RFA Cedardale

RFA Cedardale

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:

Official Number:                       167260

Class:                                       1^st DALE CLASS Freighting Tanker

Pennant No:                             X80 / A380

Laid down:
Builder:                                     Blythswood Ship Building Company

Launched:                                25 March 1939
Into Service:                            25 May 1939
Out of service:                        15 November 1959 - laid up at Hong Kong
Fate:                                        Sold at Hong Kong for breaking up 2 February 1960

 

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.

 

25 March 1939  launched by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Scotstoun as Yard Nr 54 named CEDARDALE for the Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd, London

28 April 1939 Mr P B Weston RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

30 April 1939 Captain W Frost RFA appointed as Master

25 May 1939 completed and taken over by the Admiralty

27 May 1939 sailed on her maiden voyage from Greenock to Abadan

7 September 1939 sailed Port Said independently to Aden arriving on 8 October 1939

10 October 1939 sailed Aden

20 October 1939 sailed Port Said independently to Haifa arriving on 21 October and then open to Alexandria arriving on 24 October

3 January 1940 sailed Alexandria independently to Gibraltar arriving on 10 January 1940

13 January 1940 sailed Gibraltar in convoy HGF 15 detached from convoy 22 January for the Clyde

24 January 1940 arrived Greenock

5 February 1940 Mr D S Wood RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 February 1940 sailed the Clyde independently arriving Liverpool 1 March 1940

3 March 1940 sailed Liverpool in convoy OGF.21 for Trinidad arriving on 21 March 1940

24 March 1940 sailed Trinidad independently for Freetown arriving on 7 April 1940

5 July 1940 served with Force R

15 August 1940 at Freetown alongside HMS Cornwall to refuel her

15 September 1940 at Freetown alongside HMS Cornwall to refuel her 

27 September 1940 at Freetown alongside HMS Cornwall to refuel her

2 October 1940 at Freetown alongside HMS Cumberland to refuel her - supplying 1,470 tons of FFO and 1,340 gallons of aviation spirit

4 October 1940 at Freetown alongside HMS Barham to refuel her

16 October 1940 at Freetown alongside HMS Cumberland to refuel her - supplying 1,740 tons of FFO and 1,250 gallons of aviation spirit

19 October 1940 at Freetown alongside HMS Cornwall to refuel her

29 October 1940 suffered a badly leaking oil retaining gland and in need of urgent repairs

2 November 1940 ready for sea and proceeded to Mombasa

20 June 1941 refuelled the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle in Freetown Harbour

21 August 1941 sailed Freetown independently to New Orleans arriving on 19 September 1941

4 September 1941 Captain Douglas N J Williams RFA (Lieut-Commander RNR) appointed as Master

 

Captain Douglas N J Williams RFA

 

19 September 1941 arrived New Orleans for repairs, refit and docking

17 October 1941 sailed New Orleans independently to Curacao arriving 24 of the month

25 October 1941 at Curacao the Bosun, 7 A.B.'s, 1O.S., 1D.B., 1 Pumpman and 1 Cabin Boy walked off the ship and refused to sail. They presented a list of grievances to the British Consul. Reported by the Master to the Senior British Naval Officer and the Consul. The crew returned to the ship at 17.00hrs 26 October 1941 on promise that a full enquiry into the grievances would be helf at Simonstown, South Africa, the next port of call.

26 October 1941 sailed Curacao independently to Simonstown arriving 25 November 1941

5 December 1941 sailed Cape Town for rendezvous with HMS CARTHAGE at outer end of Durban searched channel arriving on 9 December 1941 and met with HMS HECTOR from Durban

15 December 1941 arrived Mauritius

18 December 1941 arrived Seychelles

22 February 1942 sailed Batavia in Convoy SJ 7

25 February 1942 Convoy SJ7 dispersed

28 February 1942 at Seychelles

15 March 1942 sailed Mahe, Seychelles independently

31 March 1942 at Addu Atoll

21 April 1942 arrived at Mombasa

23 April 1942 sailed Mombasa independently to Mahe arriving 3 May 1942

5 May 1942 sailed Mahe, Seychelles independently to Mombasa arriving 10 May 1942

5 July 1942 sailed Mombasa independently to Mahe arriving 9 July 1942

14 December 1942 Captain Albert E Curtain OBE RFA (Lieut-Commander RNR) appointed as Master

15 December 1942 Mr Arthur  L Barr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

 

