Previous name:
Subsequent name:   

Official Number            

                                                                       
Class:                                                    GATLING CLASS Armament Stores Carrier

Pennant No:                                          A 395

Laid down:                                             1945
Builder:                                                   Lobnitz & Co Ltd, Renfrew
Launched:                                              5 September 1945
Into Service:                    
Out of service:                                       23 September 1969

Fate:                                                        Scrapped February 1970

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Information: - One of a group of five coasters which were not normally classed as RFA’s They are included here as the ancestors of the more modern ammunition ships These five ships were designed by the Director of Naval Construction to the requirements of the Naval Armament Department. They were designed for Pacific Operations to carry ammunition from larger ships offshore which were of too deep a draught to go close inshore to the coastal areas or small harbours and had their bottoms strengthened to permit grounding when loaded if required. This was a 1943 plan connected with a future invasion of Japan. As there was no requirement to carry large naval guns they were provided with two cargo holds. The order for them was placed in October 1944 and none of them was completed before the end of hostilities, which meant that only one of them (GATLING) was needed to proceed to the Far east to assist in the rehabilitation of Singapore. GATLING and NORDENFELT were completed to mercantile standards and were registered and classed with Lloyds Register and were run on National Maritime Board conditions, while the other three were on “Yard Craft” Dockyard agreements and were completed with naval style accommodation.

5 September 1945  launched by Lobnitz & Co Ltd, Renfrew as Yard Nr 1087 named ENFIELD

December 1945 Completed with naval-type accommodation

23 September 1969 sold for scrap

February 1970 arrived Inverkeithing for demolition by T.W. Ward Ltd

Notes:

1. Based at Naval Armaments Depot, Crombie between 1946 to 1959

RFA Eaglesdale

Previous name:                     Empire Metal
Subsequent name:               N Tisar

Official Number:                     168248

Class:                                      1^st DALE CLASS Freighting Tanker

Pennant No:                            X104 / B 512 / A104

Laid down:                              20 December 1940
Builder:                                    Furness Shipbuilding, Haverton Hill
Launched:                               18 November 1941
Into Service:                            9 January 1942
Out of service:                         21 July 1958 - Laid up on the River Tyne
Fate:                                          Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:  Originally there were to have been 19 ships in this Class. The first 6 were purchased off the stocks fro the British Tanker Co Ltd whilst building at the instigation of the then Director of Stores, Sir William Gick, who was concerned at the age of the RFA Fleet and ships that were approaching the end of their economic lives. A further 2 ships were purchased from Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd for evaluation purposes. At the outbreak of WW2, a further 11 ships were acquired from the MOWT war programme although one of these, to have been named EPPINGDALE, which had been registered in London as EMPIRE GOLD on 21/02/43 and intended for transfer to the Admiralty for manning and management as an RFA and despite 5 Officers being appointed to her, the intended transfer was cancelled the following day and she thus never entered RFA service. 3 of this Class were converted into LSG’s and were then reconverted back into tankers at the end of the War

18 November 1941 Launched by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton-Hill as Yard Nr 339 named EMPIRE METAL for the MoWT

28 November 1941 Mr Charles M Morgan RFA (Lieutenant Commander (E) RNR) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 January 1942 at Middlesborough

9 January 1942 completed. Acquired by the Admiralty and renamed EAGLESDALE

19 January 1942 in collision with the British ss KINGSWOOD on the River Tees and was damaged above the waterline

22 January 1942 sailed Middlesborough to the Tyne arrived the same day

February 1942 fitted for OAS trials

12 February 1942 sailed the Tyne to Methil Roads arriving the next day - to anchor

16 February 1942 sailed Methil in convoy EN47 along with BISON arrived the Clyde 19 February 1942

17 February 1942 passed Dunnet Head

19 February 1942 prepared for OAS trials in the Clyde area

20 February 1942 at Greenock

4 March 1942 having sailed Londonderry she commenced extensive OAS trials with German equipment from the captured supply ship GEDANIA fitted  with rubber hoses and  deck rollers.The success of  these trials resulted in the general introduction of the rubber hose and deck rollers

9 March 1942 at Londonderry

17 March 1942 at Greenock

18 March 1942 Captain Frank P Hennin RFA appointed as Master

25 March 1942 sailed River Clyde in ballast in convoy OS23 for Freetown and then Curacao, Netherland Antilles arriving on 14 April 1942

