RFA Dewdale (1)
Previous name:
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 168186
Class: 1st DALE CLASS Freighting Tanker
Pennant No: X51 / A151
Laid down: 29 December 1939
Builder: Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
Launched: 17 February 1941
Into Service: 14 June 1941
Out of service: 6 May 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
17 February 1941 Launched by Cammell Laird Ltd, Birkenhead as Yard Nr 1054 named DEWDALE (1) for the MoWT and originally intended for management by Eagle Oil Transport Co Ltd, London.
5 March 1941 Mr M J Lawrence RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 April 1941 Captain Robert Grimer RFA appointed as Master
14 June 1941 completed and acquired by the Admiralty. Operated as a tanker with limited LSG capability carrying 15 LCMs with accommodation for 150 military personnel.
16 June 1941 sailed Liverpool
16 July 1941 arrived the Clyde and between this date 13 September 1941 was in various ports in the N W Scotland area
8 August 1941 Allocated to Exercise Leapfrog for Operation Pilgrim - the proposed action against the Canary Islands - along with RFA‘s ENNERDALE (1) and DENBYDALE
9 August 1941 sailed the Clyde in convoy WS8C to Scapa Flow along with RFA ENNERDALE and 17 other sips escorted by 8 destroyers arriving the next day
12 August 1941 allocated to Operation Pilgrim
15 August 1941 Operation Pilgrim cancelled - sailed Scapa Flow to the Clyde arriving 17 August 1941
13 September 1941 sailed the Clyde in convoy OS6 to Freetown arriving 3 October 1941
October 1941 served with Force Q to the South Africa Station
23 October 1941 declared as not being suitable for use as a mobile oiler
26 January 1942 sailed Freetown in convoy SL99 for Gibraltar arriving 8 February 1942
22 February 1942 sailed Gibraltar in convoy HG79 for the Clyde arriving 7 March 1942
12 March 1942 at Tail of Bank
22 October 1942 sailed the Clyde in convoy KMS 1G with RFA Derwentdale for Algiers arriving 8 November 1942 for service during Operation Torch - the Allied Landings in French North Africa . Other RFA‘s involved were RFA’s ABBEYDALE, BROWN RANGER, DERWENTDALE (1), DINGLEDALE, ENNERDALE (1) , NASPRITE and VISCOL. She was awarded the North Africa 1942-43 Battle Honour.
During Operation Torch her landing craft were used in the first assault waves during the North African landing
9 November 1942 Arrived Bougie, Algeria to provide fuelling support to the Fleet
12 November 1942 bombed at Algiers together with the Dutch troopship MARNIX VAN SIN ALDEGONDE. Between 1000 and 1100hrs attacked by 30 German aircraft and shot down two Ju 88. At 1240hrs attacked by 6 German torpedo bombers. Two were shot down one being claimed by RFA Dewdale. Reported in official reports that Dewdale's gunnery efficiency saved the ship. (See LG 23 March 1949 page 1520). 1655hrs attacked again by torpedo bombers without being hit. The only damage caused was to the Polish destroyer BLYSKAWICA. Sailed during the night.
20 November 1942 suffered a direct bomb hit port side No 6 tank during an air attack at Bassin de Mustapha, Port d’Alger. There were no RFA fatalities. There was one RN crew member however who was killed - Stoker 2nd Class Reginald William Larkins P/KX 148166. He is buried in La Reunion War Cemetery, Bejaia, Algeria
21 November 1942 sailed Gibraltar in convoy MKS1Y returning to Gibraltar two days later
29 December 1942 further damaged by a mine at Algiers
16 January 1943 to 21 March 1943 under repair at Algiers
March 1943 again bombed and damaged at Algiers
23 March 1943 sailed Bone in convoy MKS10 arriving Liverpool for permanent repairs and for further conversion work as an LSG on 5 April 1943
28 June 1943 Repairs and conversion completed. Was now equipped with 4 gantry crane extensions which travelled the Main Deck on rails and lowered the 15 LCM(1)s carried over the side in a 30 minute period. These LCM’s were 48.5 feet in length and of 36 tons complete with military transport vehicles and were stowed on rollers in 3 rows on deck with minimum interference to the original tanker function of the vessels. Initially no accommodation was provided for the LCM crews but later conversions saw the forehold and nos 8 and 9 tanks fitted with tween decks and altered to accommodate 150 additional personnel and extra accommodation was built on the bridge and boat decks aft for the personnel engaged in handling the vehicles
4 September 1943 Captain Leslie J Mack DSO RFA appointed as Master
30 September 1943 sailed the Clyde in convoy UA2 to the Azores arriving 9 October 1943
25 October 1943 At Horta in the Azores to take part in Operation Alacrity - a secret plan to establish Allied bases in the Azores
4 December 1943 sailed Loch Ewe in Convoy WN 513 arrived Methil on 6 December 1943
13 February 1944 sailed the Clyde in convoy OS68KM in company with RFA’s ECHODALE and ENNERDALE (1) to Gibraltar arriving 25 February 1944
25 February 1944 sailed Gibraltar in convoy KMS 42 along with RFA ECHODALE and HMS SALVAGE DUKE to Algiers arriving 27 February 1944
4 March 1944 sailed Bougie in convoy UGS33 to Augusta arriving 9 March 1944
13 March 1944 sailed Naples in convoy NV26 to Augusta arriving 14 March 1944
21 March 1944 sailed Malta GC in convoy GUS34 to Bougie arriving 23 March 1944
29 March 1944 sailed Bougie in convoy KMS45 in company with RFA ENNERDALE (1) to Augusta arriving 2 April 1944 whereas the Convoy continued on to Port Said, arriving there nn 6 April 1944
2 April 1944 sailed Augusta in company with RFA ENNERDALE (1) in convoy VN31 to Naples arriving on 4 April 1944
12 August 1944 sailed Naples in convoy NV32 to Messina arriving the next day
1 May 1944 sailed Augusta in convoy AH40 to Taranto arriving the next day
20 July 1944 sailed Malta GC
12 August 1944 sailed Naples in convoy SM1A in Operation Dragoon - the Allied invasion of the south of France - carrying 14 Landing Craft, fuel oil, diesel and fresh water. Other RFA’s involved were RFA’s CELEROL, ENNERDALE (1) and NASPRITE.
