RFA Tidesurge

RFA Tidesurge

 

Previous name:                      Tiderange
Subsequent name:    

Official Number:                     187362                                                                       

Class:                                      Tide Class Fleet Replenishment Tanker

Pennant No:                            A98
Laid down:                              1 July 1953
Builder:                                    Laing, Deptford Yard
Launched:                               1 July 1954

Into Service:                            30 August 1955
Out of service:                         May 1976

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 found that in 2 of them their names were too similar so they were renamed in 1958.

 

1 July 1954 launched by Mrs F R Parham wife of Vice Admiral F R Parham CB, CBE, DSO, then Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Supplies and Transport.

12 January 1955 Mr Ronald C Putt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

 

Chief Engineer Officer Ronald C Putt RFA

8 February 1956 Captain Henry  F Colbourne RFA appointed as Master

12 May 1956 at Bueno Aires Fireman Charles Stanley Dack left the ship apparently to go swimming and did not return. He was discharged dead - presumed drowned and the date of his death was recorded as 13 May 1956

October 1956 berthed at Toulon, France together with HMS Eagle

31 October 1956 deployed on 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 TIDERACE

1957 Supported Operation Grapple - the British H-bomb test at Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean - as one of 16 other RFA’s taking part.

 

 

17 September 1957 Captain F A Shaw RD RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR)

28 June 1958 name changed to Tidesurge

14 August 1958 RASed with HMS Bermuda off Cyprus

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

21 August 1958 RASed with HMS Bermuda while on passage from Cyprus to Malta

16 October 1958 RASed with HMS Bermuda while on passage from Malta to Famagusta Bay, Cyprus

19 March 1959 and 20 March 1959 RASed with HMS Centaur at 48 24.3N 9 29.5W

4 May 1959 Captain Leslie G Rowling DSC RFA appointed as Master

5 September 1959 arrived at Singapore after taking part in Exercise 'Jet' with HMS Centaur and other RN and RAN units

10 June 1960 Captain G O W Evans DSC RFA appointed as Master

20 June 1959 berthed at Malta

23 June 1959 off Malta RASed with HMS CENTAUR

27 June 1959 off Tobruk RASed with HMS CENTAUR

26 October 1960 Mr G S Burnett RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

18 February 1961 supported HMS Ark Royal and another RN ship on a visit to New York

1961 Her refit this year included the fitting of the first RFA Crew Bar. She represented the RFA at Rosyth Navy Days as an integral unit for the first time.

27 June 1961 at Rosyth Donkeyman Greaser Henry Strahan discharged dead - natural causes - heart attack

23 November 1961 Captain James Jolly RFA appointed as Master

27 December 1961 sailed Mombasa with RFA Retainer and RN units lead by HMS Centaur due to reported tension in the Middle East

28 January 1962 involved in South China Sea 200 miles south east of Saigon in the rescue of survivors from a Greek owned tanker Stanvac Sumatra with RN, US Naval ships and aircraft of the RAF. The Greek ship had split in half in bad weather in position 09.05N 109.55E. One survivor was saved by the Tidesurge

1 July 1962 Mr G D J Garside RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 July 1962 Assistant Steward Norman Andrew Claxton logged as deserted. He appeared at the Ninth Magistrate's Court, Singapore on 13 July 1962 and pleaded guilty.

18 February 1963 Mr V J Paflin RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 February 1963 Captain Alf Waters RFA appointed as Master

May 1963 supported the carrier HMS ARK ROYAL from the U.K. to the Far East along with RFA’s FORT DUQUESNE and RETAINER

18 August 1963 Yeoman Robert Arthur Fletcher RFA discharged dead. He died at the British Military Hospital, Singapore from meningitis. He is buried in Kranji Military Cemetery, SIngapore in Plot 13, Row A Grave 22

 

Image courtesy of Tony Beck, with thanks

 

28 March 1964 Mr H W Jackinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

22 June 1964 Captain William R Town RFA appointed as Master

17 May 1965 Mr T S W Humphrey RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

9 June 1965 Captain Basil V Dobbie RFA appointed as Master

18 January 1966 Mr E Burke RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

9 July 1966 Captain Donald G Averill RFA appointed as Master

25 August 1967 in the Indian Ocean RASed with USS Forrestal CVA 59 over a period of 8 hours. USS Forrestal had been severely damaged by fire and explosions on 29 July 1967 off Vietnam. On 11 August 1967 she sailed from Leyte Pier, Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Subic Bay, Philippines via the Indian and Atlantic Oceans to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA, USA for major repairs

14 December 1967 Captain Archibald M M Telfer RFA appointed as Master

16 March 1968 Mr E Burke RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

October 1969 Visited Australia and New Zealand to celebrate the Cook Bicentenary along with RFA’s TIDEREACH and STROMNESS.

11 January 1970 between Malta and Crete involved in searching for two Soviet Seaman lost over the side from their Koltin Class Soviet warship when it was involved in a collision with HMS Ark Royal

March 1970 visited Jamestown, St. Helena

May 1970 visited Jamestown, St. Helena

November 1971 visited Jamestown, St. Helena

17 July 1972 entered KGV docks

October - December 1972 Supported Operation Zealous - on standby off East Africa in case of the requirement to evacuate British nationals from Uganda - along with RFA’s TIDEPOOL and  TIDEREACH

3 February 1974 berthed at Lyttleton, New Zealand

August 1974 to July 1975 Served as the final Fleet Oiler on the Beira Patrol

22 June 1975 berthed at Mombassa

October 1975 Captain David J Boydon RFA in command

December 1975 Offloaded the remaining cargo from the hulked RFA WAVE RULER (1) at Gan

25 February 1976 to 4 April 1976 With the frigate HMS ESKIMO she was diverted to the South Atlantic in view of a possible Argentinian adventure against the Falkland Islands.

16 March 1976 to 19 March 1976 alongside at Rio de Janeiro

19 March 1976 sailed Rio de Janeiro (delayed by engine problems) for Montevideo arriving 22 March 1976

22 March 1976 alongside at Montevideo

25 March 1976  sailed Montevideo (again delayed by engine problems) for Salvador

27 March 1976 RASed with HMS Eskimo

28 March 1976 Light Jackstay transfer with HMS Eskimo 

29 March 1976 RASed with HMS Eskimo

30 March 1976 RASed with HMS Eskimo

31 March 1976 Exercise with Brazilian Navy off Salvador - RASed with Brazilian Destroyer 'Mato Grosso'

1 April 1976 berthed at Salvador until 4 April 1976 

4 April 1976 sailed 

5 April 1976 RASed with HMS Eskimo 

8 April 1976 noon position 04° 22'S, 48° 23'W.  222 MILES NE OF AMAZON ESTUARY

11April 1976 noon position 149 miles SE of PUERTO RICO

12 April 1976 RASed with HMS Eskimo. Set sail for Portmouth

14 April 1976 Broken down overnight. Noon position 570 miles SE of BERMUDA. 2,850 miles from PORTSMOUTH

16 April 1976 noon position 780 miles SW of the AZORES

18 April 1976 noon position 160 miles NW of the AZORES. 1,300 MILES to PORTSMOUTH

20 April 1976 noon position 465 miles SW of LANDS END

21 April 1976 arrived at Plymouth until 29 April 1976

29 April 1976 sailed from Plymouth for Portsmouth arriving on 30 April 1976 berthing on the Gosport Oil Jetty. 

31 April1976 Out of service

1 May 1976 to 30 May 1976 Destoring

June 1976 laid up at Portsmouth

19 April 1977 left under tow from Portsmouth for Valencia, Spain to be broken up by Aguilar y Peris SA.