Official Number: 140441
Class: SECOND 2,000t BELGOL CLASS Tanker
Pennant No: X67 / X 27
Laid down:
Builder: Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull
Launched: 18 October 1917
Into Service: 18 December 1917
Out of service: 4 March 1942
Fate: Sunk by Japanese armed forces
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: There were ten ships in this Class, all Admiralty designed of which five were named after Allied countries while the other five were given names indicating power or speed, all with the OL suffix. three of them, RFA’s FRANCOL, MONTENOL and SERBOL had upright funnels with a single tall mast close by, while the remainder had a raking funnel and two raking masts. During WW2 the mainmast was removed from these.
26 July 1917 Engineer Lieutenant Frederick C Pavitt RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
18 October 1917 launched by Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull as Yard Nr: 624 named FRANCOL
9 November 1917 Lieutenant William T Williams RNR appointed in command on being transferred from RFA KIMMEROL
Lieutenant William T Williams RNR
11 December 1917 at London registered as FRANCOL under reference 409/17 in the Register
18 December 1917 completed
23 April 1918 Fireman Robert Bateson MMR 384716 logged as a deserter. He had signed on the ship on 5 December 1917. He was arrested on 27 April 1918.
24 April 1918 Able Seaman Thomas Cousins MMR 82035, Greaser Jno Jones, Fireman Thomas McArdle MMR 865981 and Greaser J Jones logged as deserting the ship. Able Seaman Cousins and Greaser Jno Jones both had signed on on 23 November 1917. Fireman McArdle had signed on on 9 January 1918. Greaser Jones had signed on on 1 April 1918
Fireman Thomas McArdle MMR 865981
9 June 1918 Able Seaman Beu Sweeten MMR 927290 logged as a deserter. He had signed on on the 5 December 1917.
10 June 1918 Greaser Jas Graham MMR 943636 logged as a deserter. He had signed on on the 5 December 1917
21 June 1918 Pumpman John Thomas MMR 842984 and Greaser Henry Granite MMR 896460 both logged as deserting the ship. Both had signed on on the 23 November 1917
28 June 1918 Ordinary Seaman Robert Pasher MMR 927204 logged as a deserter. He had signed on on the 5 December 1917.
9 September 1918 Ordinary Seaman K Liversay logged as a deserter. He had signed on on the 1 July 1918
12 September 1918 Stoker A Sykes MMR 957505 logged as a deserter. He had signed on on the 1 July 1918
18 January 1919 sailed Portsmouth to sea
6 February 1919 arrived at Sheerness
5 June 1919 Greaser Thomas Hinch MMR 969349 logged as an absentee
Greaser Thomas Hinch MMR 969349
28 July 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea alongside HMS VINDICTIVE refuelling her with petrol and oil in drums
29 July 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea alongside HMS CLEOPATRA
HMS CLEOPATRA
18 August 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea alongside HMS VINDICTIVE refuelling her
20 August 1919 sailed from at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea
3 September 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea alongside HMS VINDICTIVE refuelling her. RFA TURMOIL (1) alongside at the same time
19 September 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea alongside HMS VINDICTIVE refuelling her 440 tons FFO
9 October 1919 arrived at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea
18 October 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea alongside HMS VINDICTIVE refuelling her 295 tons FFO
HMS VINDICTIVE
1 November 1919 Captain William T Williams RFA appointed as Master under a Board of Trade Agreement – previously had been in command as Lieutenant RNR since 9 November 1917. Discharged on 25 January 1920
