Official Number: 143379
Class: WAR CLASS Freighting Tanker - 5 cargo tanks
Pennant No: Y7.333 / X86
Laid down:
Builder: Lithgows, Port Glasgow
Launched: 28 June 1919
Into Service: 21 August 1919
Out of service: 16 December 1944
Fate: Mined and sunk
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.
21 August 1919 ran trials
22 August 1919 completed and placed under initial management of C.T. Bowring & Co Ltd, Liverpool
11 October 1919 arrived at Suez from Abadan
11 December 1919 arrived at Suez from Abadan
3 February 1920 arrived at Suez from Abadan
21 February 1920 Greaser Thomas McKenna discharged dead - drowned - location of Greaser McKenna's death is not shown in the BMD register
29 March 1920 arrived Suez from Abadan
3 June 1920 arrived at Suez from Abadan
19 June 1920 arrived at Gibraltar from Malta in ballast while on passage to Texas
10 July 1920 arrived Port Arthur, Texas
9 August 1920 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard
1 September 1920 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for the UK
21 September 1920 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard and arrived at Plymouth from Port Arthur
12 October 1920 sailed from Southampton for Tampico
16 November 1920 arrived at Liverpool from Brunswick
21 November 1920 sailed Greenock for Gulf of Mexico
21 January 1921 sailed Queenstown for a Texan port
7 February 1921 berthed at Galveston, Texas from Queenstown
9 March 1921 arrived at Greenock from Galveston
17 March 1921 sailed Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde
3 April 1921 arrived at Port Arthur from the Clyde
26 April 1921 berthed at Devonport from Port Arthur
28 April 1921 sailed Devonport
11 May 1921 arrived at Port Said when on passage from Devonport to Abadan
3 June 1921 berthed Devonport from Trinidad
28 August 1921 arrived at Port Arthur, Texas
31 August 1921 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for British Ports
4 December 1921 arrived Port Said from Plymouth for Abadan
5 December 1921 sailed Suez for Aden
11 December 1921 at Aden from Suez and sailed the same day for Abadan
23 December 1921 was at anchor at the Outer Bar at the Shatt-Al-Arab in the Persian Gulf. At about 7.20pm the ss British Holly (ex RFA Hollyleaf) made fast alongside the War Diwan on her starboard side to complete her loading. The wind increased and the tide turned ebb. The ships rolled together, a heavy strain was putting on the moorings and the starboard side after fairlead on the War Diwan was carried away. A verbal request by the RFA Captain to the Master of the British Holly to cast off was refused. A written request was made and at about 10.15pm the British Holly eventually cast off. The War Diwan, in addition to the damage above also suffered her hull plates to be started and sea water was admitted causing damage to her oil cargo.
1921 transferred to Admiralty management and manning as an RFA
29 April 1922 sailed Devonport for Gibraltar
3 July 1922 the Western Morning News reported -
Able Seaman Thomas P McGugan
31 August 1922 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour from Abadan
2 September 1922 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
5 September 1922 berthed at Devonport
14 October 1922 sailed from Malta
26 October 1922 arrived at Port Said sailing the same day from Suez for Abadan
9 November 1922 arrived at Abadan
30 November 1922 arrived at Suez from Abadan
27 December 1922 arrived at Port Said from Mudros
28 December 1922 sailed Suez for Abadan
1 February 1923 arrived at Suez from Abadan
1 March 1923 arrived at Port Said from Gibraltar when on passage to Abadan
6 April 1923 to 13 April 1923 berthed on the oil wharf, Keppel Harbour, Singapore
21 May 1923 to 24 May 1923 berthed on the oil wharf, Keppel Harbour, Singapore and then moved to the Main Wharf on 25 May 1923
