RFA Broomdale

RFA Broomdale

 

 

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:

Official Number:                    165594

Class:                                  1^st DALE CLASS Freighting Tanker

Pennant No:                        X 68 / B 508 / A168

Laid down:                          29 December 1936
Builder:                               Harland & Wolff, Govan
Launched:                           2 September 1937
Into Service:                        3 November 1937
Out of service:                     December 1959
Fate:                                  Broken up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:  Originally there were to have been 19 ships in this Class. The first 6 were purchased off the stocks fro the British Tanker Co Ltd whilst building at the instigation of the then Director of Stores, Sir William Gick, who was concerned at the age of the RFA Fleet and ships that were approaching the end of their economic lives. A further 2 ships were purchased from Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd for evaluation purposes. At the outbreak of WW2, a further 11 ships were acquired from the MoWT war programme although one of these, to have been named EPPINGDALE, which had been registered in London as EMPIRE GOLD on 21/02/43 and intended for transfer to the Admiralty for manning and management as an RFA and despite 5 Officers being appointed to her, the intended transfer was cancelled the following day and she thus never entered RFA service. 3 of this Class were converted into LSG’s and were then reconverted back into tankers at the end of the War.

 

11 August 1936 ordered by the British Tanker Company Ltd, London

2 September 1937 launched by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Govan as Yard Nr 973 G named BROOMDALE for the Admiralty

3 November 1937 completed

19 January 1938 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

21 January 1938 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

4 February 1938 involved in collision with P&O cargo passenger ship 'Ruahine' at Glasgow while under going trials  - berthed at Greenock for repairs

16 February 1938 berthed at Gibraltar in ballast while on passage from Greenock to Abadan

5 July 1938 Mr Alexander Ballantyne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 July 1938 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

31 July 1938 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

22 October 1938 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

25 October 1938 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

16 November 1938 Captain C F Cunningham RFA appointed as Master

17 December 1938 Captain Cecil  R Rosen RFA appointed Master

4 August 1939 Captain J H Jones RFA appointed Master

13 August 1939 anchored at Invergordon

18 August 1939 at Scapa Flow with HMS MATABELE alongside being refuelled

21 August 1939 at Scapa Flow with HMS's MATABELE and PUNJABI alongside being refuelled

15 September 1939 at Scapa Flow - HMS SHARPSHOOTERr alongside to be refuelled

17 September 1939 at Loch Ewe with HMS MATABELE alongside being refuelled

20 September 1939 at Loch Ewe with HMS MATABELE alongside being refuelled

2 October 1939 at 0935hrs 18 August 1939 at Scapa Flow with HMS MATABELE alongside being refuelled

3 October 1939 at Scapa Flow with HMS MATABELE alongside being refuelled 

28 November 1939 sailed the Clyde with RFA BIRCHOL (1) for Loch Ewe escorted by HMS's KINGFISHER and SHELLDRAKE

16 December 1939 escorted by HMS BRITOMART

28 December 1939 Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed Master

5 January 1940 to 30 January 1940 at Scapa Flow

6 February 1940 HMS Discovery II moored alongside to refuel and for an overnight stay

23 February 1940 HMS Discovery II moored alongside to refuel and for an overnight stay

23 February 1940 at Scapa Flow to 3 May 1940

3 May 1940 sailed Scapa Flow to Harstad in Convoy HK1 arriving on 9 May 1940. The convoy, in addition, was composed of the tanker BRITISH GOVERNOR and steamers NARVA, ASIS CROMARTY FIRTH, EMILE JAVARY and the cable ship LASSO

16 May 1940 HMS Coventry secured alongside and the ship sustained damage from enemy bombing - one casualty - discharged to Hospital ship ATLANTIS for treatment and passage to the U.K. The ship was attacked by 4 dive bombers in quick succession, two very near misses holed her on the port side, though not severely. She was also machine gunned. It is believed these bombers were Junkers Ju.88's. By this time, H.M.S. COVENTRY's ammunition was very nearly expended - she sailed for Harstad

20 May 1940 sailed from Lavang Fiord for Harstad

23 May 1940 sailed with ss NARVA, ss META, ss CALUMET, ss MARINA and Norwegian ss CLIO from Harstad unescorted. 

20 June 1940 at the Clyde for repairs which started on 25 June 1940 

16 July 1940 at Greenock sailed for Trinidad arriving on 31 July 1940

14 December 1940 refuelled the cruiser HMS CUMBERLAND at an anchorage in the South Atlantic

22 December 1940 returned to the Falkland Islands to load more fuel

8 January 1941 transferred stocks of fuel to RFA ARNDALE off the River Plate

25 January 1941 arrived Curacao

28 January 1941 sailed Curacao

13 March 1941 arrived Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

22 April 1941 arrived Rio de Janeiro - sailed the next day

5 May 1941 arrived Trinidad

2 June 1941 sailed Trinidad to the Falklands Islands

6 July 1941 arrived Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

22 July 1941 arrived Montevideo 

1 September 1941 arrived Rio de Janeiro sailed two days later

3 October 1941 arrived Montevideo - sailed the next day for New Orleans, then Curacao then …

3 November 1941 arrived Trinidad sailed two days later for Curacao

8 November 1941 sailed Curacao

15 November 1941 arrived New Orleans

10 December 1941 sailed New Orleans

16 December 1941 arrived Curacao to load and sailed the next day

20 December 1941 arrived Trinidad

6 January 1942 sailed Trinidad

7 February 1942 arrived Montevideo

2 March 1942 sailed Montevideo to Cape Town arriving on 17 March 1942

April 1942 Mr W J Littledale MBE RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

