RFA Petrobus

RFA Petrobus

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:    

Official Number:                   142308                                                        

Class:                                     PET CLASS Spirit Carrier

Pennant No:                           X 77 / X 50 / A250

Laid down:
Builder:                                    Dunlop Bremner, Inch Yard
Launched:                               8 November 1917
Into Service:                            February 1918
Out of service:                        1959 
Fate:                                         Broken up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:   The 3 ships in this Class were completed for the Admiralty in 1918 and all 3 spent most of their lives in U.K. waters and did a certain amount of charter work too. The first 2 were straight Spirit Carriers while the 3rd one spent most of her life as a Water Boat for the Atlantic Fleet and accompanied them on cruises.

 

8 November 1917 Launched by Dunlop, Bremner & Co Ltd, Inch Yard, Port Glasgow as Yard Nr 316 named PETROBUS

15 December 1917 Engineer Lieutenant G L McPherson RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1 January 1918 Lieutenant Charles H Noel RNR appointed in command - remained in command until 31 May 1918 when he transferred to command RFA Elmol

 

 

February 1918 completed at a cost of £48,613

4 March 1918 Fireman P D Cross discharged as 'undesireable'. He had signed on on 10 January 1918

18 March 1918 Donkeyman Chas H Price deserted. He had signed on on the 12 January 1918

13 May 1918 Lieutenant J H Lewis RNR appointed in command - transferred to RFA Oakol (1) as Commanding Officer on 9 July 1918

10 June 1918 Able Seaman William Jas McEnvoy returned to HMS Eaglet as 'undesireable'. He had refused to sign the T299Z agreement.

17 June 1918 Able Seaman W Fitzgerald MMR 905320 discharged to HM Barracks Portsmouth for trial - he refused to undertake any duties. He had signed on on 8 June 1918

2 July 1918  Lieutenant Harold E E Bate RNR appointed in command - was demobilised on 14 April 1919

24 July 1918 Able Seaman Robert Geo Edge went on leave and did not return. He had signed on on the 18 March 1918

16 September 1918 Able Seaman J A Munt logged as deserted. He had signed on on 27 July 1918

10 April 1919 Lieutenant Stanley B Spillett RNR appointed in command

1 November 1919 the ship returned to Merchant Navy articles

16 December 1919 Mr G Nixon RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

9 March 1920 Captain William E Rousell RFA appointed as Master

8 February 1922 Captain R T Gallon RFA appointed as Master

23 September 1924 Chief Officer E Parker RFA appointed as Acting Master

11 May 1925 Chief Officer John Humphreys RFA appointed as Acting Master

16 November 1925 Mr C J Falconer RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 September 1926 Chief Officer Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed as Acting Master

2 January 1928 Chief Officer Nathan Colbridge RFA appointed as Acting Master

27 September 1929 Captain G W Callaway RFA appointed as Master

26 May 1930 Captain R R Ferguson RFA appointed as Master

22 August 1931 Captain R Nelward RFA appointed as Master and Mr G Russell RFA appointed Chief Engineer Officer

15 December 1931 Captain Donald R McCutchan RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Donald R McCutchan RFA

 

6 April 1932 Mr J E Hawthorn RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

22 April 1932 Captain A Peters RFA appointed as Master

3 October 1932 Mr George S G Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 January 1933 sailed Sheerness to Purfleet arriving the same day. Sailed the same day to Devonport arriving on 25 January 1933

