Official Number: 142773
Class: WAR CLASS Freighting Tanker – 5 cargo tanks
Pennant No: Y7.322 / X83
Signal Letters: JWBK / GTQC / GLDN
Laid down:
Builder: William Gray & Company, Hartlepool
Launched: 5 December 1918
Into Service: 1921
Out of service: 19 July 1940
Fate: Scuttled
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: To combat the alarming losses of British merchant ships during WW1, the New Ministries and Secretaries Act was passed in December 1916, which provided for the appointment of a Shipping Controller with very wide powers “to take such steps as he thinks best for providing and maintaining an efficient supply of shipping”. On 20 December 1916, the first meeting of the Merchant Shipbuilding Advisory Committee took place where it was decided that an extensive shipbuilding programme should be started, the ships to be of a simple design and as far as possible to be of a standard type as regards hulls and engines. These new vessels for the Government were given a standard nomenclature, the prefix to their names being WAR. Eight hundred and twenty one vessels were ordered from U.K.yards and abroad and four hundred and sixteen were completed to Government order, two hundred and seventy nine were sold and transferred to private owners before completion and the remainder were cancelled. Of the four hundred and sixteen completed to Government order, fifteen were transferred to Admiralty service as oilers. They were all modified versions of the A and B Class standard dry cargo ships, known as the Z Class. All had two large dry cargo holds, six of them had five cargo tanks and the remaining nine had seven cargo tanks, specially designed for the carriage of heavy fuel oil. Most of them were initially under commercial management.
5 December 1918 launched
13 December 1918 the Whitby Gazette reported …
6 February 1919 completed and placed under initial management of Hunting & Sons Ltd, London
20 April 1919 berthed at Singapore from Suez
23 July 1919 Fireman Thomas McGill appeared before the Marine Magistrates’ Court, Hong Kong charged with desertion on or about 12 July 1919. He pleaded Guilty. He was sentenced to four weeks hard labour and was fined two days pay
15 December 1919 sailed from Hong Kong with HMS TARNATULA
14 January 1920 was at Homg Kong
26 February 1920 at Nagasaki, Japan alongside HMS CAIRO to refuel her
HMS CAIRO
8 March 1920 at Hong Kong with HMS TARANTULA alongside to be refuelled
HMS TARANTULA
24 July 1920 sailed Aden for Suez
30 July 1920 arrived Suez from Aden
17 September 1920 arrived Suez from Abadan
18 September 1920 sailed Port Said for Constantinople
19 September 1920 at sea at 32°34N 31°13E Seaman Liu Khan discharged dead from heart failure. He had signed on at Hong Kong on 14 January 1920
8 October 1920 Fireman Ng Wan discharged dead. He died in 82nd General Hospital, Constantinople from malaria. He is buried in Haidar Pasha Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
1 November 1920 arrived at Port Said from Constantinople
7 November 1920 sailed from Suez for Singapore
12 November 1920 arrived at Aden
1 December 1920 in the Albert Dry Dock, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore
4 December 1920 to 1 January 1921 alongside the East Wharf, Singapore
1921 transferred to Admiralty ownership but remained under commercial management
25 January 1921 sailed from Hong Kong
22 February 1921 sailed from Victoria, British Columbia
26 March 1921 sailed Port Arthur for Devonport
15 April 1921 arrived Plymouth Sound from Port Arthur with a cargo of 7,000 tons of FFO for orders
April 1921 Captain Edmund C S Richardson RFA appointed as Master
16 April 1921 berthed at Sheerness from Plymouth
24 April 1921 sailed Sheerness for Port Arthur, Texas
6 June 1921 arrived at Greenock from Port Arthur, Texas
1 July 1921 arrived at Port Arthur, Texas from the River Clyde
2 July 1921 sailed Port Arthur for Devonport
5 July 1921 was at 24°34N 81°38W
July 1921 Mr George K McPherson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer George K McPherson RFA
10 August 1921 arrived at Port Said when on passage from Rosyth to Abadan
