Previous name:
Subsequent name:   

Official Number:            112680                                                                        

Class:                             Collier /Tanker

Pennant No:                   P95, X31, X34

Laid down:
Builder:                           Irvine Shipbuilding & Engineering Company

Launched:                      22 December 1899
Into Service:                   20 March 1900 as a collier
Out of service:                26 July 1931
Fate:                                26 July 1931 sold to Chinese firm for use as a dry cargo carrier on the West River

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:  Soon after the turn of the 20th Century, the Admiralty acquired a number of small tankers and store ships and from the experiments conducted with these tankers was obtained  the experience which resulted in the building of a large number of tankers of various sizes which were especially designed for their task of refuelling warships. None of these early ships were sister ships, and they became the first Admiralty vessels to fall into the new RFA category on its inception in 1905

22 December 1899 Launched by Irvine Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Irvine as Yard Nr 16  named KHARKI for Lombard Steamship Co, London

1 March 1900 ran trials on completion

20 March 1900 purchased by the Admiralty for £14,650, name unchanged, and was delivered to HM Pembroke Dock for use as a collier and  spent her early  years mainly in Home  Waters, based at Portland

1905 Converted into a tanker at a cost of £7,324.for the conveyance of lubricating oil from contractor‘s works to Home Dockyards and Depots.

7 August 1905 subject to the question of whether the ship was liable for the payment of pilotage dues being an Admiralty vessel in the case of Symons v Baker heard in the High Court of Justice, Kings Bench Division before the Lord Chief Justice, Mr Justice Lawrence and Mr Justice Ridley - reported in the Times of this day.

1910 Fitted out for oiling at sea experiments along with RFA PETROLEUM

10 November 1910 Leading Stoker Edwin Hawkins discharged dead. He is buried in Portland Naval Cemetery

January 1911 carried out OAS trials with the torpedo boat destroyers HMS MOHAWK and HMS AMAZON. Using the Stirrup Method, up to 80 tons of fuel was transferred

24 June 1911 Captain James D Ashworth RFA appointed as Master until 30 November 1913 when he took command of RFA Carol

April 1914 Captain WIlliam Frost RFA appointed in command

16 November 1914 Able Seaman George Philip Picot discharged dead. He is buried in Osmondwall Cemetery, Orkney in the old ground between the gates

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

3 May 1915 Lieutenant John R Gorrie RNR appointed in Command

4 August 1915 Engineer Joseph S Harrison RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

25 September 1915 took on charge a J B Dent Chronometer No 9268 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in April 1895. Off charge on 28 May 1917 at Malta

28 February 1916 Lieutenant Percy E Ogden RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. He signed off 13 September 1917 when discharged to England.

25 September 1916 took on charge an E Dent & Co Hack Watch No 51505 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in December 1906. The watch had only previously been used, on charge, by HMS Crusader.  The Watch was landed, off charge, on 18 May 1917 at Malta.

3 October 1916 Sub Lieutenant Alexander H. Hardy RNR appointed in command. He remained in command until 13 October 1917 when he took command of RFA Serbol

18 February 1918 Able Seaman E J Bryan discharged to HMS Europa for a period of detention

5 March 1918 Second Officer Ralph Davison RFA appeared before a court martial charged with  being found drunk on board. The charge was adjudged to be proved and he was sentenced to be severely reprimanded and to be dismissed his ship

16 May 1918 Fireman Thomas Mathers discharged to HMS Europa for DQ's

30 June 1918 Leading Stokers W Green MMR 861581 and J Reece MMR 497475 both discharged to HMS Europa for DQ's - no reason or duration shown. Leading Stoker J McCafferty discharged to HMS Europa at Malta for Prison. No reason or duration shown. All three had signed on the ship on the 13 October 1917.

1 July 1918 Lieutenant Thomas Sunley RNR appointed in command He was discharged on 31 May 1919

30 September 1918 Fireman Ed Murphy discharged to HMS Europa for DQ's. He was disrated and sent to England

10 October 1918 Lieutenant F M Harvey RNR appointed as Commanding Officer 

29 January 1919 Engineer Lieutenant W McFee RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. He was discharged on 21 August 1919 to RFA Sunhill.

21 April 1919 Lieutenant C Gattey RNR appointed in command

25 September 1919 Leading Seaman J S Harford sentenced to 60 days DQ's and disrated to Able Seaman and discharged

11 December 1919 at Colombo and sailed this day to Hong Kong

From 1920 served on the China Station, based at Hong Kong

1 February 1920 berthed at Hong Kong

26 February 1920 to 27 February 1920 at Hong Kong berthed alongside HMS Hawkins

3 March 1920 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Cario to refuel her

6 March 1920 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Hawkins

10 March 1920 Mr J H Collings RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 September 1920 at Hong Kong alonside HMS Cicala to refuel her with 9 tons of FFO

1 December 1920 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Cairo to refuel her

26 April 1921 Captain Thomas Drever RFA appointed as Master

12 August 1921 at Wei hai Wei alongside HMS Hawkins to refuel her

27 January 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Cairo to refuel her

7 March 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Durban to refuel her

28 March 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Hawkins to refuel her

18 May 1922 arrived at Wei hai Wei

8 June 1922 at Wei hai Wei alongside HMS Durban to refuel her

6 July 1922 at Wei hai Wei alongside HMS Durban to refuel her

25 July 1922 at Wei hai Wei alongside HMS Durban to refuel her

8 October 1922 sailed Wei hai Wei for Hong Kong

15 and 16 November 1922 at Wei hai Wei alongside HMS Despatch to refuel her

7 December 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Despatch to refuel her

11 December 1922 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Diomede to refuel her

31 January 1923 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Diomede to refuel her

2 March 1923 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Despatch to refuel her

15 March 1923 at Hong Kong alongside HMS Diomede to refuel her

26 March 1923 at Hong Kong alonside HMS Despatch to refuel her

19 August 1923 during a typhoon which had struck Hong Kong the ship broke adrift from her moorings in the harbour and was carried to the Naval Armament Depot where she smashed a corner off the sea wall dislodging huge blocks of masonry. She then swung round and came broadside on against the timber quay. The vessel, still broadside on, was bumped incessantly against the quay. Her bridge crashed against a steam crane which side-stepped about one yard under the impact. The ship started to take on water and she developed a list.

1 November 1924 Mr G C Dunning RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer G C Dunning RFA

20 November 1924 Captain George E Thickett RFA appointed as Master

7 April 1926 Mr W A Payne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 September 1927 Captain F J Connolly RFA appointed as Master

8 March 1928 Mr F E Langer RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 November 1928 Mr Charles M Morgan RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

4 April 1928 Captain L Elford RFA appointed as Master

4 April 1929 Captain N Colbridge RFA appointed as Master

7 April 1930 Mr Alexander B McIntyre RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 June 1931 sold commercially on competitive tender at Hong Kong for £2046.9.3 by Twong Tai, name unchanged

15 July 1931 removed from Hong Kong and converted into a cargo ship by her new owners who  employed her on the West River

12 June 1933 ships bell offered for sale in the Times (London) of this day - the bell was listed as being in Hong Kong

1936 Broken up.