RFA Bacchus (1)
Previous name:
Subsequent name: Bacchus11
Official Number: 139059
Class: Distilling Ship / Stores Ship
Pennant No:
Laid down:
Builder: William Hamilton, Port Glasgow
Launched: 10 May 1915
Into Service: July 1915
Out of service: 1937
Fate: Sunk as a target
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: She was originally being built for commercial owners but was purchased by the Admiralty whilst still on the stocks and was originally classed as a Repair Ship. From 1923 until the outbreak of the Italo-Abyssinian Conflict she was on the Chatham-Gibraltar-Malta run with naval stores and a few Service Passengers as she had limited passenger accommodation. In 1935 when she was again required for service as a distilling ship , she was temporarily relieved on the Malta run by the chartered Currie Line ship ss RUTLAND. When BACCHUS (2) entered service, BACCHUS (1) was used as a bombing target before finally being sunk by gunfire
22 March 1915 purchased while building for intended service in Chinese Waters for Indo-China Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Hong Kong by the Admiralty for use as a stores freighter and distilling ship
10 May 1915 launched by Wm Hamilton & Co Ltd, Glen Yard, Port Glasgow as Yard Nr 229 named BACCHUS (1). Named after the Cup Bearer to the Gods
17 June 1915 Commander John E Edwards RNR appointed in command
July 1915 completed. Served in the Mediterranean as a Water Carrier
4 August 1915 Engineer Lieutenant Charles E Wrate RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
19 April 1916 commissioned as a tender to the Depot Ship HMS BLENHEIM
30 May 1916 Commander John E Edwards RD RNR was 'mentioned' for good services whilst employed on Transport duties at the Dardanelles.
3 October 1916 Lieutenant John Ross Gorrie RNR appointed in command
8 April 1918 Mr Charles E Wrate RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
30 November 1916 ordered to proceed to Port Said for Army service at Razegh as a distilling ship
1917 served as a Stores Ship
31 July 1918 Stoker Petty Officer Lewis Joseph Gulley discharged dead - died with dysentry. He is buried in Corfu British Cemetery in Grave 25
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
December 1918 Supported the RN Squadron sent to the Baltic during the Russian Civil War on Operation Red Trek which secured the establishment of the independent states of Estonia and Latvia along with RFA’s BELGOL, PRESTOL and SLAVOL
March 1919 Allocated to the North Russian Expedition as a tender to the Depot Ship HMS CYCLOPS
12 May 1919 sailed Murmansk to Dvina River with HMS CYCLOPS and the Ice Breaker SVIATOGOR all three were stuck hard and fast by ice estimated 12 ft thick and 183 miles from Archangel & 20 miles out from the nearest land. Two ice breakers were wirelessed for from Archangel to assist the "Sviatogor" in getting the three of them through the ice field
12 June 1919 at Archangel HM Monitor M33 came alongside to receive stores
2 September 1919 at anchor midstream off Archangel with alongside HMS Monitor M24 to provide her with fresh water
11 September 1919 supplied a further 32 tons of fresh water to HMS Monitor M24 at Archangel
June 1920 was at Cork, Ireland unloading Army lorries
1921 served in the Dardanelles Area
30 July 1921 Captain Frank J Delamotte RFA appointed as Master
9 December 1922 sailed Malta
1922 to 1923 served Bombay then Trincomalee on the reactivation of the latter
14 July 1923 Captain R F Shotton RFA appointed as Master
7 October 1923 berthed at Trincomalee
8 to 13 October 1923 and 15 to 20 October 1923 at Trincomalee with stores party onboard from HMS Cairo
12 December 1923 sailed Colombo
8 March 1924 Mr F Campbell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
13 April 1925 at River Medway ships boat with 11 of the crew on board was struck by a motor lighter laden with beer. Six of the crew were drowned. For their names etc. see the 'Roll of Honour' for 1925. Inquests were held touching upon the deaths of these crew and verdicts of 'accidental death' were returned in each case by the jury.
23 April 1925 Captain John B Hurst RFA appointed as Master
1 November 1926 Captain M Smith RFA appointed as Master
9 November 1927 Mr J B Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
27 December 1927 Captain T Banbury RFA appointed as Master
22 March 1928 Mr L A Sharp RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 April 1928 in collision with a Greek ship Ionnas Fafalios in the English Channel 20 miles south of St. ALbans Head in thick fog. 12 of the Greek ships crew were killed and the Bacchus nearly foundered - later towed into Portland Harbour stern first by Admiralty tugs. Bacchus on voyage Chatham to Malta. Bacchus adjudged subsequently to blame for the accident in the Admiralty Division of the High Court.
