RFA Prestol

RFA Prestol

 

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:  

Official Number:               140442                                                                    

Class:                                SECOND 2000t BELGOL CLASS Tanker

Pennant No:                      X  60 / X 55 / A155

Laid down:
Builder:                              Napier & Miller, Old Kilpatrick
Launched:                        4 September 1917
Into Service:                      December 1917
Out of service:                   
Fate:                                   Broken up.

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:  There were 10 ships in this Class, all Admiralty designed of which 5 were named after Allied countries while the other 5 were given names indicating power or speed, all with the OL suffix. 3 of them, RFA’s FRANCOL, MONTENOL and SERBOL had upright funnels with a single tall mast close by, while the remainder had a raking funnel and 2 raking masts. During WW2 the mainmast was removed from these

 

6 June 1917 Engineer Lieutenant Charles A Smith RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer - signed off on 23 October 1918

 

Engineer Lieutenant Charles A Smith RNR

 

4 September 1917 launched by Napier & Miller Ltd, Old Kilpatrick as Yard Nr 211 named  PRESTOL

24 November 1917 Lieutenant George St. L Capsey RNR appointed in command

14 December 1917 completed

16 December 1917 Signalman G Bushby logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 2 December 1917.

6 April 1918 Able Seaman J Sheppard logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 5 February 1918.

9 June 1918 Fireman J Monagan logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on the 5 February 1918

23 September 1918 Third Officer Albert J Malvise RFA appeared before a court martial charged with being absent without leave. The charge was adjudged to be proved and he was sentenced to be severely reprimanded and to be dismissed his ship

December 1918 Supported the RN Squadron sent to the Baltic during the Russian Civil War of Operation Red Trek which secured the establishment of the independent states of Estonia and Latvia along with RFA’s BACCHUS (1), BELGOL and SLAVOL

22 December 1918 at Liban berthed alongside HMS Caradoc to refuel her

1 April 1919 Ordinary Seaman Samuel Alfred Martin, aged 17 years,  MMR 930305 discharged dead. He had signed on on the 15 August 1918. He was buried in Fleetwood Borough Cemetery, Lancashire in Grave No: 374

2 June 1919 Engineer Sub-Lieutenant Alfred Ernest Oakley RNR discharged dead. He had signed on on 12 March 1919. He was buried in Dalmeny & South Queensferry Cemetery, West Lothian in Grave No: 439

7 October 1919 Donkeyman Daniel Morris, Assistant Steward E Anderson and Carpenter H J Bird MMR 997469 each logged as deserting. Donkeyman Morris had signed on on 19 August 1919, Assistant Steward Anderson had signed on on 21 May 1919 and Carpenter Bird had signed on 22 May 1919

15 November 1919 Able Seaman John Roberts MMR 780346 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 22 August 1919

11 November 1920 at Danzig Bay alongside HMS Delhi to refuel her

15 November 1920 while alongside at Danzig a mutiny occured involving 13 of the crew. An RN guard from HMS Dauntless was put onboard and the ship was moved from alongside to an anchorage.

19 November 1920 a Naval Court, under the Merchant Shipping Act was convened on HMS Dauntless and the 13 members of the crew who were alleged to have mutined were tried. 12 were found guilty of quitting the ship without authority and combining to disobey the lawful command of the Master. 1 was found guilty of quitting the ship without authority. All were fined and the 12 found guilty of combining to disobey the lawful command of the Master were sentenced, in addition, to various terms of imprisonment.

19 November 1920 HMS Dunedin secured alongside her at Danzig to refuel

29 November 1920 RFA Prestol was involved in a collision with a s.s. Susquehanna at Danzig. At the time RFA Prestol was engaged in supplying oil to a British Naval Squadron operating in the Baltic. As a result the Prestol was sent to Rosyth for repairs. RFA Belgol took over the replenishment duties in the Baltic. The result of the accident was subsequently the subject of a claim by the Admiralty in the High Court in London and later in the Court of Appeal. The ss Susquehanna was blamed for the accident

