RFA Philol

RFA Philol

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:  

Official Number:                   139135                                                          

Class:                                     SECOND 1000 t CREOSOL CLASS Harbour Oiler

Pennant No:                          X 43 / X 53 / A 253

Laid down:
Builder:                                   Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Company, WIllington Quay
Launched:                              5 April 1916
Into Service:                            August 1916
Out of service:                        1956 hulked
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

 

10 February 1916 Engineer Lieutenant Charles P Vickerman RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 April 1916 Launched by Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Willington Quay as Yard Nr 204 named  PHILOL

25 July 1916 Lieutenant Frederick William Rae RNR appointed in command. He remained in command until 26 March 1920 when he was appointed as Temporary Master of RFA Prestol.

August 1916 completed

21 June 1917 Stoker William Seager logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 1 August 1916

15 November 1917 Trimmer Hugh Finlay logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on the 13 July 1917

14 May 1918 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ACHILLES and received 440 tons of FFO from her

22 October 1918 Leading Stoker William George Hall MMR 936755 logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 10 May 1918

14 November 1918 Leading Stoker Michael Goggin MMR 884479 discharged dead. He had signed on on the 7 March 1918. He was buried in Leytonstone (St. Patricks) Roman Catholic Cemetery. 

 

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

31 December 1918 Stoker J McDermott and Leading Stoker Laurence Morrissey logged as deserting the ship. Stoker McDermott had signed on on the 11 November 1917 while Leading Stoker Morrissey had signed on on 9 December 1918.

16 January 1919 Engineer Lieutenant Charles P Vickerman RNR appeared before a court martial charged with three offences - (a) improperly leaving his ship (b) using insulting language to a Sub Lieutenant and (c) being absent without leave. He pleaded guilty  and was severely reprimanded and dismissed his ship. The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty considered that the second charge in this case was irregular in being drawn under two separate sections.

1 March 1919 Able Seaman J W Coultas MMR 926047 logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 18 April 1918.  He surrendered to HMS Eaglet on 3 March 1919 and was sentenced to 14 days cells

23 May 1919 at Lerwick, Shetland Islands  HM Monitor M33 came alongside for fuel - 20 tons supplied

24 May 1919 at Lerwick, Shetland Islands  HM Monitor M31 came alongside to be refueled

28 May 1919 at Lerwick, Shetland Islands  HM Monitor M24 came alongside to be refueled

5 July 1919 Engineer Sub Lieutenant Robert Herdman RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 August 1919 Officer's servant J Pottinger logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 25 July 1919

13 October 1919 at Lerwick, Shetland Islands  HM Monitor M33 came alongside to be refueled

25 October 1919 at Lerwick, Shetland Islands  HM Monitors M23 and M31 came alongside to be refueled

6 November 1919 Mr Edward B Morton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

 

Chief Engineer Officer Edward B. Morton RFA

 

21 February 1920 Stoker J Stewart MMR 903336 logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 19 November 1919

1 April 1920 Captain H Young Third RFA appointed as Master

4 September 1920 at Sheerness alongside HMS Delhi to refuel her

10 January 1921 at Sheerness alongside HMS Dunedin to refuel her

8 April 1922 Captain James P Downie RFA appointed as Master

27 August 1923 at Sheerness alongside HMS REPULSE on No 1 Buoy to refuel her (twice)

28 August 1923 at Sheerness alongside HMS REPULSE on No 1 Buoy to refuel her

27 May 1924 Captain J Reid RFA appointed as Master

23 February 1925 Mr Alfred H Ireland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 May 1928 Captain William J Shipton RFA appointed as Master

2 August 1928 Mr P Greenwood RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

4 January 1929 Home Trade article signed this day show vessel under charter to Shell Mex Ltd., London

7 January 1929 sailed Shell Haven for Manchester arriving on 11 January 1929

12 January 1929 sailed Manchester for Shell Haven arriving on 16 January 1929

21 January 1929 sailed Shell Haven for Manchester arriving on 25 January 1929

1 February 1929 sailed Manchester for Sheerness arriving on 5 February 1929

12 February 1929 sailed Sheerness for Portsmouth arriving on 14 February 1929

15 February 1929 sailed Portsmouth for Sheerness arriving on the next day

18 February 1929 sailed Sheerness for Portsmouth arriving on the next day

20 February 1929 sailed Portsmouth for Sheerness arriving on the next day

21 February 1929 sailed Sheerness for Portsmouth arriving on the next day

26 February 1929 sailed Portsmouth for Southampton arriving the same day

26 March1929 sailed Southampton for Belfast arriving on the 30 March 1929

31 March 1929 sailed Belfast to Ardrossan arriving on 1 April 1929

3 April 1929 sailed Ardrossan to Liverpool arriving on 4 April 1929

4 April 1929 at Liverpool on entering 50 foot lock at Eastham at 7.45pm wind NW (6) ship fouled East pier head causing a slight dent in port bow. Also fould lock gates causing slight damage to gate and slight dent in starboard bow shell plating

