Previous name:
Subsequent name:              AKHAWI  

Official Number:                   139134                                                       

Class:                                     SECOND 1000t CREOSOL CLASS Harbour Oiler

Pennant No:                          X  46 /  X 20

Laid down:
Builder:                                  W Dobson, Low Walker
Launched:                             4 March 1916
Into Service:                          July 1916
Out of service:                      1947 
Fate:                                       1948 Sold commercially

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, saw long and successful service

9 February 1916 Engineer Lieutenant William E Smart RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Discharged to RFA Waterwitch 19 November 1917

4 March 1916 Launched by Wm Dobson & Co Ltd, Newcastle as Yard Nr 198 named DISTOL

 22 June 1916 Lieutenant John C Hawick RNR appointed in command

1 July 1917 Lieutenant John Gow RNR appointed in command. Transfered to RFA Trefoil on 11 January 1918

4 November 1917 Engineer Lieutenant A MacGregor Clark RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Discharged to RFA Sunhill 1 December 1918

11 January 1918 Lieutenant Percival K Matheson RNR appointed in command. Previously he had been appointed to RFA Perthshire. He was transfered to RFA Ebonol on the 3 May 1918.

19 April 1918 Lieutenant Percival K Matheson RNR appeared before a court martial charge with (a) guilty of an act to the prejudice of good order and naval discipline in not returning to his ship (b) being found drunk on board and (c) being found drunk on board . The charge (a) and (b)  were adjudged to be proved and the charge (c) was adjudged not to be proved he was sentenced to be severely reprimanded. On the same day Engineer Sub Lieutenant Reginald H Williams RNR appeared before a court martial charge with  being absent without leave . The charge was adjudged to be proved he was sentenced to be severely reprimanded.

3 May 1918 Lieutenant W E Rousell RNR appointed in command. He was transfered to RFA Petronel on 17 May 1918

17 May 1918 Lieutenant Marshall J Woodrow RNR appointed in command

21 July 1918 Fireman John Quinn MMR 908198 discharged dead. He ashes were buried in Edinburgh (Seafield) Cemetery in an unmarked grave but he is remembered on a screen wall in the cemetery.

Panel 6 remembers Fireman Quinn

3 October 1918 Lieutenant Marshall J Woodrow RNR appeared before a court martial charged with being drunk on shore. The accused pleaded Guilty. He was adjudged to be dismissed his ship. Appointed to RFA Silverol on 4 October 1919

5 October 1918 Lieutenant Duncan Campbell RNR appointed in command. Previously he had served on RFA Silverol. He was demobilised on 26 March 1919

19 November 1918 Engineer Lieutenant W Howell RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Discharged 23 October 1919 to RFA Rapidol

1 February 1919 at Rosyth alongside HMS Southampton refuelling her

24 March 1919 Lieutenant T Drever RNR appointed in command. Previously had served on RFA Petroleum

2 April 1919 Stoker W Finnehan MMR 903431 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 19 July 1918

17 July 1919 Stoker W Ryding MMR 993326 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 10 May 1919

17 October 1919 Mr William V Hall RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 October 1923 0800 at Rosyth alongside HMS Hood pumping out FFO from the Battle Cruiser - cast off at 1700hrs

31 October 1923 0800 at Rosyth alongside HMS Hood - Battle Cruiser - cast off 1150 having supplied HMS Hood with 859½ tons of FFO

1926 on Yard Craft agreement at Rosyth

January 1929 - January 1935 in reserve at Rosyth

June 1938 - October 1939 in reserve in Devonport

29 October 1939 In collision with RFA ARNDALE at Gosport oil Fuel Jetty.E

1 October 1940 Mr F Johnstone RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

November 1940 Captain Alfred W Camamile RFA appointed as Master

30 November 1940 at Southampton

1 February 1941 Captain W C T Barns RFA appointed as Master

19 July 1941 involved in a collision - further details unknown at this time- details from National Archives, Kew

5 September 1941 at Portland

25 February 1942 Captain T Drever RFA appointed Master

15 March 1942 Mr P Mills RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V refuelling her

18 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V refuelling her

10 November 1942 Captain Edward  E A Le Sage RFA appointed as Master

16 May 1943 Escort oiler on convoy KMS14 arrived at Freetown on 25 May 1943

5 June 1943 Captain Douglas B Snowdon RFA appointed Master

7 February 1944 Mr L T Tomlinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

18 January 1945 Mr Keith U Rapley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

6 February 1945 sailed in convoy OS 109 from Milford Haven - separated on 10 February 1945 into Convoy KMS 82 arriving Gibraltar 12 February 1945 then to Port Said and Calcutta and Colombo

4 April 1945 Arrived Mombassa

31 July 1945 sailed Mombassa to the Seychelles arriving on 6 August 1945

8 August 1945 sailed the Seychelles to Trincomalee arriving on 18 August 1945

23 August 1945 sailed Trincomalee

19 November 1945 Captain Griffith O W Evans DSC RFA appointed Master

20 January 1946 sailed Trincomalee to Bombay arriving 26 January 1946

23 December 1946 instructions given for ship to be retained at Bombay pending purchase by Royal Indian Navy

23 April 1947 handed over to STO Bombay for disposal

1948 purchased by the Kuwait Oil Company

1 December 1948 Renamed AKHAWI by her owners. Was used as a fresh water carrier between Abadan and  Mea-al-Ahmadi.

April 1954 broken up at Bombay.