22 April 1942 sailed Curacao to Table Bay, South Africa due 19 May 1942

26 May 1942 sailed Capetown independently to Port Elizabeth arriving on 28 May 1942

30 May 1942 sailed Port Elizabeth independently to East London arriving 31 May 1942

12 June 1942 sailed East London independently to Durban arriving the next day

13 June 1942 sailed Durban independently to Mombasa arriving 22 June 1942

6 October 1942 sailed Diego Suarez independently to Mahe arriving on 10 October 1942

1 November 1942 Able Seaman Stephen Cavanagh, Fireman John Fish, Cook John Ireland, Steward Rex F Mitchell, Fireman John Morris, Ordinary Seaman William Mowbray, Ordinary Seaman Robert S Sanderson and Carpenter Harry Thompson all discharged dead - while being repatriated to the UK on s.s. Mendoza this ship was torpeoded and sunk in the Indian Ocean by German U Boat U178 The survivors were picked up by the SAN whaler NIGEL and the American CAPE ALVA and were landed at Durban

Those who were lost are recorded with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial

31 March 1943 carried out trials of the British system of OAS

1 April 1943 sailed Mombasa independently to Bombay arriving on 14 April 1943

22 April 1943 to 8 June 1943 undergoing repairs at Bombay

11 June 1943 sailed Bombay in convoy BP83 to Bandar Abbas arriving on the 16 June 1943

16 June 1943 sailed Bandar Abbas independently to Abadan arriving on 18 June 1943

20 June 1943 sailed Abadan independently to Bandar Abbas arriving 22 June 1943

26 June 1943 sailed Bandar Abbas in convoy PA43 to Aden arriving 3 July 1943

13 August 1943 Mr John B Russell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 October 1943 was at Mombasa

4 January 1944 sailed Seychelles independently to Colombo arriving 12 January 1944

26 January 1944 under going repairs at Colombo

3 February 1944 sailed Colombo in convoy CX17 to Addu Atoll arriving 6 February 1944

7 February 1944 sailed Addu Atoll independently to Colombo arriving 14 February 1944

9 April 1944 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving 11 April 1944

26 April 1944 sailed Colombo in convoy JC 46 to Trincomalee along with RFA’s APPLELEAF (1) and ECHODALE arriving 28 April 1944

30 April 1944 sailed Trincomalee under escort

25 October 1944 sailed Bombay independently to Abadan arriving 31 October 1944

2 November 1944 sailed Abadan independently to Colombo arriving 11 November 1944

15 November 1944 sailed Colombo independently to Trincomalee 17 November 1944

13 January 1945 sailed Chittagong in convoy RK3A to Akyab arriving 14 January 1945

6 March 1945 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo arriving 8 March 1945

6 April 1945 sailed Trincomalee independently to Colombo and RASed with HMS/m Sirdar and HMS Meadowsweet

8 April 1945 arrived at Colombo

14 April 1945 sailed Colombo to Freemantle

27 April 1945 RASed tugs towing AFD 18 and 20 from Colombo

5 May 1945 arrived at Fremantle, Australia

15 May 1945 Mr Wilfred C Shortland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 May 1945 sailed Freemantle independently to Colombo arriving 1 June 1945

9 June 1945 sailed Colombo independently to Darwin arriving 26 June 1945

27 June 1945 sailed Darwin independently to to Manus arriving 8 July 1945

21 October 1945 sailed Manus independently to Sydney, NSW arriving on 30 October 1945

27 December 1945 2nd Officer R C Rogers RFA and Miss Joyce Mills of Moree Station, Yass, NSW were married at St James' Church, Sydney NSW. The reception was held onboard.

12 February 1946 arrived at Sydney, NSW

June 1946 Captain Henry F Colbourne RFA appointed as Master

28 September 1946 sailed Abadan for Geraldton, Western Australia

24 July 1947 Captain W R Parker RFA appointed as Master

13 October 1947 Mr Lionel W Pool RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 December 1947 Captain Raymond V Boodle RFA appointed as Master

6 March 1948 Mr Frederick O Brims RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

13 July 1948 at Portsmouth

5 September 1948 at Port Said

24 September 1948 at Port Said

22 October 1948 at Port Said

12 November 1948 at Port Said

7 February 1949 to 10 February 1949 at Newcastle on Tyne

25 March 1949 at Bombay, India

17 April 1949 arrived at Macquarie Point Oil terminal, Hobart, Tasmania to discharge 10,000 tons of FFO. She had arrived from Abadan via Bombay where they had changed the crew

22 April 1949 due to sail from Hobart - delayed until the 23 April 1949

23 April 1949 sailed but had to return the same day when 100 miles out from Hobart with an engine defect

25 April 1949 sailed again from Hobart, Tasmania to Colombo for boiler cleaning. 

.

