Official Number: 140134
Laid down:
Builder: Bonn & Mees, Rotterdam
Launched: 1913
Pennant No: Y 3.????
Into Service: 1918
Out of service: 1918
Fate: Bombed and sunk in 1941
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: One of several ships requisitioned by the Admiralty for service during WW1 to augment the ships of the RFA
Career Data:
5 September 1913 launched by Bonn & Mees, Rotterdam as Yard Nr: 257 named Madioen for N V Rotterdamsche Lloyd (W. Ruys & Zoen, Managers) Rotterdam
30 October 1913 completed as a passenger / cargo vessel
29 March 1914 when on passage from Batavia for Rotterdam passed Dover
17 August 1914 when on passage from Batavia for Rotterdam passed Beachy Head
12 October 1914 when on passage from Rotterdam to Batavia passed Beachy Head
17 October 1914 passed Gibraltar
1 March 1915 in the Red Sea came to the attention of the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS EMPRESS OF JAPAN - followed. Allowed to proceed. Passed Perim
5 September 1915 when on passage from Sydney, Cape Breton arrived at Port Natal
22 April 1916 sailed Gibraltar for Rotterdam
3 May 1916 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east
25 May 1916 at 57°16N 18°63W stopped and boarded by the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS HILARY. Was flying the correct flag of the day and was allowed to proceed. Intercepted by Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS ORCOMA - was flying the correct flag of the day and allowed to proceed
26 May 1916 at 57°21N 18°53W sighted by the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS PATIA - had previously been boarded by HMS HILARY the previous day thus allowed to proceed
11 July 1916 sailed Barbados for Java
4 September 1916 at 06°02S 106°55.5E stopped and boarded by HMS CORNWALL when on passage from Batavia to Samarang - general cargo - allowed to proceed
10 October 1916 at 05°59.5S 106°55E stopped and boarded by HMS CORNWALL when on passage from Batavia to Cheribon - general cargo - allowed to proceed
April 1918 came under the auspices of the Shipping Controller, London under management of British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd., and was requisitioned for Admiralty service as a collier - name unchanged - on a Singapore / Fremantle service
25 May 1918 re-deployed as a Transport with the Commerical Branch carrying wheat and wool between Australia / Italy until 16 August 1918
17 August 1918 re-deployed as a Transport carrying wheat from the United States until 27 November 1918
22 October 1918 in an escorted convoy from New York to London. Convoy guarded by three American destroyers and HMS BAYANO - an Armed Merchant Cruiser
28 November 1918 re-deployed as a Transport carrying wheat from Canada
11 March 1919 on passage to Barry with crew from ss Princessgracht. In communication with HMS CENTAUR
17 November 1925 arrived at Port Said
18 November 1925 sailed Port Said when on passage to Batavia
8 December 1925 sailed Singapore for Batavia
20 September 1926 arrived Port Said
2 February 1927 passed Perim when on passage to Batavia
14 February 1927 sailed Galle for Java
6 May 1927 arrived River Mersey from Batavia
15 June 1928 when on passage from Liverpool passed Perim
10 July 1928 when passage to London from Batavia passed Gravesend
3 January 1929 passed Finisterre when on passage from Hamburg to Sourabaya
27 December 1929 when on passage from Batavia to New York via Port Sudan radioed she was aground on the Mesmarie Reef with No: 1 hold with 18 feet of water therein. The ships pumps were unable to control the water in the hold and the Master feared that by being towed off the reef the ship would sink by the head
3 December 1930 sailed Port Said for Rotterdam
1935a sold to Ditta Luigi Pittaluga Vapori, Genoa and renamed Verbania
1935b sold to Giuseppe Bozzo Armamenti e Trasporti Marittimi, Genoa and renamed Nita. Mangers later became A Lauro, Naples
7 August 1941 bombed and sunk by the Royal Air Force in the Mediterranean in position 35°15N 12°17E when on passage from Naples to Tripoli carrying cased petrol