RFA Petrella

RFA Petrella

 

 

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:                     Captain Mikes,  Evros,  Megalohari  

Official Number:                           142383                                                        

Class:                                             Pet Class

Pennant No:

Laid down:
Builder:                                          Dunlop Bremner, Inch Yard
Launched:                                    16 February 1918

Into Service:                                  April 1918
Out of service:                              5 December 1946 
Fate:                                               Broken Up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

18 March 1918 Lieutenant Sidney J Twyman RNR appointed in Command

18 April 1918 underwent trials, compasses adjusted. Towed by tug Flying Elf to moor alongside RFA Petroleum for bunkers. Anchored at Greenock

19 April 1918 sailed Greenock to Barrow to load petrol

24 April 1918 sailed Barrow to Pembroke Dockyard discharged 13,000 gallons of petrol

25 April 1918 sailed Pembroke Dockyard to Queenstown and Cork arriving the next day

28 April 1918 sailed Cork to Queenstown - made fast at Haubowline Dockyard

1 June 1918 sailed Holyhead to Pembroke Dockyard

3 June 1918 sailed Pembroke Dockyard to Penzance - anchored off

4 June 1918 entered inner basin at Penzance - Greaser W Thomas logged for being absent without leave and dealt with under the Naval Discipline Act

5 June 1918 Fireman Patrick James Whelan reported by the Chief Engineer - Engineer Lieutenant B Smith - refusing to do duty. Escorted to H M Dockyard, Devonport for punishment

7 June 1918 sailed Penzance for Milford Haven under the escort of HM Trawler King Frederick

8 June 1918 sailed Milford Haven to Kingstown

9 June 1918 sailed Kingstown to Larne

10 June 1918 sailed Larne to Barrow

13 June 1918 sailed Barrow to Queenstown under escort

15 June 1918 arrived Queenstown, bunkered and then to Cork and discharged 18,568 gallons of petrol

18 June 1918 sailed Queenstown to Holyhead to await escort

19 June 1918 sailed Holyhead to Milford Haven

20 June 1918 sailed Milford Haven to Portishead

22 June 1918 sailed Portishead to Hollyhead. At 1800hrs while at anchor in Hollyhead Bay,  Fireman Joseph McRorie made a voluntary statement to the effect he had been a deserter from the Army since 1915. The statement was taken to the SKO at Hollyhead who came onboard and interviewed the Fireman. He was not arrested. The SKO also interviewed Lieutenant Twyman RNR who was charged by Engineer Lieutenant Smith (the Chief Engineer Officer) for using improper language towards him at Queenstown on 15 June 1918 Engineer Sub Lieutenant Hayston and a Sub Lieutenant were called by Engineer Lieutenant Smith in support of his allegation. The Captain called no witnesses on his behalf. The Captain handed an apology to Engineer Lieutenant Smith in the presence of the SKO and witnesses.

23 June 1918 sailed Hollyhead to Dublin and secured alongside Alexandra Wharf. Two Police Officers came to the ship and escorted Fireman Jospeh McRorie to Store Street Garda Station in consequence upon his making a statement to the SKO at Hollyhead to the effect he was a deserter from the Army

24 June 1918 Fireman Joseph McRorie returned to the ship. Another fireman (name unreadable) reported as having failed to return to the ship.

25 June 1918 sailed Dublin to Barrow

28 June 1918 sailed Barrow to Belfast escorted by HM Armed Trawler Mathew Crooke

29 June 1918 sailed Belfast to Barrow - anchored off

30 June 1918 alongside in dock at Barrow

19 November 1918 Lieutenant R MacKenzie RNR appointed in Command

1 November 1919 Mr William Thomas RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 June 1920 Mr Ralph Watson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

6 December 1920 involved in a collision in Queenstown Harbour with the Cork harbour pilot cutter 'Star of the Sea' which was sunk in a gale. The crew of the cutter were saved.

30 November 1924 Steward Fred C Barber aged 43 discharged dead. He is buried in Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, Kent 

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

28 December 1925 Mr Arthur Tinn RFA appointed as Acting Chief Engineer Officer

19 June 1928 Chief Officer Walter C T Barns RFA appointed as Acting Master

24 October 1929 Captain Ernest V Blyth RFA appointed as Master

13 September 1930 Captain Harry M Sinclair RFA appointed as Master

15 March 1932 Mr W S Ritchie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 March 1932 Captain Charles H Noel RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Charles H Noel RFA

 

12 September 1932 Captain A L Jones RFA appointed as Master

8 February 1933 Mr T W Robinson RFA appointed as Master

22 April 1933 Captain J Hutchinson RFA appointed as Master

11 October 1933 Mr J B Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 February 1934 Captain H W R Fowler RFA appointed as Master

7 June 1934 Mr R Pittendrigh RFA appointed as Acting Chief Engineer Officer

26 February 1935 Mr J Cook RFA appointed as Acting Chief Engineer Officer

16 May 1935 Captain Benjamin N Beasley RFA appointed as Master

20 September 1937 Captain William W Peddle RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain William W Peddle RFA

 

5 July 1938 sailed Malta to Navarin

21 July 1938 arrived at Zante

3 September 1938 Mr A Sharp RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 September 1938 detailed to be deployed to the Aegean during the winter months to keep it free from ice - information from the Times of Malta

12 January 1939 Captain Stanley  M Woodward RFA appointed as Master

13 March 1939 sailed Malta to Palermo arriving 14 March 1939

17 March 1939 sailed Palermo to Leghorn arriving 19 March 1939

24 March 1939 sailed Leghorn for Monaco arriving the same day

5 April 1939 sailed Monaco to Aranci Bay arriving the same day

7 April 1939 sailed Aranci Bay to Susa arriving 9 April 1939

13 April 1939 sailed Susa to Malta arriving the next day

April 1939 Mr G W Martin RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 August 1939 arrived at Malta

1 January 1940 Mr Frank  W G Tucker RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 February 1940 Captain Robert D Almond RFA appointed as Master until 30 April 1941 when he transfered to RFA Slavol

3 April 1940 sailed Malta to Alexandria arriving 8 April 1940

1 June 1940 sailed Alexandria to Port Said arriving the next day

4 February 1941 Able Seaman Anthony Attard discharged dead. He is buried in Tobruk War Cemetery, Libya in Plot 3B Grave 1

 

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

30 April 1941 Captain George S Perry RFA appointed as Master

12 September 1941 Chief Engineer Officer Frank W G Tucker RFA discharged dead. He is buried in Suez War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt in Plot 1C Grave 4.

 

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

13 October 1941 Mr F A Essam RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1 January 1942 reported engine defects

March 1942 Captain Rowland K Hill RFA appointed as Master

22 August 1942 sailed Port Said to Haifa

22 October 1942 Mr Albert  P Cox RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 January 1943 Captain Sydney Porter RFA appointed as Master

18 February 1943 Captain James H Chant RFA appointed as Master

18 November 1943 sailed Tripoli, Libya in convoy TX 8 arriving Alexandria 23 November 1943

8 March 1946 at Alexandria

5 December 1946 sold to Paramythiotis et al and the name changed Captain Mikes

1953 sold to Hydrotiki Marine and the name changed to Evros

1970 sold to Raviolos & Daifas and the name changed to Megalohari

1976 Broken Up Greece