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Subsequent name: Royaumont
Official Number: 168204
Class: 1st DALE CLASS Freighting Tanker
Pennant No: Y7.44 / X 44 / B 511 / A144
Laid down: 11 December 1939
Builder: Harland & Wool (Govan)
Launched: 27 March 1941
Into Service: September 1941
Out of service: Sold out of service 1959
Fate: Broken up 1967
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.
27 March 1941 launched by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Govan as Yard Nr 1044 G named DINGLEDALE for the MoWT and originally intended for management by Eagle Oil Transport Co Ltd, London15 August 1941 Mr M N Carlyle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
29 August 1941 Captain R T Duthie RFA appointed as Master
10 September 1941 Completed and placed under management of Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd, London.
18 September 1941 sailed from the Clyde joining Liverpool convoy ON 17. The convoy dispersed at 47.28N 40.57W and the ship arrived at Curacao on 9 October 1941
11 October sailed Curacao independently to Gibraltar arriving 28 October 1941 under the escort of the corvettes HMS AZALEA and HMS SPIRAEA which had deployed from Bathhurst to escort the tanker
13 November 1941 in position 37.21N 02.10E was attacked by U-431 but torpedoes missed
19 November 1941 at 34-05N, 25-50W the destroyers FURY, FORESTER and FORESIGHT RASed with DIngledale
25 November 1941 arrived at Gibraltar under the RN escort of HMS/m Clyde and the corvettes HMS JONQUIL and HMS COREOPSIS
20 January 1942 sailed from Gibraltar to support Royal Naval units in the Atlantic to 33N 22W which had deployed when it was suspected German heavy naval units had broken out. Sailed under the escort of the corvettes HMS GERANIUM, HMS SPIRAEA, and submarine HMS/m CLYDE
22 January 1942 to 2 February 1942 undertook OAS trials with the cruiser HMS HERMIONE in the North Atlantic using the modified stirrup method
27 January 1942 HMS/m Regent broke down in the Atlantic but reached Ponta Delgada, Azores. Dingledale was diverted with lubricating oil and the submarine was able to resume patrol on 2 February 1942. Dingledale also refuelled the light cruiser Hermione while in Ponta Delgada.
28 January 1942 HM destroyers CROOME, EXMOOR and WESTCOTT sailed Gibraltar to refuel from the oiler on their way to escort the damaged troopship LLANGIBBY CASTLE from Horta in the Azores
30 January 1942 RASed with Dido Class Cruiser HMS Hermione in the Atlantic being escorted by HMS/m Clyde
13 February 1942 arrived Gibraltar with HM corvettes GERANIUM and VETCH and the submarine HMS CLYDE
17 February 1942 allocated to Force R for Operation Pedestal - a Malta Supply Convoy - along with RFA BROWN RANGER
8 August 1942 sailed Gibraltar along with RFA BROWN RANGER and under close escort of the corvettes HM ships COLTSFOOT, GERANIUM, JONQUIL and SPIRAEA for Operation Pedestal. RFA ABBEYDALE was also part of this Convoy to Malta
10 August 1942 to 15 August 1942 along with RFA BROWN RANGER she refuelled 26 destroyers and 3 cruisers, one being HMS CAIRO, during Operation Pedestal
11 August 1942 RAS'ed with HMS Ledbury and supplied 101 tons of FFO
13 September 1942 suffered a fire in the bridge, chartroom and radio room. Suspected arson
5 November 1942 with RFA BROWN RANGER sailed Gibraltar as Force R to support Force H during Operation Torch - the Allied landings in French North Africa. Other RFA’s involved were RFA’ ABBEYDALE, DERWENTDALE (1), DEWDALE (1) ENNERDALE (1), NASPRITE and VISCOL. Was awarded the North Africa 1942- 43 Battle Honour