Chief Engineer Officer Arthur L Barr RFA

 

29 January 1943 sailed Mahe, Seychelles independently to Addu Atoll arriving 6 February 1943

14 February 1943 sailed Addu Atoll in convoy A3 along with RFA GREEN RANGER to Trincomalee arriving four days later

23 April 1943 reported in the Admiralty War Diary of this day that CEDARDALE was fitted with buoyant hose and was thus capable of refuelling cruisers or larger vessels at sea but this was later refuted in a further Admiralty War Diary that these hoses had not been fitted due to a lack of time 

6 May 1943 sailed Bombay independently to Abadan arriving 12 May 1943 to load

15 May 1943 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving on the 25 May 1943

25 May 1943 sailed Aden independently arriving Suez on the 31 of the month

4 June 1943 sailed Port Said independently to Alexandria arriving the next day

8 July 1943 sailed Benghazi as part of Force R for Operation Husky - the invasion of Sicily - providing refuelling support to destroyers.

9 July 1943 refueled eleven destroyers. In C in C's Mediterranean's report on Operation Husky he praised the Master, Officers and Crew for the efficient and expeditious manner in which the fuelling of the destroyers had been carried out. Reported in the Admiralty War Diary she had only 7,000 tons of fuel remaining

10 July 1943 In Operation Husky along with RFA’s DERWENTDALE (1), ENNERDALE (1),

23 July 1943 sailed Malta in convoy KMS 19T along with RFA PEARLEAF (1) to Tripoli arriving the next day

26 July 1943 sailed Tripoli in convoy MES 37Y to Alexandria arriving on the 31 July 1943

3 August 1943 sailed Alexandria in convoy MWS39 to Malta arriving on 10 August 1943

18 August 1943 sailed Malta and joined convoy UGS 13 to Port Said arriving on the 24 August 1943

27 August 1943 sailed Port Said to Beirut arriving two days later

30 August 1943 sailed Beirut independently to Haifa arriving the next day

3 September 1943 sailed Haifa independently to Port Said arriving the next day

4 September 1943 sailed Port Said independently to Alexandria arriving the next day

11 September 1943 sailed Alexandria in convoy XT 2 to Tripoli arriving on 16 September 1943

21 September 1943 sailed under escort from Tripoli to Malta arriving the next day

28 September 1943 sailed Malta and joined convoy UGS 17 to Port Said arriving on 4 October 1943

7 October 1943 sailed Port Said independently to Haifa arriving the next day

10 October 1943 sailed Haifa independently to Alexandria arriving two days later

21 October 1943 sailed Alexandria independently arriving at Port Said the next day

23 October 1943 sailed Port Said independently arriving at Haifa the next day

25 October 1943 sailed Haifa independently to Tripoli arriving the following day

27 October 1943 sailed Tripoli to Haifa arriving the next day

30 Ocrober 1943 sailed Haifa to Alexandria arriving 1 November 1943

17 November 1943 reported in the Admiralty War Diary she will sail towards the end of the month without a gyro compass

24 November 1943 at Alexandria - from the ships log book - '4th Engineer Officer R A Holt at 0415 entered the Captain's cabin,woke him and complained of the lack of 'sweets' for supper. Told to go away and make a complaint in the morning. He remained and became very abusive accusing the Master of 'robbing my ship mates' calling the Master a 'bastard'. He was ordered to leave the Captain's quarters and refused to do so. The Captain was forced to eject him. In doing so 4th Engtineer Holt fell down the staircase and shouted 'You have broken by wrist you English Bastard!'  The Master called for the Chief Officer and the 2nd Officer who took the 4th Engineer away for a dressing to his wrist and then to his cabin. The 2nd Officer reported he had found the wrist swollen and the 4th Engineer's back bruised. Medical Officer called for.' 