16 August 1921 arrived at Aden
12 September 1921 arrived at Suez
17 September 1921 arrived Malta from the Persian Gulf while on passage to Devonport
25 September 1921 berthed at Devonport from the Persian Gulf
29 September 1921 sailed from Devonport
5 October 1921 sailed Port Talbot for Abadan
17 October 1921 arrived Port Said
18 October 1921 sailed Port Said
23 October 1921 arrived at Aden from Port Talbot
14 November 1921 sailed Port Said
18 November 1921 arrived at Malta
26 November 1921 was 200 miles south of Lands End
27 November 1921 berthed at Devonport from Abadan with 1 passenger. Captain James D O Ashworth RFA was the Master
Captain James D O Ashworth RFA
Press report from the Western Morning News of 17 December 1921
18 December 1921 Mr Frederick C Reynolds RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Frederick C Reynolds RFA
20 January 1922 sailed Plymouth
21 January 1922 in the Channel suffered defects resulting in her signalling for assistance. A tug was sailed from Devonport. She reached Plymouth Sound under her own steam but flying ‘not under command’ flags
24 February 1922 sailed from Plymouth for Port Arthur
20 March 1922 arrived Port Arthur from Plymouth
1922 carried the first load of oil to the new Admiralty tanks at Singapore
11 April 1922 at 50°17N 15°00W Greaser Richard Davis discharged dead – natural causes
13 April 1922 arrived at the River Clyde from Port Arthur
28 April 1922 sailed Greenock for a Texan port
12 May 1922 sailed from Suez for Abadan
22 June 1922 berthed at Portmouth Harbour
27 June 1922 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
1 July 1922 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
1 August 1922 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
14 August 1922 arrived Port Said from Portsmouth when on passage to Abadan
30 August 1922 sailed from Abadan
29 September 1922 sailed Malta for Abadan
3 October 1922 arrived at Port Said from Malta when on passage to Abadan
4 October 1922 sailed from Port Said
21 October 1922 arrived at Abadan
24 November 1922 sailed Gibraltar
2 December 1922 arrived at Port Said from Gibraltar sailing the same day for Abadan
8 December 1922 passed Perim
31 December 1922 sailed Bombay
9 February 1923 sailed Hong Kong
7 March 1923 sailed Abadan
1 April 1923 secured to No 3 buoy at Hong Kong
16 April 1923 sailed Borneo
26 April 1923 sailed from Singapore
11 May 1923 to 14 May 1923 alongside the oil wharf at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
21 May 1923 in dry dock at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
25 May 1923 sailed Singapore
11 June 1923 alongside the oil wharf at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
29 June 1923 alongside the oil wharf at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
7 July 1923 sailed from Tarukan
29 July 1923 sailed Balikpapan
8 August 1923 sailed Singapore
24 August 1923 alongside the main wharf at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
26 September 1923 berthed at Singapore from Tarakan to discharge
2 October 1923 at Rangoon
22 October 1923 alongside the oil wharf at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
6 November 1923 sailed Singapore
1 December 1923 sailed Singapore
8 December 1923 sailed Balikpapan
17 December 1923 alongside the oil wharf at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
18 December 1923 sailed Singapore
21 December 1923 alongside the East Wharf, Singapore
4 January 1924 sailed Singapore for Bombay
20 February 1924 sailed from Bombay, India
20 March 1924 alongside the oil wharf at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
29 March 1924 sailed Tarakan
24 April 1924 to 25 April 1924 alongside the oil wharf at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
29 April 1924 sailed Singapore for Honolulu
4 June 1924 at Honolulu
5 June 1924 Captain George L Capsey RFA appointed as Master and Mr Albert Nicholls RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Albert Nicholls RFA
7 June 1924 at Honolulu alongside HMS REPULSE to refuel her
13 July 1924 berthed at Singapore from Honolulu
