Subsequent name:               FRECCIAMARE

Official Number:                   139143

Class:                                 SECOND 1000 t CREOSOL CLASS Harbour Oiler

Pennant No:                        N 09 / X 75 / A275
 
Laid down:
Builder:                               Craig Taylor, Stockton
Launched:                           21 February 1916
Into Service:                        August 1916

Out of service:                     Sold commercially 1950
Fate:                                   Broken up 1982

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.

8 February 1916 Engineer Lieutenant William Shaw RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

21 February 1916 launched by Craig Taylor & Co Ltd, Stockton as Yard Nr: 181 named VISCOL

15 March 1916 arrived the River Wear

20 March 1916 in South Dock, Sunderland

31 July 1916 completed at a cost of £68,523

16 October 1916 Lieutenant William Distant RNR  appointed in command. Remained in command until 12 August 1917 when he took command of RFA Ebonol

24 January 1917 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ACHILLES refuelling her – 115 tons of FFO supplied

HMS ACHILLES

18 March 1917 at Gutter Sound alongside HMS FEARLESS refuelling her – 160 tons of FFO supplied. Later alongside HMS ACHILLES refuelling her – 76 tons of oil supplied

HMS FEARLESS

13 August 1917 Lieutenant William E. Rousell RNR appointed in command remaining as such until 7 November 1917. He had come from RFA ATTENDANT and when left he then took command of RFA EBONOL

Lieutenant William E Rousell RNR

28 September 1917 Engineer Lieutenant Benjamin D Smith RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Remained in appointment until 10 August 1918 when he was appointed to RFA PETRELLA

1 November 1917 Captain Thomas Sunley RFA appointed as Master. He remained as Master until 30 June 1918 when he took command of RFA KHARKI

Captain Thomas Sunley RFA

24 December 1917 Stoker S P Maher logged as deserting from the ship. He had signed-on on 25 July 1916

17 February 1918 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS GALATEA refuelling her

HMS GALATEA

5 March 1918 Engineer Lieutenant David J Rees RNR appointed and Chief Engineer Officer

18 March 1918 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS GALATEA refuelling her

13 June 1918 took on charge a Kendal & Dent Marine Chronometer No 6584 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in February 1895. Taken off charge on 16 October 1922 at Gibraltar.

1 July 1918 Captain J Weir RFA appointed as Master. Remained as Master until 3 March 1919. He had come from RFA SCOTOL and when left he took command of RFA BIRCHOL (1)

11 February 1919 Engineer Sub-Lieutenant Sidney Willetts Russum RNR, aged 29, discharged dead. He had signed on the ship on 3 November 1917 and was buried in the Glasgow Western Necropolis in grave R 630

17 February 1919 Able Seaman William North, aged 33 discharged dead. He was buried in Nunhead (All Saints) Cemetery, London in an unmarked grave but is remembered on Screen Wall  23 No: 9670

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

4 March 1919 Lieutenant Wm Alfred Wooster RNR appointed in command. Remained in command until 31 July 1919. He had come from RFA BIRCHOL (1) and when left he took command of RFA MONTENOL

Lieutenant Wm Alfred Wooster RNR

7 March 1919 Engineer Lieutenant John G Lothergill RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 March 1919 Able Seaman Stanley Bennett MMR 957642 logged as deserting from the ship. He had signed on 9 March 1919

Able Seaman Stanley Bennett MMR 957642

24 March 1919 Fireman Edward Munt MMR 898870 logged as deserting from the ship. He had signed on 9 March 1919

Fireman Edward Munt MMR 898870

27 May 1919 Engineer Lieutenant Ralph Watson RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 July 1919 Able Seaman Charles Edward Legare MMR 870652 logged as deserting. He had signed on 9 March 1919

Able Seaman Charles E Legare MMR 870652

20 July 1919 at Gibraltar alongside HMS COLOMBO which had arrived from Devonport on No 16 buoy to refuel her – 290 tons of FFO supplied

HMS COLOMBO

1 August 1919 Captain A Kirby RFA appointed as Master. He remained as Master until 30 April 1920 when he was discharged to HMS CORMORANT at Gibraltar to await passage to England. Remained on pay until 20 June 1920

1 August 1919 Able Seaman Michael Wiswill MMR 970989 deserted. He had signed-on on 4 March 1919

Able Seaman Michael Wiswill MMR 970989

22 March 1920 at Gibraltar alongside HMS TEMERAIRE supplied 736 tons of FFO

HMS TEMERAIRE

1 April 1920 Mr W Maybray RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 April 1920 Captain Evan M Richards RFA appointed as Master

17 July 1920 at Gibraltar alongside HMS TORCH refuelling her with 156 tons of FFO

7 October 1920 Captain James P Downie RFA appointed as Master

10 December 1920 alongside HMS MALAYA at Gibraltar refuelling her 

HMS MALAYA

24 March 1921 alongside HMS MALAYA at Gibraltar refuelling her – 590 tons FFO

7 and 8 November 1921 alongside HMS HOOD at Gibraltar refuelling her

HMS HOOD

21 November 1921 alongside HMS DURBAN at Gibraltar refuelling her

8 April 1922 Captain William Whiteley RFA appointed as Master and Mr C N Ansell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Captain William Whiteley RFA

