She was launched on 8 April 1890 and completed in June 1890[3] at the Paisley, Renfrewshire shipyard of Fleming & Ferguson for J & A Brown of Australia and christened SS Duckenfield.

[1][6] In 1935, she was converted as a salvage vessel for Moller´s Towages Ltd.[1] On 25 November 1942, she was scuttled at Hong Kong to prevent seizure by the Japanese, but on 28 December 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy seized, re-floated, and repaired her; they renamed her Gyoun Maru.

91 en route from Takao to Hong Kong consisting of three other transport/cargo ships and two escorts (the Momi-class destroyer Kuri and the Chidori-class torpedo boat Hatsukari).

Gyoun Maru and its two escorts, were able to reach Hong Kong without further incident on 5 July.

[7] On 12 October 1944, aircraft from Task Force 38,[4] bombed and sank her off Takao at 22°37′N 119°34′E / 22.617°N 119.567°E / 22.617; 119.567.