22 July 1924 arrived at Colombo
22 August 1924 sailed Abadan
30 August 1924 berthed at Singapore from Abadan
1 October 1924 sailed Singapore to Hong Kong
30 October 1924 sailed Abadan
8 December 1924 at the River Tyne
31 January 1925 Bosun John Williamson discharged dead at 24°.41N 42°.24W – by accident he fell from the boat deck to the main deck and fractured his skull. He was buried at sea
3 March 1925 arrived at Old Kilpatrick Oil fuel Depot to discharge oil from Trinidad
15 April 1925 in the Clyde
22 April 1925 sailed from the River Clyde
3 July 1925 sailed from the River Tees for Savannah
25 August 1925 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
30 November 1925 sailed Houston
31 December 1925 arrived at King George Dock, Hull from Invergordon in ballast
10 January 1926 sailed Hull for New Orleans
5 March 1926 arrived at Plymouth from Tampico
9 March 1926 sailed Plymouth for Trinidad
21 April 1926 Mr Alexander D Scott RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Alexander D Scott RFA
26 May 1926 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
29 May 1926 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour
28 July 1926 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour
3 August 1926 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
6 November 1926 the Dundee Courier reported –
7 November 1926 while on passage from Trinidad to Invergordon having reported steering engine damage anchored at Queenstown, Ireland this day
16 November 1926 anchored at Spithead. Captain G St.L Capsey RFA appointed as Master
17 November 1926 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
19 November 1926 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
22 November 1926 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
11 December 1926 at Spithead
14 December 1926 Chief Engineer Alexander D Scott RFA discharged dead – he drowned at sea. He is remembered in Glasgow Western Necropolis.
28 December 1926 at Trinidad
1 January 1927 sailed from Trinidad
21 January 1927 Mr John A Mackintosh RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
24 January 1927 at Invergordon
26 January 1927 sailed from Invergordon
17 February 1927 sailed Trinidad
5 March 1927 at Gibraltar
8 March 1927 sailed from Gibraltar for Trinidad – as reported in the Royal Gazette newspaper and published in Bermuda
21 March 1927 at Trinidad
25 March 1927 sailed Trinidad
17 April 1927 at Portland Harbour
18 April 1927 at Sheerness
28 April 1927 passed Dover
11 May 1927 at Sierra Leone
30 May 1927 sailed Trinidad
17 June 1927 passed Dunnet Head
12 July 1927 sailed Trinidad
2 August 1927 at Portland
5 August 1927 at Chatham
16 August 1927 at Chatham
4 September 1927 sailed Antwerp
22 September 1927 sailed New York
12 October 1927 sailed from Port Arthur, Texas
4 November 1927 sailed Pembroke Dock
8 November 1927 arrived at the River Wear
12 November 1927 sailed from the River Wear
19 November 1927 sailed Sheerness
11 December 1927 at New Orleans
19 December 1927 sailed Port Arthur, Texas
21 January 1928 arrived at Grangemouth in ballast from Sheerness
31 January 1928 berthed at Amsterdam
30 March 1928 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east
11 April 1928 Mr Sidney J M Esson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Sidney J M Esson RFA
22 April 1928 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
23 July 1928 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
1 January 1929 sailed from Curaçao to LEFO
28 January 1929 berthed at Purfleet from Curaçao with one DBS passenger. Captain George St.L Capsey RFA was the Master
10 February 1929 at Tilbury vessel fumigated with Hydrocyanic Acid Gas to kill rats by a team from the Medical Officer of Health for the Port of London
10 May 1929 arrived at Ardrossan from Curaçao with a cargo of crude oil
15 May 1929 sailed from Ardrossan for St Kitts
14 June 1929 was 1,000 miles SW of Valentia
19 June 1929 Captain Charles H Noel RFA appointed as Master
Captain Charles H Noel RFA
2 July 1929 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
