RFA Brambleleaf (1)
RFA Brambleleaf entering Grand Harbour, Malta
Previous name Rumol
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 140287
Class: 5000T FAST LEAF (ex TEXOL) CLASS Fleet Attendant Tanker
Pennant No: X 50 / Y7.182 / X 08
Laid down:
Builder: Russell, Port Glasgow
Launched: 28 December 1916
Into Service: April 1917
Out o f service: 15 September 1944
Fate: April 1953 Broken up at Spezia
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: All ordered in 1915, the six Admiralty-designed vessels in this Class were very advanced ships for their day. They were designed to act as Escorts on Atlantic Convoys during WW1, whilst also bringing cargoes of oil fuel from the U.S. to Britain. They were fitted with six boilers and four powerful cargo pumps with a pumping rate of 2000 tonnes per hour, which for many years was too high to be used by HM ships. They were originally planned to be named after oil bearing countries with the now usual OL suffix, but their military appearance and naval names caused difficulties with the U.S. Neutrality Act, so various modifications were made and they were then placed under commercial management and given LEAF names in common with other converted ships running as Admiralty tankers under commercial management
16 September 1916 Engineer Lieutenant William Whetstone RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 October 1916 launched by Russell & Co, Port Glasgow as Yard Nr 702 named RUMOL
23 April 1917 ran trials
1 May 1917 completed at a cost of £279,850. Placed under management of Lane & MacAndrew Ltd, London as an oiler transport and was renamed BRAMBLELEAF(1)
10 June 1917 sailed Portsmouth for Southampton
1917 to 1918 served on North Atlantic convoy duties
7 February 1918 berthed at New York having sailed from the Firth of Forth via Halifax. Captain Percival Skone-Rees RFA as Master with 28 crew
Captain Percival Skone-Rees RFA
27 June 1918 berthed at New York having sailed from the Orkney Islands. Captain Percival Skone-Rees RFA as Master with 69 crew
1919 to 1922 in the Dardanelles area
15 December 1920 at Constantinople alongside HMS Torch refuelling her with 102 tons of FFO
11 March 1921 at Port Said alongside HMS Malaya refuelling her - 2069 tons of FFO
1922 to 1925 in reserve at Gibraltar
1925 entered service with the Mediterranean Fleet, based at Malta
1 January 1925 Captain John Ross Gorrie RFA appointed as Master and Mr Charles E Wrate RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Captain John Ross Gorrie RFA
Chief Engineer Officer Charles E Wrate RFA
25 December 1925 to 1 January 1926 in Sliema Creek, Malta with HMS Venomous outboard of her.
22 October 1926 Captain Percival Skone-Rees RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 February 1928 Captain J H Jones RFA appointed as Master
24 February 1928 Mr F C Reynolds RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 February 1930 berthed at Malta from Port Said and Abadan
5 March 1930 Mr F C Pavitt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
11 March 1931 sailed Malta with RFA Maine (3) for Gibraltar
16 March 1930 berthed at Gibraltar from Palma to discharge
10 December 1930 Mr J Atchison RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 February 1931 Captain W T Williams RFA appointed as Master
25 November 1931 2nd Engineer Officer John P S Husband RFA, aged 37 years, discharged dead. He is buried in Kalkara Royal Naval Cemetery, Malta
Image courtesy of British War Graves - with thanks
23 November 1932 Captain R D Williams RD RFA (Commander RNR (Ret)) appointed as Master
25 November 1932 Mr Clifford N Ansell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
15 February 1934 Captain John P Tugwood DSC RD RFA (Commander RNR (Ret)) appointed as Master
16 August 1934 Captain John B Hurst RFA appointed as Master
20 February 1935 Mr Percy E C Ogden RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
22 June 1935 Captain Donald R McCutchan RFA appoinred as Master
Captain Donald R McCutchan RFA
1936 to 1939 undertook Station Oiler duties at Oran during the Spanish Civil War.