RFA Eaglesdale - Photograph Courtesy of the Mercury, Hobart, Tasmania

7 June 1949 at Abadan

11 July 1949 at Rosyth

25 July 1949 at Newcastle upon Tyne

2 September 1949 Captain Douglas S Norrington RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

20 November 1949 arrived Sydney, NSW, Australia from Abadan

24 November 1949 sailed Sydney, NSW, Australia for Abadan

21 June 1950 to 26 June 1950 at Plymouth

10 July 1950 Mr J Mel. Lumsden RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

18 November 1951 landed an injured seaman at Bighi Hospital, Malta following an accident on board when he crushed his fingers

4 February 1952 Captain Thomas Elder DSC RFA appointed as Master

22 May 1952 Mr S Turner RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 February 1953 Mr Ciriaco G McFadzean RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 July 1953 Captain D A C Butler RFA appointed as Master

1 October 1954 Captain Edward E A Le Sage RFA appointed as Master

1956 - One of 35 RFA's in Operation Musketeer

3 June 1956 Mr W C Shortland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 November 1956 Captain Leslie G Rowling DSC RFA appointed as Master

28 March 1957 Mr F B Hobson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 September 1957 Captain Edmund H Butterworth RFA appointed as Master

Captain Edmund H Butterworth RFA

21 July 1958 laid up on the River Tyne

15 and 22 January 1959 offered for sale in The Times on these dates 'as lying' at Admirals Quay, Hebburn on Tyne

November 1959 sold to Soc Misr de Nav Maritime SAE, renamed as N Tisar and the registration changed to Egypt

26 November 1959 sailed in tow from the Tyne after sale for £65,000

29 November 1959 after resale, arrived Hamburg for breaking up by Eisen u.Metall KG Lehr & Co

Notes:

1. Served as a RAS oiler with the Eastern Fleet and at the Cape between 1943 and 1946.

2. Was part of the British Pacific Fleet Train - hence the B-pennant number

Previous name:                     Earnest

Subsequent name:               Nisos Rodos

Official Number:                    169327

Class:                                      ASSURANCE Class Tug

Pennant No:                           W143 / A209

Laid down:                             24 March 1943

Builder:                                   Cochrane, Selby
Launched:                              3 July 1943

Into Service:                           18 October 1943
Out of service:
Fate:                                         Broken Up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:   There were originally 21 ships in this Class, 7 of which saw service as RFA’s. Of 700 t standard displacement and 1350 t full load displacement, they had a complement of 31 and a bollard pull of 13½ tons. In wartime they were armed with 1 x 3“ gun, 1 x 20mm AA gun and 2 x .303 machine guns

3 July 1943 launched by Cochrane &  Sons Ltd, Selby as Yard Nr 1270 named HMS EARNEST

September 1943 renamed HMS EARNER

2 November 1943 sailed Loch Ewe in convoy UR 96F to Reykjavik arriving on 5 November 1943

3 January 1944 SS Empire Housman, straggling from the Convoy ON-217, was again torpedoed by 'U-744' and foundered two days later. One crewmember was lost. The master, 37 crew members and seven gunners were picked up by the armed trawler HMS Elm and rescue tug HMS Earner and they were landed at Reykjavik

4 October 1944 HMCS Chebogue while attacking a German submarine U1227 in the Atlantic was hit by one of the submarines torpedoes and damaged. Earner took the frigate in tow and safely delivered the ship to the Mumbles where she anchored. The frigate later dragged it's anchor and ran aground on the Mumbles Head but was refloated and repaired.

2 November 1944 towed HMS Whittaker to Belfast after she had suffered structural damage due to the explosion of Hedge Hog bombs.

4 March 1945 sailed Loch Ewe in convoy UR 156 to Reykjavik arriving on 10 March 1945

August 1945 towed the fighter direction ship Palomares from Massawa to Aden after she had suffered fire damage.

10 May 1947 Captain Rowland I Magill appointed Master

2 February 1948 Captain Reginald W D Gilbertson appointed as Master

15 July 1948 towed HMS Loyal from Malta to the breakers yard at Milford Haven arriving on the 31 July 1948.

8 December 1959 attended the North Carr Light ship, off Fife Ness which had broken free from her moorings in very heavy weather. The light ship later managed to anchor. On 11 December 1959 the light ship was taken under tow by the Earner to Leith for repairs

29 April 1960 Boilerman Edward McBride badly injured in an accident on board at Rosyth. He was taken to Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital and then afterwards to Bangour Hospital for plastic surgery

June 1963 laid up at Rosyth

December 1964 on the Disposal List at Rosyth

8 December 1964 advertised for sale 'as lying' at HM Dockyard, Rosyth in The Times of this day

18 January 1965 purchased for £17,300 by Tsavliris ( Salvage & Towage ) Ltd, Piraeus and renamed  NISOS RODOS, ON: 1751 on the Greek registry

1972    Broken up in Greece