RFA Rapidol

RFA Rapidol

 

 

Previous name:                  
Subsequent name:            Louise Moller,   Mount Cameron

Official Number:                 140322                                                                  

Class:                                   SECOND 2000t BELGOL CLASS Tanker

Pennant No:                        X  59 / X 58 / B 517 / A 258

Laid down:
Builder:                                 William Gray & Company, Hartlepool
Launched:                           23 April 1917
Into Service:                        28 August 1917
Out of service:                     4 March 1946
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

 

23 April 1917 Launched by Wm Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool as Yard Nr 886 named  RAPIDOL

 4 June 1917 Engineer Lieutenant A A Hinde RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. Discharged ashore sick on 11 July 1917 and resigned from the Royal Naval Reserve on 11 October 1917

11 July 1917 Engineer Lieutenant John Birnie RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer - transferred from RFA Montenol - he was demobilised on 28 December 1919

12 July 1917 Lieutenant James D Ashworth RNR appointed in command transferred to HMS Crescent on 20 November 1917. 

28 August 1917 completed

28 August 1917 Fireman W Frackleton logged as deserting from the ship. He had signed on on the 21 August 1917

8 November 1917 Able Seaman W Millar logged as deserting from the ship. He had signed on on the 21 August 1917

9 January 1918 Lieutenant Hermann R Elsby RNR appointed in Command on transfer from RFA Trefoil

18 January 1918 Able Seaman Signaller George H Constable discharged having been sentenced to 3 years penal servitude at Edinburgh Prison.

28 March 1918 Greaser A Tolmie logged as deserting from the ship. He had signed on on the 21 August 1917

15 July 1918 Fireman Chas Cassidy, MMR 918600 discharged dead. He had signed on on 21 August 1917. He was buried in North Ormesby (St. Joseph's) Roman Catholic Cemetery, Yorkshire.

 

Courtesy of and © The War Graves Photographic Project

9 August 1918 Fireman J Winn MMR 968732 signed on. He was a deserter from 16th Warwickshire Regiment. This fact was discovered on 22 February 1919 when he was discharged in custody to RFA Sunhill where he deserted

6 September 1918 on the River Tyne HMS Sparrowhawk alongside to be refuelled receiving 50 tons of FFO

11 October 1918 on the River Tyne HMS Sparrowhawk alongside to be refuelled

2 January 1919 at Rosyth HMS Vindictive alongside to be refuelled

2 June 1919 Assistant Steward William Vernon Fairclough MMR 981329 discharged to H.M. Prison Malta. Reason and duration not shown.

4 August 1919 at Sevastopol HM Monitor M29 alongsde to be refuelled with 17 tons of fuel oil

17 August 1919 3rd Officer Edward Lawrence Mandell RFA discharged dead. He had signed on on the 3 December 1918.  He was buried in Haidar Pasha Cemetery, Istanbul, Turkey in grave I F 20.

 

In Memoriam Card for 3rd Officer Mandell from Leith Birnie

 

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

9 September 1919 arrived at Sevastopol

10 September 1919 refuelled a Greek destroyer "Pantheon" at Sevastopol alongside

11 September 1919 sailed Sevastopol to Odessa

21 September 1919 refuelled HM Monitor M29 at Yalta alongside

24 October 1919 Mr W Howell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 November 1919 Captain George H Franklin RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

2 December 1919 at Port Said - bunkering from RFA Dredgol

3 December 1919 sailed Port Said to Alexandria

4 December 1919 arrived at Alexandria. Refuelled HMS Swallow - provided 48 tons FFO. Refuelled HMS Benbow - provided 680 tons FFO

5 December 1919 loaded spare propeller from HMS Caesar stowed on the gun platform - sailed to Port Said

6 December 1919 arrived at Port Said from Alexandria. Captain George H Franklin RD RFA (Commander RNR) arrived on the ship and took command from Lieutenant Hermann R Elsby RNR who left the ship

9 December 1919 alongside RFA Dredgol. Received 304 tons of bunkers and 146 tons of FFO to No 1 tank. Sailed - transit of Suez Canal