15 August 1944 arrived at her assigned beachhead and was near missed by a glider bomb
29 August 1944 at Augusta
11 June 1945 sailed Malta GC independently to Salonika arriving 14 January 1945
22 January 1945 sailed Salonika
28 February 1945 sailed Malta GC independently to Alexandria arriving 3 March 1945
3 March 1945 to 15 March 1945 undergoing repairs at Alexandria
13 May 1945 sailed Alexandria independently to Augusta arriving 16 May 1945
18 May 1945 sailed Augusta independently to Port Said arriving 22 May 1945
23 May 1945 sailed Suez independently to Aden arriving 28 May 1945
28 May 1945 sailed Aden independently to Bombay arriving 3 June 1945
3 June 1945 at Bombay under repair
11 August 1945 2nd Officer J W Thompson RFA discharged dead. He is buried in Trincomalee War Cemetery in Plot I Row B Grave 5
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
15 August 1945 sailed Trincomalee independently to Madras arriving 17 August 1945
25 September 1945 first RFA to enter Singapore after it's liberation.
2 October 1945 sailed Colombo independently to Bombay arriving 6 October 1945
4 October 1945 Captain George F Rutter RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master
13 October 1945 sailed Bombay to Singapore
27 October 1945 sailed Singapore independently to Bombay arriving 7 November 1945
26 November 1945 sailed Bombay to Cochin
1 December 1945 sailed Cochin independently to Colombo arriving 3 December 1945
4 December 1945 sailed Colombo independently to Singapore arriving 9 December 1945
11 December 1945 sailed Singapore to Port Swettenham
17 December 1945 arrived at Singapore
7 January 1946 sailed Singapore to Cochin arriving 17 January 1946
21 January 1946 arrived Colombo and then to Bombaby arriving 1 February 1946
27 February 1946 sailed Bombay to Singapore arriving 10 March 1946
15 April 1946 arrived at Batavia from Singapore
27 April 1945 arrived at Singapore from Batavia
2 May 1946 sailed Singapore to Colombo arriving 12 May 1946
19 May 1946 sailed Colombo to Abadan
6 July 1946 arrived at Portsmouth from the Far East to have her four landing craft gantries removed. It was reported in the Hampshire Telegraph & Post and Naval Chronicle newspaper of the 12 July 1946 that the ships crew could deploy the gantries and unload 15 landing craft in 23 minutes.
March 1947 Reconversion to a tanker completed at Portsmouth and resumed normal RFA duties. With her sisters RFA’s DERWENTDALE (1) and ENNERDALE (1) they all retained the extra accommodation on the boat decks aft and at the request of the MoT they were kept on the Trinidad / UK run carrying oil for the Navy but with the extra accommodation utilized for the carriage of 12 passengers at a time until the deficiency of passenger berths was made up with new commercial tonnage.
27 August 1947 Mr J B D Payne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 May 1948 Captain G B A Livesey RFA appointed as Master
24 July 1948 arrived Sydney, NSW, Australia
29 July 1949 Mr G Bray RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 January 1950 Captain R Grimer DSC RFA appointed as Master
31 January 1950 berthed at Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde to discharge after a voyage from Point a Pierre, Trinidad
27 April 1950 Captain Walter L Holtam RFA appointed as Master
1 August 1950 berthed at Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde to discharge after a voyage from Point a Pierre, Trinidad
27 April 1951 berthed at Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde to discharge after a voyage from Point a Pierre, Trinidad
7 June 1951 berthed at Old Kilpatrick, River Clyde to discharge after a voyage from Point a Pierre, Trinidad
19 July 1951 Captain R Grimer DSC RFA appointed as Master
25 March 1952 Mr C Jeremiah RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 June 1952 Ships Writer W J Wilson discharged dead having drowned at Valetta, Malta. He is buried in Kalkara Royal Naval Cemetery, Malta
Image courtesy of British War Graves with thanks
9 July 1953 arrived at Singapore
5 October 1953 arrived at Chowder Bay, Mosman, NSW, Australia from Ras Tanura to discharge
27 December 1953 Captain F A Shaw RD RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master
31 December 1953 Mr J E Kennedy RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 September 1954 arrived Chowder Bay, Mosman, NSW, Australia from Bahrein to discharge
16 September 1954 sailed Garden Island, Sydney, NSW, Australia for Colombo
5 December 1954 Captain D A C Butler RFA appointed as Master
8 December 1954 Mr S Turner RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
11 July 1955 Captain S Thomas RFA appointed as Master
30 December 1956 Mr R E Davies RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 January 1957 Captain Douglas N J Williams RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master