5 November 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea alongside HMS EREBUS refuelling her 275 tons FFO
HMS EREBUS
15 November 1919 at Riga, Latvia alongside HMS DRAGON to refuel her
HMS DRAGON
23 November 1919 at Riga, Latvia alongside HMS DRAGON to refuel her
24 November 1919 at Riga, Latvia RFA CELEROL arrived and came alongside FRANCOL. Both then sailed
1 December 1919 Able Seaman Andrew Horgan MMR 1012510 logged as an absentee in Copenhagen.
6 December 1919 Greaser Victor Bardot MMR 878865 and Fireman Hugh McCann MMR 974452 both logged as deserting. Greaser Bardot had signed on on 9 August 1919 and Fireman McCann had signed on on 14 September 1919
Fireman Hugh McCann
27 December 1919 – a tragegy occured at Pembroke Dock –
Press cutting from the Aberdeen Journal of 30 December 1919
Able Seaman James Campbell, Able Seaman Patrick Ronayne, aged 27, Greaser Charles Sheeran MMR 713819, aged 31 all discharged dead. AB Ronayne and Greaser Sheeran are both buried in Pembroke Dock (Llanion) Cemetery. AB Campbell is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Ordinary Seaman John Tyler MMR 883964 discharged dead. He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. AB Trehayne, AB Campbell, Greaser Sheeran and OS Tyler were all accidentally drowned in Pembroke Dock. Greaser Sheeran’s body was recovered on 6 March 1920
Greaser Charles Sheeran Able Seaman Patrick Ronayne
Both images courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
26 January 1920 Captain Richard Narramore Smardon RFA appointed as Master
26 January 1920 2nd Cook Tam Yow discharged dead. He had signed on on 23 January 1920
28 January 1920 Mr Robert McWhannell RD RFA (retired Engineer Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 March 1920 arrived at Aden with HM Submarines L2, L8, L19, L20, L22 and L33
21 March 1920 at Colombo, Ceylon alongside HMS CAROLINE refuelling her
14 April 1920 arrived at Hong Kong
20 May 1920 at Kobe, Japan alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her and deliver naval stores
HMS HAWKINS
25 May 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei secured alongside HMS CAIRO to refuel her
HMS CAIRO
27 May 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei secured alongside HMS CARLISLE to refuel her – 278 tons of FFO supplied
1 June 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei secured alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
8 June 1920 off Wei-hai-Wei target towing for HMS HAWKINS sub calibre shoot
10 June 1920 off Wei-hai-Wei target towing for HMS HAWKINS sub calibre shoot also as a torpedo target for the same ship
6 July 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei target alongside HMS HAWKINS and later alongside HMS AMBROSE
7 July 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei secured alongside HMS’s CAIRO, CARLISLE and HAWKINS to refuel each. Supplied 700 tons of FFO to HMS HAWKINS and 410 tons to HMS CARLISLE
9 July 1920 off Wei-hai-Wei towing target for full calibre practice by HMS CAIRO
20 July 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS’s COLOMBO & CURLEW to refuel them – HMS COLOMBO supplied with 400 tons FFO
22 July 1920 sailed Wei-hai-Wei
30 July 1920 off Wei-hai-Wei towing target for full calibre practice by HMS CAIRO and HMS HAWKINS
12 August 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei secured alongside HMS’s CAIRO, HAWKINS, CURLEW and COLOMBO to refuel each of them. Supplied 420 tons of FFO to HMS COLOMBO
9 October 1920 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her – supplied 454 tons FFO
1 November 1920 at Wusung alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her – supplied 360 tons FFO
2 November 1920 at Shanghai secured alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
11 November 1920 at Shanghai berthed alongside HMS SCARAB to refuel her 103 tons of FFO issued
30 November 1920 at Yangtzepoo with HMS SCARAB berthed alongside to refuel her
1 December 1920 HMS SCARAB slipped
11 December 1920 Captain John Gow RFA appointed as Master. Previously Master of RFA TREFOIL
Captain John Gow RFA
15 December 1920 at Shangahi alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her
25 December 1920 arrived at Hong Kong
28 December 1920 at Hong Kong moved berth
24 January 1921 conducted OAS experiments with the cruiser HMS CAIRO off Hong Kong transferring 143 tons of FFO
31 January 1921 at Hong Kong sailed towing target for full calibre practice by HMS’s CAIRO and CARLISLE
2 February 1921 at Hong Kong berthed alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
13 March 1921 at Hong Kong berthed alongside HMS CURLEW to refuel her
16 April 1921 at Hong Kong RFA KHARKI secured alongside
12 May 1921 sailed from Wei-hai-Wei with BP target in tow with HMS HAWKINS and HM Submarines L3 and L9. Returned to Wei-hai-Wei four hours later still towing the target. At Wei-hai-Wei a working party from HMS COLOMBO came onboard
17 May 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her but the swell prevented this occuring and FRANCOL cast off
18 May 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
20 May 1921 off Wei-hai-Wei towed target for HMS HAWKINS to carry out full calibre shoot
30 May 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei with work party onboard from HMS AMBROSE. Then sailed towing BP target. Returned and anchored at 16:00hrs the same day
17 June 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei with work party onboard from HMS AMBROSE
20 June 1921 Captain Edward Gatley RFA appointed as Master. Previously Master of RFA KHARKI
25 June 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
27 June 1921 sailed Wei-hai-Wei
6 July 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei with HMS/m L1 berthed alongside
