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Lower image courtesy of Rossbay - NAV Gatling at Lisahally
Previous name:
Subsequent name:
Official Number 180827
Class: GATLING CLASS Armament Stores Carrier
Pennant No: A376
Laid down:
Builder: Lobnitz & Co Ltd, Renfrew
Launched: 9 July 1945
Into Service: 25 October 1945
Out of service: January 1970
Fate: Scrapped 2 March 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.
9 July 1945 Launched by Lobnitz & Co Ltd, Renfrew as Yard Nr 1085 named GATLING
25 October 1945 completed to Mercantile Standards
9 June 1946 arrived Singapore to assist in that port’s rehabilitation. She afterwards steamed to Ceylon, undertaking duties on the Indian Coast, before returning to the U.K
January 1970 on the Disposal List
2 March 1970 arrived Passage West in tow for demolition by Haulbowline Industries Ltd
Notes:
- Based at Naval Armaments Depots at SIngapore and Priddy's Hard between 1945 and 1959
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