10 December 1919 sailed Suez to Abadan

14 December 1919 the FFO in No 1 tank used to top up the ships bunkers

24 December 1919 berthed Abadan to load. Chief Officer F Samson RFA discharged sick to Abadan Hospital

26 December 1919 at Outer Bar, Abadan

27 December 1919 sailed Abadan to Bombay

2 January 1920 arrived at Bombay moored to the South Troopship buoy. 4th Engineer E Jones RFA discharged sick to the Military Hospital

4 January 1920 entered the Bombay Dockyard

6 January 1920 while taking out 'tail end' shaft, spar in use as a derrick carried away . Shaft landed heavily on rail and stove in bulwarks in after end, starboard side. No serious damage

7 January 1920 sailed Bombay to Colombo arriving on 11 January 1920

13 January 1920 at Colombo moved alongside HMS Comus to refuel her - supplied 485 tons FFO

14 January 1920 sailed Colombo to Trincomalee arriving 15 January 1920

15 January 1920 at Trincomalee alongside HMS Caroline refuelling her with FFO then to anchorage

16 January 1920 sailed Trincomalee to Colombo arriving on 17 January 1920

18 January 1920 entered dry dock at Colombo Dockyard

20 January 1920 dry dock flooded up. Ship moved to berth in Dockyard

28 January 1920 at Colombo Dockyard alongside HMS Comus to refuel her - 340 tons FFO

11 February 1920 at Colombo Dockyard alongside HMS Comus to refuel her - 300 tons FFO

16 February 1920 crew replaced with RIM Ratings

22 February 1920 sailed Bombay for Abadan arriving 28 February 1920

29 February 1920 loading cargo at Abadan

1 March 1920 sailed Abadan for Bombay arriving 7 March 1920

27 March 1920 Captain Frederick W Rae RFA appointed as Master

1 April 1920 alongside HMS Comus at Bombay to refuel her - supplied 425 tons of FFO

2 April 1920 sailed Bombay to Colombo arriving 6 April 1920

12 April 1920 sailed Colombo to Bombay arriving 16 April 1920

20 April 1920 HMS Colombo and HMS Moth alongside for refueling

21 April 1920 moored alongside HMS Caroline to refuel her - 300 tons of FFO and then sailed to Abadan arriving 27 April 1920

1 May 1920 at Abadan - loaded 1,600 tons FFO

5 May 1920 at  Shat al Arab - loaded remainder of fuel - full load of 2,088 tons

6 May 1920 sailed Shat al Arab for Colombo. Ship not answering to wheel - defect in steering - starboard anchor let go. Steering repaired. Ship sailed 2hours late. 

15 May 1920 on buoys at Colombo

14 June 1920 at Colombo berthed alongside HMS Curlew to refuel her - 517 tons FFO - then to Admiralty berth

23 June 1920 at Colombo moored alongside RFA War Nizam to load fuel and stores then to breakwater berth

16 August 1920 Mr Ernest K Horsely RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 October 1920 off Trincomalee took HMS Comus in tow and RASed astern between 1340 and 1700hrs transfered 68 tons of  FFO

29 October 1920 at Trincomalee alongside HMS Comus refuelling her - 504 tons FFO transfered

11 and 12 January 1921 at Trincomalee alongside HMS Malaya refuelling her

20 February 1921 Captain William F Clay RFA appointed as Master

25 February 1921 at Bombay alongside HMS Malaya refuelling her

10 April 1921 at Bombay

28 July 1921 berthed at Mauritius

1 August 1921 sailed Mauritius

13 September 1921 at Madras

10 October 1921 off Trincomalee took HMS Comus in tow and RASed astern between 0810 and 1145hrs transfered 121 tons of FFO

28 February 1922 dressed overall in Colombo Harbour on the occasion of the wedding of Princess Mary, the daughter of King George V and Queen Mary and Viscount Lascelles, later the 6th Earl of Harewood. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was one of the bridesmaids.