29 June 1928 Captain Reginald C E Neyroud RFA appointed as Master
14 February 1930 Captain W J Shipton RFA appointed as Master
12 March 1930 passed Gibraltar enroute from Malta to the UK
17 March 1930 berthed at Chatham from Malta and Gibraltar
18 March 1930 Mr Edward B Morton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Edward B Morton RFA
27 March 1930 sailed Chatham for Gibraltar
6 April 1930 berthed at Malta
20 July 1930 berthed at Malta from Gibraltar
6 May 1931 sailed Chatham for Gibraltar
17 May 1931 berthed at Malta from Gibraltar
22 May 1931 sailed Malta
23 November 1931 Captain S G Kent RFA appointed as Master
31 December 1931 Mr A H Ireland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 December 1932 Mr L H Taylor RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
25 April 1933 Captain Charles H Noel RFA appointed as Master
Captain Charles H Noel RFA
29 September 1933 Mr T W Robinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 March 1934 Captain Donald R McCutchan RFA appointed as Master
1935 to May 1936 Was sent to Mersa Matruh to serve as a distilling ship for the Army on the outbreak of the Italo-Abyssinian Conflict.
24 May 1935 Captain W C T Barns RFA appointed as Master
May 1936 Re-named as Bacchus II to free the original name for use on another ship (See RFA Bacchus 2 - below)
18 January 1937 berthed at Malta from Gibraltar
1937 laid up and then used as a bombing target for the Royal Air Force
16 October 1938 berthed at Malta from Alexandria, Egypt
November 1938 damaged as a bombing target
15 November 1938 sunk as a target over the Hurd Deep off Alderney. Channel Islands by gun fire from the cruiser HMS Dunedin.
RFA Bacchus (2)
Previous name:
Subsequent name: Pulau Ball
Official Number: 164723
Class: Stores Freighter
Pennant No: X 03 / B 556 / A103
Laid down: 14 February 1936
Builder: Caledon Shipbuilding
Launched: 15 June 1936
Into Service: 20 September 1936
Out of service: 13 April 1962 Laid up at Singapore.
Fate: 14 August 1962 Sold out of service
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: Of Admiralty design, she was built as a Stores Carrier to replace her namesake of 1915 (above), and maintained the regular 5 week run from Chatham - Gibraltar - Malta carrying essential naval, victualling and armament stores and on occasion limited numbers of Service passengers until the outbreak of WW2. During the War she served primarily as a Distilling Ship, reportedly with the distilling plant from HMS RESOLUTION and later served as a Naval Stores Issuing Ship. After the War she was reconverted into a Stores Freighter. In 1946, when the “overseas sea freight service” was recommenced, she began what was to become a regular U.K. - Mediterranean - Far East Run via the Suez Canal and Aden.
1 March 1935 Navy Estimates allow for a new Stores Freighter to be built
17 December 1935 ordered
14 February 1936 laid down
15 July 1936 Launched by Caledon Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee as Yard Nr 358 named BACCHUS (2)
20 September 1936 Completed. Replaced RFA BACCHUS (1)
16 February 1938 Mr H R Bullimore RFA (Engineer Lieutenant Commander RN (Ret)) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
22 May 1938 Captain R T Duthie RFA appointed as Master
16 October 1938 berthed at Malta from Alexandria
12 December 1938 berthed at Grand Harbour, Malta from Chatham
7 February 1939 Captain R G Edmonds RFA appointed as Master
15 March 1939 Mr T Eggleston RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
3 September 1939 at Chatham on the outbreak of WW2
September 1939 While returning home from the Mediterranean, she fought and drove off a U-Boat in the Bay of Biscay
October 1939 A Distilling Plant was added at Falmouth, reportedly from the battleship HMS RESOLUTION. Served at Scapa Flow and on the Clyde as a Distilling Ship
4 December 1939 alongside HMS Sharpshooter (mine sweeper) at the Clyde
25 January 1940 alongside HMS Sharpshooter (mine sweeper) at Campbeltown
3 February 1940 Was damaged while going alongside the AMC CARINTHIA
16 February 1940 Captain Frederick S Harvey RFA appointed as Master
From 17 March 1940 until 29 June 1941 and from 13 August 1941 until 17 February 1942 based at Scapa Flow.
From 28 February 1942 until late 1945 based at Liverpool.
