RFA Dockleaf

Previous name:                    Oleary
Subsequent name:              Litiopa  

Official Number:                   140277                                                     

Class:                                     Emergency Wartime Construction LEAF Group Freighting Tanker

Pennant No:                          Y7.161

Laid down:
Builder:                                  Bartram and Sons, South Dock, Sunderland
Launched:                             11 November 1916
Into Service:                          April 1917
Out of service:                       1922
Fate:                                       Sunk 22 October 1943

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:  During WW1, 18 vessels of varying types were acquired second hand and converted or purchased and converted while on the stocks, or in a few cases building as tankers. Some were converted after serving with the Dummy Battleship Squadron by the insertion of cylindrical tanks in their holds. All were originally intended to operate as RFA’s however, owing to reasons of international law and the operation of the US Neutrality Act, these oilers became Mercantile Fleet Auxiliaries, being renamed with the LEAF nomenclature and placed under civilian management although operationally they remained under Admiralty control

11 November 1916 launched by Bartram & Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland as Yard Nr 238 named  RFA OLEARY

3 April 1917 Completed and placed under management of Lane & MacAndrew Ltd, London as an oiler transport and renamed DOCKLEAF. Base port Devonport

3 June 1917 mined and damaged off Genoa while on a voyage from Port Arthur to Spezia with a cargo of oil. The mine had been laid by a German submarine UC35 (Kapitanleutnant Ernest von Voigt).  None of the crew were killed or injured

June 1918 re-entered service after repairs

28 August 1919 sailed Suez for Colombo

16 September 1919 berthed in Kepple Harbour, SIngapore

1919 sold to Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd 

1920 Captain H L W Sinclair was Master

25 November 1920 arrived at Suez from Abadan

27 December 1920 at Suez

9 January 1921 berthed at Abadan

19 January 1921 sailed Abadan

1 February 1921 berthed Suez

3 March 1921at Abadan

16 March 1921 at Suez

24 September 1921 Captain Charles V Gale was Master

1922 Renamed LITIOPA by her owners

October 1927 Purchased for £65,000 by A/S Mosvolds Rederi 11 (M. Mosvold, Manager) Farsund  Norway name unchanged

5 February 1931 off Shanghai, China in fog struck British vessel Eurylochus from Newport which was at anchor - both vessels were reported by Lloyds to be badly damaged but entering the port.

1940 returned to Admiralty service, name unchanged

5 February 1940 sailed Curacao to Las Piedras independently

23 May 1940 sailed Bermuda in Convoy HXB 45 with a cargo of petrol arriving Liverpool on 8 June 1940

12 September 1940 rammed in New York Harbour, while in ballast, by a Greek liner Nea Hellas with 585 passengers onboard. Litiopa hit in the starboard bow

14 December 1940 sailed Halifax in Convoy HX 96 with a cargo of petrol arriving Liverpool 30 December 1940

16 October 1943 sailed Lagos for Freetown in ballast escorted by  the trawler HMS ORFASY

21 October 1943 HMS ORFASY was torpedoed by the German submarine U-68, exploded and sank with the loss of  all hands. At the same time, the U-boat fired 2 torpedoes at  LITIOPA which missed

22 October 1943, as the Litiopa (see the Norwegian RFA's in the index to the left) A further 2 torpedoes were fired at 0040 and 0211 and again, both missed. The U-boat commenced shelling the tanker at 0427 which lasted for 20 minutes before firing a 5th torpedo at 0448 which malfunctioned. At 0459 shelling was resumed. 2 more torpedoes were fired at 0541 and 0552 but incredibly both missed so shelling again  resumed from 0600 to 0627 when the U-boat left the burning and listing tanker. The crew of 35 all survived the shelling and took to 4 lifeboats which became separated in  the dark. 2 boats returned to the ship when it got light as it was still afloat but then  ammunition began exploding and the tanker eventually sank about 1245 in position 06.18 N 11.55 W off Monrovia. 2 lifeboats arrived at Robertsport later that day while the other 2 boats arrived the following day. The 1st Engineer and the Cook died enroute to safety.

Notes:

In 1926 Anglo Saxon announced a scheme whereby they were prepared to sell, then charter back, a number of war-built tankers. Included in these were the former BRIARLEAF, LAURELEAF and DOCKLEAF.