Official Number: 140323
Class: SECOND 1000 t CREOSOL CLASS Harbour Oiler
Pennant No: X23 / A154
Laid down:
Builder: Lobnitz & Co, Renfrew
Launched: 19 June 1917
Into Service: 9 August 1917
Out of service: Laid up in reserve at Pembroke Dock 13 July 1954
Fate: Broken Up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: On the outbreak of WW1, the Admiralty embarked on a further programme of tanker construction for the newly-formed RFA Service. Eventually there were eighteen ships in this Class, twelve of which were named after trees with the OL suffix, while the remainder had names connected with the oil industry also with the OL suffix. Four of the Class were diesel engined and were sold after the Armistice but the rest, being triple expansion steamers, had long and successful lives
19 June 1917 launched by Lobnitz & Co, Renfrew as Yard Nr: 818 named LARCHOL
24 June 1917 Engineer Lieutenant Stanley Black RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
24 July 1917 Lieutenant William F Clay RNR appointed in command. He signed off on 11 May 1919 when he took command of RFA Birchol (1)
Lieutenant William F Clay RNR
9 August 1917 Completed
18 September 1917 Fireman A Ayling signed on. He subsequently deserted – no date of his desertion traced at this time.
12 January 1918 Greaser James Kilcullen released from detention and signed off – to HMS Eaglet. He later served on RFA KURUMBA
Greaser James Kilcullen
19 April 1918 Engineer Lieutenant William H Doyle RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 May 1919 Lieutenant John H T Lewis RNR appointed in command. He signed off on 31 March 1920
Lieutenant John H T Lewis RNR
19 May 1919 Trimmer J S Warwick MMR 999130 discharged as incompetent. He had signed on on 13 May 1919
27 June 1919 sailed Glasgow for Greenock in ballast
1 March 1920 Captain William T Williams RFA appointed as Master and Mr John H Manning RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
17 March 1920 at Gibraltar alongside HMS CASTOR refuelling her with 620 tons of FFO
HMS CASTOR
29 September 1920 arrived at Devonport
30 September 1920 sailed from Plymouth
31 January 1921 sailed Plymouth for Sheerness
30 March 1921 at Sheerness alongside HMS DUNEDIN refuelling her
HMS DUNEDIN
30 May 1921 arrived at Granton from Hull loaded with fuel oil
8 June 1921 berthed at West Hartlepool
18 June 1921 arrived at Grangemouth from Granton the sailing the same day for Hull
5 July 1921 arrived at Hull in ballast from Newcastle
11 July 1921 sailed from Granton to Southampton in ballast
16 October 1921 sailed from Granton for Newcastle
3 November 1921 arrived at Granton from Salt End
5 November 1921 sailed Granton for Hull
24 November 1921 arrived at Granton from London
25 November 1921 sailed Granton for the River Tyne
26 November 1921 arrived at Jarrow
5 December 1921 sailed River Tyne
20 December 1921 arrived at Granton from Thames Haven
21 December 1921 sailed Granton for London
18 January 1922 Captain D Durrant RFA appointed as Master. He had previously been the Master of RFA PHILOL
1 January 1923 at Sheerness alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her
2 January 1923 at Sheerness alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her
HMS REPULSE
3 January 1923 at Sheerness alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her
29 May 1923 at Sheerness alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her (twice)
30 May 1923 at Sheerness alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her
1924 to December 1939 on YC agreement at Sheerness
1 February 1924 Mr William P Keohane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
13 March 1931 berthed at Salt End Jetty, Hull to discharge later sailed in ballast for Sheerness
14 March 1931 arrived at Sheerness
29 May 1933 entered refit at Sheerness
28 March 1934 at Sheerness alongside HMS ORION refuelling her with 480 tons FFO
HMS ORION
18 May 1936 at Sheerness alongside HMS CUMERLAND refuelling her with 800 tons of FFO
HMS CUMBERLAND
1 April 1937 sailed from Sheerness
3 September 1939 at Sheerness on the outbreak of WW2
11 September 1939 at Sheerness alongside HMS GLASGOW on No 8 buoy refuelling her
HMS GLASGOW
12 September 1939 at Sheerness alongside HMS GLASGOW on No 8 buoy refuelling her
29 December 1939 Captain John McAngus RFA appointed as Master
Captain John McAngus RFA
1 January 1940 sailed Harwich to Sheerness
19 January 1940 sailed Sheerness to Harwich
12 July 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 220 arriving Yarmouth 14 July 1940
3 August 1940 arrived Methil in convoy FN 241 and then sailed, same day, same convoy to Southend
20 August 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 258 arriving at Harwich on 22 August 1940
26 August 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 263 to Harwich arriving on 28 August 1940
4 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 272 to Harwich arriving on the next day
14 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 280 to Harwich arriving on 16 September 1940
17 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 283 to Harwich arriving on 19 September 1940
21 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 287 to Harwich arriving on 23 September 1940
26 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 291 to Harwich arriving on 28 September 1940
29 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 294 to Harwich arriving on 1 October 1940
2 October 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 297 to Harwich arriving on 4 October 1940
26 October 1940 Mr Arthur W Symons RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Arthur W Symons RFA
