Subsequent name:
Official Number: 142436
Class: Oiler
Pennant No: X 80
Laid down:
Builder: Simons, Renfrew
Launched: 28 May 1918
Into Service: June, 1918
Out of service: 1935
Fate: Broken up.
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: This odd-looking ship was originally built as a dredger for the Calcutta Port Commissioners. When acquired by the Admiralty, her dredging machinery was removed and stored and was finally installed in another vessel built to the same plans named GUNGA. She carried about 4,000 tons of fuel and when empty, her bow, a portion of her keel and her forefoot stood high out of the water, which, combined with her twin small fast-running screws, made her difficult to handle on Fleet fuelling operations in confined and windy waters. Her rudder was ultimately made larger to improve her manoeuvring characteristics
14 September 1917 Engineer Lieutenant Percy E C Ogden RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1 January 1918 Lieutenant John H Jones RNR appointed in command later transferred to RFA KURUMBA
Lieutenant John H Jones RNR
1 April 1918 Lieutenant William H Harvey RNR appointed in command
25 May 1918 launched by Wm Simons & Co Ltd, Renfrew as Yard Nr: 561 named DREDGOL for Calcutta Port Commissioners for service as a dredger
June 1918 completed and acquired by the Admiralty when she was converted into a tanker – name unchanged
RFA Dredgol’s ships bell – in private ownership and previously used daily in The Old Plough Public House, Market Square, Shrewsbury in the 1970’s and 1980’s
14 June 1918 Greaser G Johnson MMR 898035 logged as deserted. He was arrested in Greenock. He had signed on on the 30 May 1918
2 September 1918 Assistant Cook James N Deighton MMR 877539 discharged to DQ’s and then to HMS Eaglet. He had signed on on the 20 June 1918
Assistant Cook James N Deighton MMR 877539
8 February 1919 Assistant Cook Andrew S Brotherdale MMR 960680 logged as deserted. Arrested on 26 February 1919 and sent to HMS Eaglet. He had signed on on the 21 September 1918
Assistant Cook Andrew S Brotherdale
10 January 1919 Engineer Sub Lieutenant Reginald W Atkins RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Engineer Sub Lieutenant Reginald W Atkins RNR
9 May 1919 Ordinary Seaman A J Taylor MMR 997541 sentenced to 28 days DQ’s at Perth then discharged to HMS Eaglet. He had signed on on 30 April 1919
28 June 1919 Able Seaman Lewis Hogan sentenced to 42 days DQ’s at Gibraltar. On his released he deserted.
6 August 1919 Trimmer J Callaghan MMR 993325 logged as deserted. He had signed on 25 May 1919
7 December 1919 Captain Hermann R Elsby RFA appointed as Master. He had previous been in command of RFA RAPIDOL.
1 January 1920 at Port Said alongside HMS CAIRO to refuel her
HMS CAIRO
17 February 1920 at the British Hospital at Port Said Greaser Ali Mohamed discharged dead – natural causes
23 March 1920 at Port Said alongside HMS CICALA to refuel her – with 40 tons of FFO – having refuelled slipped and berthed alongside RFA EBONOL (1). Also HMS COCKCHAFER and HMS MANTIS alongside DREDGOL being refuelled
HMS Cicala
26 March 1920 at Suez Bay alongside HMS CICALA to refuel her – with 4 tons of FFO and also HMS COCKCHAFER and HMS MANTIS alongside to be refuelled. Berthed alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her with 240 tons of FFO. A diving party from HMS COLOMBO examined and cleared DREDGOL’s inlets. After refuelling cast off from HMS COLOMBO and sailed for Port Sudan
31 March 1920 at Port Sudan alongside HMS CICALA to refuel her – with 37 tons FFO and also HMS MOTH, HMS MANTIS and HMS COCKCHAFER to refuel them also
4 April 1920 passed Perim
6 April 1920 at Aden with HMS MANTIS alongside to refuel – issued 7 tons of FFO
7 April 1920 at Aden alongside HMS MOTH to refuel them. HMS COCKCHAFER also alongside – refuelled with 50 tons FFO
14 April 1920 at Sokotra alongside HMS COCKCHAFER refuelling her with 45 tons of FFO and HMS MOTH
25 April 1920 at Bombay alongside HMS CICALA to refuel her and HMS COCKCHAFER to be refuelled – the later taking 45 tons
30 April 1920 at Colombo, Ceylon with HMS MANTIS alongside to refuel – issued 34 tons of FFO. Also berthed alongside HMS COLOMBO
6 May 1920 at Colombo, Ceylon alongside HMS COCKCHAFER to refuel her – with 31 tons of FFO