26 January 1933 sailed Devonport to Deptford arriving on 28 January 1933

3 February 1933 sailed Deptford to Portsmouth arriving the next day

13 February 1933 sailed Portsmouth to Sheerness arriving the next day

9 March 1933 sailed Sheerness to Deptford arriving the same day

14 March 1933 sailed Deptford to Portsmouth arriving the next day

17 March 1933 sailed Portsmouth to Devonport arriving the next day

24 March 1933 sailed Devonport  to Sheerness arriving 26 March 1933

12 June 1933 sailed Sheerness to Rosyth arriving on 14 June 1933

24 June 1933 sailed Rosyth to Chatham arriving on 26 June 1933

28 June 1933 sailed Chatham to Sheerness arriving the same day

30 June 1933 sailed Sheerness to Portland arriving the next day

6 July 1933 sailed Portland to Portmouth arriving on the same day

13 July 1933 sailed Portsmouth to Sheerness arriving the next day

6 October 1933 Captain B Ellis RFA appointed as Master

8 November 1933 sailed SHeerness to Deptford arriving the next day

14 November 1933 sailed Deptford to Portmouth arriving the next day

22 November 1933 sailed Portsmouth to Portland arriving the same day

23 November 1933 sailed Portland to Deptford arriving the next day

30 November 1933 sailed Deptford to Chatham arriving the same day

4 December 1933 sailed Chatham to Sheerness arriving the same day

1 December 1933 Mr A B McIntyre RFA (Engineer Lieutenant Commander RNR) appoined as Chief Engineer Officer

9 August 1934 Chief Officer George F Rutter RFA (Lieutenant RNR) appointed as Acting Master

2 October 1935 took on charge a Dent Marine Chronometer No 58644 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in March 1918. It had previously been on charge on HMS Carstairs and RFA William Scoresby.

2 May 1938 Captain Herbert  A Shacklock RFA appointed as Master

3 May 1939 Mr M Walker RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

6 June 1939 Ship's Cook/Steward John Edmund Pratt, aged 30 discharged dead having died from heart failure  - he is buried in Portland Naval Cemetery

7 July 1939  Captain Albert  E Curtain RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

23 Augtust 1939 at Invergordon alongside HMS EDINBURGH refuelling her

2 September 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ROYAL OAK (Battleship) refuelling her

4 December 1939 Mr G Bray RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1 January 1940 at Greenock alongside HMS WARSPITE refuelling her

3 February 1940 at Greenock alongside HMS WARSPITE refuelling her

16 March 1940 at Greenock alongside HMS WARSPITE refuelling her

17 March 1940 sailed the Clyde under escort of HMS Hero and HMS Hyperion for Scapa Flow en-route as the naval escort was required for other duties Petrobus was sent into Stornoway

22 March 1940 sailed Stornoway to join RFA War Pindari and RFA Belgol under the escort of HMS Eskimo and HMS Punjabi for Scapa Flow arriving on 24 March 1940

25 March 1940 Mr H Marshall RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

4 May 1940 Captain  Frank J Delamotte RFA appointed as Master

7 May 1940 at Inverness

17 May 1940 until 28 August 1940 at Scapa Flow

28 August 1940 arrived Kirkwall

13 August 1940 Mr Lionel W Pool RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 October 1940 sailed Methil in convoy EN.12/1 to Oban

27 November 1940 sailed the Clyde in convoy WN 45 to Methil

8 December 1940 sailed Methil Roads in convoy EN.38/1 to Scapa Flow arriving 11 December 1940

3 February 1941 sailed Methil Roads in convoy EN.66/1 to Scapa Flow

4 April 1941 sailed Invergordon and was involved in a collision with HMS Ludlow.

9 May 1941  Captain James H Chant RFA appointed as Master

21 September 1941 sailed Oban in convoy WN 183 to Methil Roads

8 October 1941 in port at Scapa Flow until 6 January 1942

26 October 1941 Mr H J Sheepwash RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

6 January 1942 grounded at Scapa Flow but was refloated and repaired

12 January 1942 sailed Lyness in convoy WN 230 to Methil Roads

5 February 1942 sailed Methil Roads in convoy EN 42 to Lyness

20 October 1942 sailed Methil Roads in convoy EN 152 to Lyness arriving on 23 October 1942

23 November 1942 alongside HMS Howe at Scapa Flow supplying water

17 July 1943 Mr S Bates RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON refuelling her 

6 January 1944 Captain B Smith RFA appointed as Master

5 November 1945 Mr N Briggs RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 May 1946 Captain H Oakley RFA appointed as Master

13 October 1946 Mr S Bates RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 August 1947 Captain D A C Butler RFA appointed as Master

16 September 1947 took part in the Home Fleet Review on the Clyde along with RFA‘s BLACK  RANGER, FORT DUQUESNE and PRESTOL

3 May 1948 Captain Albert  V Barton RFA appointed as Master

24 January 1949 Mr R Larson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 November 1949 to 19 November 1949 undergoing repairs at Leith.

21 November 1949 Mr John Ismay RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

18 January 1950 Captain George Robson RFA appointed as Master

19 February 1950 Captain H W Colman RFA appointed as Master

18 April 1950 Captain H G Carkeet RFA appointed as Master

6 October 1952 to 30 October 1952 in refit at Southampton

1959 sold to BISCO for scrap

24 February 1959 arrived Grays for breaking up by T.W. Ward Ltd.