12 September 1929 berthed at Portland
14 October 1929 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
4 November 1929 sailed from Trinidad
28 November 1929 arrived at Amsterdam from Invergordon
3 December 1929 arrived at Plymouth from Amsterdam
4 December 1929 sailed Plymouth and passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound for Cardiff
15 January 1930 sailed from Galveston, Texas
2 May 1930 Mr C E Harland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 May 1930 arrived at Manchester from Curaçao
8 May 1930 sailed from Manchester for Chatham
25 May 1930 sailed Chatham
18 June 1930 berthed at Shell Haven
22 June 1930 sailed from Shell Haven for Chatham
25 July 1930 sailed from Chatham for St. Kitts for orders
12 August 1930 sailed Curaçao from Las Palmas
9 October 1930 arrived at Curaçao from Buenos Ayres
1 November 1930 sailed Curaçao for LEFO
19 November 1930 berthed at Liverpool
21 November 1930 Captain Thomas Drever RFA appointed as Master
25 November 1930 sailed from Liverpool to St. Kitts
12 December 1930 sailed Curaçao for Las Palmas
11 January 1931 arrived at Curaçao from Las Palmas
12 January 1931 at Colon, Republic of Panama
15 January 1931 at Curaçao Chief Steward Archibald John Bowden Smith discharged dead from a heart attack
2 February 1931 at Le Havre
3 February 1931 sailed Le Havre
21 February 1931 arrived at Curaçao from Le Havre
22 February 1931 sailed Curaçao for Las Palmas
8 March 1931 arrived at Las Palmas
16 March 1931 sailed from Las Palmas
27 March 1931 sailed Aruba
23 April 1931 arrived at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne
1 May 1931 sailed the River Tyne for St Kitts
20 May 1931 sailed Curaçao
10 June 1931 berthed on Dingle Oil Jetty, Liverpool
14 June 1931 arrived at Plymouth from Liverpool
1 September 1931 sailed Plymouth
5 September 1931 passed Gibraltar while on passage to Abadan
17 September 1931 sailed from Suez
23 September 1931 passed Perim sailing east bound for Abadan
6 October 1931 sailed from Abadan
28 November 1931 passed Galata
13 December 1931 sailed Port Said
19 December 1931 passed Perim
2 January 1932 sailed Abadan
13 January 1932 passed Perim
31 January 1932 passed Gibraltar
8 February 1932 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
13 February 1932 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
15 March 1932 Mr George C Dunning RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer George C Dunning RFA
7 April 1932 sailed Plymouth
22 April 1932 arrived at Port Said when on passage from Plymouth to Abadan
13 June 1932 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
16 June 1932 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour and passed St Catherines Head sailing west bound
2 July 1932 arrived at Port Said
6 July 1932 sailed Port Said
26 July 1932 sailed Abadan
13 September 1932 passed St Catherines Head sailing west bound
29 January 1933 sailed Gibraltar
7 February 1933 arrived at Port Said
19 February 1933 passed Perim sailing east bound
1 March 1933 sailed from Abadan
10 April 1933 arrived at Suez from Abadan
21 April 1933 passed Gibraltar west bound while on passage to Devonport
6 May 1933 Mr David E Morgan MIMarE, AMIME, RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer David E Morgan MIMarE, AMIME RFA
24 May 1933 Captain William H Green RFA appointed as Master
Captain William H Green RFA
17 June 1933 sailed Devonport
26 July 1933 sailed Invergordon
6 October 1933 sailed Abadan
20 October 1933 arrived at Suez from Abadan
2 November 1933 sailed from Malta
6 November 1933 sailed Port Said
5 December 1933 arrived at Suez from Abadan
15 December 1933 at Gibraltar
23 December 1933 sailed from Gibraltar
8 January 1934 sailed from Trinidad
25 January 1934 berthed at Portland from Trinidad
26 January 1934 Mr Frederick C Reynolds RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Frederick C Reynolds RFA
19 March 1934 the ship signalled –
Press Cutting from the Western Morning News 20 March 1934
24 March 1934 berthed at Rosyth from Trinidad for boiler cleaning
14 April 1934 at Port Said when on passage from Rosyth to Abadan