HMS COCKCHAFER
15 May 1920 at Penang alongside HMS CICALA to refuel her – with 48 tons FFO and HMS COCKCHAFER with 50 tons FFO
16 May 1920 at Penang alongside HMS CRICKET to refuel her
21 May 1920 while oiler for the China Station arrived at Singapore with HMS COLOMBO and other RN units
22 May 1920 at Singapore alongside HMS COCKCHAFER to refuel her with 40 tons FFO
26 May 1920 at Singapore alongside HMS’s MOTH and CRICKET to refuel them
27 May 1920 at Singapore berthed along HMS COLOMBO to refuel her with 400 tons of FFO
HMS COLOMBO
6 June 1920 at Saigon alongside HMS CICALA to refuel her – with 44 tons FFO and HMS MANTIS with 33 tons FFO
7 June 1920 at Saigon alongside HMS CRICKET to refuel her
12 June 1920 berthed at Hong Kong
2 July 1920 at Hong Kong alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her with 591 tons of FFO
5 July 1920 at Hong Kong HMS CURLEW berthed alongside to be refuelled
4 August 1920 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA alongside to be refuelled
19 August 1920 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA alongside to be refuelled – supplied 55 tons of FFO
26 August 1920 arrived at Wei-hai-Wei
30 August 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei working party from HMS CAIRO drew stores
6 September 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei HMS HAWKINS came alongside to be refuelled
HMS HAWKINS
7 September 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS’s CAIRO, CURLEW and COLOMBO to refuel them
9 September 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her with 353 tons of FFO
18 September 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei HMS CURLEW came alongside to be refuelled
20 September 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS’s CAIRO, COLOMBO and HAWKINS to refuel them. Supplied 130 tons of FFO to HMS COLOMBO
1 November 1920 Mr David E Morgan MIMarE RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer David E Morgan MIMarE RFA
2 November 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS CAIRO to refuel her. HM S/m L5, L8, L19 and L33 all berthed alongside to be refuelled
8 November 1920 sailed from Wei-hai-Wei
18 November 1920 arrived at Hong Kong
23 December 1920 at Hong Kong HMS MOTH came alongside to discharge all her fuel prior to docking
8 January 1921 at Hong Kong with submarines alongside being refuelled
26 January 1921 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA alongside to be refuelled
11 March 1921 at Hong Kong alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her with 489 tons of FFO
31 March 1921 at Hong Kong alongside HMS CAIRO refuelling her
4 August 1921 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA came alongside to be refuelled
3 October 1921 at Macau HMS TARANTULA came alongside to be refuelled
15 December 1921 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA came alongside to be refuelled
18 December 1921 Captain John H Jones RFA appointed as Master
9 February 1922 sailed Hong Kong
13 April 1922 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA came alongside to be refuelled
8 May 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS CAIRO refuelling her
29 May 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS DURBAN refuelling her
31 May 1922 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA came alongside to be refuelled
2 June 1922 at Hong Kong HMS MOTH came alongside to be refuelled
21 June 1922 at Hong Kong HMS MOTH came alongside to be refuelled
19 July 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS CURLEW refuelling her
4 September 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS DESPATCH refuelling her
2 November 1922 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA came alongside to be refuelled
7 December 1922 at Hong Kong HMS/m L15 and L33 came alongside to be refuelled
Between 19 January 1923 and 8 February 1923 offered for sale in the Straits Times, Singapore on various days – vessel lying at Hong Kong
30 April 1923 at Hong Kong HMS MOTH came alongside to be refuelled
22 May 1923 at Hong Kong HMS TARANTULA came alongside to be refuelled
4 July 1923 Chief Officer John P Tugwood DSC RD RFA appointed as Acting Master