2 December 1920 at Copenhagen alongside HMS DELHI refuelling her 

13 August 1921 sailed Portsmouth

1923 involved in fuelling at sea experiments while towing RFA Carol

19 June 1923 at Weymouth Bay alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her

7 November 1923 at Portsmouth alongside HMS REPULSE refuelling her

8 May 1924 Chief Officer Chales L Cutsforth RFA appointed as Acting Master

12 July 1924 Captain George H Franklin RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

October 1924 Engaged in astern refuelling  trials with HMS CASTOR during which a five-inch metallic hose with a five-inch towing wire passing through  it was passed over the tanker’s stern at 12 knots and pumping operations were carried out whilst zig-zagging at 14 knots

26 April 1926 Mr James Paton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 January 1927 salvaged the barque 'Julio Orive' for which Salvage Money was paid - London Gazette 7 June 1927 page 3712

30 November 1928 Captain W C Meikle RFA appointed as Master

August 1929 Captain G St. L Capsey RFA appointed as Master

20 May 1930 Captain J M Smith RFA appointed as Master

27 April 1932 Captain Reginald C E Neyroud RFA appointed as Master

25 April 1933 Captain John B Hurst RFA appointed as Master

20 November 1933 Captain W T Williams RFA appointed as Master

1 May 1935 Captain John P Tugwood DSC RD RFA (Commander RNR (Rtd)) appointed as Master

19 July 1935 Mr J E Hawthorn RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 August 1935 Captain H M Sinclair RFA appointed as Master

1935 - 1936 involved in paravane experiments at Spithead mine sweeping for HMS Vernon cutting dummy mines.

9 June 1937 participated in a Trade Defence Exercise with disguising techniques being applied at a cost of £941

1936 was located at La Corunna, Spain oiling British destroyers involved in policing the blockade of Bilbao during the Spanish Civil War.

30 December 1937 Mr J A Mackintosh RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 August 1938 Captain R D Williams RD RFA (Commander RFA (rtd)) appointed as Master

16 May 1939 Mr T W Robinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

7 August 1939 Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed as Master and Mr G C Dunning RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

 

Chief Engineer Officer G C Dunning RFA

 

9 August 1939 entered Rosyth Dockyard

20 August 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ROYAL OAK refuelling her

22 August 1939 at Invergordon alongside HMS EDINBURGH refuelling her with 950 tons FFO

27 August 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ROYAL OAK refuelling her

September 1939 was made ready for OAS experiments at Scapa Flow

26 September 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS EDINBURGH refuelling her with 157 tons FFO

1 October 1939 at 1500hrs at Scapa Flow alongside HMS Hood refuelling her - slipped at 1812hrs

7 October 1939 conducted OAS trials off Scapa Flow with the destroyer HMS FURY

18 October 1939 Captain Frank P Hennin RFA appointed as Master

2 December 1939 Supplied fuel to HMS Hood (alongside) while she was at anchor off Kempock Point, Gourock.  RFA War Sudra was alongside on the other side of HMS Hood at the same time.

28 December 1939 Able Seaman George Samuel Wiggett discharged dead. He is buried in Beccles (St. Benet) Roman Catholic Churchyard, Suffolk

 

 

25 January 1940 alongside HMS Sharpshooter (mine sweeper) at Campbeltown supplying oil

19 February 1940 Mr G W Martin RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

6 July 1940 Captain John M Humphrey RFA appointed as Master

15 August 1940 Mr J H Dawe RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

March 1941 Mr F W Howell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

13 October 1941 Captain H F Colburne RFA appointed as Master

19 December 1941 Mr G Bray RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

25 June 1942 Mr G W Martin RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 September 1942 Captain E W J Rousell RFA appointed as Master

12 October 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V refuelling her

12 Novgember 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V refuelling her

23 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V refuelling her. RFA Spa was alongside also supplying water