24 June 1923 at 8°47N 76°11E Donkeyman George Saunders discharged dead from natural causes
3 July 1923 berthed at the oil wharf Singapore from Abadan to discharge. She sailed for Abadan on 8 July 1923
15 August 1923 arrived at Singapore from Abadan and berthed on the oil wharf, Keppel Harbour.
21 August 1923 entered dry dock at Keppel Harbour, Singapore
28 August 1923 sailed Singapore for Abadan
28 September 1923 Captain John C Hawick RFA appointed as Master
Captain John C Hawick RFA
30 September 1923 arrived Suez from Abadan
13 October 1923 arrived at Port Said from Malta
20 October 1923 arrived at Aden sailing the same day
28 October 1923 berthed at Abadan
29 October 1923 sailed Abadan
17 November 1923 to 21 November 1923 berthed on the oil wharf, Keppel Harbour, Singapore
21 November 1923 the Admiralty Fuel & Stores Officer, Singapore had published in the local press -
23 November 1923 sailed Singapore for Abadan
18 March 1924 at 19°20N 39°10E Sailor Ting Ah Tay discharged dead - having suffered from beri beri
23 March 1924 sailed Port Said for Gibraltar
30 April 1924 arrived at Barbados from Gibraltar
15 May 1924 Mr John Atchison RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
19 May 1924 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
2 June 1924 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
25 June 1924 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
26 June 1924 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
18 August 1924 sailed the River Tees for Port Chalmette via Antwerp
21 August 1924 passing 26 miles south of Land End
15 September 1924 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Devonport
17 October 1924 Mr Frederick L Angus DSM RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Frederick L Angus DSM RFA
28 December 1924 sailed Port Said for Gibraltar
7 March 1925 Captain Frederick W Rae RFA appointed as Master
10 March 1925 took on charge a Dent Marine Chronometer No 58905 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in September 1918. Off charge on 12 February 1931 at Bermuda
14 March 1925 took on charge a Dent Marine Chronometer No 58898 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in October 1918. Off charge on 23 April 1929 at Gibraltar
14 May 1925 arrived at Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde from Trinidad
20 August 1925 arrived at the River Tyne from Rosyth
27 November 1925 arrived at Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde from Houston
4 March 1926 at Port Arthur, Texas
22 March 1926 in North Atlantic rescued the crew of schooner Cecil Junior sailing from Newfoundland to Seville, Spain when the schooners rudder was smashed. Six of the crew of the War Diwan were subsequently awarded the Sea Gallantry Medal for their actions
1 May 1926 at Cristobal, Republic of Panama
3 May 1926 sailed Port Arthur, Texas for Naples
23 August 1926 Captain William C Meikle RFA appointed as Master
12 January 1927 arrived Las Palmas from Trinidad
22 March 1927 H.M. the King awarded the Board of Trade Bronze Medal for Gallantry - the Sea Gallantry Medal - to the former 2nd Officer and five crew members of RFA War Diwan for their actions in saving life at sea.
Sea Gallantry Medal in Bronze
Details of those honoured are shown in the RFA Awards section. The schooner Cecil Junior of St. John's Newfoundland while on a voyage from Seville, Spain to Newfoundland encountered a succession of gales with heavy seas. It's rudder was carried away and the vessel began to leak. The schooners life boat was carried away. The RFA crew using their own boat, at great risk to themselves, saved the lives of the schooners crew. The Newfoundland Government presented the former 2nd Officer with a set of binocular glasses and £3 was paid to each of the five members of the crew
22 September 1927 Mr George C Dunning RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer George C Dunning RFA
14 February 1928 Captain J Reid RFA appointed as Master
26 July 1928 Captain John Gow RFA appointed as Master
Captain John Gow RFA
30 July 1928 Mr Malcolm N Carlyle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 August 1928 at Tilbury
11 August 1928 a stowaway was discovered onboard shortly after the ship sailed from Devonport -
Press Cutting from Western Morning News of 14 August 1928
2 October 1928 berthed at Avonmouth from Curaçao
4 October 1928 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound later berthing at Falmouth
13 September 1929 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
2 October 1929 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
9 December 1929 Mr Albert Nicholls appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Albert Nicholls RFA
24 May 1930 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
28 May 1930 Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed as Master
Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA
30 May 1930 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
12 June 1930 arrived at Port Said from Portsmouth
25 June 1930 arrived at Abadan
