RFA Greenol as the sand dredger Seastone

Previous name:                      Thames Conservancy Hopper No.6, PLA Hopper No.6
Subsequent name:                  PLA Hopper No.6,  James No.46,  Seastone  

Official Number:                      123823                                                      

Class:                                     ex-PLA HOPPER

Pennant No:                           X28

Signal Letters:                        HLFS (1907)

Laid down:
Builder:                                   Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley
Launched:                              26 March 1907
Into Service:                            9 September 1916
Out of service:
Fate:                                        Broken up February 1982

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:   As WW1 progressed, the demand for fuelling ships became more acute and the 6 vessels in this Class were all formerly PLA Hoppers, used for working with the dredgers in London. They lent themselves to rapid conversion into tankers by plating over the bottom sludge door joints and by installing a pipeline and a pump. They were all coal burners that had been built on the River Clyde and after acquisition by the Admiralty, they were renamed after salient features of the River Thames and their new names used the leading parts of the names of London boroughs. In 1920 they were all returned to the PLA and they resumed their previous names. They are all recorded in official records as Royal Fleet Auxiliaries

13 February 1907 launched by Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley as Yard Nr: 355 named THAMES CONSERVANCY HOPPER No: 6 for the Conservators of the River Thames, London

23 March 1907 Lloyds List newspaper reported –

March 1907 completed

2 May 1907 registered in London as number 71/1907 in the Registry Book

1909 renamed PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY HOPPER No: 6 by the Port of London Authority, London

9 September 1916 chartered by the Admiralty, converted into a tanker and renamed RFA GREENOL, The Admiralty paid for hire of this ship at £240 per month

3 October 1916 Engineer Sub Lieutenant T S King RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. He was discharged to RFA Sunhill on 19 May 1919

30 November 1916 Lieutenant James Tedham RNR appointed in command. He was discharged to RFA Sunhill on 19 May 1919.

8 January 1917 Engineer Sub Lieutenant John G W Brown RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

22 Novermber 1917 at Liverpool alongside HMS COCHRANE refuelling her with 367 tons of FFO

HMS COCHRANE

26 August 1918 Fireman W Melvin MMR 903375 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 19 September 1917  

1920 returned to her owners and resumed her previous name

1927 purchased by C.H. Campbell Ltd, London

1928 sold to James Dredging and renamed James No 46

October 1930 re-engined with a T. 3 cyl 13” 21½“& 35” x 27” by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen. 100 nhp

30 September 1937 in dry dock at Southampton

3 January 1939 sailed Grangemouth for Rosyth in ballast

6 March 1939 arrived at Grangemouth from Rosyth

15 March 1939 sailed Grangemouth for Rosyth

12 April 1939 sailed Grangemouth for Rosyth

15 June 1939 arrived at Grangemouth from Rosyth in ballast

2 July 1939 sailed Grangemouth for Rosyth

27 July 1944 sailed Barry in escorted convoy EBC54 to Seine Bay arriving 29 July 1944

1961 sold to Foremost Dredging and renamed Seastone and converted to sand suction dredger