven

16 January 1932 Mr Ernest K Horsley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 January 1932 sailed from Pembroke Dock for Abadan

15 February 1932 passed Perim when on passage to Abadan

27 February 1932 at Abadan

18 March 1932 sailed from Port Said for Gibraltar

30 March 1932 sailed from Gibraltar for Trinidad

5 May 1932 was 1,150 miles west of Valentia when on passage to Milford Haven

12 May 1932 berthed at Milford Haven

19 May 1932 Mr W Maybray RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 June 1932 sailed Trinidad to Devonport

24 August 1932 arrived at Bermuda

29 August 1932 sailed from Bermuda for Trinidad

7 September 1932 sailed Trinidad to Devonport

30 September 1932 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at St Catherine’s Point, sailing east bound and then later the Lloyds Signal Station at Dungeness when on passage to Killingholme

9 November 1932 arrived at Bermuda from Chatham

16 December 1932 radioed she was 1,400 miles SW of Valentia while on passage to Devonport

30 December 1932 berthed at Rosyth

11 January 1933 sailed Rosyth for Sheerness

13 January 1933 at Sheerness

9 February 1933 radioed she was 75 miles SE of Lands End when on passage to Trinidad

6 March 1933 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

30 March 1933 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound

31 March 1933 at Devonport

30 April 1933 at Devonport

15 May 1933 at Devonport

23 May 1933 Captain William H Green RFA appointed as Master

1 June 1933 Captain William J Shipton RFA appointed as Master

Captain William J Shipton RFA

22 June 1933 radioed she was 200 miles SSE of Valentia when on passage to Trinidad

14 July 1933 sailed from Trinidad for Devonport

18 August 1933 at Killingholme

25 August 1933 arrived at Sheerness

28 August 1933 at Sheerness

5 September 1933 radioed she was 120 miles ESE of Lands End when on passage to Abadan

20 September 1933 arrived Port Said from Sheerness

28 September 1933 passed Perim when on passage to Abadan

21 October 1933 passed Perim north bound when on passage to Devonport

27 October 1933 arrived at Port Said

5 November 1933 while on passage to Devonport passed Gibraltar this day sailing west

10 November 1933 at Portland

18 November 1933 was 150 nmiles SSW of Lands End when on passage to Trinidad

6 December 1933 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

26 December 1933 arrived at Glasgow

1 January 1934 when on passage to Trinidad reported she was 135 miles south of Valentia

16 January 1934 at Trinidad

6 February 1934 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

27 February 1934 passed Dunnet Head sailing east bound

28 February 1934 at Invergordon

22 March 1934 arrived at Sunderland from Chatham in ballast

24 March 1934 in dry dock at T W Greenwell & Co Ltd., Sunderland during repairs

29 March 1934 sailed from Sunderland on the River Wear

3 April 1934 berthed at Kilingholme

5 May 1934 1,060 miles SW of Valentia

13 May 1934 berthed at Grangemouth

19 May 1934 berthed in Portsmouth Harbour

24 May 1934 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

4 June 1934 at Chatham Dockyard

6 June 1934 at Chatham Dockyard

29 July 1934 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

10 August 1934 reported she was 1,000 miles SW of Valentia when on passage to Devonport

20 August 1934 Mr Albert Nicholls RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Albert Nicholls RFA

28 August 1934 reported she was 65 miles south of Lands End when on passage to Trinidad

13 September 1934 berthed at Trinidad

22 September 1934 sailed from Trinidad for Freetown, Sierra Leone

5 October 1934 arrived at Sierra Leone from Trinidad

9 October 1934 sailed Sierra Leone for Trinidad

22 October 1934 sailed from Trinidad for Devonport

31 December 1934 radioed she was 125 miles SW of Niton when on passage to Rosyth

7 January 1935 arrived at Sunderland for repairs from Rosyth in ballast. RFA OLNA (1) was in refit at the same time at the same ship yard

12 January 1935 sailed from the River Wear

15 January 1935 arrived at Plymouth

16 January 1935 sailing from Plymouth

21 January 1935 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound

30 January 1935 arrived at Port Said from Plymouth

4 March 1935 arrived at Suez from Abadan

5 March 1935 sailed from Port Said for Portsmouth

15 March 1935 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound

21 March 1935 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

25 March 1935 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

26 March 1935 berthed at Devonport

3 May 1935 sailed from Devonport for Trinidad

21 May 1935 sailed from Trinidad for Devonport

6 June 1935 on passage to Portland reported by radio she was 45 miles from Lands End

17 June 1935 sailed from Portland for Trinidad

1 July 1935 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound

14 July 1935 sailed from Kingston, Jamaica for Trinidad

22 July 1935 sailed Trinidad for Devonport

10 August 1935 arrived Invergordon from Trinidad

15 August 1935 arrived at the River Wear from Invergordon in ballast

16 August 1935 at Greenwell’s Dock, River Wear

19 August 1935 at Greenwell’s Dock, River Wear

23 August 1935 sailed the River Wear for Sheerness in ballast

24 August 1935 sailed Sheerness for Trinidad

12 September 1935 sailed Trinidad for Gibraltar

23 September 1935 ariived at Gibraltar

30 September 1935 sailed Gibraltar for Trinidad

14 October 1935 at Trinidad

16 October 1935 sailed Curacao

4 November 1935 arrived on the River Clyde

11 November 1935 sailed from Old Kilpatrick Oil fuel Deport, River Clyde

29 November 1935 arrived at Trinidad

20 December 1935 at Gibraltar

22 January 1936 in Mount Stuart Dry Dock at Cardiff

1 February 1936 in Mount Stuart Dry Dock at Cardiff

18 February 1936 sailed from Cardiff

20 February 1936 arrived at Plymouth Sound

27 February 1936 berthed at Gibraltar from Devonport delivering Naval Stores for the NSO

1936 the management contract was terminated and she was withdrawn from service

8 January 1937 at Gibraltar as a depot ship

21 September 1937 at Gibraltar as a depot ship

RFA Delphinula as a depot ship alongside the detached mole in Gibraltar during World War 2

Became a fuel hulk alongside the Detached Mole at Gibraltar where she remain through out the rest of World War 2 

19 July 1941 at No: 25 berth Gibraltar with HMAS NESTOR alongside being refuelled

HMAS NESTOR

8 November 1946 sold for £10,000 to Spanish breakers

13 September 1947 arrived under her own steam at Pasajes, Spain for breaking up

Notes: –

Source – (1) Gibraltar Chronicle