15 April 1929 sailed Liverpool for Belfast arriving the same day

17 April 1929 sailed Belfast to Stanlow arriving the next day

21 April 1929 sailed Liverpool to Dublin arriving the next day

22 April 1929 sailed Dublin to Liverpool arriving the next day

25 April 1929 sailed Liverpool to Glasgow arriving the next day

30 April 1929 sailed Glasgow to Ardrossan arriving the next day

3 May 1929 sailed Ardrossan arriving the next day

16 May 1929 sailed Liverpool to Larne arriving the next day

17 May 1929 sailed Larne to Liverpool arriving the next day

22 May 1929 sailed Liverpool to Avonmouth arriving on 24 May 1929

25 May 1929 sailed Avonmouth to Liverpool  arriving 27 May 1929

28 May 1929 at Liverpool when leaving Brunswick Dock Pier - strong easterly wind. Tide about 2 hours ebb. The ship fouled and damaged the dredger Burbo. Damage to Philol - slight dent in shell plating on starboard bow and shank of starboard anchor bent

29 May 1929 sailed Liverpool to Dublin arriving the next day

30 May 1929 sailed Dublin to Liverpool arribing the next day

15 June 1929 sailed Liverpool to Sheerness arriving 19 June 1929

8 September 1929 sailed Sheerness to Killingholme arriving 10 September 1929

12 September 1929 sailed Killingholme to Invergordon arriving 14 September 1929

23 October 1929 sailed Invergordon to Rosyth arriving the next day

9 December 1929 sailed Rosyth to Invergordon arriving the next day

11 December 1929 sailed Invergordon to Rosyth arriving the next day

16 December 1929 sailed Rosyth to Invergordon arriving the next day

18 December 1929 sailed Invergordon to Rosyth arriving 20 December 1929

21 December 1929 sailed Rosyth to Sheerness arriving 24 December 1929

13 March 1930 Chief Officer  J.  Evans RFA  appointed temporary acting Master

9 April 1930 at Devonport in collision with an oil hulk Valiant while moving No: 10 Buoy to alongside HMS Glorious to refuel her. The ships Master was cautioned for showing great lack of judgement. The hulk and the Philol were both damaged in the collision.

24 April 1930 Captain George W Callaway RFA (Lieut-Commander Royal Navy (retd)) appointed as Master

30 December 1930 Mr T A Reay RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 May 1932 Mr E B Morten RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 September 1932 Captain N Colbridge RFA appointed as Master

From around July 1933 to December 1939 was on a YC agreement at Devonport

8 July 1939 at Devonport alongside HMS EDINBURGH refuelling her with 1,148 tons of FFO

13 January 1940 at Devonport alongside HMS REVENGE receiving FFO prior to the battleship entering dry docl

4 July 1940 Mr A A Woolley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 August 1940 sailed from Southend in convoy FN 246 for Methil arriving on 10 August 1940

29 October 1940 Captain F A Shaw RFA (Lieutenant RNR) appointed as Master

14 June 1941 Captain J H Phillips RFA appointed as Master

12 September 1941 Mr A Sharp RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 April 1942 Captain Douglas B Snowdon RFA appointed as Master

30 June 1942 at Liverpool alongside HMS KING GEORGE V refuelling her

25 January 1943 Captain James Jolly RFA appointed as Master

1 September 1943 Captain Alfred W Camamile DSC RFA appointed as Master

4 January 1944 Mr W McKee RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 September 1944 Captain Iden W J Hall RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Iden W J Hall RFA

 

23 February 1945 at Liverpool alongside HMS Duke of York refuelling her - 1,009 tons of FFO transferred

28 February 1945 at Liverpool alongside HMS Duke of York refuelling her

12 March 1945 at Liverpool alongside HMS Duke of York refuelling her - 1,031 tons of FFO transferred

19 March 1945 at Liverpool while coming alongside HMS Duke of York caused damage to the warship's hull and the clamps of her starboard boom

29 March 1945 at Liverpool alongside HMS Duke of York refuelling her

23 July 1945 Mr F Johnstone RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 September 1947 Captain B Smith RFA appointed as Master

19 October 1947 Mr W McKay RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

13 July 1948 entered Devonport passing HMS VANGUARD

26 November 1948 Captain E Payne RFA appointed as Master

1 January 1949 Mr W McKee RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 September 1949 at Devonport alongside HMS Gravelines on No.1 wharf to refuel her

21 January 1953 placed in reserve at Pembroke Dock where she was later joined by RFA‘s BOXOL and  LIMOL

1956 became a tank and sullage barge at Chatham

25 September 1963 laid up on the Medway

14 and 21 March 1967 offered for sale 'as lying' at Chatham in the Times of these days by the Department of Transport

June 1967 arrived at Burcht, Belgium for breaking up.