Subsequent name:                 Lanka Bahu, Tenena

Official Number:                      139158                                                            

Class:                                      SECOND 1000 t CREOSOL CLASS Harbour Oiler

Pennant No:                             X47 /  X35

Laid down:
Builder:                                    Craig Taylor & Co, Stockton
Launched:                                4 April 1916
Into Service:                             1916

Out of service:                          1947 sold out of service

Fate:                                        1952 broken up in China

 

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 John Sheardon Flower RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Engineer Lieutenant John Sheardon Fowler RNR 

4 April 1916 launched by Craig Taylor & Co Ltd, Stockton as Yard Nr: 182 named KIMMEROL

11 July 1916 berthed in South Dock, Sunderland until 20 September 1916

18 September 1916 took on charge a Dent Marine Chronometer No: 1725 which had been bought by the Admiralty in October 1867 and had been previously used on charge on HMS JUNO, HMS SEAGULL, HMS ALGERINE, HMS DUNCAN and HMS DIDO. Returned ashore off charge on 30 November 1920 at Malta

20 September 1916 Lieutenant Alfred Mills RNR appointed in command. Sailed South Dock, Sunderland

October 1916 completed and served as Port Oiler at Portsmouth on Yard Craft Agreement

14 December 1916 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS RENOWN refuelling her with 750 tons FFO

22 February 1917 Lieutenant William T Williams RNR appointed in command

 

Lieutenant William T Williams RNR

20 April 1917 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS AVENGER refuelling her with 980 tons of FFO

1 July 1917 Engineer Lieutenant John S Flower RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer - demobilised 18 April 1919

7 November 1917 Lieutenant John H T Lewis RNR appointed in command. On 12 May 1918 he signed off and transferred to RFA PETROBUS in command.

Lieutenant John H T Lewis RNR

2 February 1918 Able Seaman M Crawley sentenced to 60 days detention and discharged. He had signed on on 26 August 1917

6 February 1918 at Scapa Flow coming alongside HMS CERES to refuel her touched her port propeller. - 360 tons FFO transferred

HMS CERES

14 February 1918 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS CENTAUR to refuel her - 110 tons of FFO transferred

HMS CENTAUR

9 May 1918 Lieutenant Sydney Jefford RNR appointed in command - previously had served on RFA KURUMBA as Chief Officer

21 October 1918 at Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow berthed alongside HMS COCKCHAFFER supplying 39 tons of FFO

HMS COCKCHAFFER

11 January 1919 Able Seaman A Gillies logged as deserted. He had signed on on 22 November 1917

3 February 1919 Engineer Sub Lieutenant Murdoch Rose RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Engineer Sub Lieutenant Murdoch Rose RNR

 

8 April 1919 Engineer Lieutenant William D Hewitt RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 August 1919 at Portsmouth alongside HMS HAWKINS to refuel her

15 October 1919 Cook Ernest Richards MMR 978982 sentenced to 30 days detention and discharged. He had signed on on 6 August 1919

16 October 1919 Able Seaman Cecil Thomas MMR 996788 sentenced to 30 days detention and discharged. He had signed on on 22 July 1919

18 December 1919 at Portsmouth alongside HMS RENOWN to refuel her until 20 December 1919 with 2,182 tons of FFO

HMS RENOWN

1 January 1920 Fireman John McKenna MMR 1009646 logged as deserted. He had signed on on 23 October 1919

16 February 1920 the Portsmouth Evening News reported proceedings before Gosport Police Court -

27 April 1920 at Portsmouth alongside HMS CASTOR refuelling her

28 April 1920 cast off from HMS CASTOR

1 May 1920 at Gosport Police Court Able Seaman Robert Gordon appeared charged with using obscene language in the street, He pleaded Guilty and was fined 10/-

3 May 1920 the Portsmouth Evening News reported proceedings before Gosport Police Court -

20 June 1920  to November 1939 on YC agreement at Portsmouth

8 September 1920 Mr A F Brown RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 January 1921 at Portsmouth alongside HMS BARHAM on No: 7 Buoy to refuel her

HMS BARHAM

4 April 1921 at Portsmouth alonside HMS MALAYA refuelling her

6 April 1921 at Spithead together with RFA TURMOIL (1) alongside HMS BARHAM to refuel her - Barham received a total of 1,887 tons of FFO from both tankers

13 June 1921 at Spithead alongside HMS BARHAM to receive fuel from her - Barham pumped over 780 tons of FFO

14 November 1921 the Portsmouth Evening News reported that the crew has donated £1 4sh 0d to the newspapers 'Goodwill Fund'

28 February 1922 sailed Portsmouth Harbour to Southampton

6 March 1922 before the Portsmouth Coroner an inquest was heard touching on the death of the ship's Quartermaster Thomas Canavon in Portsmouth Harbour

