# HMS Fortol

HMS Fortol was a Belgol-class tanker launched on 21 May 1917 and was built by Mcmillan at Dumbarton. It was scrapped on 6 August 1958 at Rosyth by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd.

## Dimensions

| Tonnage | 2629 grt |
| Length | 320.0 ft |
| Breadth | 41.6 ft |
| Depth | 23.1 ft |

## List of crew

Throughout its lifetime, it had many different people serving on the ship. These include:
* Engineer Lieutenant Ernest K Horsley RNR - 25 February 1917
* Lieutenant John C Hawick RNR - 1 August 1917
John C Hawick was charged £5 with 10 guinea costs on 8 January 1918 for pumping water minged with petroleum into Liverpool Docks on 27 December 1917.
* Mr William D Hewitt RFA, Chief Engineer officer - 26 June 1920
* Captain Stanley G Kent RFA - 21 May 1925
* Captain David A Gibbins RFA - 19 November 1926
* Captain Charles L Cutsforth RD RFA - 1 January 1927
* Captain William H Green RFA - 1 June 1927
* Mr Robert Blacklock RFA, Chief Engineer officer - 22 June 1927
* Mr J A Macintosh RFA, Chief Engineer Officer - 19 December 1929
* 4th Engineer Officer Frank Taylor - 23 December 1929
* Mr William A Payne RFA, Chief Engineer Officer - 29 December 1929
* Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA - 4 March 1930
* Captain William B Browne RFA - 30 June 1930
* Captain William H Farrow RFA - 9 September 1930
* Captain John B Hurst RFA - 18 December 1930
* Mr James Paton RFA, Chief engineer officer - 7 October 1930
* Mr George C Dunning RFA, Chief engineer officer - 19 November 1931
* Captain John P Tugwood DSC RD RFA - 16 October 1935
* Captain Murray W Westlake RFA (Lieutenant RNR) - 3 January 1936
* Captain Murray W Westlake RFA the ships Master, promoted to Commander RNR - 10 February 1936
* Mr Leonard T Tomlinson RFA, Chief engineer officer - 22 October 1936
* Mr Thomas McGregor RFA, Temporary Chief Engineer Officer - 20 April 1939
* Captain Thomas Elder RFA - 19 May 1939
* Mr Frederick O Brims RFA, Chief Engineer Officer - 22 July 1941-26 July 1943
* Captain Herbert Walker Flint RFA - 20 December 1941
* Mr James Hall RFA - Chief Engineer Officer - 17 June 1943
* Captain William R Parker RFA, Acting master - 29 November 1943
* Mr George Bray RFA, Acting Chief Engineer Officer - 28 August 1944
* Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA, Temporary Lieutenant Commander RNR - 13 December 1944
* Captain Arthur J D Gosney RFA - 2 July 1945
* Mr James E Hawthorn RFA, Chief Engineer Officer - 16 November 1945
Discharged on 4 October 1946 dead
* Captain James Jolly RFA - 21 August 1946
Fireman James R Robertson from RFA Fortol admitted a breach of the peace the previous day at a restaurant. He was fined £3 at Dunfermline Police Court on 19 November 1946.
* Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA, Temporary Lieutenant Commander RNR - 30 January 1947
* Mr James Paton OBE RFA, Chief Engineer Officer - 4 February 1947
Off Charlestown, while Fortol was receiving fuel oil from HMS Campainia on 19 August 1947, Able Seaman Joseph Smith and another crew member left the ship in a two seater canoe. They were both seen floating in Forth. Joseph Smith died from accidental drowning, and was discharged dead, while the other seaman was rescued and taken to hospital. There was no sign of the canoe. This was reported by the Evening Telegraph the following day.
* Captain Cyril F Cunningham RFA - 14 November 1947
* Mr George G Stenhouse RFA - 22 November 1947
Donkeyman Greaser George Abbotts was discharged dead from a stroke at Port Edgar on 19 April 1949
* Captain Alfred W Camamile DSC RFA - 22 April 1949