RFA Wave Sovereign

RFA Wave Sovereign

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:

Official Number:                      180813

Class:                                    WAVE CLASS  Replenishment  Oiler (modified)

Pennant No:                          X111 / A211

Laid down:                            10 May 1944
Builder:                                  Furness Shipbuilding Company
Launched:                             20 November 1945
Into Service:                          28 February 1946
Out of service:                       1966
Fate:                                    May 1967 broken up Singapore

 

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.

1 November 1945 Mr Harold M Pearson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 November 1945 Launched by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill as Yard Nr 364 named WAVE SOVEREIGN.  Captain Donald B C Ralph DSC RFA appointed as Master

28 February 1946 Completed

8 October 1946 at Yokohama HMAS Bataan alongside being refuelled

12 June 1947 Mr Ronald C Putt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

 

Chief Engineer Officer Ronald C Putt RFA

11 March 1948 Mr H G May RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 September 1948 entered Portland Harbour

23 September 1948 sailed Portland Harbour

29 September 1948 in the North Atlantic joined deployment of HMS Duke of York and other RN ships enroute to Freetown. RASed with HMS Jutland at 35.24N 25.22W. Also RASed with HMS Alamein - 300 tons FFO transfered - at 34.45N 25.00W

1 October 1948 in collision with HMS Sluys during a replenishment - slight damage caused

3 October 1948 at sea 24.47N 38.53W Bosun Lok Pong Wing discharged dead from pneumonia

15 December 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

20 January 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

6 March 1949 berthed at Gibraltar

24 August 1949 Mr Charles Scott DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 October 1949 Captain Henry F Colbourne RFA appointed as Master

10 April 1950 Two seaman Wong Kim Sze, aged 37 years and Yee Sing On, aged 35 appeared before Singapore Second Police Court charged with being found in possession of nine pounds of opium. The case was committed to the District Court with both being remanded on bail of $5,000 each.

25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953

Saw service during the Korean War along with 18 other RFA’s and was awarded the Korea 1952-53 Battle Honour.

6 September 1950 arrived at Singapore

29 November 1950 Captain T G Hill RFA appointed as Master

27 June 1951 while on passage from Singapore to Abadan was diverted to take her cargo to cargo to the UK

24 July 1951 Captain F C Holt RFA appointed as Master and Mr W A Rowland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 September 1951 arrived in New York with a cargo of oil for the Royal Navy; the Master was served with Immigration papers detaining the non UK crew who were without adequate immigration papers to satisfy the US Immigration authorities. Some of  the crew were not detained by the Master and deserted thus entered the US illegally. Litigation against the Master resulted in a decision that the ship was a vessel of H.M. Government and was entitled to immunity from the jurisdiction of the US Courts

Between 1950 and 1953 was engaged in the Korean War with other RFA tankers and RFA Maine (4) - Hospital ship. Was later awarded the Korea 1952 - 1953 Battle Honour.

1952 Supported Operation Hurricane 1 - the first British test atomic bomb explosion at Monte Bello Islands off NW Australia  - along with RFA’s FORT BEAUHARNOIS, FORT CONSTANTINE, FORT ROSALIE (1), GOLD RANGER, WAVE PRINCE and WAVE RULER (1)

3 November 1952 at anchor off Taechong Do, Korea with HMAS Anzac alongside being refuelled

9 November 1952 at anchor off Taechong Do, Korea with HMAS Anzac alongside being refuelled

17 December 1952 at anchor off Taechong Do, Korea with HMAS Anzac alongside being refuelled

30 December 1952 at anchor off Taechong Do, Korea with HMAS Anzac alongside being refuelled

24 February 1953 Mr J D B Payne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 March 1953 Captain Donovan J S Newton RFA appointed as Master

8 September 1954 Mr D G Edgar RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 September 1954 Captain E Payne RFA appointed as Master

14 December 1955 Captain William F Curlett RFA appointed as Master

14 February 1956 berthed at Malta

1 September 1956 Able Seaman James Paterson appeared before a Colony Magistrate in Singapore and pleaded Guilty to being unlawfully absent from the Wave Sovereign. He was fined $15

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

31 October 1956 In support of Operation Toreador in Task Force 324 - the Red Sea Group

25 July 1957 Mr G W H Neil RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

4 September 1957 Captain A H Mackenzie RFA appointed as Master

31 December 1957 RFA Wave Sovereign sailed from Singapore to carry relief supplies to Trincomalee after Ceylon had been hit by a typhoon

22 January 1958 Seaman B Crow appeared before a court in Singapore and was sentenced to 6 weeks imprisonment for desertion - reported in the Straits Times of 23 January 1958

23 January 1958 Seaman J Brogan appeared before a Singapore Court and pleaded Guilty to absenting himself since 15 January 1958. He was sentenced to two months imprisonment and was ordered to be placed on the first ship to take him back home.