24 July 1930 at Abadan Chief Steward David Chalmers Anderson discharged dead from heat stroke
Chief Steward David C Anderson RFA
6 August 1930 the Aberdeen Press reported the death of Chief Steward Anderson thus -
9 August 1930 arrived at Suez from Abadan
6 September 1930 sailed Abadan
22 September 1930 arrived at Suez while on passage from Abadan to Devonport
2 Octrober 1930 passed Gibraltar while on passage to Devonport
7 October 1930 berthed at Portland
29 December 1930 arrived at Port Said when on passage to Abadan
5 February 1931 arrived at Suez while on passage to Devonport
13 March 1931 Mr Frederick C Pavitt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 April 1931 Captain John P Tugwood DSC RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master
Captain John P Tugwood DSC RD RFA
12 May 1931 sailed Port Said
14 May 1931 sailed Suez for Abadan
17 June 1931 arrived at Suez sailing the same day for Sheerness
1 August 1931 sailed Sheerness for Abadan
8 August 1931 sailed Gibraltar
19 August 1931 sailed Suez for Abadan
7 September 1931 sailed Abadan for Malta
2 October 1931 at Malta
20 November 1931 sailed from Abadan
30 November 1931 passed Perim
8 December 1931 sailed Port Said for Portsmouth
19 December 1931 passed Gibraltar
28 December 1931 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
15 February 1932 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
4 March 1932 sailed Malta for Abadan
28 March 1932 sailed Abadan for Malta
9 May 1932 Mr Graham W Martin RFA appointed as Acting Chief Engineer Officer
Acting Chief Engineer Officer Graham W Martin RFA
1 June 1932 Mr Frederick C Pavitt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
27 August 1932 sailed Malta for Abadan
18 October 1932 sailed Singapore for Abadan
16 January 1933 sailed Abadan
3 February 1933 sailed Port Said
22 February 1933 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
26 February 1933 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
27 February 1933 berthed at Devonport
5 March 1933 Mr Percy E C Ogden RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
15 March 1933 Captain Stanley G Kent RFA appointed as Master
4 April 1933 at Devonport Dockyard refit ending
7 April 1933 sailed Devonport for Trinidad
18 July 1933 arrived Glasgow from Trinidad
7 August 1933 passed Malta while on passage to Abadan
9 August 1933 arrived at Port Said
5 October 1933 sailed Port Said
3 November 1933 arrived at Suez from Abadan
4 November 1933 sailed Port Said for Portsmouth
21 November 1933 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
25 November 1933 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
15 January 1934 Captain William B Browne RFA appointed as Master
7 February 1934 arrived at Port Said when on passage to Abadan from Plymouth
8 March 1934 arrived at Suez from Abadan
20 March 1934 at Gibraltar with HMS ORION alongside being refuelled with 687 tons of FFO
HMS ORION
18 June 1934 arrived at Aden
30 June 1934 sailed Abadan for Port Said
25 July 1934 sailed Port Said for Abadan
19 August 1934 arrived at Aden
25 August 1934 arrived at Suez from Abadan
11 October 1934 from Abadan arrived Suez
22 October 1934 arrived Port Said from Malta
7 December 1934 sailed Abadan
21 December 1934 arrived Suez
1 January 1935 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
7 January 1935 arrived at Plymouth
17 January 1935 Mr Charles M Morgan RFA (Engineer Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as acting Chief Engineer Officer
8 February 1935 sailed Plymouth
3 March 1935 sailed Port Said
20 March 1935 sailed Abadan for Malta
3 April 1935 arrived at Suez
18 April 1935 sailed Port Said for Abadan
16 June 1935 sailed Abadan for Malta
7 August 1935 arrived at Abadan from Malta
18 August 1935 arrived Suez from Abadan
29 July 1936 sailed Malta for Haifa
24 August 1936 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
27 August 1936 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
29 December 1936 sailed Abadan for a UK port
15 March 1937 in the River Tamar Fireman Wang Lang discharged dead - drowned
Press Report from Western Morning News 13 April 1937
in reserve at Devonport
17 August 1939 from Devonport she was towed to Falmouth for docking
3 September 1939 arrived at Rosyth from Falmouth
12 September 1939 at 1650hrs at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOOD refuelling her - cast off 13 September 1939 at 0625hrs
11 October 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS MATABELE to refuel her
HMS MATABELE
14 October 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS MATABELE to refuel her
28 October 1939 at Sullom Voe, Shetlands alongside HMS MATABELE to refuel her
31 October 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS's BEDOWIN and MATABELE to refuel them
17 November 1939 at Sullom Voe, Shetlands alongside HMS COVENTRY to refuel her - 425 tons of FFO supplied
HMS COVENTRY
26 November 1939 at Sullom Voe, Shetlands alongside HMS COVENTRY to refuel her
1 December 1939 at Sullom Voe, Shetlands alongside HMS COVENTRY to refuel her - 700 tons of FFO supplied
