RFA Spa

RFA Spa

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name: 

Official Number:                  168280                                                                          

Class:                                    SPA CLASS Water Carrier

Pennant No:                         X 92 / A192

Laid down:                           26 September 1940
Builder:                                 Phillip & Sons, Dartmouth
Launched:                            8 November 1941
Into Service:                         24 April 1942
Out of service:
Fate:                                       Broken up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:  There were 6 ships in this Class, all coal-fired and all built to an Admiralty design. Originally intended for service with the RFA, several of them were transferred to Dockyard Service later in their careers and came under what was then the Port Authority service which in turn became the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service. Some of them were also employed by the Army at times, in bases where fresh water supplies were difficult to obtain. RFA SPABECK was for some years employed as a carrier of hydrogen peroxide fuel for experimental submarine engines, being specially converted for this task by Vickers Ltd and was based at Barrow, manned by RFA crews when not laid up between experiments.

 

8 November 1941 launched by Philip & Son Ltd, Dartmouth as Yard Nr 937 named SPA

14 April 1942 Captain Arthur E Craze RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Arthur E Craze RFA

courtesy of Graham Henshaw

 

24 April 1942 Delivered at a cost of £84,450 including extras.

24 May 1942 sailed Loch Ewe in convoy WN287 arriving at Methil on 26 May 1942 ship detached for Scapa Flow

4 July 1942 in collision with the cruiser HMS PHOEBE

18 July 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water.

21 July 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water.

22 July 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water.

24 July 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water.

25 July 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water.

28 July 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water.

30 July 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

6 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

7 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

9 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

10 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

11 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

13 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

15 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

19 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water - RFA Black Ranger was alongside also refuelling her

22 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water. RFA Mixol was also alongside refuelling her

23 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

25 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

30 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water. RFA Mixol was also alongside refuelling her

31 August 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water.

3 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

5 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

6 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

8 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

9 September 1942 in collision with the battleship HMS HOWE

10 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

11 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

13 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

14 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

15 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

18 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water. RFA Distol was alongside also refuelling her

19 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

20 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

22 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

26 September 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

1 October 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

2 October 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

5 October 1942 in collision with the battleship HMS KING GEORGE V at Scapa Flow

23 October 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

24 October 1942 at  Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

26 October 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

27 October 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

1 November1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

3 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

5 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

9 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water along with RFA Petronel

10 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water along with RFA Fred Everard (a hired RFA)

21 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

22 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

23 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

25 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

28 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

29 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

30 November 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water

2 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

3 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

4 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V  supplying her with fresh water

5 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

8 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water

9 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

10 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water

14 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

14 December 1942 Mr John Ismay RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS KING GEORGE V supplying her with fresh water

19 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water

20 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water

24 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water

27 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water

28 December 1942 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE supplying her with fresh water

20 January 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

3 April 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

25 June 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

26 June 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

9 July 1943 Captain E E Lawrence RFA appointed as Master

8 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

10 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water. RFA Blue Ranger was also alongside supplying 692 tons of FFO

11 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

12 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

13 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

16 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

18 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

20 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

21 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

22 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

23 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

30 September 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON supplying her with fresh water

21 March 1944 Greaser Daniel O'Leary, aged 53, discharged dead. Buried at the Royal Naval Cemetry, Lyness, Scapa Flow. Grave - Plot O Row I Grave 11

 

 

20 August 1944 Captain John Walker RFA, aged 38, discharged dead. Buried at the Royal Naval Cemetry, Lyness, Scapa Flow. Grave - Plot H (North Border) Grave 8.

 

 

16 July 1945 Captain Evan O Morris RFA appointed as Master

1 August 1970 on the Disposal List at Greenock and offered for sale in the Times of this day 'as lying'

21 September 1970 Purchased by H.G. Pounds Shipowners and Shipbreakers Ltd, Portsmouth for scrap,  but resold to Irish breakers

9 October 1970 Arrived Passage West, Cork, Eire for breaking up by Haulbowline Industries Ltd

 

Notes:

Her bell can be seen in the Chapel of St Nicholas, Langstone, Havant.