Built as a cargo vessel by Swan, Hunter & Richardson Lt, of Newcastle-on-Tyne for the Great Western Railway. (GWR)
24 March 1925 launched under the name ROEBUCK.
Tonnage 866 gross, 315 net, 586 dwt., dim. 210.2 x 35.8 x 15.11ft, draught 12.8ft.
Powered by triple expansion steam engines, 1.130 hp, speed 12 knots, twin screws.
Passenger accommodation for 10 passengers.
The ROEBUCK was special built for the transport of the large quantities of fruit and vegetables from the Channel Islands to Weymouth U.K.
Three decks with different compartments, from Weymouth she carried mostly general cargo to the Channel Islands.
GWR used special designed wagons for the quick loading/discharging of fruit and vegetables.
29 April 1925 sailed for the first time to Jersey till 29 May 1940 when she was requisitioned by the British Government, as transport.
After arrival at Weymouth with produce from the Channel Islands on 29 May 1940 she was ordered after discharging to proceed to Dover for “Operation Dynamo” (the evacuation from Dunkirk).
She sailed from Dover on 31 May for La Panne in Belgium a small place 9 miles north of Dunkirk. During approaching of the coast she got in collision with the destroyer HMS WOLSEY, got stern damage but could proceed. Arrived the same day at 08.11 at La Panne were she dropt her anchor, was shifted to Dunkirk and berthed there at 10.50.
500 troops were embarking their included 45 stretcher cases and 70 wounded men, after sailing from Dunkirk she arrived at Dover the same day at 20.55.
Then she was handed back to her owners on 4 June, and sailed to Weymouth, but after only one return voyage to Guernsey she was requisitioned again for war duties for “Operation Cycle” the evacuations from N.W. France.
Together with two other vessels she was ordered to proceed to within 5 miles off the French coast at St Valery-en-Caux, when she arrived in this position on 13 June 1940 at 02.00, the expected British warship was not there. By seeing a French fisherman and after asking of the coast was clear, which was assured, together with the other two vessels she proceeded nearer to the coast, but they were running in a trap, in a position about 1½ mile off the coast the three vessels came under concentrated fire of the enemy, before the ROEBUCK could escape from the coast she was holed in her decks, hull and bridge, and three crew members were killed and one wounded.
She arrived Newhaven were temporary repairs took place before she sailed on 24th June for Penarth.
11 October she was still at Penarth, were she was taken up for balloon barrage vessel and joined the Channel Mobile Balloon Barrage Service.
11 November 1940 commissioned under the name HMS ROEBUCK.
04 December she sailed from Penarth for Dartmouth and Southampton. Used to protect convoys between the River Thames and the Solent. It was found out for this service special with bad weather and slow speed she was not manageable and had to be ballasted.
27 December machine-gunned.
04 March 1941 in collision with the Danish freighter SKJOLD in the waters of Southampton.
07 June slightly damaged underwater during an air attack off Folkestone.
21 August 1942 renamed HMS ROEBUCK II to free her name for a new destroyer.
27 May 1943 paid off and laid up at Southampton under the name ROEBUCK.
06 May 1944 sailed from Southampton for a refit at Penarth, there she was requisitioned for service on the English South Coast.
27 May in route from the Bristol Channel she came in collision with monitor HM ROBERTS and had to call at Falmouth for repair.
13 June arrived at Selsey where she was required to serve as an Accommodation Ship at the parking area of the Mulberry harbour ‘Phoenix’ breakwater sections, which were later used for the D-day landings. She was use as so till the end of that month in this service.
05 July used in military sailings from Plymouth and Southampton and after D-day used in the cross Channel service to France and later to the River Scheldt.
Her last sailing for the military was from Rouen to Southampton on 4-5 June 1945.
14 June sailed from Southampton for a refit at Cardiff.
13 October arrived in Weymouth, and used again in the Channel Island service, she arrived 17 October for the first time again the Channel Islands.
November 1964 used in a Norwegian movie, under the name GALTESUND.
12 February 1965 she sailed for the last time in the service between Weymouth and the Channel Islands.
July 1966 Sold for breaking up to Lacmots of Queensborough. She resold the vessel in November to Scrappino S.A. at Brussels were she was scrapped the same year.
Guernsey 1989 34p sg466, scott 414.
Source: Railway and other steamers by Duckworth & Langmuir. B.E.F. Ships before, at and after Dunkirk. Short Sea Long War both by John de S.Winser. Navicula. Log Book.