RFA Birchol (1)

Off Northern Russia 1919

Previous name:
Subsequent name:

Official Number:                     140325

Class:                                      SECOND 1000 t CREOSOL CLASS Harbour Oiler

Pennant No:                            X07

Laid down:
Builder:                                   Barclay Curle, Whiteinch

Launched:                              16 June 1917
Into Service:                           12 September 1917
Out of service:                        29 November 1939

Fate:                                        Stranded off the Hebrides, Scotland. No fatalites

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 18 ships in this Class, 12 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. 4 of the Class were diesel engined and were sold after the Armistice but the rest, being triple expansion steamers, had long and successful lives

16 June 1917 launched by Barclay Curle & Co Ltd, Whiteinch as Yard Nr 547 named BIRCHOL (1)

28 June 1917 Engineer Lieutenant John Rushton RNR appoined as Chief Engineer Officer. He signed off on the 22 April 1918 to take a similar appointment on RFA Carol.

21 July 1917 Lieutenant William A Wooster RNR appointed in Command. He signed off on the 3 March 1919 to take command of RFA Viscol

15 December 1917 Donkeyman E J Lobb logged as an absentee. He was arrested and sent to HMS Eagle. He had signed on on the 2 August 1917

22 April 1918 Engineer Lieutenant Stanley Black RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Demobilised 20 March 1919

3 March 1919 Lieutenant John Weir RNR appointed in Command on transfer from RFA Viscol. On 30 April 1919 transferred to RFA Sprucol

17 March 1919 Engineer Lieutenant David J Rees RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer on transfer from RFA Viscol. On 12 May 1919 he was appointed to RFA Montenol.

7 April 1919 Fireman Francis McFarlane MMR 904813 discharged dead - he died at Fazakerley Sanatorium. He is buried in Liverpool (Ford) Roman Catholic Cemetery and remembered on a screen wall. He had signed on on the 9 May 1918

1 May 1919 Lieutenant John H T Lewis RNR appointed in Command. On 12 May 1919 transferred to RFA Larchol

11 May 1919 Engineer Lieutenant Finlay Campbell RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer on transfer from RFA Perthshire.

12 May 1919  Lieutenant William F Clay RNR appointed in Command

6 June 1919 sailed Invergordon with US submarine chasers no 95, 256 and 354 to Kirkwall (for additional fuel) and onto Northern Russia. The American Naval Officers reported they had many pleasant hours in the Saloon stressing 'she was not a dry ship'

18 June 1919 arrived Archangel and anchored off

4 July 1919  Birchol dressed ship for US Independence Day much to the pleasure of the crews of the US ships which she was supporting in Northern Russia.

1 November 1919 Captain William F Clay RFA appointed as Master - Board of Trade agreement - previously been in command as Lieutenant RNR since 12 May 1919

23 October 1920 Mr G T Beed RFA appointed at Chief Engineer Officer

1 June 1921 at Greenock alongside HMS Barham (battleship) to refuel her

3 October 1921 Captain Roger F Shotton RFA appointed as Master

13 March 1924 Captain A D Davis RFA appointed as Master

20 March 1924 took on charge a Dent Marine Chronometer No 58892 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in November 1919. Taken off charge on 28 January 1927 at Malta.

24 October 1924 Mr M N Carlisle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 December 1925 Captain J H Jones RFA appointed as Master

2 March 1926 Mr R Blacklock RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

13 December 1926 Captain T Banbury RFA appointed as Acting Master

2 April 1927 Mr M Blair RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

30 April 1928 Captain J M Reid RFA appointed as Master

24 September 1928 Captain R T Gallon RFA appointed as Master

2 May 1930 Mr J B Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

30 May 1932 Captain T C Robinson RFA appointed as Master

27 February 1935 Mr A L Barr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 July 1935 Captain J Martin Smith DSC RFA (Lieut-Commander RNR (Rtd)) appointed as Master

16 September 1935 Captain W H Green RFA appointed as Master

19 September 1938 Mr J M Brown RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

21 September 1938 Chief Officer Robert D Almond RFA appointed as Acting Master

2 February 1939 Captain W McEvor RFA (Lieutenant Commander RN (Rtd)) appointed as Master

19 July 1939 entered Portland Harbour

1 September 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS EDINBURGH refuelling her with 260 tons FFO

6 September 1939 at 0500hrs at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOOD refuelling her

7 September 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ROYAL OAK refuelling her, also went alongside HMS EDINBURGH refuelling her with 360 tons of FFO

15 September 1939 at 1635hrs at Loch Ewe alongside HMS HOOD refuelling her

12 October 1939 at 18:30hrs at Loch Ewe alongside HMS HOOD refuelling her

1 November 1939 at 0840hrs at Greenock alongside HMS HOOD refuelling her

29 November 1939 grounded during fog on Uist, in the Hebrides at 57 05' N 7 13' 44"W. Salvage was deemed impossible due to bad weather and she was declared a total loss.

24 August 1970  being offered for sale by tender

9 October 1970 the wreck was sold to Elliott & Co (Divers) Eriskay Sound, Helensborough, Scotland

26 February 1971  divers from HMS Heccla investigated the site by boat using visual and echosounder means. No trace was found and it was assumed to have been dispersed

1971 the vessel was not visible on RAF aerial photography

19 August 1975  the wreck reported as broken up with remains scattered over a large area. There was evidence of recent salvage attempts

7 August 1984  her position was given as 57 06 00N, 007 13 45W. Only a few plates and a porthole were found at a depth of about 7 metres. Most of the wreck is thought to be in deeper water off Ru Melvick

6 March 1985  the site was dived upon in 1984. The bows of wreck lie close inshore in 3 metres of water and the stern is in 14 metres on a sandy bottom