18 March 1942 Captain F S Harvey RFA appointed as Master
22 May 1942 sailed Liverpool in Convoy OS29 to Freetown arriving on the 11 June 1942
20 July 1942 sailed Durban in convoy CM30 to Aden arriving on 8 August 1942
13 August 1942 arrived Kilindini from Diego Suarez with the R.F.A.s EASEDALE
5 October 1942 Arrived Colombo after experiencing engine problems in the Seychelles
9 November 1942 sailed Colombo in convoy MB17 to Bombay arriving 13 November 1942
10 April 1943 sailed Bandar Abbas in convoy PB35 to Bombay arriving 17 April 1943
29 April 1943 sailed Bombay independently to Mombasa arriving 9 May 1943
23 May 1943 sailed Mombasa independently to Durban arriving 2 June 1943
4 July 1943 sailed Durban in convoy DN50A dispersed and arrived at Kilindini on 12 July 1943
8 September 1943 with MC10, consisting of HMS MANELA and HMS RECORDER left Kilindini for Durban
16 November 1943 sailed Seychelles for Durban escorted by HMS Sondra
6 April 1944 Sailed Addu Atoll in Convoy XC 18 in company with RFA BELGOL
1944 to 1945 Acted as a Distilling Ship in the Persian Gulf, then joined the British Pacific Fleet Train
30 January 1945 Sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon to Freemantle, Australia arriving 15 February 1945
14 February 1945 Captain Walter L Holtam RFA appointed as Master
19 February 1945 sailed Freemantle to Sydney NSW arriving 27 February 1945
March 1945 Took part in Operation Iceberg One - the British Pacific Fleet operations against Okinawa and outlying islands
3 March 1945 sailed Sydney NSW to Manus
19 March 1945 sailed Manus to Leyte under escort
28 March 1945 Mr W McKee RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
April 1945 Was in Task Force 57 at Leyte, along with RFA BROWN RANGER, where she was used as a Water Carrier
13 May 1945 sailed Leyte to Manus under escort arriving on 21 May 1945
July 1945 in an attempt to remedy the shortage of OAS equipment within the British Pacific Fleet, her and RFA BROWN RANGER were used as a carrier and issuing ship for the replacing of lost and damaged hoses.
9 October 1945 sailed Hong Kong to Manus arriving 18 October 1945
27 October 1945 sailed Manus to Sydney NSW arriving 31 October 1945
16 February 1946 sailed Sydney, Australia to Hong Kong arriving 7 March 1946
1946 converted to a stores freighter at Hong Kong
30 December 1946 Mr A J Daniel RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 July 1947 Captain F C Holt RFA appointed as Master
1947 sailed to Mombassa and arrived Durban 14 October 1947.
18 November 1947 sailed to Simonstown.
27 March 1949 Captain Cecil H Grainger RFA appointed as Master
16 January 1950 Mr R Blacklock RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
29 October 1950 Mr E S Fielder RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 July 1951 Captain Walter L Holtam RFA appointed as Master
24 May 1952 Mr J Alexander RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 May 1953 Captain H R Davies RFA appointed as Master
6 October 1953 Mr F Campbell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 June 1954 Mr P Ryan RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 May 1955 berthed at Sheerness after voyage from Port Said with two passengers
26 September 1955 Captain R K McKenzie appointed as Master
14 November 1955 Mr Wilfred C Shortland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 February 1956 berthed at Portsmouth after voyage from Singapore and Malta
14 April 1956 Mr J Alexander RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
29 May 1956 berthed at Portsmouth after voyge from Malta and Gibraltar with 12 passengers
31 October 1956 Was deployed on Operation Musketeer - the Suez Crisis - along with 34 other RFA‘s
20 May 1957 Able Seaman Edward Binnington pleased guilty at a SIngapore court to being asleep at the wheel when the ships course deviated by 104 degrees
22 July 1957 Captain Dan de V Moulds RFA appointed as Master
9 December 1957 Mr J G Yuill RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 November 1958 Captain C Alexander DSC RFA appointed as Master
22 April 1959 Mr J P Mair RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
January 1960 Captain Frank S Samson RFA appointed as Master
Captain Frank Samson RFA
26 May 1960 Mr D F Gorrie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 June 1960 Captain P Colfer RFA appointed as Master
3 January 1962 Mr W M Clements RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
February 1962 Captain Sam Dunlop MBE RFA appointed as Master
14 March 1962 sailed Malta for Singapore
13 April 1962 laid up at Singapore
7 June 1962 advertised for sale 'as lying' at HM Dockyard, SIngapore in The Times (London) on this date
14 August 1962 sold out of the Service
14 August 1962 Purchased by Chip Hwa Shipping & Trading Co Ltd, Singapore and renamed PULAU BALI
31 January 1964 anchored in the outer roads of Singapore Harbour
12 August 1964 Beached at Singapore prior to breaking up
RFA Bacchus (3)
Previous name:
Subsequent name: Cherry Lanka
Official Number: 304368
Class: HEBE CLASS Stores Freighter
Pennant No: A404
Laid down: 18 April 1961
Builder: Henry Robb, Leith
Launched: 4 June 1962
Into Service: 8 November 1962
Out of Service: 8 September 1981
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: The proposed charter of the 2 Admiralty-designed vessels in this Class was announced in September 1960 and they were built specifically for Admiralty sea freighting duties. They were designed to carry the greater proportion of their bulk cargo of naval stores in specially-designed containers by Chatham Dockyard which were known as chacons, thus setting a pattern of containerisation which was followed in ever-increasing steps in the commercial world. The 2 ships were built on tanker lines, with machinery spaces and superstructures aft, so leaving 3 large holds and tween decks forward, with No 3 tweendeck having 2 refrigerated spaces and facilities for 12 refrigerated containers. They initially maintained a U.K. - Gibraltar - Malta - Aden - Singapore service and after the closure of the Suez Canal in 1967 they went via the Cape of Good Hope, with frequent calls at Simonstown. Neither of them had any replenishment at sea capability and when completed they were bare-boat chartered from their commercial owners for a period of 19 years.