31 July 1923 at Hong Kong alongside HMS DIOMEDE refuelling her. Caused slight damage to the warships forward gangway davit
HMS DIOMEDE
15 November 1923 at Hong Kong berthed alongside HMS DIOMEDE and she was refuelled
14 February 1924 Mr J B Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 May 1924 Captain William C Meikle RFA appointed as Master
Captain William C Meikle RFA
30 December 1925 arrived at Singapore and berthed at Empire Dock
8 June 1926 arrived at Plymouth
30 June 1926 Mr Andrew R Parsons RFA appointed as Temporary Chief Engineer Officer until 12 August 1926
10 September 1926 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour
13 September 1926 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
20 September 1926 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
21 September 1926 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA KIMMEROL
22 September 1926 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
24 September 1926 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
8 October 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard
12 October 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard
16 October 1926 in No: 15 dry dock at Portsmouth Dockyard
19 October 1926 in No: 15 dry dock at Portsmouth Dockyard
22 October 1926 in No: 15 dry dock at Portsmouth Dockyard
30 October 1926 in No: 15 dry dock at Portsmouth Dockyard
1 November 1926 in No: 15 dry dock at Portsmouth Dockyard
8 November 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA MARINER
12 November 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA MARINER
15 November 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA MARINER
16 November 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA MARINER
17 November 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA MARINER
1 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA’s KIMMEROL and MARINER
7 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA’s PRESTOL and MARINER
8 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA MARINER
9 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA’s PRESTOL and MARINER
11 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA’s PRESTOL and MARINER
15 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA’s PRESTOL and MARINER
24 December 1926 moored on No: 5 Buoy, Portsmouth Harbour
30 December 1926 moored on No: 5 Buoy before sailing from Portsmouth Harbour
13 January 1927 Mr David E Morgan MIMarE RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1927 became the station oiler at Malta until 1931 when relieved by RFA PLUMLEAF (1) then returned to the U.K
9 March 1927 Captain John W Pegden RFA appointed as Master
20 July 1927 Mr Ernest K Horsley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Ernest K Horsley RFA
March 1927 her UK crew paid off and locally engaged Maltese crew signed on instead – mentioned in Hansard on 30 March 1927
5 May 1928 Chief Officer Cyril F Cunningham RFA appointed as Temporary Acting Master
16 May 1928 Captain Reginald J Harland RFA appointed as Master
5 July 1928 with RFA PERTHSHIRE arrived at Navarino Bay (reported in the ships log of HMS ROYAL OAK)
21 September 1928 at Malta together with RFA’s BRAMBLELEAF, MONTENOL and PERTHSHIRE
2 May 1929 Captain Frank J Delamotte RFA appointed as Master
2 July 1929 Captain John B Hurst RFA appointed as Master
Captain John B Hurst RFA
20 August 1929 Mr Frederick C Pavitt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 March 1930 Mr Leonard A Sharp RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Leonard A Sharp RFA
29 April 1931 Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed as Master
Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA
22 January 1932 took on charge an E Dent & Co Marine Chronometer No 58820 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in March 1918.
July 1932 in reserve at Rosyth
11 February 1935 in reserve at Rosyth together with RFA’s Attendant, Burma, Carol, Trefoil and Turmoil with their disposal being considered
21 May 1935 offered for sale by the Admiralty by tender in the Times and the Western Morning News of this day
28 June 1935 sold as lies for £5,514 to W.H. Arnott Young & Co, Dalmuir for demolition
3 August, 1935 arrived at Dalmuir for breaking up