30 January 1923 at Gibraltar alongside HMS HOOD refuelling her

31 January 1923 at Gibraltar alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her

HMS REPULSE

2 March 1923 at Gibraltar alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her

21 August 1923 at Gibraltar alongside HMS YARMOUTH refuelling her – 32 tons of FFO supplied

September 1924 Captain Robert T Gallon RFA appointed as Master

1 October 1924 Mr H M Scott RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 March 1925 at Gibraltar alongside HMS HOOD refuelling her – 514 tons of FFO supplied

22 February 1926 Chief Officer Arthur H Williams RFA appointed as Acting Master

4 March 1926 Captain Eric Parker RFA appointed as Master

Captain Eric Parker RFA

9 September 1926 Mr Andrew H Ireland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Andrew H Ireland RFA

25 May 1928 Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed as Master

Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA

6 September 1928 Mr Matthew Blair RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

6 March 1930 Captain Thomas C Robinson RFA appointed as Master

28 August 1930 Mr Thomas W Robinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer until 29 August 1932

3 March 1932 Captain William H Farrow RFA (Commander RN (ret.)) appointed as Master

30 August 1932 Mr Andrew C Fraser RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 September 1932 Mr Thomas W Robinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 May 1934 Captain Benjamin Ellis RFA appointed as Master

1 July 1935 at Gibraltar – see note 1

18 July 1935 Mr J B Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 January 1937 sailed Portsmouth for Portland

4 March 1937 Mr F Johnstone RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 August 1937 Captain Sidney P Sice RFA appointed as Master

26 April 1938 at Gibraltar HMS GREYHOUND alongside to be refuelled – supplied 140 tons of FFO

HMS GREYHOUND

3 April 1939 Mr R W Cook RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 September 1938 Mr William G Turvey RFA appointed as Temporary Chief Engineer Officer

26 May 1939 Captain A Edwards RFA appointed as Master

August 1939 Captain Robert I Grimer RFA appointed as Master

Captain Robert I Grimer RFA

image taken about 1919

28 August 1939 at Gibraltar alongside HMS COVENTRY refuelling her – 520 tons of FFO supplied

HMS COVENTRY

3 September 1939 at Gibraltar on the outbreak of WW2

7 November 1939 at Gibraltar alongside HMS NORFOLK refuelling her

20 February 1941 at Gibraltar

21 February 1941 Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA appointed as Master

Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA

6 August 1941 at Gibraltar refuelled HMAS NESTOR alongside

13 November 1941 Mr Allan A Woolley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 November 1942 served during Operation Torch – the Allied Invasion of French North Africa along with RFA’s ABBEYDALE, BROWN RANGER, DERWENTDALE (1),  DEWDALE (1), DINGLEDALE, ENNERDALE (1) and  NASPRITE. Was awarded the North Africa 1942 Battle Honour

1 December 1942 Captain Robert M Shaw RFA appointed as Master

5 February 1943 Mr Philip E Bassadona RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

13 February 1943 at Gibraltar 4th Engineer Officer William Dick Evans RFA discharged dead – reported missing and believed that he had drowned

27 April 1943 at Gibraltar moored alongside tanker ss San Claudia which was in turn berthed alongside USS Housatonic (AO35)

7 February 1944 Mr Leonard T Tomlinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 February 1945 Mr P Mills RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 June 1945 used as an oil hulk at Gibraltar – repaired at Gibraltar

2 September 1945 at Gibraltar alongside HMS DEVONSHIRE refuelling her – 1082 tons of FFO supplied

27 November 1945 at Gibraltar alongside HMS DEVONSHIRE refuelling her – 1000 tons of FFO supplied

4 May 1946 returned to service as a Fleet Attendant oiler at Gibraltar

15 May 1946 Captain S P Sice RFA appointed as Master

13 December 1946 at Gibraltar alongside HMS VANGUARD refuelling her with 1,100 tons FFO

HMS VANGUARD

July 1947 placed in reserve at Gibraltar

30 August 1947 left Gibraltar to Devonport under the tow of RFA WAR BHARATA arriving on 5 September 1947

5 September 1947 arrived Devonport, was destored then handed over to the MoT for disposal

23 September 1947 purchased by Risdon Beazeley & Co Ltd (R.A. Beazeley, Manager) Southampton, name unchanged

25 September 1947 left Devonport under tow of Empire Sandy to Southampton for repairs.

12 December 1947 repairs completed

18 December 1947 sailed London, passing Dover 20 December 1947 to Rouen, France arrived 21 December 1947

22 December 1947 sailed Rouen, France to Mounts Bay arriving 26 December 1947 – had to shelter due to bad weather

28 December 1947 sailed from Mounts Bay

3 January 1948 arrived at Partington

4 January 1948 sailed from Eastham, River Medway

6 January 1948 at Milford Haven – sailed 15 January 1948

27 January 1948 sailed Manchester to Stanlow arriving the same day.

5 February 1948 sailed Eastham to Nantes, France returning to Holyhead.

16 February 1948 sailed Nantes, France

24 February 1948 sailed Partington to Eastham sailing again the same day

26 February 1948 sheltering in St Ives Bay

27 February 1948 sailed from St Ives Bay 

11 March 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

1950 sold to O Novella of Genoa and renamed Frecciamare

1976 purchased by Ciane-Anapo Cioa di Nav, Genoa name unchanged

24 November 1982 arrived for breaking up at Brindisi by Fercomit SpA

 Notes 

1. from the Discharge Book of 1st Officer Jack Hutchinson RFA