11 March 1937 Mr F W Howell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 May 1937 Took part in the King George V1 Coronation Fleet Review at Spithead
21 May 1937 Captain J Gow RFA appointed as Master
10 July 1937 at No 1 Ground Marsa, Malta HMS London's cricket team beat a RFA Brambleleaf eleven. HMS London 117 for 5 wickets declared. RFA Brambleleaf 42 runs all out.
8 August 1937 at Grand Harbour, Malta the ship won the Valenzia lifeboat race Cup beating a boat crew from RFA Maine (3) the holders of the cup over the previous two years into third place. The crew from RFA Cherryleaf (1) came second.
7 February 1939 Captain Robert T Duthie RFA appointed as Master
April 1939 Captain R M Shaw RFA appointed as Master
19 May 1939 at Malta refuelling HMS Warspite in Grand Harbour
28 July 1939 Mr Percy E C Ogden RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
3 September 1939 at Malta on the outbreak of WW2
31 October 1940 arrived Soudha Bay in Crete along with RFA OLNA (1) and was escorted by the cruiser HMS COVENTRY to establish a fuelling base there
5 December 1940 sailed Alexandria in convoy AN9
7 December 1940 arrived at Suda Bay, Crete
25 December 1940 sailed Suda Bay, Crete to Port Said in convoy AS9/1
6 January 1941 to 13 January 1941 served with Force A from Alexandria in Operation Excess, a convoy operation to 13/01/41 Piraeus and Malta
17 February 1941 at Alexandria alongside HMS VALIANT refuelling her
25 February 1941 at Alexandria alongside HMS VALIANT refuelling her - casting off the next day
4 March 1941at Alexandria alongside HMS VALIANT refuelling her
18 March 1941 at Alexandria alongside HMS VALIANT refuelling her
April 1941 Captain Herbert A Shacklock RFA appointed as Master
24 April 1941 sailed Alexandria escorted by HM destroyers HEREWARD, HERO, HOTSPUR and ISIS
30 May 1941 Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 November 1941 Mr R Blacklock RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
17 February 1942 Able Seaman Paul Micallef discharged dead. He is buried in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
Image courtesy of British War Graves - with thanks
9 June 1942 sailed Alexandria in convoy AT49 to Tobruk
10 June 1942 at 05.50am while part of convoy AT49 at 31.12N 28.10E attacked and damaged by a torpedo fired by German U Boat U559 - commanded by Kapitanleutnant Hans Heidtmann.
Entry in the War Diary of U559 logging the attack on RFA Brambleleaf.
3rd Engineer Officer Robert J Lubbock, 4th Engineer Officer Francis Sullivan, Donkeyman George Blye, Carpenter Rosario Cauci, Galley Boy A Minamoui, Greaser Joseph Bulhagiar and Fireman Joseph Vella killed. The Master and the rest of the crew were saved and landed at Alexandria by RHS Vasilissa Olga (D15) - a Greek Destroyer. The ship was towed to Alexandria where she was used as an oil hulk.
3rd Engineer Officer Robert J Lubbock, 4th Engineer Officer Francis Sullivan, Donkeyman George Blye, Greaser Joseph Bulhagiar and Fireman Joseph Vella are all buried in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery while Carpenter Rosario Cauchi and Galley Boy A Minamoui are remembered with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial, London
 
Donkeyman George Blye Greaser Joseph Buhagiar
 
3rd Engineer Officer 4th Engineer Officer
Robert J Lubbock Francis Sullivan
Images courtesy of British War Graves - with thanks
The Tower Hill Memorial remembers with pride those with no known grave but the sea
