RFA Tidereach

RFA Tidereach

Previous name:                     
Subsequent name:    

Official Number:                     186278                                                              

Class:                                      Tide Class Fleet Replenishment Tanker

Pennant No:                            A96

Laid down:                              2 June 1953
Builder:                                    Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend

Launched:                               2 June 1954
Into Service:                            30 August 1955
Out of service:                         March 1978 - laid up at Portsmouth.

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.

18 May 1954 original launch date postponed

3 September 1954 Mr David C Leathley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

22 January 1955 Commodore Thomas H Card RFA appointed as Master

1 September 1956 Captain Thomas Elder DSC RFA appointed as Master 

31 October 1956 deployed for Operation Musketeer - the Suez Crisis - along with 34 other RFA’s

24 December 1956 entered Grand Harbour, Malta with RFA Brown Ranger, RFA Wave Victor and RFA Wave Liberator after covering with RN units the Anglo-French Forces withdrawl from Port Said

3 January 1957 Captain Elder promoted Commodore and remained in command

6 March 1957 Mr J R Warne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 May 1959 in the North Sea RASed with HMS CENTAUR

18 August 1958 Mr G J Mathews RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 April 1959 Captain F G Evans RFA appointed as Master

9 January 1960 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 11 January 1960

1960 played the leading ship role in the film “Lifeline” about a Deck Cadet’s first trip to sea

9 June 1960 in the North Sea the main Gyro failed which nearly caused a collision with HMS Bermuda

February 1961 sailed Gibraltar with HMS Victorious and HMS Blackpool bound for Cape Town - the deployment became known as The Old Vic Touring Company

South African brochure for the visit.

17 February 1961 to 28 February 1961 visited Simonstown, South Africa with HMS Victorious and HMS Blackpool.

6 March 1961 Surgeon Robert Noel McKinstry OBE RFA discharged dead. He is buried in the Simonstown Dido Valley CWG Cemetery, South Africa

26 June 1961 sailed SIngapore with HMS Victorious

July/August 1961 saw service during Operation Vantage -the Kuwait Crisis - and supported the carrier HMS VICTORIOUS along with RFA’s OLNA (2), RELIANT(2) and RETAINER and 8 other RFA‘s.

12 September 1961 Mr Hugh C F Sweenie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 December 1962 Captain Norman R McLeod RFA appointed as Master

19 May 1963 Mr H W Jackinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 JUly 1963 anchored in the Outer Roads, Singapore

12 December 1963 Mr W M Clements RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 January 1964 Captain J D G Gray RFA appointed as Master

11 April 1964 at Hong Kong - refuelled HMNZS Taranaki alongside while on a buoy

21 January 1965 Captain E D J Evans RFA appointed as Master

January 1965 to 11 August 1965 supported naval units providing patrols off East Malaysia, Singapore and in the the Malacca Straits during the Indonesian Confrontation, along with RFA’s GOLD RANGER, EDDYROCK, FORT CHARLOTTE and WAVE SOVEREIGN.

May 1965 In support of Operation Seahorse - a SEATO maritime operation in the South China Sea - along with RFA’s RELIANT(2), RETAINER and TIDEPOOL

17 June 1965 Mr G Thompson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 March 1966 Captain C G D Barker RFA appointed as Master

1 August 1966 Mr D Meikle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 June 1967 Captain A L Paterson RFA appointed as Master

22 January 1968 supported the destroyer HMS CAMBRIAN off Rodrigues Island when internal security platoons were landed to stop disturbances ashore

29 January 1968 conveyed 15 arrested Rodrigues Islanders to Port Louis, Mauritius after a mob stormed a jail on Rodrigues Island and who had been arrested by Patrols landed by the Royal Navy

15 March 1968 Mr J A Swallow RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 July 1968 Captain P J McCarthy RFA appointed as Master

October 1969 visited Australia and New Zealand to celebrate the Cook Bicentenary along with RFA‘s STROMNESS and TIDESURGE

March 1972 visted Jamestown, St. Helena

31 January 1973 3rd Engineer Officer C H Hill RFA discharged dead

13 March 1973 visited Tristan da Cunha with HMS Apollo  

April 1973 visted Jamestown, St. Helena with HMS Apollo and HMS Rhyl  

29 August 1974 arrived at Cape Town, South Africa with various RN ships together with RFA's Tarbatness and Tidespring for exercises with the South African Navy

6 April 1976 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 3rd Cod War until 10 April 1976

15 April 1976 Captain Rex A Cooper RFA appointed as Master

24 November 1978 featured on a postage stamp from Tristan da Cunha along with RFA’s ORANGELEAF(2), RELIANT(2) and TARBATNESS

22 February 1979 sold for breaking up Initially to  Sparreboom Shipbrokers NV, Rotterdam and then resold to Remasa SA, Bilbao

16 March 1979 left Portsmouth under tow to Bilbao, Spain by the German Tug Peter Wessels

20 March 1979 arrived at Bilbao, Spain for breaking up.