RFA Wave Liberator

RFA Wave Liberator

 

 

Previous name:                    Empire Milner
Subsequent name:

Official Number:                   169143

Class:                                    WAVE CLASS Freighting  Oiler (unmodified)

Pennant No:                          X140 / A248

Laid down:
Builder:                                   Furness Shipbuilding Company
Launched:                              9 February 1944
Into Service:                           1946 renamed Wave Liberator
Out of service:                       1959

Fate:                                        Scrapped Hong Kong

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:   A need for fast tankers to bring oil into the country had been envisaged early in the Second World War, but by the time the material had been collected and the Yards had space to build them, the need had largely passed and the original design of diesel-engined ships was abandoned. Instead, the standard 12000t Class being built were given sharper bows and sterns and turbine engines with water tube boilers. In all, 21 of this type were built and were offered to the Admiralty, who wanted faster tankers for the Pacific Fleet Train. The Admiralty took 20 of them ( the final vessel being completed commercially for Oil and Molasses Tankers Ltd, London as BEECHWOOD) and renamed them with the WAVE nomenclature. Performance varied considerably from ship to ship and they underwent various modifications in their rigs for RAS work. The 8 best ones were finally given an extensive refit, with extra accommodation added to the Bridge Deck and extra turbo cargo pumps and derricks to make them more satisfactory for Fleet work. Initially expensive to run, they recouped some of their expensive repair bills by earning revenues from charter work after the Korean War. From this Class was evolved the TIDE CLASS oilers.

 

9 February 1944 Launched by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill as Yard Nr 358  named EMPIRE MILNER for the MoWT.

June 1944 on completion for Ministry of War Transport handed to civil management of Anglo-Saxon Petroleum. 

4 July 1944 sailed Middlesbrough on convoy FN1407 arriving at Methil the next day

6 July 1944 sailed Methil in convoy EN405 arriving the Clyde on 8 July 1944

9 July 1944 underwent repairs on the Clyde which were completed on 11 July 1944

16 July 1944 sailed the Clyde in convoy UC30 to New York arriving on the 27 July 1944

28 July 1944 underwent repairs in New York which were completed on 31 July 1944

3 August 1944 sailed New York in convoy CU34 along with EMPIRE LAW (later RFA WAVE CONQUEROR ) arriving Swansea 14 August 1944

14 August 1944 underwent repairs at Swansea which were completed on 24 August 1944

25 August 1944 sailed Swansea independently to Belfast Lough arriving the next day

26 August 1944 sailed Belfast Lough joining convoy UC35 to New York arriving 5 September 1944

12 September 1944 sailed New York in convoy CU39 to Cardiff arriving 22 September 1944

24 September 1944 sailed Cardiff independently to Liverpool arriving the next day

28 September 1944 underwent further repairs which were not completed until 10 October 1944

10 October 1944 sailed Liverpool in convoy UC40B to New York arriving 20 October 1944

22 October 1944 sailed New York in convoy CU44 to Avonmouth arriving 2 November 1944

9 November 1944 sailed Avonmouth independently arriving Milford Haven the next day

11 November 1944 sailed Milford Haven joined convoy UC44B along with RFA WAVE MONARCH to New York arriving 22 November 1944

1 December 1944 sailed New York in convoy CU49 arrived the Downs 12 December 1944

18 December 1944 sailed Southend in convoy FN1575 to Middelsborough arriving 20 December 1944

20 January 1945 while under tow from Middlesborough to Hull struck a wreck in the River Humber off Grimsby - convoy FS1701 - arrived Hull that day

1 March 1945 left Hull in tow to the Tyne arriving the following day

28 April 1945 sailed the Tyne joining convoy FS 1792 to Southend arriving 30 April 1945

1 May 1945 sailed Southend in convoy UC66A along with EMPIRE BOUNTY ( later RFA WAVE VICTOR ) and EMPIRE LAW ( later RFA WAVE CONQUEROR) to New York arriving 12 May 1945

15 May 1945 sailed New York in convoy CU70 to Avonmouth arriving 25 May 1945

27 May 1945 sailed Avonmouth joining convoy ON305 to New York arriving 6 June 1945

8 June 1945 sailed New York independently to Portsmouth arriving 17 June 1945

19 June 1945 sailed Portsmouth independently arriving New York 28 June 1945

6 July 1945 sailed New York independently arriving Thames Haven 16 July 1945

29 July 1945 sailed Thames Haven independently arriving New York 7 August 1945

11 August 1945 sailed sailed New York independently arriving Bremerhaven 23 August 1945

26 August 1945 sailed Bremerhaven independently arriving Falmouth 28 August 1945

4 September 1945 sailed Falmouth independently arriving Galveston, Texas 17 September 1945

24 October 1945 sailed Galveston, Texas independently arriving Portsmouth 10 November 1945

13 November 1945 sailed Portsmouth independently arriving Falmouth 13 November 1945

9 January 1946 Chief Engineer Officer Victor T Millington appointed an Officer of the most excellent Order of the British Empire. (OBE).

December 1946 name changed to Wave Liberator on becoming a Royal Fleet Auxiliary

18 December 1947 Mr D L S Hood DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

22 December 1947 Captain D S Norrington RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

17 January 1948 Mr A D Harris RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 September 1948 Quartermaster William Kelly from Wave Liberator appeared before the Stipendary Magistrate in Valleta charged with entering a house without the occupiers permission and causing damage to the value of £8.0sh.0d 

18 January 1949 JOS P. Arthur logged for being absent from his place of duty. Fined 10/- and forfeited one days pay

17 February 1949 having sailed from Abadan Robert Osborne a sailor who had deserted from ss British Guardsman was found on board as a stowaway

27 April 1949 At  Aden AB/Signaller Edward Charles George Hewitt discharged dead - he died in No 7 RAF Hospital, Aden

20 June 1949 EDH R G Doyle logged for being absent without leave. He was forfeited one days pay of 13 shillings and 4pence

25 June 1949 Captain F J King RFA appointed as Master

4 August 1950 at Abadan (Kabda Reach) Fireman William Henry James discharged dead

17 October 1950 Captain Douglas N J Williams RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

4 November 1950 Mr J A Macpherson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 July 1951 at San Fernando Harbour, Trinidad -  Assistant Steward Alan Stratford discharged dead - presumed drowned

29 October 1951 Mr D F Gorril RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 November 1952 Captain Sidney T Dunster OBE RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Sidney T Dunster RFA

24 February 1953 Mr F Hobson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 November 1953 entered Eideralie dry dock on the Clyde for refit

12 April 1954 Mr J A Macpherson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 April 1955 Captain Edmund H Butterworth RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Edmund H Butterworth RFA

18 November 1955 Mr W G Downing RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

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

19 July 1957 Captain Ronald V Warren DSC RFA appointed as Master

1 August 1957 Mr D Meikle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

21 December 1958 sailed Bandar Mashur to Bombay arriving 27 December 1958 for repairs 

6 January 1959 laid up at Bombay with unrepaired collision damage

29 January 1959 offered for sale in 'The Times', lying 'as is' at Bombay.

2 April 1959 purchased by Hong Kong Towage and Salvage Co, Hong Kong for scrap

5 April 1959 sailed Bombay in tow of the Hong Kong tug GOLDEN CAPE

4 May 1959 arrived Hong Kong for breaking up