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Previous name:
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 140341
Class: SECOND 2000t BELGOL CLASS Tanker
Pennant No: X58 / X26 / A126
Laid down:
Builder: McMillan, Dumbarton
Launched: 21 May 1917
Into Service: 31 August 1917
Out of service: 1958
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: There were 10 ships in this Class, all Admiralty designed of which 5 were named after Allied countries while the other 5 were given names indicating power or speed, all with the OL suffix. 3 of them, RFA’s FRANCOL, MONTENOL and SERBOL had upright funnels with a single tall mast close by, while the remainder had a raking funnel and 2 raking masts. During WW2 the mainmast was removed from these.
25 February 1917 Engineer Lieutenant Ernest K Horsley RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 May 1917 Launched by A. Macmillan & Sons, Dumbarton as Yard Nr 467 named FORTOL
1 August 1917 Lieutenant John C Hawick RNR appointed in command
29 August 1917 Able Seaman Thomas Toole logged as deserting from the ship. He has signed on the ship on the 24 August 1917
12 September 1917 Fireman James Scharah and Pumpman William Stant both logged as deserting. Fireman Scharah had signed on on the 24 August 1917 and Pumpman Stant had signed on on the 26 August 1917
13 September 1917 Leading Fireman Thomas Kay and Leading Fireman Edward Styles both logged as deserting. Both had signed on on the 12 August 1917
14 September 1917 Signalman and Able Seaman C V Batchelor logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 15 August 1917
4 October 1917 Greaser James McKenna logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 14 September 1917
18 October 1917 Greaser Frank Holland logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 24 August 1917
3 November 1917 Bosun Charles Turbet logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 12 August 1917
11 November 1917 Greaser Thomas Coe logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 24 August 1917
31 January 1918 Able Seaman George Ellison logged as deserting from the ship. He had signed on the ship on the 24 August 1917
2 February 1918 Fireman W Nash logged as deserting at Liverpool. He had signed on on the 12 November 1917
11 March 1918 Fireman Arthur Bright logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 10 February 1918.
12 April 1918 Fireman Jas Lyng logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 5 April 1918
23 August 1918 midstream in the River Mersey refuelling HMS ACHILLES alongside
25 October 1918 Able Seaman Ed Baldwin MMR 664763 logged as deserting while at Belfast. He had signed on on 5 February 1918
1 November 1918 anchored at Tail of the Bank. Moved alongside RFA Dredgol to load 256 tons of bunkers
4 November 1918 and 5 November 1918 moved from anchorage to alongside RFA Dredgol at Greenock to load 2,200 tons of cargo. On completion moved alongside the wharf at Rothsay Basin. Cast off and moved up the River Clyde to Old Kilpatrick oil wharf
6 November 1918 discharged 2,200 tons of cargo. Sailed to the anchorage at Tail of the Bank and secured alongside ss War Prophet to load cargo.
7 November 1918 completed loading 2,222 tons of FFO and cast off from ss War Prohet. Sailed up the Clyde to Old Kilpatrick oil wharf to discharge
8 November 1918 sailed down stream to anchor off Princes Pier
26 December 1918 at Old Kilpatrick oil wharf. Sailed down river to Tail of the Bank. ss War Rajput came alongside
27 December 1918 at Tail of the Bank with ss War Rajput alongside.
29 December 1918 at Tail of the Bank with ss War Prophet alongside. ss War Prophet cast off and ship moved up the Clyde to Old Kilpatrick oil wharf
30 December 1918 at Old Kilpatrick oil wharf
31 December 1918 alongside RFA Dredgol. Cast off at 11:50hrs sailed up the Clyde to Old Kilpatrick oil wharf
11 February 1919 Fireman Alfred Reed MMR 918492 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 7 December 1917
14 February 1919 3rd Officer J E J Holden RFA discharged dead. He died at Larbert Hospital, Stirlingshire, Scotland. He had signed on on the 26 February 1918
4 April 1919 sailed Sheerness
15 April 1919 Engineer Sub Lieutenant Frederick P Atkins RNR appeared before a court martial charged with (a) drunk on board ship and (b) Act to the prejudice of good order and naval discipline in drinking intoxicating liquors to such excess as to produce illness, by which he was unfitted for this discharge of his duty. The charges were adjudged to be not proved and he was acquitted.