6 December 1943 at Alexandria - 4th Engineer Officer signed off - broken wrist. 

18 January 1944 sailed Alexandia to Abadan arriving 4 February 1944

7 February 1944 sailed Abadan to Mahe arriving 28 February 1944

19 March 1944 sailed Mahe to Port Louis, Mauritius arriving 23 March 1944

25 March 1944 sailed Port Louis, Mauritius to Abadan arriving 15 April 1944

17 April 1944 sailed Abadan to Kilindini arriving 1 May 1944

8 May 1944 sailed Kilindini to Port Louis, Mauritius arriving 15 May 1944

15 May 1944 sailed Port Louis, Mauritius to Kilindini arriving 21 May 1944

3 June 1944 sailed Kilindini to Abadan arriving 14 June 1944

17 June 1944 sailed Abadan to Kilindini arriving 2 July 1944

22 July 1944 sailed Kilindini to Abadan arriving 4 August 1944

6 August 1944 sailed Abadan to Kilindini arriving 22 August 1944

27 August 1944 sailed Kilindini in Convoy KM 5 arrived Diego Suarez 31 August 1944

7 September 1944 sailed Diego Suarez to Colombo arriving 18 September 1944

24 September 1944 sailed Colombo to Trincomalee arriving the same day

24 October 1944 sailed Trincomalee to Bombay arriving 28 October 1944

21 January 1945 sailed Bombay to Colombo arriving 25 January 1945

26 January 1945 sailed Colombo to Trincomalee arriving 28 January 1945

30 January 1945 sailed Trincomalee to Sydney NSW arriving 25 February 1945

16 February 1945 Captain Frank P Hennin OBE RFA appointed as Master - he took command on 

27 February 1945 sailed Sydney NSW to Manus, Admiralty Islands anchorage arriving 9 March 1945

14 March 1945 part of British Pacific Fleet Train TF112.2.1

17 March 1943 sailed Manus, Admiralty Islands to  Leyte Gulf anchorage arriving 2 April 1945

28 March 1945 took part in Operation Iceberg One - the British Pacific Fleet operations against Okinawa and outlying islands - as part of Task Force 112 - along with RFA’s  ARNDALE, BACCHUS (2) (Distilling Ship), BROWN RANGER (Water Tanker), DINGLEDALE, WAVE KING and WAVE MONARCH

4 April 1945 sailed Leyte Gulf anchorage returning to the same anchorage on 17 April 1945

30 April 1945 sailed Leyte Gulf anchorage

May 1945 Took part in Operation Iceberg Two - 9 oilers made 18 sorties and refuelled the British Pacific Fleet on 5 occasions

6 May 1945 to 7 May 1945 elements of the British Pacific Fleet met up with the Tanker Group at Cootie One - 21.12 N 128.44 E - for refuelling purposes. The group consisted of RFA’s CEDARDALE, WAVE KING and WAVE MONARCH plus 2 other MFA oilers

7 May 1945 RFA CEDARDALE and 2 MFA’s were escorted to Leyte by HM ships AVON and WHIMBREL while RFA’s WAVE KING and WAVE MONARCH were escorted by the destroyer HMAS NORMAN

10 May 1945 anchored Leyte Gulf anchorage

13 May 1945 sailed Leyte Gulf anchorage to the Admiralty Islands arriving 27 May 1945

4 June 1945 sailed Admiralty Islands to Brisbane arriving 11 June 1945

24 June 1945 sailed Brisbane to Admiralty Islands arriving 1 July 1945

7 July 1945 sailed Admiralty Islands

August 1945 Attached to the British Pacific Fleet along with RFA’s ARNDALE, BISHOPDALE, BACCHUS (2), BROWN RANGER, DINGLEDALE, EASEDALE, GREEN RANGER, RAPIDOL, SERBOL, WAVE EMPEROR, WAVE GOVERNOR,  WAVE KING, WAVE MONARCH and HMS (later RFA) OLNA

12 August 1945 arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands together with RFA BACCHUS (2) and RFA EAGLESDALE

14 August 1945 sailed Manus, Admiralty Islands escorted by HMS Plym 

3 October 1945 sailed Shanghai to Subic Bay arriving 8 October 1945

13 December 1945 arrived Singapore from Subic Bay

15 December 1945 sailed Singapore to Bombay arriving on 25 December 1945

27 December 1945 sailed Bombay

21 January 1946 at Port Said

9 February 1946 and 10 February 1946 at Glasgow Assistant Cook L Forrest and 2nd Steward A Black logged for being absent without leave. Both fined £1.10.0d and stopped two days pay