6 June 1922 at Colombo alongside HMS Cairo to refuelling her

4 July 1922 at Colombo as oiler to the East Indies Squadron

5 October 1922 off Trincomalee took HMS Cairo in tow to RAS with her. Oil transferred over 2 hours 40 minutes

23 October 1922 at Trincomalee alongside HMS Cairo to refuel her

5 February 1923 off Trincomalee served as a target for two of HMS Cairo's torpedos firing trials

10 February 1923 sailed Trincomalee to Colombo arriving the next day

17 February 1923 sailed Colombo

26 February 1923 berthed at Colombo

6 March 1923 sailed Colombo

24 March 1923 at Colombo alongside HMS Cairo to refuel her

20 April 1923 berthed at Port Louis, Mauritius

21 April 1923 at Port Louis, Mauritius alongside HMS Cairo to refuel her

17 August 1923 at Colombo alongside HMS Cairo to refuel her

30 August 1923 at Colombo alongside HMS Cairo to refuel her

6 September 1923 at Colombo alongside HMS Cairo to refuel her

12 September 1923 sailed Colombo with HMS Colombo

17 September 1923 at Trincomalee with working party onboard from HMS Cairo painting a target

21 October 1923 sailed Trincomalee

6 November 1923 sailed Colombo

17 July 1924 Captain Charles L Cutsforth RFA appointed as Master until 14 November 1926 when he became Master of RFA Slavol

13 November 1924 Mr George T Beed RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1 May 1928 Captain S G Kent RFA appointed as Master

2 August 1928 Mr George C Dunning RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

 

Chief Engineer Officer George C Dunning RFA

8 July 1931 Captain Reginald J Harland RFA appointed as Master and Mr Sydney  J Esson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

July 1933 laid up at Simonstown, South Africa then at Rosyth until 1935

24 May 1934 Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 March 1937 Mr M Blair RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 August 1939 Captain Albert  E Curtain RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

21 February 1940 Mr J Cook RFA appointed as Chief Engineering Officer

28 April 1940 arrived at Freetown

29 March 1941arrived at St. Helena from Freetown while on passage to Simonstown

12 May 1941 arrived at Cape Town.

30 August 1941 in company with the cruiser HMS DUNEDIN she rendezvoused with the battle cruiser HMS REPULSE

5 September 1941 RAS'ed with HMS DUNEDIN

6 September 1941 in an extraordinary incident, HMS DUNEDIN and Rapidol almost collide. Only Dunedin's engines slammed astern avert a disaster.

15 September 1941 arrived at Freetown in convoy WS11S which she had joined at sea on 8 September 1941

6 November 1941 sailed Freetown in convoy SL92 (a convoy from Freetown to Liverpool). On 13 November 1941 joined convoy OS10 a convoy from Liverpool to Freetown arriving Freetown 18 November 1941

19 November 1941 equipped for fuelling escorts, she sailed Freetown with her own escort of  the corvette  HMS BERGAMOT to join Convoy SL93, transferring to Convoy OS11 with the Freetown Escort Force for the passage back to Freetown

22 January 1942 off Cape Verde Islands while being escorted by HMS JASMINE to refuel HMS RESOLUTION but due to the sea state this was not possible. The vessels moved to south in the lee of Sal Island. The sea state was still unsuitable until the next day when the battleship was refuelled

27 July 1942 sailed Freetown escorted to St. Helena arriving on 8 August 1942

8 August 1942 sailed St. Helena escorted eventually returning to Freetown on 19 August 1942

14 September 1942 sailed Freetown in convoy SL 122 arriving the Clyde 5 October 1942

28 October 1942 Captain Robert H Venning RFA appointed as Master and Mr J H Dawe RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 January 1943 at Belfast while berthing alongside HMS UNICORN to refuel her badly bent both No: 2 Cutters gantries and damaged the tankers starboard wing of her bridge

7 March 1943 Mr G W Martin RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 March 1943 arrived Reykjavik in convoy UR68 which had sailed from Loch Ewe