15 July 1924 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth

14 August 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard

26 August 1924 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth together with RFA EBONOL

2 October 1924 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth

16 October 1924 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth 

10 December 1924 berthed in No: 2 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard

8 September 1925 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

14 October 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard

13 November 1925 berthed on the North Railway Jetty, Portsmouth HArbour

5 December 1925 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

1 February 1926 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

31 July 1926 in No: 12 Dock, Portsmouth Dockyard

6 August 1926 moored in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard

30 August 1926 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

27 January 1927 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

26 March 1927 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

16 May 1927 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

24 May 1927 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

24 June 1927 moored in the Tidal Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard

15 August 1927 moored to No: 6 Buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

7 May 1927 at Portsmouth alongside HMS AMBUSCADE to refuel her

11 January 1929 berthed on North Slip Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

20 March 1929 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA's PEARLEAF (1) and PETRONEL

14 June 1929 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

28 November 1929 in No: 4 Dock, Portsmouth Harbour

30 May 1930 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA EBONOL (1)

27 June 1930 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

12 December 1930 on No: 3 Buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

28 February 1931 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA BRITISH LANTERN

11 March 1931 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

27 June 1931 berthed on the Oil Fuel Jetty at Gosport together with RFA ORANGELEAF (1)

24 July 1931 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

2 October 1931 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour

3 December 1931 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty together with RFA's ELMOL and WAR SIRDAR

15 December 1932 made fast to No: 5 buoy, Portsmouth Harbour

22 December 1932 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty together with RFA ELMOL

7 February 1933 berthed on No 7 Buoy at Portsmouth

29 May 1933 to 9 June 1933 berthed alongside Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty together with RFA ELMOL

6 July 1933 at Portsmouth Dockyard in No: 12 dry dock

10 July 1933 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA PETRONEL

12 July 1933 moved to No: 5 buoy in Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA ELMOL

23 September 1933 berthed on the Oil Fuel Jetty, Gosport

27 September 1933 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard

18 October 1933 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA SCOTOL

4 November 1933 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA WAR KRISHNA

23 February 1934 berthed in No: 1 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard

13 March 1937 the Portsmouth Evening News reported that

20 October 1938 passed St Catherines Head sailing east

5 November 1938 the Portsmouth Evening News reported that -

 

3 September 1939 at Portsmouth on the outbreak of WW2

6 October 1939 at Portsmouth alongside HMS ADVENTURE refuelling her - 250 tons FFO supplied

9 May 1940 sailed Southampton

October 1940 Captain W J Cairns RFA appointed as Master and Mr Raymond C Calderhead RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 November 1940 damaged in collision with cable ship Alert

31 March 1941 at Portsmouth

8 August 1941 at Southampton

27 August 1941 sailed Southampton

5 September 1941 sailed Portland for Southampton arriving 7 September 1941

8 September 1941 sailed Southampton to Portsmouth

29 September 1941 sailed Southampton to Portsmouth

19 October 1941 at Portland

27 December 1941 at Portsmouth

5 August 1943 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour returning to her berth later the same day

5 October 1943 at Falmouth for refit

2 September 1944 in Southampton for repairs - completed two days later

12 December 1944 at Barry, South Wales Mr Robert A Higgie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Robert A Higgie RFA

8 January 1945 sailed Milford Haven in convoy OS103KM which split to KMS77 to Gibraltar arriving on 15 January 1945 - ship proceeded to Malta with a cargo of FFO

3 March 1945 sailed Aden independently arriving Colombo on 6 March 1945 (?)

25 April 1945 refit at Colombo

7 June 1945 Captain James H Chant RFA appointed as Master

17 October 1945 sailed Colombo independently for Cochin arrived 29 October 1945

29 October 1945 sailed Cochin for Bombay arriving 1 November 1945

11 January 1946 sailed Bombay independently for Trincomalee arriving 18 January 1946

19 January 1946 sailed Trincomalee independently for Port Blair and Colombo arriving 8 February 1946

2 March 1946 Captain William F Curlett RFA appointed as Master

12 September 1946 Captain John Mc Angus RFA appointed as Master and Mr J Cook RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Captain John Mc Angus RFA

20 September 1946 Captain W J Cairns RFA appointed as Master

30 October 1946 Mr Thomas Eggleston RFA  appointed as Chief Engineer Officer 

Chief Engineer Officer Thomas Eggleston RFA

8 November 1946 at Trincomalee

14 January 1947 Mr Raymond C Calderhead RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

30 Janaury 1947 Captain Edmund Butterworth RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Edmund Butterworth RFA

 

28 May 1947 Captain Stanley M Woodward RFA appointed as Master

Captain Stanley M Woodward RFA

1947 purchased by C E Rust, London - name unchanged

1948 owners now Centaur Shipping Co Ltd., London name unchanged 

26 February 1949 sold to Ocean Freighters (Ceylon) Ltd., Colombo

17 April 1950 renamed Lanka Bahu

1951 Purchased by Cia Istema de Transportes Maritimas S.A. ( Wallem & Co Managers) and renamed Tenena

1952 purchased by another Panamanian company ( Wheelock, Marden & Co Ltd, Hong Kong, Managers) name unchanged

1952 reported broken up in China