7 February 1946 arrived at Glasgow

18 February 1946 sailed Glasgow but put back for repairs at Queens Dock

28 April 1946 sailed Queens Dock, Glasgow passing Gibraltar on 4 May 1946 arriving at Port Said 11 May 1946

18 May 1946 sailed Aden to Abadan arriving 24 May 1946

26 May 1946 sailed Abadan to Colombo arriving 4 June 1946

5 June 1946 sailed Colombo to Singapore arriving 10 June 1946

12 June 1946 sailed Singapore to Hong Kong

11 July 1946 sailed Hong Kong to Kure, Japan arriving 17 July 1946

20 July 1946 sailed Kure to Colombo arriving 6 August 1946

14 August 1946 sailed Colombo to Abadan arriving 24 August 1946

26 August 1946 sailed Abadan to Aden

4 September 1946 sailed Aden to Port Said

11 September 1946 sailed Port Said to Malta

19 September 1946 sailed Malta to Haifa arriving 23 September 1946

25 September 1946 sailed Haifa to Malta arriving 29 September 1946

19 October 1946 sailed Malta arriving Port Said 23 October 1946

23 October 1946 said Port Said to Aden arriving 29 October 1946

29 October 1946 sailed Aden to Abadan arriving 6 November 1946

8 November 1946 sailed Abadan to Port Said

22 November 1946 sailed Port Said to Gibraltar arriving 30 November 1946

6 December 1946 sailed Gibraltar to Malta  and then Port Said arriving 13 December 1946

12 December 1946 Quartermaster I P Ah Kwong discharged dead. He is buried in Kalkara Royal Naval Cemetery, Malta

Image courtesy of British War Graves

14 December 1946 sailed Port Said to Abadan

28 December 1946 sailed Abadan

10 June 1947 arrived at Malta from Port Said with a cargo of FFO

18 August 1947 Mr H G May RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 January 1948 Captain Howard D Gausden DSO RFA appointed as Master

13 September 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

24 September 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

14 March 1949 Mr Harold M Pearson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

6 October 1949 Mr S Turner RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 June 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

12 June 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

1 January 1951 Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA appointed as Master

24 June 1951 during a crew change at Malta 58 Chinese seaman were replaced by 37 Maltese seaman

30 June 1951 the 58 Chinese seaman crew who had been replaced by a Maltese crew sailed Malta this day on ss Mediterranean for Gibraltar to man RFA War Hindoo

30 August 1951 Captain Cecil R Rosen OBE RFA appointed as Master

1952 stranded near Mena-al-Ahmadi but refloated without serious damage

1 November 1952 Mr D G Edgar RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 February 1953 Captain Donald B C Ralph OBE DSC RFA appointed as Master

12 January 1954 Mr I M MacFarlane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

25 January 1954 at sea at 48.03N 06.54W General Servant Paul Fernandes discharged dead - natural causes

13 May 1954 in refit at the Greenock Dockyard Company's facility on the Clyde

14 June 1955 Mr J A McKenzie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 August 1955 Captain Robert  H Venning RFA appointed as Master

26 September 1956 berthed at Auckland, New Zealand

14 November 1957 while off the coast of Spain Chief Officer Robert W. Major RFA lost over the side. He had been appointed to the ship on the 17 September 1956

19 November 1957 Captain Arthur J D Gosney RFA appointed as Master

1 January 1958 Mr K I J George RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 July 1958 at Abadan Pantryman Augustinho Gomes discharged dead - heart failure

13 September 1958 after a two ship collision in the Gulf of Oman followed by a fire with 24 deaths. RFA Cedardale and RFA Sea Salvor and RN ships were involved in rescue and salvage with the Cedardale recovering about 11,000 tons of oil from one of the ships which she discharged at Pembroke Dockyard. A subsequent salvage claim by the Admiralty resulted in the Admiralty and the crew receiving various payments

26 October 1958 anchored at Muscat. RFA Sea Salvor berthed alongside of her

27 October 1958 sailed from Muscat

18 January 1959 Captain H W Lawford RFA appointed as Master

15 November 1959 laid up at Hong Kong

3 December 1959 advertised this day in the Times for sale 'as lying' at HM Dockyard, Hong Kong by the Ministry of Transport

2 February 1960 sold for demolition by Matthews Wighton at Hong Kong