Subsequent name: 

Official Number:                   142303                                                                          

Class:                                  SECOND 2000t BELGOL CLASS Tanker
 
Pennant No:                         X 64  /  X 65

Laid down:
Builder:                                Greenock and Grangemouth Dockyard Company

Launched:                            21 April 1917
Into Service:                         1 November 1917
Out of service:                      26 March 1942

Fate:                                     Sunk

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.

Courtesy of Falkirk Council Archives

21 April 1917 launched by Greenock & Grangemouth Dockyard Co Ltd., Greenock as Yard Nr: 384 named SLAVOL

 1 July 1917 Engineer Lieutenant William L Jones RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Discharged on 13 October 1919 on demobilisation.

1 November 1917 completed at a cost of £188,714

1 January 1918 Lieutenant William Clinton RNR appointed in command

5 February 1918 at London registered as SLAVOL under reference 32/18 in the Registry

13 September 1918 at Queensferry HMS SPARROWHAWK alongside to be refuelled receiving 23 tons of FFO

HMS SPARROWHAWK

18 October 1918 Fireman Jas A McKay signed on and later was logged as deserted – no date of desertion currently traceable.

27 October 1918 Leading Stoker Sam Clowting, MMR 724123, discharged dead. He had signed on on the 28 January 1918. He was buried in an unmarked grave in East London Cemetery, Plaistow and remembered on a screen wall plaque.

29 October 1918 the Police Gazette of this day listed among those who were wanted for Deserting or being Absentees from H M Services – Greaser Hy Callahan MMR 862245  He had signed on on the 28 January 1918

29 November 1918 at Copenhagen berthed alongside HMS CARADOC to refuel her with 190 tons FFO

December 1918 supported the RN Squadron sent to the Baltic during the Russian Civil War on Operation Red Trek which secured the establishment of the independent states of Estonia and Latvia along with RFA’s BACCHUS (1), BELGOL and PRESTOL

2 December 1918 sailed Liban in company with HMS CALYPSO to Copenhagen

3 December 1918 at Copenhagen alongside HMS CALYPSO refuelling her with 177 tons FFO

HMS CALYPSO

8 December 1918 at Copenhagen berthed alongside HMS CARADOC to refuel her

12 December 1918 at Copenhagen alongside HMS CENTAUR refuelling her with 280 tons FFO

HMS CENTAUR

17 December 1918 at Copenhagen berthed alongside HMS CARADOC to refuel her with 430 tons FFO

HMS CARADOC

21 December 1918 at Copenhagen berthed alongside HMS CARADOC to refuel her

31 December 1918 at Liban berthed alongside HMS CARADOC to refuel her with 645 tons FFO

31 May 1919 Able Seaman K Barker, MMR 917091, logged as deserted. He had signed on on the 5 January 1918.

1 July 1919 Fireman Thomas V Kelly logged for deserting. He had signed on on 1 May 1919

21 August 1919 berthed at Portsmouth from sea

22 August 1919 sailed Portsmouth

7 September 1919 Fireman George Devonport MMR 660441. Logged as deserted. He had signed on on the 22 August 1919

Fireman George Devonport

18 September 1919 was at Sheerness Dockyard

18 September 1919 Fireman W Dobson, MMR 873436, logged as deserted. He had signed on on the 27 March 1918.

26 September 1919 Fireman A Nelson and Fireman William J Dillon both logged for deserting. Both had signed on on 11 August 1919

30 September 1919 Chief Cook William H Mullen MMR 627668, logged as deserted. He had signed on on the 22 August 1919

Chief Cook William H Mullen

9 October 1919 Mr David  E Morgan MIMarE RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer – signed off 26 October 1920

Chief Engineer Officer David E Morgan MIMarE RFA

27 October 1919 arrived at Biorko Sound, Baltic Sea

1 November 1919 Captain William Clinton RFA appointed as Master – previously been in command as Lieutenant RNR since 1 January 1918. Left ship on 18 May 1921 to take command of RFA Berbice

6 November 1919 at Reval berthed alongside HMS GALATEA

HMS GALATEA

8 November 1919 Fireman D Shanahan MMR 950004 ‘sent to detention’ reason or period not shown in the WW1 RFA crews records