RFA Brambleleaf's official log book report on being torpedoed
10 April 1943 Chief Officer J Bottomley RFA appointed as Chief Officer in Command
15 September 1944 while as an oil hulk she suddenly sank at her moorings and was later declared a total loss.
9 August 1946 transferred to the MoT for disposal
1953 was refloated, and after tightening, she was towed to Italian breakers
3 April 1953 arrived Spezia for demolition
RFA Brambleleaf (2)
Previous name: London Loyalty
Subsequent name: Mayfair Loyalty
Official Number: 185961
Class: SECOND LEAF CLASS Support Tanker
Pennant No: A81
Laid down: 26 May 1952
Builder: Furness, Haverton Hill
Launched: 16 April 1953
Into Service: 22 May 1959
Out of service: 1972
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: In June 1956 the London Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference discussed Britain’s future naval strategy and the vulnerability of static bases in the face of world-wide change. Consideration was given to the provision of Fleet Trains to supply warships at sea and the Admiralty announced plans to build up a force of such ships. So began a period of major Fleet modernisation with the bare-boat chartering of 8 motor tankers for freighting duties that reintroduced the LEAF names to the Fleet. These 8 vessels were all broadly similar and were bare-boat chartered as replacements for the DALE and WAVE Classes. Although primarily intended for freighting duties, most of them were also capable of replenishment at sea
16 April 1953 Launched by Furness Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Haverton-Hill as Yard Nr 454 named LONDON LOYALTY for London and Overseas Freighters Ltd, London
10 January 1954 completed at a cost of £1,027,642
14 January 1954 to 15 January 1954 ran trials
20 May 1959 Mr E Smeaton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
22 May 1959 bareboat chartered by the Admiralty and renamed BRAMBLELEAF (2)
28 May 1959 sailed Falmouth on her first voyage to Trinidad
10 September 1959 Captain Sydney S F Dalgleish OBE RFA appointed as Master
23 October 1960 Mr J S Aitken RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 May 1961 Captain D A C Butler RFA appointed as Master
18 January 1962 Commodore Thomas Elder DSC RFA appointed as Master
11 November 1962 Captain A Jackson OBE RFA appointed as Master
8 April 1963 suffered an engine breakdown in the Persian Gulf and had to return to Bahrain for repairs
4 August 1963 Doctor from HMS Rhyl onboard to treat member of the crew in need of urgent medical aid while in the Mediterranean
17 August 1963 at Malta Captain Denis Alfred Codrington Butler RFA discharged dead. He died of liver failure at the Naval Hospital.
17 November 1963 Mr C H Gurr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 March 1964 Captain W F Carlett RFA appointed as Master
15 May 1964 Mr J A Ferguson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 August 1965 Captain C W Rennels RFA appointed as Master
9 August 1965 Mr R W Cann RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 May 1966 Captain J Coull RFA appointed as Master
19 October 1966 Mr S P Awati RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 May 1967 Mr P W Jacobs RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 July 1967 Captain R W Wilkinson RFA appointed as Master
17 June 1968 Captain J McCulloch RFA appointed as Master
18 August 1968 Mr O G P Wells RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
June 1970 was diverted to Durban to embark additional dispersant chemicals in the wake of the loss of RFA ENNERDALE (2) off the Seychelles
15 and 18 August 1971 visited Pitcairn Island, Pacific
15 March 1972 arrived Rosyth on her final freighting run as an RFA
13 April 1972 returned to her owners on the expiry of her charter and was transferred to their subsidiary Mayfair Tankers Ltd, London and renamed Mayfair Loyalty to be laid up in the River Blackwater