24 April 1919 Greaser James Mahoney logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 27 February 1919
21 June 1919 at Scapa Flow
1 November 1919 Able Seaman J W Mould MMR 1011631, Fireman D Mind MMR 1008152 and Fireman C E Rigby MMR 1008155 all logged as deserting while at Invergordon. Each had signed on on 23 August 1919
22 November 1919 Assistant Steward H Riley MMR 996773 logged as deserting while at Grangemouth. He had signed on on 23 August 1919
On an unknown date Ordinary Seaman William Bolton was logged as deserting. He was arrested and sent to Chatham Detention Quarters. He had signed on on 24 August 1917.
On an unknown date Fireman David McCulloch was logged as deserting. He had signed on on 24 September 1917
2 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - HMS Torbay alongside to be refuelled - 115 tons FFO supplied. FS L'Auere alongside to be refuelled - 75 tons FFO supplied. Fresh and salt water pipes burst on the fore well deck
4 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - HMS Serene alongside to be refuelled - 50 tons FFO supplied
9 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - moved alongside HMS Caledon and refuelled her - 210 tons of FFO supplied. Then moved to anchorage where HMS's Torquoise and Sturdy came alonside to be refuelled. A total of 282 tons of FFO supplied to these two ships
10 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - FS Meuse alongside to be refuelled - 67 tons FFO supplied
12 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - HMS Tenedos alongside to be refuelled - 112 tons FFO supplied
18 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - HMS's Tenedos and Tyrian alongside to be refuelled - 159 tons FFO supplied
19 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - HMS Torquoise alongside for naval stores and 50 gallons of parafin
21 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - FS's Meurse and L'Anere alongside to be refuelled - a total of 130 tons FFO supplied
22 February 1920 at the outer harbour, Libau, in the Baltic while acting as the base oiler - HMS Tourmaline alongside to be refuelled - 109 tons of FFO supplied
26 June 1920 Mr William D Hewitt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 September 1920 at Acapulco transfered 223 tons of FFO from the ships cargo to her bunkers
9 September 1920 at Acapulco moored alongside HMS Renown while she was at anchor to refuel her - supplied 1,876 tons of FFO. Whilst alongside HMS Renown with a heavy ground swell two timber floats which were used as fenders on Renown were damaged. Fortol suffered damage also with several plates, rivets and frames distorted inside the buoyance tank on the starboard side, in No 5 tank and in the starboad bunker tank.
16 September 1920 transitted the Panama Canal from Balboa to Cristobal
18 September 1920 alongside the Oil Wharf at Colon and loaded 100 tons of FFO for bunkers. Sailed for Trinidad
29 September 1920 at Trinidad - oil barge alongside loaded 70 tons of FFO for bunkers
8 December 1920 at Portsmouth alongside HMS Malaya (battleship) to refuel her
15 January 1923 RFA War Krishna arrived at Plymouth in tow of RFA Fortol
24 November 1923 0300 at Devonport alongside HMS Hood - Battle Cruiser - supplied 3,465 tons of FFO
10 July 1924 Captain Frank J Delamotte RFA appointed as Master
13 December 1924 Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 May 1925 Captain S G Kent RFA appointed as Master
1 January 1927 Captain Charles L Cutsforth RFA appointed as Master
29 January 1927 to 4 February 1927 alongside the oil wharf in HM Dockyard, Singapore
In April 1927 RFA Fortol was operating with HMS Mantis on the Yangtze River, China when they came under deliberate rifle fire when proceeding below Nanking. HMS Mantis returned fire with machine guns. There were no casualties among the crew
1 June 1927 Captain W R Green RFA appointed as Master
22 June 1927 Mr R Blacklock RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 October 1929 alongside the oil wharf in HM Dockyard, Singapore
10 December 1929 Captain John W Pegden RFA appointed as Master
19 December 1929 Mr J A Macintosh RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 February 1930 involved in a collision in the Bay of Gibraltar with the White Star liner Calgaric. Both ships suffered some damage.
