RFA Tideflow

RFA Tideflow

 

 

 

 

Previous name:                       Tiderace
Subsequent name:      

Official Number:                      186336                                                                  

Class:                                       TIDE CLASS Fleet Replenishment Tanker

Pennant No:                            A97

Laid down:                               30 August 1953
Builder:                                     J L Thompson, North Sands

Launched:                                30 August 1954
Into Service:                             25 January 1956
Out of service:                          November 1975
Fate:                                           Broken up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data: The 4 ships in this Class were the first Admiralty-designed purpose-built Fleet replenishment tankers intended for enduring front-line support. They evolved from the valuable practical experience gained from HMS BULAWAYO, RFA OLNA (2) and from a number of the WAVE CLASS tankers. Their forward defensive armament fit was a gun platform designed to carry a 4-inch gun and it’s director. Single 20mm Oerlikon mounts were fitted to both bridge wings and twin 40mm Bofors, together with their directors, could be mounted to port and starboard of the funnel. Accommodation was also provided for DEMS Ratings, although in practice these guns were not mounted. All 4 vessels gave valuable world-wide service and were the pioneers of aspects of RFA life which later became standard. 3 of them were near Suez when the Suez Conflict broke out in 1956. One of them was short on fuel and was ordered back to Malta to replenish her tanks. Unfortunately the wrong one returned and it was discovered that in 2 of them their names were too similar so they were renamed in 1958.

 

 

30 August 1954 launched by Lady Elizabeth Davis wife of Vice Admiral W W Davis,CB, ,DSO and bar, then Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.

11 September 1954 towed to the Tyne for the installation of her engines

16 October 1954 returned Sunderland in tow for completion

4 January 1955 Mr R N Foster RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 September 1955 Captain J M Humphrey OBE DSC RFA appointed as Master

6 September 1956 involved in the supply of water to Malta from Sicily to help Malta's lack of fresh water

31 October 1956 Deployed for Operation Musketeer - the Suez Crisis - in Task Force 325.8, the Logistics Group supporting the carriers - along with RFA’s FORT SANDUSKY, OLNA (2), RETAINER and TIDERANGE

5 February 1958 Captain Albert  E Curtain OBE RD RFA (Commander RNR (Rtd)) appointed as Master

16 April 1958 RASed with HMS Bermuda while she was on passage from Gibraltar to Malta

25 April 1958 RASed with HMS Bermuda off Sardinia

28 June 1958 renamed RFA Tideflow at Malta in order to obviate confusion with her sister TIDERANGE

6 August 1958 berthed at Grand Harbour, Malta

26 September 1958 berthed at Grand Harbour, Malta

12 August 1958 wins 'Bulawayo Cup' for 1958 - presented to the ship by Admiral Sir Charles Lambe, C in C Mediterranean at Grand Harbour Malta

28 October 1958 RASed with HMS Bermuda while on passage between Cyprus and Malta

13 November 1958 RASed with HMS Bermuda astern and HMS Sheffield to port while on passage to Toulon, France

21 November 1958 arrived at Malta from Toulon with HMS Sheffield, HMS Bermuda, HMS Saintes and HMS Armada after taking part in an Exercise Medaswex 27 with ships of the Royal Canadian Navy and French Navy

26 December 1958 sailed from Grand Harbour, Malta

18 January 1959 Mr D G Edgar RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 September 1959 involved in a collision with a sloop Pastime in Portland Harbour, Dorset

26 November 1959 Captain Henry O L'Estrange DSC RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

14 February 1960 berthed at Grand Harbour, Malta

11 May 1960 together with HMS Belfast, HMS Albion and three RN frigates arrived at Hong Kong

25 May 1960 Mr Ken Robinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 December 1960 Captain T G Hill RFA appointed as Master

August 1961 visited Oslo and her Master was one of the guests at dinner in the Summer Palace which was hosted by King Olav V

5 December 1961 in collision with the frigate HMS FALMOUTH during anti-submarine warfare exercises in Lyme Bay off the Dorset coast but sustained only minor superficial damage although the frigate returned to Portland Harbour

