RFA Spabeck

RFA Spabeck

 

 

Previous name:                       Rivulet
Subsequent name: 

Official Number:                      169535                                                                        

Class:                                       SPA CLASS Water Carrier

Pennant No:                            X19 / A227

Laid down:                              14 May 1943
Builder:                                    Phillip, Dartmouth   
Launched:                               21 June 1943
Into Service:                            3 September 1943
Out of service:                         March 1966 - Laid up at Devonport
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.

 

21 June 1943 Launched by Philip & Son Ltd, Dartmouth as Yard Nr 1054 named RIVULET

 22 July 1943 Mr H J Sheepwash RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 August 1943 Captain Arthur E Craze RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Arthur E Craze RFA

courtesy of Graham Henshaw

 

3 September 1943 Delivered at a cost of £75,188 and renamed SPABECK

7 October 1943 sailed Loch Ewe in convoy WN490 to Methil

8 August 1944 sailed Barry in convoy EBC 66 along with RFA ROBERT DUNDAS arriving Seine Bay 10 August 1944 (Detached for Portsmouth)

28 November 1944 Mr G H Came RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 July 1945 Captain F C Holt RFA appointed as Master

21 July 1947 Captain H W Colman RFA appointed as Master and Mr G N Scott RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

7 January 1948 Captain D A C Butler RFA appointed as Master

16 December 1948 Captain G O W Evans DSC RFA appointed as Master

1955 - 1958 Became based at Messrs Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness where she was converted for the carriage of high test hydrogen peroxide fuel for the experimental  submarines HMS EXPLORER and HMS EXCALIBUR. This technology was finally made redundant by the advent of the nuclear-powered submarine. The ship carried 111 tons of HTP and 17 tons of Avcat.

24 February 1956 Captain de V Moulds RFA appointed as Master

30 March 1956 Mr K I J George RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

22 May 1957 Captain W J H Roberts RFA appointed as Master

9 September 1957 Mr J H Mills RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 June 1958 Captain E D J Evans RFA appointed as Master

10 December 1958 Mr C E Prentis RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 January 1960 Captain George Robson RFA appointed as Master

23 August 1960 Captain Sydney E Clench RFA appointed as Master

4 April 1961 Captain O J Coulthard RFA appointed as Master

29 October 1961 Mr E S Brazier RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

7 March 1963 Mr E T Rees RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 November 1963 Captain W H G Hine RFA appointed as Master

29 March 1966 offered for sale in the Times of this date 'as lying' at Devonport Dockyard.

12 May 1966 sailed Plymouth under tow for Belgian ship breakers

14 May 1966 arrived Antwerp enroute to Willebroek for breaking up