12 December 1919 at Biorko Sound berthed alongside HMS DRAGON to refuel her

HMS DRAGON

26 December 1919 at Riga at 09:40 HMS DRAGON alongside to be refuelled

1919 – 1921 served in the Eastern Mediterranean

6 February 1920 Carpenter James Helion MMR 366265 discharged dead having drowned at Killingholme

Carpenter James Helion

8 February 1920 at Vigo, Spain HMS COCKCHAFER alongside

HMS COCKCHAFER

15 March 1920 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard

16 March 1920 sailed from Portsmouth Dockyard

18 March 1920 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard

20 March 1920 sailed from Portsmouth Dockyard

27 March 1920 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard

19 May 1920 sailed from Portsmouth Dockyard

21 May 1920 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard

24 May 1920 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard from Devonport

24 June 1920 sailed from Portsmouth Dockyard

5 August 1920 at Devonport alongside HMS VALIANT

HMS VALIANT

22 October 1920 Mr D J Rees RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 December 1920 arrived at Gibraltar with a cargo of oil fuel for Malta

5 March 1921 at Izmit with HMS APHIS secured alongside for fuelling 

19 May 1921 Captain Vincent F Sizer RFA appointed as Master – previously had been the Chief Officer

Captain Vincent F Sizer RFA

21 November 1921 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

25 November 1921 Mr J H Manning RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

7 December 1921 sailed Portsmouth Harbour

4 January 1922 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard and sailed the next day

9 January 1922 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard

11 January 1922 sailed Portsmouth Dockyard

13 January 1922 arrived at Plymouth

11 February 1922 at Devonport 2nd Engineer John Graham discharged dead – collapsed and died from natural causes

14 June 1922 Captain G St. L Capsey RFA appointed as Master

23 September 1922 Captain Charles H Noel RFA appointed as Master

Captain Charles H Noel RFA

14 October 1922 sailed Plymouth for Pembroke Dock

18 July 1923 Chief OfficerRobert Adam RFA appointed as Acting Master

26 July 1923 sailed Devonport for Portland

27 July 1923 berthed at Portland and discharged cargo

30 July 1923 sailed Portland and arrived at Devonport the same day

7 August 1923 sailed Devonport for Pembroke Dock arriving the next day

8 September 1923 sailed Pembroke Dock for the River Clyde arriving the next day

15 September 1923 sailed the River Clyde for Scapa Flow arriving the next day

22 September 1923 sailed Scapa Flow for Invergordon arriving the next day

2 October 1923 at Cromarty 3rd Engineer Officer Thomas F Ferguson RFA discharged sick and admitted to the sick bay of HMS HOOD

3rd Engineer Officer Thomas F Ferguson RFA

5 October 1923 sailed Invergordon for Grangemouth arriving the next day

8 October 1923 at Falkirk Infirmary 2nd Steward Arthur Charles Featherstone discharged dead from natural causes

10 October 1923 sailed Grangemouth for Portsmouth arriving 12 October 1923

13 October 1923 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

15 October 1923 sailed Portsmouth Harbour for Grangemouth arriving 17 October 1923 to load cargo

19 October 1923 sailed Grangemouth for Portsmouth arriving 21 October 1923

22 October 1923 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

11 April 1924 picked up all the crew of the ss Buchanness which, while on passage from Dunkirk to Barry, through a broken propellor shaft, drifted onto the Casquet reef

13 April 1924 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour landing the rescued crew of the SS Buchanness

14 April 1924 the Western Morning News reported –

23 April 1924 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour returning the next day

13 April 1924 involved in the rescue of 13 or 14 crew members of the steamship Buchanness which had run aground on the Casquets, eight miles west of Alderney. The ship was in ballast and had been sailing from Dunkirk to Barry before running aground in a gale. The crew of RFA SERBOL also rescued the ship’s dog and cat. The rescued crew members and their pets were landed at Portsmouth

14 June 1924 made fast to No: 5 buoy, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

15 July 1924 made fast to No: 5 Buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

16 July 1924 made fast to No: 5 Buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

18 July 1924 made fast to No: 5 Buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

24 July 1924 made fast to No: 5 Buoy, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

28 July 1924 made fast to No: 5 buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

9 August 1924 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

18 August 1924 made fast to No: 5 buoy, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

21 August 1924 made fast to No: 5 buoy, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

27 August 1924 made fast to No: 5 buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

30 August 1924 made fast to No: 5 buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

9 September 1924 made fast to No: 5 buoy, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL and RFA KIMMEROL

29 September 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

2 October 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

3 October 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin at Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

13 October 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin at Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

16 October 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin at Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

20 October 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

29 October 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

30 October 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin at Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

5 November 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin at Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PRESTOL

11 November 1924 Captain John Ross Gorrie RFA appointed as Master and Mr Albert E Fisher RFA appointed as Acting Chief Engineer Officer