29 March 1943 at Hvalfjord, Iceland alongside HMS HOWE refuelling her

7 April 1943 at Hvalfjord, Iceland alongside HMS HOWE refuelling her

13 April 1943 at Hvalfjord, Iceland alongside HMS HOWE refuelling her

14 April 1943 at Hvalfjord, Iceland alongside HMS HOWE refuelling her

22 April 1943 at Hvalfjord, Iceland alongside HMS HOWE refuelling her

27 April 1943 at Hvalfjord, Iceland alongside HMS HOWE refuelling her

3 May 1943 ran aground in Reykjavik harbour, Iceland - refloated

8 May 1943 at Havlfjord, Iceland alongside HMS ANSON refuelling her with 382 tons FFO

11 May 1943 at Havlfjord, Iceland alongside HMS ANSON refuelling her

30 May 1943 escorted by HMS Ships LLANDUDNO, BEAUMARIS, ARDROSSAN, and PETERHEAD sailed Hvalfiord for Akureyri

31 May 1943 RAPIDOL and escort arrived Akureyri

20 July 1943 at Havlfjord, Iceland alongside HMS ANSON refuelling her with 678 tons FFO

30 July 1943 at Hvalfjord, Iceland alongside HMS LONDON refuelling her

5 August 1943 at Hvalfjord, Iceland alongside HMS LONDON refuelling her

20 February 1944 in Operation FX - the passage of Arctic Convoy JW 57 from Loch Ewe to Northern Russia, which consisted of 40 freighters, 2 tankers doubling as oilers, a rescue ship, 3 Russian-manned coastal minesweepers and 3 Patrol Craft being delivered to their new owners

9 March 1944 sailed Reyjavik in convoy RU111 arriving Loch Ewe on 12 March 1944

11 June 1944 sailed the Solent in convoy RTM6 arriving Seine Bay on 12 June 1944

5 July 1944 arrived Seine Bay in convoy ECM 22 which had sailed from Falmouth

1 August 1944 suffered damage to port side which was repaired at Plymouth between 16 and 23 August 1944.

5 September 1944 sailed the Solent in convoy EPM53

16 September 1944 sailed Seine Bay in convoy FBC84 to Portsmouth arriving 17 September 1944

6 November 1944 Mr W H MacFarlane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 December 1944 Captain W R Parker RFA appointed as Master

17 February 1945 sailed Liverpool in convoy OS111KM which also contained RFA SERBOL and then convoy KMS85G arriving Gibraltar 25 February 1945

25 February 1945 sailed Gibraltar independently to Port Said arriving 4 March 1945

12 March 1945 sailed Suez independently to Aden arriving 17 March 1945

18 March 1945 sailed Aden independently to Colombo arriving on 25 March 1945

9 April 1945 sailed Colombo

1 May 1945 sailed Colombo independently arriving Darwin 14 May 1945

19 May 1945 sailed Darwin 1945 arriving Port Moresby 23 May 1945

23 May 1945 sailed Port Moresby independently arriving Manus 27 May 1945

August 1945 Was attached to the British Pacific Fleet along with numerous other RFA’s and was finally based at Hong Kong

30 August 1945 sailed Manus independently arriving Hong Kong 19 September 1945

From 19 September 1945 to 3 April 1948 in port at Hong Kong

6 November 1946 Captain Rowland K Hill RFA appointed as Master

9 November 1946 Mr C Scott DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1948 sold out of service to Moller & Co, Hong Kong 

22 July 1949 suffered weather damage while on way to Osaka.

1 August 1949 while berthing struck the quay.

28 October 1949 under RN escort entered the Yangste Estuary and ran the Shanghai sea blockade maintained by a Nationalist gunboat to deliver ½ million gallons of diesel oil for Caltex. She claimed to the gun boat that she was RFA Black Ranger

26 August 1950 renamed LOUISE MOLLER by her owners.

1951 owners became Mount Line Ltd with Mollers as Managers and she was renamed  MOUNT CAMERON and was engaged in running the Chinese Blockade in the Formosa Straits to Communist China

1951 named changed to Mount Cameron - 

17 December 1951 alongside in Singapore Harbour

7 June 1952 alongside in Singapore Harbour

12 July 1952 alongside in Singapore Harbour

11 March 1953 anchored in the Inner Roads, Singapore

10 July 1953 anchored in the Inner Roads, Singapore

2 September 1953 anchored in the Outer Roads, Singapore

3 October 1955 arrived Hong Kong for demolition by Chip Hua

 

Notes:

 

Was part of the British Pacific Fleet Train - hence the B-pennant number