RFA Enfield
NAV Enfield
Previous name:
Subsequent name:
Official Number
Class: GATLING CLASS Armament Stores Carrier
Pennant No: A 395
Laid down: 1945
Builder: Lobnitz & Co Ltd, Renfrew
Launched: 5 September 1945
Into Service:
Out of service: 23 September 1969
Fate: Scrapped February 1970
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Information: - One of a group of five coasters which were not normally classed as RFA’s They are included here as the ancestors of the more modern ammunition ships These five ships were designed by the Director of Naval Construction to the requirements of the Naval Armament Department. They were designed for Pacific Operations to carry ammunition from larger ships offshore which were of too deep a draught to go close inshore to the coastal areas or small harbours and had their bottoms strengthened to permit grounding when loaded if required. This was a 1943 plan connected with a future invasion of Japan. As there was no requirement to carry large naval guns they were provided with two cargo holds. The order for them was placed in October 1944 and none of them was completed before the end of hostilities, which meant that only one of them (GATLING) was needed to proceed to the Far east to assist in the rehabilitation of Singapore. GATLING and NORDENFELT were completed to mercantile standards and were registered and classed with Lloyds Register and were run on National Maritime Board conditions, while the other three were on “Yard Craft” Dockyard agreements and were completed with naval style accommodation.
5 September 1945 launched by Lobnitz & Co Ltd, Renfrew as Yard Nr 1087 named ENFIELD
December 1945 completed with naval-type accommodation
23 September 1969 sold for scrap
February 1970 arrived Inverkeithing for demolition by T.W. Ward Ltd
Notes:
- Based at Naval Armaments Depot, Crombie between 1946 to 1959