6 January 1958 Captain G F Rutter OBE RD RFA (Commander RNR Rtd) appointed as Master
12 March 1958 Captain F C Holt RFA appointed as Master
29 August 1958 Mr I M Macfarlane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
6 May 1959 Laid up at Portland for disposal.
20 October 1959 offered for sale 'as lying' at Porland Harbour in the Times of this date.
Sold for scrap to Netransmar Cie. SA for £65,000
23 December 1959 arrived for breaking up at Antwerp by J.de Smedt.
RFA Dewdale (2)
Previous name: Edenfield
Subsequent name: Edenfield, World Field
Official Number: 305439
Class: 2nd DALE CLASS Mobile Bulk Tanker
Pennant No: A219
Laid down:
Builder: Harland & Wollf, Belfast
Launched: 5 March 1965
Into Service: 14 August 1967
Out of service: September 1977
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: On 13 July 1967, the MOD (N) announced that it had taken up from trade 3 large tankers on bareboat charter to the RFA for an initial period of 7 years. The reasons for the charter of such large and, by naval standards, unconventional vessels was generally accepted as a combination of political failures and by the Admiralty’s continuing need to ensure Fleet logistics support east of Suez. The political failures related to the closure of the Suez Canal following the 1967 Arab / Israeli War and the foreseeable ending of the Aden base with its resultant loss of fuel storage facilities. They were originally classed as Mobile Bulk Tankers, but this was later amended to Mobile Reserve Tankers. Although not sister ships, these 3 vessels were all basic hull vessels with bridge, accommodation and machinery aft, and all 3 underwent limited modifications, being fitted with an astern fuelling rig and an abeam reception facility to receive rigs from Fleet Tankers. All 3 provided support on the Beira Patrol and were replenished On Station by Support Tankers owing to their size which precluded them loading at naval installations
5 March 1965 launched by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast as Yard Nr 1659 named EDENFIELD for Hunting (Eden) Tankers Ltd (Hunting & Sons Ltd, Managers) Newcastle
2 July 1965 completed
7 January 1967 in collision off Beachy Head with the East German SAALE and took off some of her crew. The Saale was beached on the Mother Bank two miles west of Ryde, Isle of Wight on fire.
8 August 1967 Mr S P Awati RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 August 1967 chartered by the Admiralty and proceeded to Birkenhead for modifications by Cammell Laird & Co
14 August 1967 Captain Alistair C Gibson RFA appointed as Master
20 September 1967 Sailed Birkenhead on completion of conversion renamed DEWDALE. Proceeded to Trinidad to load before proceeding via Cape Town to take up her operational service in the Indian Ocean as the first DALE to do so
11 October 1967 to 25 January 1968 Was part of Task Force 318 - the Aden Task Force formed to cover the final British military withdrawal from the area, codenamed Operation Magister, along with 9 other RFA’s
16 March 1968 Mr P W Scott RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
9 August 1968 her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her
10 September 1968 Captain R W Wilkinson RFA appointed as Master
30 May 1973 Whilst serving on Beira Patrol duties she reported suffering a crankshaft seizure 50 miles south of Durban and was completely immobilised and was drifting. A commercial salvage tug which had sailed from Durban in the hope of lucrative employment arrived at her position early the next morning and was shortly afterwards joined by a second tug
31 May 1973 RFA BAYLEAF (2), which had been ordered to turn back on her passage from the Gulf to the U.K. via Simonstown arrived at DEWDALE’s position at 1600 Z
1 June 1973 RFA TARBATNESS, on passage from the Mozambique Channel to East London , arrived at the position at 0130 Z. She took DEWDALE in tow and 13 hours later they arrived at an anchorage off Durban where the tow was slipped. DEWDALE then underwent temporary repairs in Durban before proceeding to the U.K. at reduced speed escorted by RFA BLUE ROVER
June 1975 Captain David P Kindersley RFA in command
September 1977 withdrawn from RFA service and was returned to her owners’ subsidiary Field Tank Steamship Co Ltd and name reverted to EDENFIELD
May 1978 purchased by Donath Shipping Co, Piraeus and renamed WORLD FIELD
24 June 1982 sailed Jeddah for Taiwanese breakers
6 August 1982 arrived Kaohsiung for demolition
12 August 1982 demolition begun by Nan Hor Stel Enterprise Co
20 October 1982 demolition completed
Notes:
- Was one of the 17 tankers employed in the Mozchan on Beira Patrol duties
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