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Previous name:
Subsequent name: Suntemple, Baltara
Official Number: 124676
Class: Hospital Ship
Pennant No: YA18
Laid down:
Builder: Harland & Wollf, Belfast
Launched: 6 May 1909
Into Service: December 1915
Out of service: 1922 sold to Mitchell Cotts & Company
Fate: 11 January 1929 wrecked at the mouth of the Vistula.
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
6 May 1909 launched by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast as Yard Nr 405 named BERBICE for Royal Mail Steam Packet Co Ltd, London
8 July 1909 Completed as a luxury liner and replaced the earlier SOLENT which was scrapped
2 August 1909 sailed Southampton for Barbados
23 March 1913 aground on the coast of Margarita reported that she could not be refloated without assistance
4 December 1915 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as a hospital ship, name unchanged
18 May 1918 3rd Engineer Charles Henry Partridge, aged 31, discharged dead. He is buried in Royal Naval Cemetery, Lyness, Scapaflow. Grave Plot C Grave 2.
22 October 1918 at Rosyth - seven ratings from HMS Talbot refered for medical examination
25 October 1918 at Rosyth - one officer and thirteen ratings from HMS Talbot refered for medical examination
19 November 1918 Able Seaman William John Halcrow MMR discharged dead. He is buried in Dunfirmline Cemetery in grave Ed 2636
19 December 1918 Officer's Cook 2nd Class Carmelo Brincat discharged dead. He is buried in the Corfu British Cemetery
4 October 1919 Sick Berth Attendant Thomas H Handel M 7794 discharged dead at Archangel. He is remembered with pride on the Archangel Memorial - Panel 1
24 November 1919 anchored at Biorko Sound in the Baltic
5 December 1919 sailed Biorko Sound, Baltic
10 December 1919 berthed at Revel (now Tallin - capital of Estonia) - six ratings from HMS Vindictive admitted on board for treatment
15 January 1920 Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Hugh F Briggs MB, ChB Ed Royal Navy appointed to the ship. Promoted Surgeon Commander 14 May 1921. Left the ship for a new appointment on 19 January 1922
12 August 1920 berthed at Malta
20 August 1920 purchased by the Admiralty for further hospital ship duties, recrewed as an RFA and was renamed RFA BERBICE
4 January 1921 Mr J A Brown RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
6 January 1921 sailed Gibraltar for Portsmouth
10 January 1921 Captain Alexander H Hardy RFA appointed as Master
Captain Hardy before his promotion
Courtesy Nancy Hardy with thanks
21 January 1921 at Malta
1 February 1921 sailed Gibraltar for Malta
18 May 1921 Captain William Clinton RFA appointed as Master - previously Master of RFA Slavol
21 June 1921 sailed Portsmouth for Malta arriving on 30 June 1921
31 July 1921 Able Seaman Charles Edward Osman discharged dead following an appendix operation
9 December 1921 sailed Devonport for Gibraltar
6 February 1922 sailed Malta for Pollensa Bay
23 February 1922 sailed Pollensa Bay for Malta
March 1922 ordered home from Constantinople to be relieved by the new MAINE (3)
27 March 1922 arrived at Malta
6 April 1922 berthed at Gibraltar
11 April 1922 arrived at Devonport
19 April 1922 sailed Devonport for Portsmouth
20 April 1922 arrived Portsmouth for the final time for disposal. Sold as part of defence cuts
1922 purchased by Sun Shipping Co Ltd (Mitchell, Cotts & Co, Managers) London and renamed SUNTEMPLE
1924 sold to United Baltic Corp. renamed Baltara
1925 converted to oil fuel burning
11 January 1929 grounded off the Eastern Entrance to the Weichsee River while on passage from Libau (Latvia) to Gdynia and in tremendous seas became a total loss. Her 43 passengers and 40 crew were all landed safely
See 'Non RFA Awards' for medals to Nursing Sisters who served on this ship.
Ships of the same name
Berbice. A Schooner of 121 bm purchased in 1780 and condemned on the 12 September 1788.
Berbice. A Schooner of 120 bm, 73 x 25 ft armed with 2 x 12 pdr Carronade, 6 x 3pdr. An ex Prize purchased in 1793, she was wrecked in November 1796 off Dominica.
Berbice. A Schooner of 78 bm, purchased in 1804, the ship foundered in 1806 near Demerera.
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