RFA Abadol

Ex-dummy battleship IRON DUKE (renamed on 7 July 1915) Ex- MONTEZUMA Renamed OAKLEAF on 7 February 1917

The MONTEZUMA was a 7,345 gross ton ship, length 485ft x beam 59ft, one funnel, four masts, twin screw, speed 13 knots. Built by A. Stephen & Sons, Glasgow, she was launched as a cargo steamer with limited passenger accommodation for Elder Dempster & Co on 11th Jul.1899. Her maiden voyage started 12th Sep.1899 when she left Greenock for New Orleans and on 22nd Oct.1899 left New Oreleans on the first of 8 voyages as a Boer War transport. (probably transporting mules or horses). On 20th Aug.1902 she commenced a single round voyage between London and Montreal and in Oct.1902 sailed between Avonmouth and New Orleans. Transferred to Canadian Pacific when they purchased Elder Dempster's Canadian services in 1903, she was fitted with accommodation for 1,000-3rd class passengers and started her first London - Antwerp - St John NB voyage in March 1904. On 8th May 1904 she commenced her first London - Antwerp - Quebec - Montreal sailing and in 1914 was taken over by the Admiralty and converted into a dummy of the battleship HMS IRON DUKE. On 7th Jul.1915 she was purchased by the Admiralty, renamed ABADOL and used as a naval oiler. In 1917 she went to Lane & MacAndrew as the OAKLEAF and on 25th July 1917 was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UC.41 while 64 miles from the Butt of Lewis, Scotland.

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