18 April 1942 in port at Bombay and replenished carriers HMS Formidable and HMS Indomitable with aviation fuel

June 1942 was allocated Fleet Attendant duties in the Seychelles, Ceylon and Bombay.

29 July 1942 sailed Colombo to Trincomalee in convoy JC3 along with RFA APPLELEAF(1) arriving on 31 July 1942

1 August 1942 sailed Trincomalee as part of one of three dummy convoys used in Operation Stab - a diversionary operation to invade the Andaman Islands and thus take attention away from the US invasion of Guadacanal . Sailed at 0400Z revered course at 1700Z back to Trincomalee. Also in this dummy convoy was RFA Appleleaf (1) and two other merchant ships with RIN and RN escort ships

2 December 1942 sailed Colombo to Bombay in convoy MB19 arriving 7 December 1942. The convoy escort was HMS Overdale Wyke and HMS St Anthony. The convoy consisted of only two ships and Captain C R Rosen RFA was the Convoy Commodore

22 December 1942 sailed Bandar Abbas to Bombay in convoy PB18 arriving 28 December 1942

29 December 1942 sailed Bombay in Convoy BM 36

3 January 1943 detached from Convoy BM 36 and arrived Colombo

4 January 1943 Captain P H Brooke RFA appointed as Master

3 February 1943 sailed Colombo in Convoy C 42

7 February 1943 convoy C 42 arrived Addu Atoll

9 February 1943 at Addu Atoll refuelled HMS QUEEN OF BERMUDA alongside

13 February 1943 sailed Addu Atoll

25 February 1943 arrived Abadan

3 March 1943 sailed Bandar Abbas in Convoy PB 29 arriving Bombay 9 March 1943

16 March 1943 sailed Bombay in Convoy  BM 46 (Bombay - Calcutta)

21 March 1943 detached from Convoy BM 46 and arrived Colombo

24 March 1943 sailed Colombo in Convoy C 45 arrived Trincomalee on 26 March 1943

14 May 1943 Mr H S Edward RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

9 April 1943 sailed Trincomalee to Colombo arriving two days later

11 April 1943 sailed Colombo in Convoy MB 32 arriving Bombay 16 April 1943

17 April 1943 sailed Bombay in Convoy BP 76A arrived Bandar Abbas 21 April 1943

24 April 1943 arrived Abadan

26 April 1943 sailed Abadan to Bandar Abbas arriving 29 April 1943

4 May 1943 sailed Bandar Abbas in Convoy  PB39 to Bombay arriving 10 May 1943

5 July 1943 sailed Bombay in Convoy  BP86 arrived Bandar Abbas arriving 10 July 1943

15 July 1943 sailed Abadan to Bandar Abbas arriving 18 July 1943

22 July 1943 sailed Bandar Abbas in Convoy PB49 arriving Bombay 28 July 1943

30 July 1943 sailed Bombay in Convoy  BM58 arrived Colombo 4 August 1943

5 August 1943 sailed Colombo to Trincomalee arriving 7 August 1943

11 August 1943 sailed Trincomalee arrived Colombo 13 August 1943

19 August 1943 sailed Colombo in Convoy MB 44 arrived Bombay 24 August 1943

30 August 1943 sailed Bombay in Convoy  BP93 to Bandar Abbas arriving 10 September 1943

16 September 1943 sailed Bandar Abbas in Convoy PB 56 arrived Bombay 21 September 1943

24 September 1943 sailed Bombay in Convoy BM 67 to Colombo arriving 29 September 1943

1 October 1943 sailed Colombo in convoy JC24 arriving Trincomalee 4 October 1943

7 October 1943 sailed Trincomalee arriving Colombo 9 October 1943

25 October 1943 sailed Colombo for Bombay with escort

1 November 1943 sailed Bombay for Abadan arriving on 8 November 1943

9 November 1943 having loaded sailed Abadan for Bombay

19 November 1943 sailed Bandar Abbas in convoy PB64 arriving Bombay 26 November 1943

27 November 1943 sailed Bombay in convoy BM76 to Colombo

2 December 1943 arrived Colombo in convoy BM76 from Bombay

6 December 1943 sailed Colombo in convoy JC28A arriving Trincomalee on 9 December 1943

30 December 1943 under going repairs at Colombo  - completed 4 January 1944

6 January 1944 sailed Colombo for Addu Atoll in convoy CX15 arriving on 9 January 1944

16 January 1944 sailed Addu Atoll in convoy XC14 arriving Colombo on 19 January 1944

4 February 1944 sailed Colombo in convoy MB64 to Bombay arriving on 9 February 1944

14 April 1944 was slightly damaged when the ammunition ship Fort Stikine blew up in harbour at Bombay, India. One of her Lascar Ratings was  injured