9 July 1921 off Wei-hai-Wei towed target for HMS HAWKINS to carry out full calibre shoot
21 July 1921 down river from Wusung alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her and supply stores – supplied 800 tons of FFO
23 July 1921 at Shanghai, China 2nd Engineer Officer James William Campbell discharged dead. His death certificate gives the cause of death as ‘General Paralysis of the Insane’
12 August 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS TITANIA to refuel her with HM submarines berthed outboard of her and then alongside HMS’s COLOMBO and CURLEW to refuel them supplying HMS COLOMBO with 458 tons of FFO
13 August 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
29 August 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS CURLEW to refuel her
14 September 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS’s HAWKINS and COLOMBO to refuel them. Supplied HMS COLOMBO with 289 tons of FFO
21 September 1921 2nd Engineer J W Campbell RFA discharged dead. He had signed on on 26 January 1920
22 September 1921 off Wei-hai-Wei towed BP target for HMS HAWKINS to carry out full calibre shoot
30 September 1921 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS’s HAWKINS and COLOMBO to refuel them. Supplied HMS COLOMBO with 180 tons of FFO
1 October 1921 sailed Wei-hai-Wei. Mr J Paton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
17 October 1921 at Masampo challenged by HMS HAWKINS. Also berthed alongside HMS COLOMBO to refuel her. Supplied 608 tons of FFO
20 October 1921 at Masampo alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
23 November 1921 arrived at Hong Kong
30 December 1921 at Hong Kong alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
5 January 1922 Captain John P Tugwood DSC RD RFA appointed as Master
Captain John P Tugwood DSC RD RFA
6 January 1922 at Jones Cove towing battle practice target for HMS BLUEBELL
9 January 1922 at Hong Kong with HMS TARANTULA moored alongside to be refuelled
19 February 1922 berthed at Singapore. Sailed 23 February 1922 for Rangoon
15 March 1922 off Hong Kong towed target for HMS DURBAN to carry out full calibre shoot
6 May 1922 at Hong Kong entering dry dock
25 May 1922 at Hong Kong secured to No: 8 buoy
14 June 1922 arrived at Wei-hai-Wei
17 June 1922 off Wei-hai-Wei towing target for HMS BLUEBELL
4 July 1922 and 5 July 1922 off Wei-hai-Wei towed target for HMS HAWKINS to carry out full calibre shoot
5 August 1922 sailed Wei-hai-Wei
15 August 1922 alongside HMS DURBAN to refuel her at Hong Kong
18 August 1922 at Wei-Hai-Wei
19 September 1922 at Wei-hai-Wei berthed alongside HMS HAWKINS
27 September 1922 and 28 September 1922 off Wei-hai-Wei towed target for HMS HAWKINS and other ships in the Cruiser Squadron to carry out full calibre shoot
11 October 1922 at Wei-hai-Wei alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
16 October 1922 sailed from Wei-hai-Wei
25 January 1923 off Hong Kong towing target for HMS DIOMEDE for a full calibre shoot
13 March 1923 at Hong Kong target party from HMS DIOMEDE boarded
29 March 1923 at Yokohama, Japan alongside HMS DIOMEDE to refuel her
20 April 1923 arrived Wei-Hai-Wei
24 April 1923 sailed Wei-Hai-Wei towing target for sub-calibre shoot by HMS DIOMEDE. Returned to Wei-Hai-Wei
26 April 1923 sailed Wei-Hai-Wei towing target for sub-calibre shoot by HMS DIOMEDE. Returned to Wei-Hai-Wei
27 April 1923 HMS DESPATCH transfered S A Ammunition to RFA FRANCOL at Wei-Hai-Wei
HMS DESPATCH
2 May 1923 alongside HMS DIOMEDE and HMS DESPATCH to refuel them at Wei-Hai-Wei
5 May 1923 at Wei-Hai-Wei alongside HMS DURBAN to refuel her and the sailed to Hong Kong
20 June 1923 sailed Hong Kong
24 June 1923 arrived Wei-Hai-Wei
2 August 1923 Mr David E Morgan MIMarE RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Daivid E Morgan MIMarE RFA
15 August 1923 at Wei-Hai-Wei alongside HMS DURBAN to refuel her
18 August 1923 at Wei-Hai-Wei alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
21 August 1923 off Wei-hai-Wei towed target for HMS HAWKINS to carry out full calibre shoot
14 September 1923 at Yokohama, Japan alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her
27 September 1923 at Yokohama, Japan alongside HMS DURBAN to refuel her
6 June 1924 Captain Stanley B Spillett RFA appointed as Master
Captain Stanley B Spillett RFA
20 June 1924 at Royal Naval Hospital, Liu Kung, Wei-Hai-Wei, China Captain Edward Gattey RFA discharged dead from cerebal malaria. He was buried in the Royal Naval Cemetery, Wei-Hai-Wei
Royal Naval Cemetery, Wei-Hai-Wei
1925 had the lower portion of her forehold fitted out as a temporary magazine
22 April 1925 Chief Engineer Officer David E Morgan MIMarE RFA married Miss Ethel M Smith, Sister in the Government Civil Hospital which took place at the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Wanchi, Hong Kong
4 June 1925 Mr Edward B Morton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Edward B Morton RFA
9 January 1926 in the company of HMS FOXGLOVE arrived at Wei-hai-Wei from Hong Kong
19 October 1927 Captain Donald R McCutchan RFA appointed as Master
Captain Donald R McCutchan RFA
5 March 1928 at Hong Kong a RFA Dinner Dance was held at Crawford’s Restaurant and was voted a great success – Officers and their Ladies from RFA’s BELGOL, FORTOL, FRANCOL, RUTHENIA and KHARKI attended
19 April 1928 Mr John A Mackintosh RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 May 1928 Captain Frederick J Connolly RFA appointed as Master
Captain Frederick J Connolly RFA
12 March 1929 Captain Frederick J Connolly RFA discharged dead at Hong Kong – buried at the Protestant Cemetery, Hong Kong on 14 March 1929 with mourners from the RFA’s FRANCOL, KHARKI, FORTOL and officers from the Naval Stores Department from HM Dockyard.