8 November 1942 joined convoy KMS 3G with RFA BROWN RANGER
13 November 1942 was the target of a German Submarine U431 torpedo attack at 37°21'00"N 02°10'00"E - the torpedo missed
25 November 1942 arrived at Algiers in convoy KMS3G with RFA BROWN RANGER which had joined at Bone
26 November 1942 Mr D L S Hood DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
6 December 1942 sailed Algiers in convoy MKS 3X along with RFA ABBEYDALE to Oran arriving the next day
9 December 1942 sailed Gibraltar
22 December 1942 arrived Oran
29 December 1942 sailed Oran
2 January 1943 sailed Bone under RN escort to Algiers arriving the next day
8 January 1943 sailed Algiers
9 February 1943 sailed Gibraltar to Algiers arriving 12 February 1943
27 February 1942 sailed Algiers
2 March 1943 arrived Gibraltar
25 March 1943 sailed Oran
22 April 1943 sailed Phillipville, N.E. Algeria (now called Skikda) in ballast
23 April 1943 arrived Gibraltar
2 May 1943 sailed Gibraltar in ballast in convoy MKS012 arriving the Clyde 14 May 1943
4 May 1943 convoy MKS12 merged with Convoy SL128
22 May 1943 sustained slight damage after grounding on the Clyde
7 June 1943 Captain S G Kent OBE RFA appointed as Master
4 July 1943 sailed in Liverpool convoy OS51KM as Escort Oiler to Freetown arriving 23 July 1943
25 July 1943 sailed Freetown in convoy ST73
28 July 1943 convoy ST73 arrived at Takoradi
1 August 1943 sailed Lagos in Convoy LM 2
21 August 1943 arrived back in Lagos
2 September 1943 sailed Lagos in convoy LGW1 to Takoradi arriving 4 September 1943
8 September 1943 sailed Takoradi
12 September 1943 arrived Freetown
22 September 1943 Able Seaman William Thomas Alfred Drew discharged dead. He is buried in Freetown (King Tom) Cemetery in Grave 5 E 11
Between 22 October 1943 and 17 November 1943 with RFA Brown Ranger in Force 'R' at Operation Torch - Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham GCB DSO Commander in Chief, Mediterranean described Dingledale as having done 'yeoman service'.
22 March 1944 sailed Freetown in convoy SL153 to Bathurst arriving 25 March 1944
27 March 1944 sailed Bathurst to Dakar arriving the next day
23 April 1944 sailed Dakar in convoy OS73 to Freetown arriving 25 April 1944
25 August 1944 sailed Freetown to Dakar arriving on 28 August 1944
11 September 1944 sailed Dakar and joined convoy SL170 to the Clyde arriving 26 September 1944
17 October 1944 Captain E V Blyth OBE RFA appointed as Master
21 December 1944 sailed the Clyde to Loch Ewe arriving 23 December 1944
6 January 1945 sailed Scapa Flow to Loch Ewe and the to Belfast Lough arriving 8 January 1945
8 January 1945 sailed Belfast Lough and joined convoy ON 277 in balast. Convoy enroute to New York. RFA Dingledale bound for Curacao parted company and sailed independently on 16 January 1945 at 44 45N 40 30W arriving on 26 January 1945
28 January 1945 sailed Curacao independently arrived at Cristobal 31 January 1945
1 February 1945 Panama Canal in transit
2 February 1945 sailed Balboa independently to Manus on 6 March 1945
19 March 1945 sailed Manus to Leyte arriving 26 March 1945
12 May 1945 HMS Woodcock provided air defence for HMS SPEAKER, HMS RULER, tankers RFA ARNDALE, AASE MARSK, SAN AMADO and RFA DINGLEDALE, with destroyer HMS NEPAL, sloop HMS PHEASANT and Royal Australian Navy minesweepers.