9 June 1944 sailed independently to Colombo arriving 12 June 1944

28 August 1944 accidentally torpedoed by HMS/m Severn in Trincomalee Harbour, Ceylon. The ship had two tanks damaged and lost a quantity of oil into the harbour. There was no fire but she suffered one casualty.  Repairs took several months to complete before she could re-enter service.

Fitted with gantry posts and derricks for Replenishment at Sea. The first RFA to have conical tank heating coils.

 

 

28 January 1945 sailed Trincomalee to Colombo arriving two days later

31 January 1945 sailed Colombo to Aden in convoy JA3/2 arriving 12 February 1945

17 March 1945 sailed Port Said independently to Malta arriving 24 March 1945

28 March 1945 sailed Malta to Gibraltar independently arriving 3 April 1945

13 April 1945 sailed Gibraltar to Liverpool in Convoy XK22 arriving subsequently at the Clyde on 23 April 1945

17 July 1945 Captain R G Edmonds RFA appointed as Master

25 July 1945 Mr J B D Payne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 August 1945 sailed the Clyde to Port Said independently arriving on 5 September 1945

30 September 1945 Able Seaman Raymond Harrison P/JX 701460 (DEMS gunner) discharged dead. He is buried in Seghill (Holy Trinity) Churchyard, Seghill, Northumberland in Section H3 Grave 32

9 November 1945 arrived Shanghai, China

14 November 1945 arrived Tokyo on Fleet Attendant duties

5 December 1945 at Yohohama with HMAS Arunta alongside being refuelled

14 December 1945 at Yohohama with HMAS Arunta alongside being refuelled

20 January 1946 at Shanghai, China Chief Steward John Sampson discharged dead - died of rabies in Hospital ashore

12 March 1946 sailed Hong Kong

2 June 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

18 June 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

18 July 1947 Mr George S G Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

 

Chief Engineer Officer George S G Russell RFA

 

21 August 1947 in refit on the Clyde

14 March 1948 Mr George S G Russell RFA discharged dead

19 March 1948 Mr N T Davies RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 July 1948 Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA appointed as Master

10 July 1949 Captain Cecil R Rosen OBE RFA appointed as Master

13 September 1949 Mr W J Brown OBE DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 May 1950 berthed at Fremantle, Australia to discharge from Abadan

29 May 1950 sailed Fremantle, Australia to Colombo

8 November 1950 Mr Harold M Pearson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 December 1950 Captain F J King RFA appointed as Master

1 February 1952 Captain Leonard Elford RFA appointed as Master and Mr K F Duce DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Captain Leonard Elford RFA

 

13 July 1952 Mr A Ballantyne OBE RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 August 1952 Captain Thomas H Card OBE RFA appointed as Master

8 July 1952 Mr R E Davies RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 October 1953 berthed at Melbourne, Australia

19 October 1953 sailed Melbourne, Australia

22 December 1953 at sea at 50.01N 02.07.30W Radio Officer Jeffrey Barton Flick discharged dead - found missing presumed drowned

8 June 1954 Captain Robert Grimer DSC RFA appointed as Master

7 November 1955 Captain R G Edmonds RFA appointed as Master

14 July 1956 while under charter to Shell and flying the Red Ensign at Edgewater, New Jersey while discharging one Hong Kong Seaman jumped ship. The US Immigration fined the ship's agents on behalf of the Master $1,000 US for breach of the US Immigration Act

21 July 1956 Mr W Ditchburn RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 February 1958 Captain Albert  V Barton OBE RFA appointed as Master

6 March 1958 Mr W B Jones RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

4 July 1958 berthed at Auckland, New Zealand

1959 laid up at Devonport

20 October 1959 offered for sale 'as lying' at Devonport in the Times of this date

November 1959 sold to Messrs Deckers & Wirtz, Antwerp for scrap but was resold

2 January 1960 arrived Bruges, Belgium for breaking up by Van Heyghen Freres

 

 

Notes:

 

1. She was originally destined to be one of a Class of  what was to become 93 tankers over a 15 year period, the lead ship of this Class being launched at Newcastle as BRITISH FAME on 19 June 1936.

 

2. Was the first RFA to be fitted with a pair of gantry kingposts and  net defence derricks for OAS experiments. Later she became the first tanker to be fitted with conical heating coils in her cargo tanks.

 

3. Served with the British Pacific Fleet hence the B - pennant number.