28 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V refuelling her

11 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE refuelling her

2 March 1943 Mr W G Downing RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

6 March 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with 614 tons of FFO

2 April 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with 409 tons of FFO

26 April 1943 in collision with RFA WAR SUDRA

30 April 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE refuelling her

30 June 1943 sailed Gibraltar in Convoy  KMS 17 (Gibraltar - Sfax)

4 July 1943 detached from Convoy KMS 17 and arrived Bizerta.

1 August 1943 holed port side aft. Temporary repairs undertaken at Belfast.

16 August 1943 - 23 August 1943 full repairs undertaken at Plymouth.

26 August 1943 arrived Tunisia

20 September 1943 sailed Bone to join Convoy MKS 25 (Alexandria - Gibraltar)

17 October 1943 in Greenock Dry Dock for overhaul of her OAS equipment

29 October 1943 sailed Bizerta to join Convoy MKS 29 (Alexandria - Gibraltar)

30 October 1943 detached from Convoy MKS 29 and arrived Philippeville

23 November 1943 sailed Bizerta to join Convoy GUS 22 (Port Said - Hampton Roads)

25 November 1943 detached from Convoy GUS 22 and arrived Philippeville

2 December 1943 sailed Philippeville to join Convoy KMS 33 (Gibraltar - Port Said)

3 December 1943 detached from Convoy KMS 33 and arrived Bizerta

8 December 1943 sailed Bizerta to join Convoy MKS 33 (Alexandria - Gibraltar)

9 December 1943 detached from Convoy MKS 33 and arrived Philippeville

20 January 1944 sailed Bone in convoy KMS38 to Bizerta arriving the next day

26 January 1944 2nd Officer William Leonard Corbyn Sawyer RFA discharged dead. He is buried in Bone War Cemetery in Plot VIII Row F Grave 3

 

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

24 March 1944 sailed Philippeville to join Convoy UGS 35 (Hampton Roads - Port Said)

25 March 1944 detached from Convoy UGS 35 and arrived Bizerta

27 March 1944 sailed Tunis to join Convoy MKS 44 (Port Said - Gibraltar)

29 March 1944 detached from Convoy MKS 44 andf arrived Philippeville)

9 May 1944 sailed Philippeville to join Convoy KMS 49 (Gibraltar - Port Said)

10 May 1944 detached from  Convoy KMS 49 and arrived Bizerta

22 June 1944 sailed Bizerta in convoy UGS44 to Augusta arriving on 24 June 1944

26 June 1944 sailed Augusta in convoy VN49 to Naples arriving the next day

27 September 1945 Mr L Cowell RFA (Lieutenant (E) RNR (ret)) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 April 1946 Captain R M Shaw RFA appointed as Master

17 September 1946 at Greenock

11 November 1946 Mr C J Falconer RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

18 January 1947 Captain J H Phillips RFA appointed as Master

16 September 1947 Took part in the Home Fleet Review on the Clyde along with RFA‘s BLACK RANGER, FORT DUQUESNE and PETROBUS

19 November 1948 Mr J G Simpson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 January 1949 Captain James H Chant RFA appointed as Master

5 February 1949 berthed at Gibraltar on No 42 berth

20 February 1949 at Gibraltar USS Gheradi alongside to be refuelled

25 February 1949 at Gibraltar moved from 42 berth to alongside HMS Sirius to refuel her

22 July 1949 suffered weather damage at Osaka.

1 August 1949 struck a quay location unreadable

9 August 1949 Mr A W Symons RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 November 1949 struck by gunfire having sailed from  Shanghai on the 14 November 1949. Arrived Hong Kong 18 November 1949.

28 June 1950 in collision with HMS Loch Scavaig at Gibraltar. The frigate required docking to effect repairs.

5 July 1950 Captain Iden W J Hall RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Iden W J Hall RFA

17 June 1951 Captain Hugh Williams Davies RFA discharged dead - from natural causes. He is buried in Gibraltar

7 April 1952 placed in reserve at Devonport

June 1958 sold to BISCO for scrap

8 June 1958 Arrived White's, St. Davids for breaking up by James White & Co Ltd.

 

Notes:

SUSQUEHANNA was on charter to the U.S. Mail Lines on their New York - Bremen - Danzig route and was the former North German Lloyd liner RHEIN which had been interned in Baltimore in 1914,  seized as a U.S. Navy transport on 06 April 1917 and renamed and then was laid up by the United States Shipping Board in 1919