17 May 1934 sailed Port Said
24 May 1934 while on passage to Devonport passed Gibraltar
30 May 1934 arrived at Plymouth from Abadan
2 June 1934 sailed Plymouth for Portsmouth
20 June 1934 Mr F Campbell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 July 1934 Captain William H Green RFA appointed as Master
29 July 1934 sailed Gibraltar for Port Said
6 August 1934 arrived at Port Said from Devonport
12 August 1934 passed Perim sailing east for Abadan
21 August 1934 sailed Abadan
14 September 1934 at Hong Kong
23 November 1934 arrived at Suez from Abadan and after transitting the Suez Canal sailed Port Said for Malta
5 December 1934 arrived at Port Said from Malta
16 January 1935 berthed at Gibraltar
18 January 1935 sailed from Gibraltar for Abadan
27 January 1935 arrived at Port Said from Gibraltar
2 February 1935 passed Perim for Abadan
5 March 1935 arrived at Suez from Abadan sailing later the same day from Port Said
14 March 1935 at Gibraltar
23 March 1935 sailed from Gibraltar
29 March 1935 sailed from Port Said
8 April 1935 sailed from Trinidad
28 April 1935 arrived at Invergordon from Trinidad
30 April 1935 sailed from Invergordon for Rosyth
10 May 1935 at Tilbury
16 May 1935 sailed Chatham
31 May 1935 arrived at Bermuda
14 June 1935 sailed Bermuda
20 June 1935 arrived at Trinidad
21 June 1935 sailed Trinidad
8 July 1935 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
12 July 1935 arrived at Invergordon
15 July 1935 sailed Invergordon
16 July 1935 arrived at Rosyth
19 July 1935 sailed Rosyth
22 July 1935 arrived Sheerness
23 July 1935 arrived at Chatham for refit
22 August 1935 Captain Reginald C E Neyroud RFA appointed as Master
4 September 1935 sailed Chatham
18 September 1935 arrived at Bermuda
26 September 1935 sailed Bermuda
2 October 1935 arrived at Trinidad
4 October 1935 sailed Trinidad
17 October 1935 on passage to Gibraltar
20 October 1935 arrived at Gibraltar
23 October 1935 sailed Gibraltar
5 November 1935 arrived at Trinidad
7 November 1935 sailed Trinidad
24 November 1935 on passage to Invergordon off the Butt of Lewis
25 November 1935 arrived at Invergordon
29 November 1935 sailed Invergordon
16 December 1935 arrived at Trinidad
18 December 1935 sailed Trinidad
2 January 1936 berthed at Gibraltar to discharge
6 January 1936 sailed from Gibraltar
20 January 1936 arrived at Trinidad
22 January 1936 sailed Trinidad initially for Gibraltar but destination was changed to Devonport
11 February 1936 arrived at Devonport
13 February 1936 sailed Plymouth
14 February 1936 arrived at Falmouth
19 February 1936 sailed Falmouth
5 March 1936 arrived at Trinidad
7 March 1936 sailed Trinidad
12 March 1936 Mr William A Payne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 March 1936 berthed at Gibraltar to discharge
26 March 1936 sailed Gibraltar
10 April 1936 arrived at Trinidad
12 April 1936 sailed Trinidad
3 May 1936 arrived at Rosyth
7 May 1936 sailed Rosyth
8 May 1936 grounded when entering the River Tyne from Rosyth
19 May 1936 at North Shields, River Tyne
22 May 1936 berthed at Smiths Dock, North Shields in No: 4 dock
26 May 1936 sailed the River Tyne
16 July 1936 berthed at Port Victoria, Sheerness from Trinidad with 1 DBS. Captain William J Shipton RFA was the Master
Captain William J Shipton RFA
29 August 1936 at sea at 21°34N 47°51W Cook Bertram Green discharged dead having been washed overboard
18 September 1936 sailed from Sheerness for Trinidad
24 October 1936 sailed Portland for Trinidad
13 December 1936 arrived at Plymouth from Trinidad
14 December 1936 Captain Walter C T Barnes RFA appointed as Master
15 December 1936 sailed Plymouth for Portland
3 February 1937 arrived at Swansea from Trinidad
9 February 1937 berthed at Swansea and transferred to Admiralty management and manning as an RFA
24 March 1937 sailed Swansea for Trinidad
8 May 1937 arrived at Glasgow from Trinidad
20 May 1937 Captain John Mc Angus RFA appointed as Master
Captain John Mc Angus RFA
3 June 1937 sailed Glasgow for Trinidad
3 July 1937 grounded at Sheikh Shaaib in the Persian Gulf. Refloated and proceeded to Colombo, Ceylon under her own steam and was repaired there by Messrs J. Walker & Sons
