RFA Polshannon

RFA Polshannon

 

 

Previous name:                        Birkenfels,  Tandem
Subsequent name:                  Pinna
Class:

Pennant No:

Laid down:
Builder:                                   J C Tecklenborg A G, Geestemunde

Launched:                              7 June 1910
Into Service:                           3 September 1915 
Out of service:                        4 July 1921

Fate:                                        Sold out of service.

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

The image above is of the Birkenfels which on the 20 August 1915 was captured at Cape Town and renamed Tandem.

In 3 September 1915 she was renamed RFA Polshannon and used as a tanker.

2 October 1915 Engineer Lieutenant Commander George Wright RD RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 November 1915 Lieutenant John W E Dickens RNR appointed in Command

22 August 1916 at Mudros Motor Boat Z12 from HMS ARK ROYAL broke down and was towed to Polshannon for repairs

9 July 1917 Greaser G Johnston sentenced to 12 days DQ's at HMS Egmont, Malta. He had signed on on 18 April 1917

1 February 1918 Engineer Lieutenant Charles E Wrate RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. He transferred to RFA Bacchus (1) as Chief Engineer Officer on 8 April 1918

 

Eng. Lieutenant Charles E Wrate RNR

Chief Engineer Officer

 

8 December 1917 Trimmer Michael Dodd sentenced to 14 days DQ's at HMS Egmont, Malta. He had signed on on 18 October 1916

14 January 1918 Greaser P Murphy sentenced to 90 DQ's at HMS Egmont, Malta. He had signed on on 18 April 1917

6 March 1918 Third Officer Walter G Reid 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. The Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty were pleased to direct that the sentence should be annulled

7 May 1918 Able Seaman J A Munt discharged this day to detention at Glasgow. He had signed on on 14 March 1918

25 November 1918 sailed Gravesend to New York

In 1919 under civil management of Anglo Saxon Petroleum.

11 June 1920 arrived at Brisbane from Tarakan

1 July 1920 arrived Newcastle, NSW

27 July 1920 in wireless communication with SIngapore

25 November 1920 in the Albert Dry Dock, Tanjong Pagar

6 June 1921 berthed at the Main Wharf, Kepple Harbour, Singapore 

1922 Sold to Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd and renamed Pinna

6 March 1923 berthed at SIngapore

15 July 1923 berthed at Singapore

22 November 1923 in dry dock at Singapore

3 July 1924 sailed Wellington, New Zealand for Lyttleton

15 August 1924 alongside the oil wharf at Singapore

2 October 1924 berthed at Dunedin from Singapore

2 April 1925 berthed at Dunedin from Lyttelton, New Zealand 

19 May 1925 alongside at the main wharf at Kepple Harbour, SIngapore

5 September 1925 berthed at Auckland, New Zealand from Singapore

14 September 1925 berthed at Wellington, New Zealand

18 September 1925 sailed Wellington for Sydney, NSW, Australia

3 February 1926 berthed at Auckland, New Zealand from Singapore with Captain T Powell in command

14 February 1926 berthed at Napier, New Zealand

10 May 1927 while manoeuvring in Singapore harbour was in collision with RFA War Brahmin - slight damage was occasioned by both vessels

19 December 1930 sailed SIngapore

22 April 1931 grounded at Bramble Cay, a sandy islet in the Gulf of Papua whicle on passage from New Hebrides to Singapore. Refloat 12 hours later and continued on her voyage.

29 June 1933 while enroute from Balik Papan to Cairns ship grounded on Fife Island off the Queensland, Australia coast. Pilot deemed not to blame

1 July 1933 ship berthed at Cairns

25 April 1934 ship searched by customs at Singapore and a quantity of opium was found the apparent property of a fireman.

22 December 1938 a crew member lost overboard during voyage from Lautoka to Suva, Fiji.

2 February 1942 12:13hrs grounded while escaping from Singapore after pilot gave wrong order to the helmsman

3 February 1942 07:00hrs refloated on the rising tide. At 16:50hrs bombed by 6 Japanese aircraft flying at at about 5,000 feet at 00.52S 104.19E - south of Singapore 3 bombs were dropped, two were near misses but one hit ther forecastle killing 16 Chinese and wounding others. Windlass and port anchor lost, fire took hold of forecastle. Main radio aerial carried away.

4 February 1942 03:00hrs fire out out. 13:15hrs Attacked again by 5 Japanese dive bombers using guns and bombs. Two bombs hit the ship - one forward of the bridge and the other abreast of No 2 hatch on the port side. Ship well on fire - cargo aviation fuel and petrol in 40 gallon drums - order given to abandon ship.  Boilers blew up.  Ship beached and later sank. Some of the crew rescued by HMS Bulan.