# SS Desabla - Bank Line Tanker



## stevie1262 (May 24, 2008)

Looking for any pictures of the Steam Tanker Desabla which was sunk in 1915 off Tod Head in the North Sea by U17.

Built in 1913 by Hawthorne Leslie for Bank Line Glasgow
6047 GRT, 128metres x 16.6m x 9.9m 
She operated mainly in the US until 1914 when she was leased to the Royal Navy to carry oil from Texas to the UK.

After searching for her for 3 years we finally found and Dived her in August 2010, she is lying over on her Port Side in 67metres of water and is still remarkably intact after 95 years. An enormous ship considering she is only 6000 Tons we have Plans for her but surprisingly have been unable to find any photographs. Any ideas where to look? I imagine US may be worth a try as she spent some 2 years working there.

Any Info or advice appreciated.


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## ted nutt (Dec 4, 2008)

Steve 1262,Morning,as the Desabla was short lived,it may be easier to get a photograph of her sistership Barneson/Oyleric which lasted until 1942.Ted


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## danube4 (Aug 20, 2005)

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum Ships/Old Ships O/slides/Oyleric-01.html

photo of Oyleric sister to Desabla

Barney.


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## Graybeard (Sep 23, 2006)

Hello Danube4,
Thank you for identifying that photo of Oyleric. I bought a copy of that very photo in a fair some years ago in the hopes it was some little known "O" class RFA of the early 1920's. The quest is now over,
Many thanks.


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## stevie1262 (May 24, 2008)

Thanks, i am still trying US to see if anything there as she spent most of her time there, great picture


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## crashedcar (Jul 20, 2010)

I just heard back from someone at Andrew Weir Shipping Limited, who was kind enough to take a look in their archives. They don't have any photographs of this vessel. 

I have also started a WikiPedia page for the Desabla if anyone's interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Desabla


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## crashedcar (Jul 20, 2010)

Just heard from someone who has an image of the SS Desabla. I knew one would show up eventually! Here's the link to the photograph: 

https://flic.kr/p/cxtd4w


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## Alistair Macnab (May 13, 2008)

*"Desabla"*

Look at the Bank Line section in the SN Directory Part 10 for a photograph of the steam tanker "Desabla". It has been there all this time (well on the way to two years) for you to refer to. 

The three ships of this class were originally built to distribute Californian oil for Weir's oil partners, to West Coast north, central and south American destinations which was originally intended as a placement before WWI to gain control of all of California's oil discoveries in and around Los Angeles not controlled by Rockefeller interests. 

Subsequent merger with Union Oil Company of California then eventual creation of the British Mexican Oil company and the Lago Oil Transportation Company (the "Mosquito Tankers) in Mexico and Venezuela respectively, brought Andrew Weir as an individual and as a company into the top ranks of 'oil barons' for a few years until Esso gradually bought out the British interests in the Americas, and in Britain after WWII. 

Some will recall British bunkering services in the UK, "Shell Mex and BP", the "Mex" part was the remnants of Weir's UK bunkering services as was "Union Petroleum" for petrol stations on land.


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