4 March 1958 Mr G Thompson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

June 1958 sailed Barcelona, Spain for Malta - found to have 16 year old Spanish stowaway, Antonio Lopez, on board. Placed ashore at Malta and then taken by HMS Forth to Gibraltar to be returned to Spain.

22 August 1958 Was present at the Operation  Grapple - the British H-bomb test at Christmas Island in the  Pacific Ocean - along with RFA FORT BEAUHARNOIS. 16 other RFA’s were also involved in this Operation at various times

 

 

8 December 1958 Captain J W Cunningham RFA appointed as Master

14 December 1958 sailed Malta for Singapore - arrived 6 January 1959

23 June 1959 a Spanish stowaway - Antonio Lopez - who had stowed away on Wave Sovereign while she was at Barcelona was returned from Malta to Spain via Gibraltar on HMS Forth

17 June 1959 berthed at Malta after taking part in exercise Sardex with units of the Royal Navy and RFA's Fort Langley, Fort Duquesne and Wave Victor

11 August 1959 sailed Malta to Cannes with HMS Birmingham

19 October 1959 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 31 October 1959

6 November 1959 Mr J A Swallow RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 November 1959 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 21 December 1959

15 January 1960 Captain C N Rennels RFA appointed as Master

8 June 1961 within Portland Harbour in collision with HMS KEPPEL

19 June 1961 sailed Portland Harbour

17 July 1961 Captain H W Lawford RFA appointed as Master

31 July 1961 Mr I M MacFarlane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 December 1961at Tawau Hospital, North Borneo Fireman Lee San discharged dead from heat stroke

20 March 1962 Seaman Choi Choong Sam appeared before the Ninth Magistrates' Court, in Singapore having been found with $250 worth of raw opium strapped between his thighs. He was fined $1,000 or 4 months imprisonment.

22 May 1962 RFA Wave Sovereign, the cruiser HMS Tiger and the destroyers HMS Carysfort and HMS Cavalier visited Inchon, Korea on a three day courtesy visit. The ships later visited Japan

20 June 1962 at sea at 21.22N 118.13E Pumpman Lai Chan discharged dead apparently from cardiac failure. Buried at sea

27 August 1962 Mr S P Awati RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 October 1962 Captain William R Town RFA appointed as Master

15 November 1962 with RFA Wave Ruler, RFA Fort Charlotte and several RN units headed by HMS Tiger attended the Commonwealth Games at Perth Western Australia - ships of the RAN and RNZN were also present

2 December 1962 in company with RFA Fort Charlotte, RN, RAN and RNZN ships in Exercise Dinkum 3 & 4 while on passage from Freemantle to Singapore

2 September 1963 Captain Ronald V Warren DSC RFA appointed as Master

1 November 1963 Mr E Burke RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 November 1963 covered at RAF Gan while the RFA Wave Victor (as a hulk) was away for refit until 14 February 1964

24 January 1964 crew member - Chang Pook - fell overboard in the middle of the Indian Ocean. He was rescued within five minutes by HMS Diana.

14 February 1964 RFA Wave Victor returned to her duties at RAF Gan from refit releasing Wave Sovereign

31 March 1964 Captain Walter Gibb MBE RFA appointed as Master

8 September 1964 a planned visit to Australia by RFA Wave Sovereign and three RN ships was cancelled at short notice due to hightened tension between Malaysia and Indonesia .

13 October 1964 Mr D Meikle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

January 1965 to 11 August 1965 Provided support to Naval units operating patrols off East Malaysia , Singapore and in  the Malacca Straits during the Indonesian Confrontation, along with RFA’s GOLD  RANGER, EDDYROCK , FORT CHARLOTTE and TIDEREACH.

12 July 1965 Mr E S Brazier RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 July 1965 Captain J Gulesserian RFA appointed as Master

6 January 1966 withdrawn from service, destored and laid up at Singapore

20 and 27 April 1967 advertised in the Times of these days for sale 'As lying' at HM Naval Base Singapore by the Ministry of Transport

May 1967 broken up at Singapore by local ship breakers

 

Notes

 

1. The ship crest (above) is an unofficlal crest and has not received MOD approval