Previous name:
Subsequent name:         

Official Number:                     140323                                                                  

Class:                                      SECOND 1000 t CREOSOL CLASS Harbour Oiler

Pennant No:                            X23 / A154

Laid down:
Builder:                                    Lobnitz & Co, Renfrew
Launched:                               19 June 1917
Into Service:                            9 August 1917

Out of service:                         Laid up in reserve at Pembroke Dock 13 July 1954
Fate:                                          Broken Up

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

19 June 1917 Launched by Lobnitz & Co, Renfrew as Yard Nr 818 named LARCHOL

 24 June 1917 Engineer Lieutenant S Black RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 July 1917 Lieutenant William F Clay RNR appointed in command. He signed off on 11 May 1919 when he took command of RFA Birchol

9 August 1917 Completed

18 September 1917 Fireman A Ayling signed on. He subsequently deserted - no date of his desertion traced at this time.

12 January 1918  Greaser J Kilcullen released from detention and signed off - to HMS Eaglet

19 April 1918 Engineer Lieutenant William H Doyle RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 May 1919 Lieutenant John H T Lewis RNR appointed in command. He signed off on 31 March 1920.

19 May 1919 Trimmer J S Warwick MMR 999130 discharged as incompetent. He had signed on on 13 May 1919

1 March 1920 Captain W T Williams RFA appointed as Master and Mr J H Manning RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

30 March 1921 at Sheerness alongside HMS Dunedin refuelling her

30 May 1921 arrived at Granton from Hull loaded with fuel oil

11 July 1921 sailed from Granton to Southampton in ballast

11 October 1921 Captain D Durrant RFA appointed as Master

January 1922 Mr William P Keohane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1924 to December 1939 on YC agreement at Sheerness

18 May 1936 refueled HMS Cumberland off Sheeness Dockyard with 800 tons FFO

3 September 1939 at Sheerness on the outbreak of WW2

29 December 1939 Captain John McAngus RFA appointed as Master

1 January 1940 sailed Harwich to Sheerness

19 January 1940 sailed Sheerness to Harwich

12 July 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 220 arriving Yarmouth 14 July 1940

3 August 1940 arrived Methil in convoy FN 241 and then sailed, same day, same convoy to Southend

20 August 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 258 arriving at Harwich on 22 August 1940

26 August 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 263 to Harwich arriving on 28 August 1940

4 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 272 to Harwich arriving on the next day

14 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 280 to Harwich arriving on 16 September 1940

17 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 283 to Harwich arriving on 19 September 1940

21 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 287 to Harwich arriving on 23 September 1940

26 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 291 to Harwich arriving on 28 September 1940

29 September 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 294 to Harwich arriving on 1 October 1940

2 October 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN 297 to Harwich arriving on 4 October 1940

26 October 1940 Mr A W Symons RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 December 1940 sailed Southend in convoy FN349 arriving at Harwich on 5 December 1940

27 December 1940 Engineer Lieutenant Commander J W Thomas RNR (Retd) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 January 1941 sailed Southend in convoy FN 394 to Harwich arriving on 30 January 1940

4 February 1941 sailed Southend in convoy FN400 arriving at Harwich on 6 February 1941

11 August 1941 Captain Robert H Venning RFA appointed as Master

26 October 1941 sailed Dover 

15 January 1942 sustained damage at Dover

4 January 1943 Mr J E Hawthorn RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 March 1943 Captain S P Sice RFA appointed as Master

3 December 1943 Mr Lionel  W Pool RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 December 1945 Mr R C Calderhead RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 April 1946 Captain J H Phillips RFA appointed as Master

23 June 1947 Captain F A Shaw RD RFA (Lieut-Commander RNR) appointed as Master

24 June 1947 Engineer Lieutenant Commander H R Bullimore Royal Navy (Retd) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

22 December 1947 Captain Donovan J S Newton RFA appointed as Master

26 March 1948 Captain Allistoun M Macquire-Samson RFA appointed as Master

5 January 1949 Mr R B Turner RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 November 1950 Captain F G Evans RFA appointed as Master

12 December 1950 Mr J Ismay RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 December 1951 Mr A P Cox RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 March 1952 Captain D G Cox OBE RFA appointed as Master

4 January 1954 Captain F S Samson RFA appointed as Master

13 July 1954 laid up at Pembroke Dock

June 1958 purchased by R.S. Hayes, Pembroke Dock for scrap but resold

19 August 1959 sailed Pembroke Dock in tow for Belgian breakers

23 August 1959 arrived Antwerp for breaking up by Van den Bosche & Co, Boom