9 September 1974 arrived at La Spezia and laid up.
27 February 1976 sold at La Spezia for breaking up
July 1976 demolition begun at La Spezia by Ditta Loti SpA
RFA Brambleleaf (3)
RFA Brambleleaf
RFA Brambleleaf entering Portsmouth Harbour in 1990
Previous name: Hudson Deep
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 388293
Class: THIRD LEAF CLASS Support Tanker
Pennant No: A81
Laid down: 23 July 1974
Builder: Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
Launched: 22 Jauary 1976
Into Service: 20 February 1980
Out of service: 2009 - laid up at Portsmouth
Fate: Broken up at Ghent
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data:
On 27 October 1978 it was announced that the MoD (N) was to charter 2 laid up STaT 32 standard product tankers which had originally formed part of a 4-ship order for commercial owners. After 3 of the ships had been laid down, the owners ran into financial difficulties and found that they were unable to accept the new ships. As they were the only mercantile order then in hand, the builders completed the 3 ships, and after running trials, they were laid up, 2 at Liverpool and 1 at Birkenhead. After some time had elapsed, the builders took over ownership of the ships by forming 3 subsidiary companies which then offered the ships for sale or charter. These eventually became RFA’s APPLELEAF (3), BRAMBLELEAF (3) and ORANGELEAF (3). Some years later, the 4th ship from this original order was built as RFA BAYLEAF (3). All 4 ships had additional accommodation and full RAS capabilities fitted and became useful units in the Fleet. Later on, a 5th vessel was chartered and was renamed RFA OAKLEAF (2), but she differed considerably from the earlier 4 Leafs
30 April 1973 ordered as part of a 4-ship order valued at around £20 million
September 1973 a loan of £4,356,160 was secured with Williams and Glynn Bank for her construction
22 January 1976 launched by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd, Birkenhead as Yard Nr 1365 named HUDSON DEEP for John Hudson Fuel and Shipping Ltd (Hudson Steamship Co Ltd, Managers) Brighton
1976 ownership transferred to Oakspine Ltd, a subsidiary of the builders
February 1977 completed and laid up at Liverpool without running acceptance trials
27 October 1978 plans announced for her charter by the MoD (N)
December 1978 purchased by Finance for Shipping Ltd (Matheson & Co Ltd, Managers) London
1979 converted by her builders for her new role
10 December 1979 her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her
20 February 1980 officially bareboat chartered by MoD (N) and was renamed BRAMBLELEAF (3)
28 April 1980 entered operational service with full RAS capabilities
5 April 1982 Diverted from Armilla Patrol duties in the Arabian Gulf to proceed round the Cape of Good Hope for service during Operation Corporate - the Falklands Conflict. Embarked wives were landed at Mombasa
13 April 1982 off the Cape of Good Hope enroute to the TEZ
19 April 1982 entered the TEZ (Total Exclusion Zone) around the Falkland Islands having encountered severe weather in the South Atlantic causing bow damage which led to some of her tanks becoming contaminated with seawater
23 April 1982 joined Operation Paraquat - the retaking of South Georgia. Proceeded 200 miles off South Georgia with RFA TIDESPRING for a pump over which had to be abandoned due to a submarine alert which turned out to be the Argentinian SANTE FE
24 April 1982 completed the pump over and sailed for the U.K
12 May 1982 arrived Portland to tank clean and for repairs
1 June 1982 sailed Portland on her 2nd tour in the South Atlantic
24 October 1982 sailed Falkland Islands for home with the carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and the frigate HMS AMAZON
16 December 1982 Arrived Gibraltar on completion of Operation Corporate duties
February 1983 was purchased by MoD (N)
18 November 1983 sailed U.K. along with the assault ship HMS FEARLESS to support Operation Offcut - naval support for British troops in the multi-national force in the Lebanon - which also included RFA’s BLUE ROVER, GREY ROVER and later RELIANT (3)
29 August 1984 was officially presented with the Falkland Islands 1982 Battle Honour at Portland by Mr A Kemp DST(SF)
January 1986 humanitarian aid - along with the Royal Yacht HMS BRITANNIA involved in the evacuation of British and foreign nationals from Aden after civil war broke out in the Peoples Republic of Yemen
11 January 1986 sailed Mombasa to R/V with the Royal Yacht to accompany her to Sri Lanka
14 January 1986 ordered to sail to Aden on Operation Balsac - the evacuation of British nationals - along with the frigate HMS JUPITER and the destroyer HMS NEWCASTLE
18 January 1986 began her approach to the evacuation beach off Aden to embark British nationals after the attempted coup
21 January 1986 anchored in Aden Harbour and then accompanied the Royal Yacht as previously planned to Sri Lanka
December 1987 Captain Stuart G Pearce RFA in command
June 1988 Captain Christopher Smith in command
1989 was awarded an inscribed plaque from the General Council of British Shipping to commemorate her service on Armilla Patrol between November 1986 and 20 August 1988 when the “Accompanying Policy” was in force. Other recipients were RFA’s APPLELEAF (3), DILIGENCE, OLNA (3), ORANGELEAF (3) and TIDESPRING
2 September 1989 with HMS Alacrity and US Coast Guards was involved in the seizure of a 65 foot fishing boat which was found to contain 23,000 lbs of marijuana. The vessel was escorted into Key West.