The grave of Captain Frederick J Connolly RFA in Hong Kong
16 March 1929 Captain Leonard Elford RFA appointed as Master
17 May 1929 in refit in Hong Kong Dockyard
9 April 1930 at Hong Kong (see Note 1)
16 January 1931 at Hong Kong (see Note 1)
9 May 1931 Captain Nathan Colbridge RFA appointed as Master and Mr William C Elliott RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Captain Nathan Colbridge RFA
4 February 1932 Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed as Master
Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA
13 February 1934 Mr William W Ridgway RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
22 March 1935 Captain Isaac Evans RFA appointed as Master
24 October 1935 at Hong Kong
14 April 1936 at Hong Kong
13 September 1936 Mr William S Ritchie RD RFA (Engineer Lieutenant RNR (Ret)) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 December 1936 at Hong Kong
8 January 1937 Mr Wilfred C Shortland appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
December 1937 Captain Charles J Leach RFA appointed as Master
Captain Charles J Leach RFA
12 January 1938 Captain A Spencer RFA appointed as Master
18 August 1938 at Wei-hai-Wei berthed on HMS DORTSETSHIRE refuelling her
3 December 1938 at Hong Kong berthed on HMS DORTSETSHIRE refuelling her
7 January 1939 Captain Frederick G Drake RFA appointed as Master
25 May 1939 Mr Arthur A Robson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Arthur A. Robson RFA
2 September 1939 sailed from Hong Kong for Shanghai
13 September 1939 arrived at Hong Kong
14 October 1939 at Hong Kong berthed on HMS DORTSETSHIRE refuelling her
17 October 1939 sailed Hong Kong
12 December 1939 sailed from Hong Kong
17 December 1939 in collision with HMS BIRMINGHAM while refuelling her. The BIRMINGHAM had to have her bow repaired and a propeller replaced in Hong Kong
HMS BIRMINGHAM
19 December 1939 arrived at Hong Kong
26 December 1939 sailed from Hong Kong
26 January 1940 at Hong Kong
12 November 1940 Seaman Gunner Basil Schofield appeared before the Marine Court, Hong Kong charged with being absent from the FRANCOL since 30 October 1940. He pleaded Guilty and was sentenced to be returned to the ship
8 August 1941 Captain John H Burman RFA appointed as Master
11 December 1941 refueled USS Alden DD211 at Singapore
January 1942 served as the Eastern Fleet Oiler along with RFA RUTHENIA at Singapore
16 January 1942 anchored at Singapore Roads with HMAS MARYBOROUGH alongside being refuelled
HMAS MARYBOROUGH
30 January 1942 towed the Insect class gunboat HMS GRASSHOPPER from the Singapore Naval Base to Kepple Harbour
1 February 1942 anchored at Singapore Roads with HMAS MARYBOROUGH alongside being refuelled
10 February 1942 received instructions to sail to Batavia after embarking Dockyard personnel. Sailed at 16:30hrs with 75 naval and Dockyard personnel onboard
12 February 1942 arrived at Tandjong Priok
25 February 1942 the cargo from the damaged RFA WAR SIRDAR was transferred to her
27 February 1942 sailed Tandjong Priok in the Dutch East Indies, along with RFA WAR SIRDAR in convoy with the Depot Ship HMS ANKING, carrying a full load of Australian troops, the minesweeper MMS.51 and escorted by the Australian sloop HMAS YARRA and the Indian sloop HMIS JUMNA
2 March 1942 sailed Tjilatjap with escorts
3 March 1942 while on passage to Fremantle, in position 11.00 S 109.00 E near Tjilatjap, 300 miles south of Java, the above convoy was attacked by the Japanese heavy cruisers ATAGO, TAKAO and MAYA together with the destroyers ARASHI and HOWAKI and in the ensuing battle, which lasted only 90 minutes,all 4 ships were sunk. There were only 13 survivors from FRANCOL all of whom became PoW’s. Those lost are remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial, the Hong Kong Memorial and the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
Those named on the Tower Hill Memorial, London
12 March 1943 the Sunderland Daily Echo newspaper reported –
Notes
1. from the Discharge Book of 2nd Officer Jack Hutchinson RFA