RFA Saucy

RFA Saucy

 

 

 

Previous name:                       HMS Saucy
Subsequent name:                  Nisos Chios

Class:                                     Assurance Class Tug                   

Pennant No:                            W131 / A386                

Laid down:                              30 June 1942

Builder:                                   Cochrane & Sons, Selby         
Launched:                               26 October 1942

Into Service:                            1949    
Out of service:                         11 November 1960
Fate:                                       Sold commercially

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:   There were originally 21 ships in this Class, 7 of which saw service as RFA’s. Of 700 t standard displacement and 1350 t full load displacement, they had a complement of 31 and a bollard pull of 13½ tons. In wartime they were armed with 1 x 3“ gun, 1 x 20mm AA gun and 2 x .303 machine guns

 

26 October 1942 launched by Cochrane  & Sons Ltd, Selby as Yard Nr 1257 named HMS SAUCY

7 March 1943 sailed Methil in convoy EN202 for the Clyde to arrive 9 March 1943

19 March 1943 assisted in the rescue of the ship CARRAS which had been torpedoed and damaged while part of Convoy SC122 in the North Atlantic while on passage to the UK

11 April 1943 at Reykjavik after USS Aries requested the assistance of a tug due to engine trouble - sailed to assist

22 April 1943 sailed to assist vessel Brynhild in location 130 degrees Reykjnes 6 miles with main engine defects. Vessel Brynhild is ex Convoy RU 71 (souce Admiralty War Diary)

26 September 1943 at 01:00  sailed with vessel Nemesis in tow to be at the Clyde light vessel by 11:00 and r/v'ed with HMS Bombardier as escort thence to Ewe Buoy (souce Admiralty War Diary)

28 September 1943 at Ewe Buoy, still escorted by HMS Bombardier, for vessel Nemesis to join convoy UR92 to Reykavik, Iceland (source Admiralty War Diary)

11 October 1943 at Reykjavik waiting for better weather to put to sea to assist the SS Selfoss. Weather moderated and the request for a tug by the Selfoss was cancelled

8 November 1943 sailed Reykjavik in convoy RU96 for Loch Ewe arriving 12 November 1943

16 November 1943 sailed Loch Ewe in the company of tug Empire Pixie to provide assistance to vessel Markay aground on Eugenie Rock, Isle of Skye. HMS (late RFA) Bustler sailed from Cambletown. Markay refloated (souce Admiralty War Diaries)

25 January 1944 sailed by NOIC Greenock to vessel Lena Luckenbach which had lost her rudder. Also required to assist vessel Vansittart ashore in Loch Scrisain, Isle of Mull - was safely refloated souce Admiralty War Diary)

10 July 1944 sailed Seine Bay in convoy FTC32 arriving at Southend the next day

13 September 1944 sailed with tug Lariat towing AFD 17 and escorted by HMS's Northern Spray, Northern Reward and Coldstreamer (souce Admiralty War Diary)

20 October 1944 berthed at Barry with tug Hesperia and vessel Trentonian

2 December 1944 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

27 November 1945 towed the German submarine U2322 the North Channel for destruction under Operation Deadlight - sunk by gunfire

28 November 1945 towed the German submarine U2363 the North Channel for destruction under Operation Deadlight - sunk by gun fire

30 November 1945 towed the German submarine U868 through the North Channel for destruction under Operation Deadlight as an aircraft target but sank in a steep dive when the tow line parted at 55 48N 08 33W in 70 fathoms

4 December 1945 towed the German submarine U539 through the North Channel for destruction under Operation Deadlight - the submarine foundered when at sea under tow

28 December 1945 towed the German submarine U680 through the North Channel for destruction under Operation Deadlight - the tow parted and the submarine was sunk by gunfire north of the Giants Causeway

29 December 1945 sailed from Lisahally with German type V11C submarine U 294 in tow for destruction under Operation Deadlight by HMS Loch Shin for destruction under Operation Deadlight. The tow parted and the submarine was returned to port by this tug

31 December 1945 sailed from Lisahally with German type V11C submarine U 363 in tow for destruction under Operation Deadlight. The tow parted and U363 was sunk by gunfire from Polish destroyer ORP Blyskawica at 55 45N 08 18W that day.

5 January 1946 towed the German submarine U2506 from Lisahally for destruction under Operation Deadlight - sunk by gunfire north of Malin Head

9 January 1946 towed the German submarine U1023 from Lisahally for destruction under Operation Deadlight - the submarine foundered while under tow north of Malin Head

31 January 1947 Captain Hilton John Jones MBE (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

14 April 1947 with other tugs salvaged RMS Queen Elizabeth which ran aground in Southampton Water on the Brambles Bank. Refloated only after a quantity of fuel oil was pumped from the ship

2 July 1947 Mr A Rees appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1949 under RFA terms and conditions as SAUCY

24 June 1949 based at Portland and with five other tugs based at Portsmouth the crews received salvage money for salvaging the liner RMS Queen Elizabeth which ran aground in Southampton Water on 15 April 1947

20 June 1950 Mr E J Blythe appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 September 1951 RFA's Envoy, Jaunty and Saucy sailed from Spithead this day with HMS Duke of York in tow for the battleship to be laid up at the Gareloch.

19 October 1951 Mr G E Reay appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

31 May 1952 towed the wreck of NAV Bedenham from Gibraltar to the Tyne for breaking up by Clayton & Davie Ltd, Dunston-on-Tyne

9 July 1953 at Gibraltar Fireman Patrick Campbell discharged dead - died from a fractured skull after a fall onboard. He is buried in North Front Cemetery, Gibraltar in grave 1740 in Plot D

22 September 1953 sailed to assist RFA Wave Ruler which had broken down off  Opporto, Portugal and disabled in very heavy seas while enroute from the Persian Gulf.

15 January 1958 with other ships assisted in the search for and recovery of injured crew members of HMS Barcombe which had run aground on the east coast of Loch Buie, south of the Isle of Mull

19 March 1959 in collision with mt CARISBROOKE at Portsmouth

19 December 1959 in collision with ISMS REEDHAM at Portsmouth

1960 laid up at Pembroke Dock

December 1964 on the Disposal List Pembroke Dock

21 January 1965 and 28 January 1965 advertised for sale 'as lying' at HM Dockyard, Pembroke Dock in The Times on these dates

1 March 1965 Sold for £17,300 to Tsavliris (Salvage and Towage) Ltd; Piraeus, Greece and renamed Nisos Chios.

1971 reported as broken up in Greece