RFA Eddyreef

RFA Eddyreef

Previous name:
Subsequent name:

Official Number:                     185957

Class:                                    EDDY CLASS Fleet Attendant Oiler

Pennant No:                          A202

Laid down:
Builder:                                Caledon Shipbuilding Co., Dundee
Launched:                            28 May 1953
Into Service:                         23 October 1953
Out of service:                      1958 Laid up

Fate:                                   Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data: This Class were a part of the RFA’s first post-WW2 construction programme and the ships were Admiralty-designed to act as Fleet Attendant Oilers. Even as they were being built for world-wide service however, their designed functions had become obsolete due to the rapid and wide scale practice of refuelling at sea. This resulted in RFA EDDYCOVE, ordered on 23 January 1951 and RFA EDDYMULL, ordered on 27 March 1951 being cancelled in 1952 and the remaining 8 ships in the Class refocused on harbour and coastal service within a short time. With the exception of RFA EDDYFIRTH, the remainder of the Class had very short service lives with the RFA.

26 August 1953 Mr A W Symons RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 September 1953 Captain G W Webster RFA appointed as Master

12 January 1954 Mr F Campbell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 December 1954 Captain J Coull RFA appointed as Master

9 January 1955 off the Isle of Arran Donkeyman Greaser Henry Savage dis charged dead - natural causes

1 March 1955 at Harwich engine room and boiler flooded and vessel had to be beached to prevent it sinking.

8 March 1955 towed to Immingham for docking and for repairs to be carried out

14 October 1955 Captain Stephen J Pethurst RFA appointed as Master

13 March 1956 Captain J Coull RFA appointed as Master

4 August 1956 Mr N Bothwell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

4 April 1957 Mr F A Essam RFA appointed Chief Engineer Officer

9 May 1957 Captain P Colfer RFA appointed as Master

1958 destored and was laid up at Devonport

December 1963 placed on disposal list

14 January 1964 offered for sale 'as lying' at Devonport in the Times newspaper of this day

March 1964 left Devonport under tow for breaking up by Scrappingco SA at Klein Willebroek, Holland.