3 December 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN349 arriving at Harwich on 5 December 1940
27 December 1940 Engineer Lieutenant Commander James Wade-Thomas RNR (Retd) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer James Wade-Thomas RFA
28 January 1941 sailed Southend in convoy FN 394 to Harwich arriving on 30 January 1940
4 February 1941 sailed Southend in convoy FN400 arriving at Harwich on 6 February 1941
11 August 1941 Captain Robert H Venning RFA appointed as Master
26 October 1941 sailed Dover
15 January 1942 sustained damage at Dover
1 March 1942 at Sheerness
20 March 1942 berthed at Victoria Dock, London
28 May 1942 at Sheerness
8 October 1942 Captain Ernest V Blyth RFA appointed as Master
Captain Ernest V Blyth RFA
4 January 1943 Mr James E Hawthorn RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer James E Hawthorn RFA
26 March 1943 Captain Sidney P Sice RFA appointed as Master
3 December 1943 Mr Lionel W Pool RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1944 defensive armament fitted (1 x 12 pdr HA/LA gun and 3 Oerlikons)
19 November 1945 Mr James Hall RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 December 1945 Mr Raymond C Calderhead RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
3 January 1946 – disarmed
8 March 1946 at Sheerness
4 April 1946 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
12 April 1946 Captain J H Phillips RFA appointed as Master
5 September 1946 at Sheerness
28 October 1946 Captain Edward E A Le Sage RFA appointed as Master
31 January 1947 sailed Plymouth for Sheerness
16 May 1947 Mr Harold R Bullimore RFA (Engineer Lieutenant Commander RN (Retd)) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 June 1947 Mr Frederick O Brims RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer until 23 June 1947
Chief Engineer Officer Frederick O Brims RFA
6 June 1947 sailed Sunderland for Sheerness
19 June 1947 arrived at the River Tyne from Sheerness and berthed at Hawthorn Leslie
23 June 1947 Captain Frank A Shaw RD RFA (Lieut-Commander RNR) appointed as Master
24 June 1947 Engineer Lieutenant Commander Harold R Bullimore Royal Navy (Retd) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 October 1947 passed Lloyds Signal Station at Dover
27 October 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head sailing north
22 December 1947 Captain Donovan J S Newton MID RFA appointed as Master
7 January 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour returning to her berth later the same day
26 March 1948 Captain Allistoun M Macquire-Samson RFA appointed as Master
30 September 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
30 October 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west
22 November 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west
27 November 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east
5 January 1949 Mr R B Turner RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
13 January 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
14 January 1949 at Portsmouth Harbour moved from Middle Slip Jetty to Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
15 January 1949 at Portsmouth Harbour moved from the Harbour to B Lock
18 January 1949 at Portsmouth Dockyard moved from No: III Basin to B Lock
20 January 1949 at Portsmouth Harbour moved from No 11 Basin to B Lock
1 March 1949 at Portsmouth Harbour moved berth from Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty to the South Wall Tidal Basin
12 March 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour and returned to her berth later the same day
29 March 1949 moved from the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty to the Outer Spit Buoy
4 July 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
13 February 1950 passed St Catherines Point sailing west bound
24 February 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
1 March 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
8 March 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
14 March 1950 entered Portsmouth Harbour
17 March 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
24 April 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
15 May 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
3 June 1950 arrived at Milford Haven from Plymouth
19 July 1950 Mr Albert J R Emerson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
25 October 1950 entered Chatham Dockyard from the River Medway and berthed on HMS BELFAST
26 October 1950 sailed from Chatham Dockyard for Sheerness
12 November 1950 Captain F G Evans RFA appointed as Master
17 November 1950 sailed from Chatham Dockyard
28 November 1950 entered Chatham Dockyard
30 November 1950 towed from Chatham Dockyard to Sheerness
12 December 1950 Mr John Ismay RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 February 1951 arrived at Gravesend from Rosyth
15 May 1951 arrived at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for repairs from Invergordon
21 May 1951 sailed from Wallsend, River Tyne for Rosyth
13 July 1951 sailed from Gravesend
30 August 1951 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
8 December 1951 Mr Albert P Cox RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Albert P Cox RFA
14 December 1951 at Plymouth Fireman/Greaser John Nicholas Knight discharged dead after an accident ashore
10 March 1952 Captain Douglas G Cox OBE RFA appointed as Master
4 January 1954 Captain F S Samson RFA appointed as Master
13 July 1954 laid up at Pembroke Dock
June 1958 purchased by R.S. Hayes, Pembroke Dock for scrap but resold
19 August 1959 sailed Pembroke Dock in tow for Belgian breakers
23 August 1959 arrived Antwerp for breaking up by Van den Bosche & Co, Boom