Previous name:                     Liselotte Essberger, Empire Tegyika
Subsequent name:                Caroline M, Kyllini, Peloponnisis  

Official Number:                    180797                                                            

Class:                                   Harbour Tanker

Pennant No:                         A261

Signal Letters:                      GTGM   (1938)

Laid down:

Builder:                                 H.C. Stulcken Sohn, Hamburg
Launched:                            7 March 1935
Into Service:                         5 June 1947
Out of service:                      17 June 1948
Fate:                                     1980 Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  There were 4 ships in this Class, all Admiralty-designed as harbour oilers. A fifth vessel, the ex-German LISELOTTE ESSBERGER which had been captured at Trondheim in April 1945 and was taken as a War Prize, was handed over to the MOWT and was renamed EMPIRE TEGYIKA. In 1947 she was transferred to the Admiralty and was renamed THORNOL, but remained under commercial management and was never RFA manned

7 March 1935 launched by H.C. Stulcken Sohn, Hamburg as Yard Nr: 695 named LISELOTTE ESSBERGER for John T. Essberger & Co., Hamburg

25 April 1935 completed

24 May 1935 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

7 July 1935 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

27 July 1935 passed  the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

26 September 1935 passed St Catherines Point sailing west bound

28 December 1935 sailed the River Wear for Thameshaven

31 December 1935 at Dover landing her pilot

2 January 1936 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

15 January 1936 arrived at New York from Thameshaven

14 February 1936 the Dover Express newspaper reported –

28 May 1937 sailed New York for Rouen, France

11 March 1938 berthed at Grangemouth from Hamburg

4 May 1938 passed Gibraltar sailing east

7 November 1938 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastbound

24 January 1939 arrived at New York

14 February 1939 radioed she was 55 nmiles SE of Lands End when on passage to Le Havre

8 March 1939 off Lands End when on passage to Antwerp

14 April 1939 sailed New York

8 June 1939 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastbound for Antwerp

22 September 1939 grounded

3 November 1939 as Harbour tanker Heligoland

1940 requisitioned by the German Navy

12 June 1940 sailed to Pilau

1942 base tanker at KM-Wert, Wilhelmhaven

15 March 1944 in collision with a cargo ship EUROPA near Bragen – the EUROPA, was sunk

14 April 1945 seized by Allies at Trondheim, Norway taken as a Prize of War

30 October 1945 details of the Prize Court writ relative to the seizure of the LISELOTTE ESSBERGER were published in the Times newspaper of this date – ship only – after service on the owners and other interested parties. The result of the proceedings was that the ship was handed over to the MoWT who renamed her EMPIRE TEGYIKA under management of Metcalf  Motor Coasters Ltd (T.J. Metcalf, Managers) London

15 February 1946 passed St Catherines Head sailing west bound

27 June 1946 at Greenock alongside HMS VANGUARD refuelling her

HMS VANGUARD

2 July 1946 at Greenock alongside HMS VANGUARD refuelling her

3 July 1946 at Greenock alongside HMS VANGUARD refuelling her

1947 transferred to the Admiralty but remained under commercial management

5 June 1947 renamed THORNOL

5 June 1948 sold out of service to Metcalfe Motor Coasters Ltd

2 September 1948 berthed at Alexandra Dock, Hull

17 September 1948 renamed CAROLINE M by her owners

24 September 1948 sailed from Hull

28 September 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

14 May 1949 arrived at Avonmouth

15 May 1949 sailed from Avonmouth for Heysham

13 August 1949 berthed at Victoria Dock, Hull sailing later the same day

18 December 1949 arrived at Avonmouth from Heysham

27 January 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

1 February 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

24 April 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

8 May 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

15 September 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

29 December 1950 at Victoria Hospital, Morecombe Donkeyman Greaser John Ormandy discharged dead following an accident

6 January 1951 the Morecambe Guardian newspaper reported …

27 March 1951 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing east bound

21 January 1954 arrived at Gravesend

January 1958 re-engined with 2 x 8 cyl diesels by Blackstone Marine Ltd.

22 October 1958 arrived at Gravesend from Ipswich

23 October 1958 sailed from Gravesend

4 March 1966 in collision with the aggreate dredger Sand Star in Southampton Water. The Sand Star sank and her crew were rescued by the Caroline M

Press Report from The Times newspaper

1966 purchased by C. Diamantis, Piraeus and renamed KYLLINI

15 December 1980 scrapped by Salamis S.A., Salamis Island, Greece.

Notes:

1. The above image is of the Caroline M the name of MFA Thornol after she went out of service.