23 December 1939 at Sullom Voe, Shetlands alongside HMS COVENTRY to refuel her
27 December 1939 at Sullom Voe, Shetlands alongside HMS COVENTRY to refuel her
30 December 1939 at Sullom Voe, Shetlands alongside HMS NUBIAN and HMS Ilex to refuel them
1 January 1940 was in port at Sullom Voe with RN units when subjected to an air raid by German aircraft. The ship suffered no damage
25 April 1940 Captain William H Green RFA appointed as Master
Captain William H Green RFA
30 July 1940 Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 November 1940 at Scapa Flow
2 December 1940 berthed at Leith
18 January 1941 sailed Leith for Grangemouth arriving the next day
21 January 1941 sailed Grangemouth for Rosyth
23 January 1941 arrived at Grangemouth from Rosyth
26 January 1941 sailed Grangemouth for Rosyth
28 January 1941 berthed at Leith from Rosyth for repairs
2 February 1941 arrived at Grangemouth
6 February 1941 sailed Grangemouth for Rosyth
9 February 1941 sailed Rosyth for Scapa Flow
13 February 1941 arrived Scapa Flow in convoy EN69/1
2 March 1941 at Scapa Flow with HMAS NESTOR alongside being refuelled
12 March 1941 at Scapa Flow with HMAS NESTOR alongside being refuelled
25 March 1941 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS PRINCE OF WALES refuelling her
5 May 1941 sailed Scapa Flow for Skaalefjord, Faroes escorted by the destroyer HMS BROCKLESBY and the anti-submarine trawler HMS HAMLET arriving the next day
28 June 1941 sailed the Faroe Islands with a commercial tanker QUENTIN ROOSEVELT under escort of HMIS JUMNA to Scapa Flow arriving on 30 June 1941
29 June 1941 at 59.15N 3.25W missed by a torpedo (source Admiralty War Diary of this date)
8 August 1941 undertook RAS trials at Scapa Flow with the cruiser HMS GALATEA using a modified stirrup method with a metallic 5 inch hose
16 August 1941 Captain Frederick S Harvey RFA appointed as Master
Captain Frederick S Harvey RFA as an Apprentice
8 September 1941 suffered damage caused by the British Railway Steamer HMS ST JULIEN
21 September 1941 Mr Wilfred C Shortland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
25 September 1941 at Scapa Flow
14 November 1941 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS DUKE of YORK refuelling her. RFA PETRONEL was supplying fresh water at the same time
18 November 1941 Mr Leonard T Tomlinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 March 1942 sailed Lyness in convoy EN55 to Oban arriving 10 March 1942
11 March 1942 arrived at the River Mersey
16 March 1942 Captain John H Jones RFA appointed as Master
Captain John H Jones RFA
24 June 1942 berthed at Liverpool. Mr Charles A Smith DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
31 August 1943 damaged by the escort sloop HMS WILD GOOSE coming alongside
1944 Captain Stanley C Kernick RFA appointed as Master
24 February 1944 Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 June 1944 sailed Lisahally (details from Naval Officer Londonderry's war diary)
12 June 1944 sailed Barry in convoy EBC10 to Falmouth arriving 13 June 1944
30 June 1944 sailed Barry in convoy EBC27 arriving Portsmouth 2 July 1944
14 July 1944 sailed Barry in convoy EBC41 to Devonport arriving the next day
20 July 1944 sailed Plymouth in convoy FAC31 to Milford Haven arriving the next day
26 July 1944 sailed Barry in convoy EBC53 to Devonport arriving 27 July 1944
15 August 1944 sailed Barry in convoy EBC73 to Portsmouth arriving 17 August 1944
20 August 1944 sailed Portsmouth Harbour
21 August 1944 sailed the Solent in convoy FBC60 to Milford Haven arriving 22 August 1944 and onward to the Clyde
28 August 1944 sailed Barry in convoy EBC86 to Portsmouth arriving 30 August 1944
7 September 1944 sailed Southampton in convoy EPM57 arrived at Seine Bay the same day
3 October 1944 at Cherbourg, France with USS Maloy (DE791) alongside being refuelled - details from US ships War Diary
USS Maloy (DE791)
8 October 1944 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
10 October 1944 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
28 October 1944 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
31 October 1944 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
16 December 1944 while on passage from Southend to Antwerp in convoy TAM19 between buoy NF15 and buoy NF17 was mined and split in two. Both parts grounded. Survivors were taken aboard the minesweeping sloop HMS FRANKLIN and were landed at Ostend before returning to Tilbury 2 days later Donkeyman Albert Edward Cheeseman, Third Engineer Officer Richard Robert Eden Cox RFA, Sailor John Kenneth Kendall, Fireman George Weeks were all killed. They have no known grave and are all remembered with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial.
The Tower Hill Memorial
In addition Able Seaman James Turner Hooper C/JX312708 was also killed and has no known grave, he is remembered with pride on the Chatham Royal Naval Memorial
The bow section of RFA War Diwan
20 December 1944 declared unsalvagable and a total loss.
4 May 1952 the forward part of the wreck was refloated and was towed to Flushing for breaking up