4 June 1962 Launched by Henry Robb Ltd, Leith as Yard Nr 483 named BACCHUS for British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London. Named after the God of Wine, son of Jupiter and Semele. The Lady Sponsor was Mrs Osbourne, wife of the Director of Movements.
18 August 1962 Her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her
28 August 1962 Mr A M Henderson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
29 November 1962 Commenced her maiden voyage from Chatham to Singapore
30 May 1963 Captain T H Macrow RFA appointed as Master
10 January 1964 Captain D J Coulthard RFA appointed as Master
23 October 1964 Mr J Brett RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
5 February 1965 Captain W H Hiorns RFA appointed as Master
27 July 1965 Mr J A Burt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 March 1966 Captain R W Wilkinson RFA appointed as Master
17 October 1966 Mr R W Cann RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
6 July 1967 arrived at Singapore with a tandem cycle as part of the cargo donated by the Royal Naval Cycling Club in the UK to the Princess Elizabeth School for the Blind at Johore Bahku.
16 August 1967 Mr J Brett RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 September 1967 Captain E G May DSC RFA appointed as Master
24 November 1967 Mr J R Speed RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
19 June 1968 Captain D R Thompson appointed as Master
1 October 1971 P & O General Cargo Division, London were appointed her owners’ managers
17 January 1973 owners became P & O Steam Navigation Co, London
7 April 1974 to 31 October 1974 Was in Operation Rheostat 1 - the Mine Warfare Task Group which was formed to give assistance to the Egyptian Government for the clearance of war debris from the Suez Canal after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War
19 July 1976 Humanitarian aid - she rescued the 9 crew from the Greek motor vessel SEA WAVE which sank off Crete after her cargo had shifted. Then just days later she towed the Swedish tanker THUNTANK 10 from the vicinity of Cape Torinana in NW Spain to Vigo
29 November 1977 Collided with mv FRONTIER whilst sailing from Limassol
30 March 1979 Assisted with the closure of the base at Malta along with the destroyer HMS LONDON and RFA’s SIR LANCELOT, TARBATNESS and OLNA (3)
16 July 1979 to October 1979 In Operation Culex which was conducted following an influx of illegal immigrants in Hong Kong and carried two hovercraft out from the U.K
January 1981 Captain David E Lawrence RFA in command
8 September 1981 Destored at Chatham and withdrawn from RFA service
1 October 1981 Sailed Chatham for the Tyne for drydocking at the end of her charter period and was returned to her owners
27 October 1981 notice given this day in the Straits Times of application to change her name from Bacchus to Cherry Lanka being made to the Registrar of Shipping, Singapore
6 November 1981 Purchased by Lion Shipping Co Pte Ltd (Lian Soon Agencies Pte Ltd. Managers) Singapore, part of the Madame Dolly Seah Group and was renamed Cherry Lanka
11 April 1984 berthed at SIngapore sailed the next day
4 August 1984 berthed at SIngapore sailed 7 August 1984
31 December 1985 arrived for breaking up at Gadani Beach by Goodluck Corporation
Ships of the same name
Bacchus. A Cutter of 111bm, 68 x 20 ft and 10 guns built at Bermuda in 1806, she was captured by the French in 1808 in the West Indies.
Bacchus. A Sloop of 12 guns and 141 bm captured from the Dutch in 1807, she was broken up in 1812.
Battle Honours for this Vessel: MARTINIQUE 1809, GUAPALOUPE 1810.
Bacchus. A Brig-Sloop of the ‘Cruizer’ Class, 384 bm, 18 guns launched by Chatham Dockyard on the 17 April 1813. The ship was towed to Harwich on 13 August 1829 to be used as a breakwater.
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