15 May 1945 with Fleet Train in Area COOTIE RASing BPF ships with RN Frigates HMS WOODCOCK, HMS PHEASANT, Destroyers HMAS NIZAM, Escort Carriers HMS RULER and HMS STRIKER for defence of Fleet Train tankers RFA DINGLEDALE RFA ARNDALE, RFA WAVE KING and RFA WAVE MONARCH (Operation ICEBERG TWO)
20 May 1945 sailed Leyte under escort to Manus arriving 28 May 1945
6 August 1945 HMS Crane provide AA defence for HMS ARBITER,. HMS CHASER, HMS RULER. tankers RFA DINGLEDALE, RFA WAVE KING and SAN AMADO, .Stores Supply Ships GLENARTNEY, FORT WRANGELL during BPF replenishment with Destroyers HMAS NORMAN, HMAS NIZAM, frigate HMS BARLE, sloop HMS PHEASANT, minesweepers HMAS BALLARAT and HMAS BURNIE
2 September 1945 present in Tokyo Bay during the surrender ceremony of Japan at the end of the World War 2. Her Master and Chief Engineer were invited aboard the American battleship USS MISSOURI to witness the signing of the unconditional surrender of Japanese Forces in Tokyo Bay. RFA WAVE KING was also in the Bay.
23 September 1945 sailed Manus to Brisbane arriving on 30 September 1945
6 December 1945 sailed Brisbane to Singapore arriving on 21 December 1945
18 January 1946 Transferred to Admiralty ownership
17 December 1946 Mr T H Purvis RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 January 1948 Captain M W Westlake DSC RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master
18 October 1948 Captain R C Edmonds RFA appointed as Master
4 February 1950 Mr A B Tate RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
19 March 1951 Mr W J Brown OBE DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
6 April 1951 Captain Robert Grimer DSC RFA appointed as Master
9 January 1952 Boatswain Wong Har Hang discharged dead. He is buried in Kalkara Royal Naval Cemetery, Malta
Image courtesy of British War Graves - with thanks
15 January 1952 Mr N T Davis RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 February 1952 Seaman Yan Len Ching discharged dead. He is buried in Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt in Plot 16 Row A Grave 4
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
7 June 1952 Mr W J Brown OBE DSC RFA appointed Chief Engineer Officer
14 June 1952 Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA appointed as Master
28 December 1952 arrived at Auckland, New Zealand
13 July 1953 sailed Grand Harbour, Malta along with HMS GLASGOW, MEON, LCT 4040, REGGIO, DIEPPE, ST KITTS, WRANGLER (F5) CHEQUERS, BLACK PRINCE, TEREDO, SENTINEL, TALENT, TOKEN, INS RANJIT & JUMNA, RFA's ROWANOL & BLUE RANGER for Exercise Bullock
13 August 1953 Mr J Edge RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 September 1953 Captain Howard D Gausden DSO RFA appointed as Master
11 August 1954 2nd Engineer Officer D Boyd discharged dead
29 November 1954 Crew member charged by Police with serious assault after two seaman - Ram Cheng Hai and Eekam Chow - suffered knife injuries and were taken to Glasgow's Western Infirmary for treatment.
18 December 1954 Mr R C Veitch RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
January 1955 to January 1956 chartered by London and Overseas Freighters Ltd, London
3 January 1955 sailed Tail of the Bank in ballast for the Persian Gulf
15 October 1955 Captain George F Rutter OBE RFA (Commander RNR (Retd)) appointed as Master
21 January 1957 Mr Thomas L Morton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
12 May 1957 while on voyage from Curacao to West Africa rescued a man who had been in an open boat for 11 days in the Atlantic about 230 miles east of the island of St. Vincent. Three others had died previously. The rescued man was landed at St Vincent.
28 July 1957 Captain D G Cox OBE RFA appointed as Master
4 July 1958 rescued 16 Italian seaman 30 miles south Shukra, Gulf of Aden who had been drifting in a lifeboat for 3 days after their Australian owned ship ss Grieve which had sunk in a monsoon
14 November 1958 Captain William R Town RFA appointed as Master
18 November 1958 Mr R E Davies RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 May 1959 laid up at Devonport for disposal
20 October 1959 offered for sale 'as lying' at Devonport in the Times of this date.
9 December 1959 Sold out of Service to Cie Armement Maritime SA for £65,000 00; for use as a storage vessel under the French flag registered at Djibouti - renamed Royaumont
23 January 1967 arrived at Santander, Spain in tow after sale for £64,500 to Recuperationes Submarinas S.A for breaking up
Notes:
Was part of the British Pacific Fleet Train - hence the B-pennant number
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