17 September 1989 to 24 September 1989 humanitarian assistance - supported the frigate HMS ALACRITY and provided assistance to Montserrat, St Kitts, Nevis and Tortola in the wake of Hurricane Hugo
27 June 1990 Captain (E) E M Quigley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
June 1992 Captain Ian F Heslop RFA in command
2 December 1992 Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
10 November 1994 Humanitarian aid - with the patrol craft HMS LEEDS CASTLE she assisted in the rescue of a French transatlantic yachtsman in the Eastern Atlantic after his yacht had capsized when its keel fell off
February 1995 with HMS Broadsword and HMS Monmouth visited Bermuda
May 1995 took Mr R J Alston CMG., Governor of Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, Mrs Alston and two administration officers, from Mangareva to Pitcairn, then on to Wellington, New Zealand
16 January 1995 Captain Anthony F Pitt DSC RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain A F Pitt DSC RFA
24 November 1996 Captain Pat Thompson OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
30 January 1999 to 1 April 1999 supported Operation Magellan in the Persian Gulf - an RN/RFA Group deployed as a precautionary move to counter continuing Iraqi intransigence over compliance with UN Security Council instructions- along with RFA FORT AUSTIN
26 July 2001 Captain Brian J Waters OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
11 May 2002 Captain Alistair Swatridge RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
15 January 2003 deployed for Operation Telic - the 2nd Gulf War - along with 13 other RFA’s
7 August 2003 humanitarian aid - rescued 12 survivors from the blazing cargo dhow FATE AL RAMAN at the northern end of the Arabian Gulf and landed them at Dubai
24 October 2003 returned to Portland on completion of Operation Telic duties - the last RFA home
1 November 2003 Captain Brian J Waters OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
12 November 2003 Communications Rating 1 Michael James Gray discharged dead.
17 October 2004 Captain Shaun Jones RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
29 March 2006 sailed Portsmouth as part of the Aguila 06 Deployment to the Middle East led by the carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS - along with RFA’s DILIGENCE and FORT VICTORIA
30 October 2006 with ships of 24 nations took part in a US-led naval exercise in waters not far from Iran aimed at training forces to block the transport of weapons of mass destruction and related equipment
5 December 2006 berthed at Gibraltar sailing on 3 January 2007
22 January 2007 Captain (E) Robert Smith RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
5 February 2007 arrived Portsmouth for the last time to de-store for disposal
April 2007 announced that she would be reduced to “zero manning” along with RFA OAKLEAF (2)
September 2007 on the Disposal List at Portsmouth
18 August 2009 left Portsmouth under tow of MULTRATUG 7 and MULTRATUG 17 to Belgium to be broken up by Van Heyghen Recycling at Ghent
20 August 2009 arrived Ghent for demolition by Van Heyghen Freres
RFA Brambleleaf leaves Portsmouth on the way to the breakers
The demise of an elderly lady
© Mark Bontemps
February 2011 breaking up completed
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