3 March 1930 following the collision of the 28 February 1930 (see above) an enquiry was held in HM Dockyard Gibraltar. Pending the result of the enquiry the Chief Officer of the Fortol Chief Officer T G Bennett RFA, took command temporarily. The ships Master - Captain John W Pegden RFA returned to England
4 March 1930 Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed as Master
15 March 1930 arrived at Gibraltar in ballast from Palma.
18 December 1930 Captain John B Hurst RFA appointed as Master
7 October 1930 Mr James Paton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 December 1931 in reserve at Rosyth for next four years
1935 converted into a white oil carrier for service in the Gulf of Suez / Aden areas and then resumed black oil duties when RFA GREEN RANGER was commissioned
27 November 1935 re-entered service
2 August 1936 placed in reserve at Devonport
1 February 1936 has paravanes fitted and the Admiralty wrote to the Grangemouth Dock Company who under took the work
Courtesy Falkirk Council Archives
26 January 1937 RFA Fortol was in dry dock at Devonport when fire broke out under the vessel. Fire extinguished. No casualties or damage.
1 April 1938 again re-entered service
20 April 1939 Mr T McGregor RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
19 May 1939 Captain Thomas Elder RFA appointed as Master
3 September 1939 in reserve at Devonport at outbreak of WW2
13 March 1940 at Colombo, Ceylon
14 to 21 July 1940 in port at Mauritius
22 July 1941 Mr Frederick O Brims RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Frederick O Brims RFA taken earlier in his sea going career
20 December 1941 Captain Herbert Walker Flint RFA appointed as Master
8 April 1942 sailed Freetown in convoy ST 19 arriving Takoradi on 13 April 1942
25 July 1942 under going repairs at Cape Town. Completed 2 August 1942.
26 August 1942 in the South Atlantic ss Beechwood was sunk by U130 - the Master was taken by the U-Boat. Thrity six members of the crew, five gunners and one stowaway were rescued by RFA Fortol and landed at Freetown.
25 September 1942 after trials she was ordered to proceed to Freetown via Ascension Island
24 March 1943 sailed as escort oiler in convoy OS45 from Liverpool to Freetown arriving on the 14 April 1943
20 April 1943 sailed Freetown in convoy SL 128 to Dakar arriving 30 April 1943
6 June 1943 on passage from Gibraltar to Freetown in Convoy RG 8
13 June 1943 sailed Freetown in convoy SL131 and r/v with convoy MKS15 to arrive Gibraltar 26 June 1943
17 June 1943 Mr J Hall RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
24 June 1943 arrived Gibraltar
29 June 1943 under going repairs at Gibraltar. Completed 30 June 1943 (?)
25 September 1943 acted as Escort oiler on convoy MKS 25 from Gibraltar to Liverpool.
29 November 1943 Captain W R Parker RFA appointed as Master
30 December 1943 under going repairs on the Clyde which were completed on 9 January 1944
18 April 1944 sailed from Reykjavik, Iceland in convoy RU 116 to Loch Ewe arriving on the 23 April 1944.
7 May 1945 sailed from Scapa Flow with HMS Queen (Flagship) plus nine other RN ships to the Skaggerak to accept the surrender of the German Fleet on the 8 May 1945 (VE Day) - Operation Cleaver.
16 November 1945 Mr James E Hawthorn RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 January 1946 Captain Francis J King RFA appointed as Master
22 December 1946 entered and berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
30 January 1947 Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA appointed as Master
4 February 1947 Mr James Paton OBE RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 November 1947 Captain Cyril F Cunningham RFA appointed as Master
22 November 1947 Mr George G Stenhouse RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
19 April 1949 Donkeyman Greaser George Abbotts discharged dead at Port Edgar
17 January 1950 laid up at Devonport
June 1958 sold to the British Iron and Steel Corporation for scrap
27 June 1958 sailed Devonport in tow of the British tug MERCHANTMAN after handover to the breakers
6 August 1958 arrived for breaking up at Rosyth by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd..
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