Captain John Ross Gorrie RFA

13 November 1924 sailed Portsmouth

14 November 1924 berthed at Devonport

18 November 1924 sailed Devonport

21 November 1924 berthed at the OFJ at Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde

26 November 1924 sailed Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde

28 November 1924 berthed at Devonport

2 December 1924 sailed Devonport and passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west 

4 December 1924 berthed at the OFJ at Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde

5 December 1924 sailed Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde

9 December 1924 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

10 December 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA EBONOL (1) and RFA KIMMEROL

12 December 1924 in Dry Dock No: 12 at Portsmouth Harbour

24 December 1924 in Dry Dock No: 12 at Portsmouth Harbour

10 January 1925 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

19 January 1925 berthed at Porsmouth Harbour sailing the next day to sea

3 August 1925 berthed at Simonstown Dockyard

26 August 1925 sailed Simonstown Dockyard

5 November 1925 at Plymouth. Mr Charles A Smith RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Charles A Smith RFA

6 November 1925 sailed Plymouth for Lamlash

25 November 1925 arrived at King’s Dock, Swansea

4 January 1926 Captain William T Williams RFA appointed as Master

Captain William T Williams RFA

5 May 1926 together with HMS WESTMINSTER berthed at Belfast, dressed overall, for the celebration of the anniversary of the accession of King George V

 Image from the Larne Times newspaper of 15 May 1926

12 August 1926 Mr James Paton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 November 1926 Captain Charles L Cutsforth RFA appointed as Master until 31 December 1926 when he became Master of RFA Fortol

Captain Charles L Cutsforth RFA

14 December 1927 Captain John P Tugwood DSC, RD, RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master until 22 November 1930

13 January 1928 Mr Charles J Falconer RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Charles J Falconer RFA

5 April 1928 at Colombo alongside HMS EFFINGHAM refuelling her with 989 tons of FFO

HMS EFFINGHAM

6 June 1928 sailed Colombo

23 June 1928 armed British military personnel from RFA Slavol boarded ss Jervis Bay which had had problems with stowaways on board. The stowaways were placed under guard and caused no further problems. The Jervis Bay continued to Colombo .

25 June 1928 berthed at Colombo

29 June 1928 at Colombo berthed alongside HMS ENTERPRISE to refuel her

HMS ENTERPRISE

4 July 1928 questions were asked in the UK Parliament as to why RFA Slavol had been sent with British military personel to the ss Jervis Bay (see above) instead of a warship

27 January 1929 at Trincomalee alongside HMS EFFINGHAM refuelling her with 1,270 tons of FFO

14 March 1929 sailed Trincomalee towing a target returning to Trincomalee after gunnery exercises with HMS EFFINGHAM

15 March 1929 sailed Trincomalee towing a target returning to Trincomalee after gunnery exercises with HMS EFFINGHAM

30 August 1929 at the General Hospital, Colombo Fireman Allusab Shiek Mahomed discharged dead

6 June 1930 at Trincomalee alongside HMS EFFINGHAM refuelling her

11 June 1930 berthed at Trincomalee

16 June 1930 returning to Trincomalee after gunnery exercises with HMS EFFINGHAM

18 June 1930 off Trincomalee torpedoed by HMS EFFINGHAM with two practice torpedoes both of which were recovered by the cruiser

20 June 1930 at Trincomalee alongside HMS EFFINGHAM refuelling her with 448 tons of FFO

27 October 1930 Captain William B Browne RFA appointed as Master and Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed Chief Engineer Officer

26 August 1931 Mr F Campbell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 December 1931 at Trincomalee, Ceylon Fireman Cassum Ramoodeen discharged dead – natural causes

6 January 1933 Mr William A Payne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 September 1933 Captain Arthur Peters RFA appointed as Master

5 January 1934 at Colombo

3 January 1935 Captain William H Farrow RFA (Commander RNR (ret)) appointed as Master

6 November 1935 was at Aden with the East Indies Squadron

26 December 1935 in collision with HMS DAINTY. The Commanding Officer of HMS DAINTY held to blame 

9 January 1936 Mr Harold Ringshaw RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Harold Ringshaw RFA

27 March 1936 arrived at Aden from Colombo

30 April 1936 sailed Aden for Bombay

15 July 1936 at Aden

20 May 1937 represented the RN for the King George VI Coronation Review celebrations at Mahé in the Seychelles.

10 July 1937 involved with HMS EMERALD and certain officers and men from HM Dockyard, Trincomalee in the salvage of the ss Siltonhall. Salvage money was subsequently paid