3 January 1962 Mr G J Mathews RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1962 Captain Sydney S F Dalgleish OBE RFA appointed as Master

31 May 1962 the Captain of HMS Falmouth (a Commander Royal Navy) and one other officer (a Lieutenant Royal Navy) appeared before a Court Martial at HMS Drake where it was alleged they had hazarded the ship which resulted in the collision (see above) -  the Commander was found not guilty. The Lieutenant was found Guilty and repremanded however this was appealed and the conviction and the sentence were quashed

4 November 1962 Captain A R Wheeler RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

14 December 1962 Mr Thomas L Morton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 April 1963 Mr V J Cooney RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

9 September 1963 RASed with HMS Albion while on passage to Hong Kong

19 September 1963 was hit by HMS Loch Killisport during a RAS

29 September 1963 RASed with HMS Albion and HMS Barrosa off Labuan

13 December 1963 RASed with HMNZS Taranaki while on passage from Guam to Hong Kong

20 May 1964 RASed with HMNZS Taranaki while on passage from Nagaski to Subic Bay

8 September 1964 at Smith's Dock, North Shields for refit until 11 October 1964

25 September 1964 Captain George Robson RFA appointed as Master

April 1965 with HMS Tiger off Narvik, Norway

2 September 1965 Mr H W Jackinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 October 1965 Captain Henry O L'Estrange DSC RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

23 December 1965 landed 800 drums of aviation spriit (AVCAT) at Dar es Salaam for Zambia causing a diplomatic dispute with Tanzania.

10 August 1966 Captain C G Butterworth RFA appointed as Master

3 November 1966 Humanitarian aid - assisted the P & O cargo ship KARMALA off Aden and transferred her Doctor to examine one of her crew suffering from suspected appendicitis The patient was sent ashore by launch for hospital treatment

29 December 1966 Mr G Thompson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

31 January 1967 Captain Archibald Proudlock RFA appointed as Master

3 November 1967 one of fourteen RFA's involved in the withdrawl of British Forces from Aden

16 April 1968 Captain N B J Stapleton RD RFA appointed as Master

19 June 1968 Mr D Meikle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 September 1968 3rd Engineer Robert MacDonald Henderson RFA aged 33 years discharged dead. The remains of 3rd Engineer Henderson were landed at Darwin, Australia. He was subsequently buried at sea off Charles Point, Darwin, Australia at 12.15S 130.37½E on the 20 September 1968 in a service conducted by Rev. Gerald B Muston, a Chaplain of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve.

15 April 1970 while part of the Beria Patrol was put on standby to assist if Apollo 13 space craft's landing site was changed to the Indian Ocean. RFA Ennerdale also put on similar standby.

October 1970 humanitarian aid - in a joint operation with a USN helicopter off South Vietnam she landed a badly injured sailor from the British cargo ship TREVAYLOR

June 1971 with HMS Gurkha visisted Jamestown, St. Helena

31 October 1971 took part in the final steam past of the Far East Fleet in the Singapore Straits after the closure of the naval base there along with 7 other RFA’s

11 January 1972 with HMS Argonaut visited Tristan da Cunha

September 1972 visisted Jamestown, St. Helena

11 February 1974 with HMS Hermes, HMS Mohawk, HNOMS Stavanger involved supporting a seach for the trawler Gaul pver an area of 177,000 square miles off Northern Norway

15 February 1974 the search was called off without any trace of the trawler being found

8 July 1974 while engaged in replenishment with HMS Ark Royal and HMS Whitby off Plymouth became the subject of attention of a Russian Spy Trawler and a Whisky Class Russian submarine.

November 1975 laid up at Devonport

8 January 1976 placed on the Disposal List

17 January 1976 offered for sale 'as is' at Devonport Dockyard in Public Notices on page 5 of The Times.

4 May 1976 sailed Devonport in tow of Dutch tug AFON GOCH

10 May 1976 arrived at Bilbao, Spain for breaking up by Messrs Remasa at Santuru, Viscaya