22 July 1937 at Colombo, Ceylon
13 October 1937 berthed at Malta
16 October 1937 sailed from Malta
7 December 1937 in collision with TWAKOW NO 1698 while entering Keppel Harbour, Singapore
8 December 1937 to 10 December 1937 alongside the oil wharf, Keppel Harbour, Singapore
11 January 1938 Mr Albert S Owen RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Albert S Owen RFA
17 March 1938 berthed at Gibraltar from Port Said to discharge cargo
27 April 1938 sailed from the River Wear for Sheerness
12 May 1938 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
21 May 1938 sailed Plymouth for Cardiff
23 May 1938 Captain Arthur MacDonald RFA appointed as Master
3 June 1938 sailed from the Channel Dry Dock, Cardiff for Trinidad
4 June 1938 reported by radio she was 30 miles west of Lands End
9 July 1938 Mr William H A Lawson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer William H A Lawson RFA
22 September 1938 arrived at Grangemouth from Trinidad
26 September 1938 sailed Grangemouth for Harwich
11 October 1938 berthed at Sheerness
17 November 1938 arrived at Plymouth from Trinidad
28 November 1938 sailed Plymouth for Trinidad
30 December 1938 reported she was 900 miles SW of Lands End
6 February 1939 suffered damage to the port side of her engine room whilst bunkering the cruiser HMS VINDICTIVE at Trinidad.
10 March 1939 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on St. Catherines Point before berthing at Portsmouth Harbour
19 March 1939 arrived at Falmouth from Portsmouth
1 April 1939 sailed Falmouth for Sheerness
2 April 1939 passed Dungeness
8 April 1939 arrived at Sheerness
11 April 1939 at Sheerness
26 July 1939 Mr David L Walls RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
September 1939 became the Port oiler at Dover
6 September 1939 at Dover with the minelayer HMS PLOVER alongside being refuelled
HMS PLOVER
16 September 1939 at Dover with the minelayer HMS PLOVER alongside being refuelled
1 November 1939 Captain Thomas G Bennett RFA (Lieutenant Commander RN (Retd)) appointed as Master
3 November 1939 Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 January 1940 was damaged by the destroyer HMS WREN coming alongside
HMS WREN
10 March 1940 Donkeyman Greaser William James Dickens discharged dead at Dover from natural causes. He was buried in Dover (St James) Cemetery in Plot HQ, Row 1, Grave No: 7
Donkeyman Greaser William James Dickens
19 July 1940 at Dover was bombed and hit in the engine room. The ship caught fire and was bady damaged. The Salvage Officers report advised that the condition of the ship was such that repairs were not practical. Ship to be beached.
25 July 1940 further damaged during another air raid and burned out. She was hit amidships and broke in two, the deck forming a hinge between the fore and aft sections. She’d been loaded with drummed oil stocks from ashore as the tanks there were deemed adequate for foreseen requirements. After she’d broken in two, the next few weeks were spent extricating the drummed oil from holds inclined at 45°. With the assistance of RFA CELEROL, which was brought from Sheerness for the purpose of extricating as much contaminated FFO as possible, this was transferred to shore tanks where it was later treated with Teepol to settle out the water.
7 September 1940 scuttled with holds full of concrete blocking the western entrance at Dover Harbour. A second ship (non RFA) – the Minnie de Larrinaga was also scuttled. The blocking was to prevent the entry of submarines into the port. A further block ship – the ‘Spanish Prince’ was lying over the bows and forward section of the War Sepoy.
Map of Dover Harbour used with permission of the Dover Harbour Board
2 May 1950 removal of these three ships by a salvage company engaged by the Dover Harbour Board commenced
27 August 1960 the Times newspaper reported …
July 1962 a ten year task of cutting up the RFA War Sepoy and the Minnie de Larrinaga and removing them was completed by the Dover Harbour Board.
26 April 1964 the western entrance of the Harbour was reopened