15 July 1937 at Trincomalee Captain William H Farrow RFA discharged dead – natural causes. Chief Officer Emil E Sigwart RFA appointed as Acting Master until 4 September 1937

13 August 1937 Captain Archibald Hobson RFA appointed as Master. He arrived at Trincomalee to take up the appointment on 5 September 1937

Captain Archibald Hobson RFA

29 October 1938 at Trincomalee alongside HMS MANCHESTER refuelling her – supplied 1,080 tons of FFO

HMS MANCHESTER

29 December 1938 Mr Albert S Owen RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Albert S Owen RFA

12 January 1939 the Portsmouth Evening News reported –

3 September 1939 at Trincomalee on the outbreak of WW2

13 October 1939 arrived at Aden

8 November 1939 sailed Aden independently to Colombo arriving on 18 November 1939

20 November 1939 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee arriving on 22 November 1939

23 November 1939 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving on 25 November 1939

11 December 1939 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee arriving on 13 December 1939

6 January 1940 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving on 17 January 1940

2 February 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee arriving on 4 February 1940

19 February 1940 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving on 21 February 1940

2 March 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee arriving on 4 March 1940

7 March 1940 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving on 10 March 1940

11 March 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Bombay arriving on 16 March 1940

16 March 1940 at refit at Bombay

21 April 1940 sailed Bombay independently to Colombo arriving on 25 April 1940

28 April 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee arriving on 30 April 1940

30 April 1940 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving on 2 May 1940

4 May 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee arriving on 6 May 1940

6 May 1940 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving on 8 May 1940

7 May 1940 at Trincomalee Fireman’s Serang Abdroraman Abdol Gunny discharged dead from pneumonia

24 May 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee arriving on 27 May 1940

8 June 1940 Captain Herbert  A Shacklock RFA appointed as Master

Captain Herbert A Shacklock RFA

3 August 1940 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving on 5 August 1940

10 September 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Diego Garcia arriving on 15 September 1940

22 October 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Bombay arriving on 26 October 1940

27 October 1940 sailed Bombay independently to Khor Kuwrai arriving on 31 October 1940

31 October 1940 sailed Khor Kuwrai independently to Aden arriving 6 November 1940

7 November 1940 sailed Aden independently to Colombo arriving 14 November 1940

14 November 1940 sailed Colombo independently to Aden arriving 20 November 1940

23 November 1940 sailed Aden in escorted convoy BN.9A to Suez arriving on 28 November 1940

1 December 1940 arrived at Alexandria

25 March 1941 at Alexandria alongside HMS VALIANT refuelling her

HMS VALIANT

30 March 1941 at Alexandria alongside HMS VALIANT refuelling her

8 April 1941 Captain Stanley C Kernick RFA appointed as Master

1 May 1941 Captain Robert  D Almond RFA appointed as Master having been transfered from RFA Petrella. Remained in command until 31 July 1941

Captain Robert D Almond RFA

28 July 1941 Mr Albert S Owen RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 October 1941 one of her Officers, who had been transferred to the British tanker PASS OF BALMAHA on C-in-C Malta’s instructions to complete her complement,  was killed when the latter was torpedoed and sunk by U-97 (Heilmann) about 50 miles W of Alexandria in position 31°14N 28°50E.  Another Officer from RFA RELIANT (1) was also killed

4 November 1941 sailed Alexandria to Port Said

5 January 1942 at Alexandria

14 January 1942 sailed Alexandria to Tobruk arriving the same day.

12 March 1942 sailed Tobruk in escorted convoy TA27/M to Alexandria arriving on 24 March 1942

19 March 1942 Captain George S Perry RFA appointed as Master

26 March 1942 was torpedoed by German Submarine U205 (Kapitanleutnant Franz Georg Reschke) off Sidi Barrani, Egypt at 32°01N, 25°55E and sunk

36 members of the crew were killed and there were 20 survivors. Details of those lost are shown in the Roll of Honour. They are also remembered on The Tower Hill Memorial, London and the Bombay/Chittagong 1939 – 1945 Memorials. The Master and the 19 other survivors were rescued by the RHN destroyer Vasilissa Olga and landed at Alexandria

Those remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial, London

Notes:

PASS OF BALMAHA was carrying a full cargo of petrol from Alexandria to Tobruk as the petrol was vital to the survival of the British Forces there. 3/0 Douglas B. Martin was serving as 3/0 and was one of the 18 crew killed when the ship disintegrated in a ball of fire.