Ire fortiter quo nemo ante iit.

 
Remembering
Michael Walsh Leading Fireman RFA Creosol died 7th of february 1918
William Brocklehurst Scullion RFA Creosol died 7th of february 1918
W J Lawrence Donkeyman RFA Berta died 7th of february 1946
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RFA Ships starting with I
NAV Isleford

 

Isleford_ship

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:               

Official Number:                                    133101

Class:                                                     Armament Stores Carrier

Pennant No:                           

Laid down:
Builder:                                                  Ardrossan Drydock & Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Ardrossan
Launched:                                             6 December 1912
Into Service:                                          26 March 1913
Out of service:                                      25 January 1942

Fate:                                                       Sunk - reason unknown

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:  One of a group of nine coasters which were not normally classed as RFA’s although some, on making deep sea passages, had a proportion of RFA Officers among their complement. They are included here as the ancestors of the more modern ammunition ships

 

6 December 1912 launched by  Ardrossan Drydock & Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Ardrossan as Yard Nr 241   named ISLEFORD for Messrs Mann, MacNeil & Co, Glasgow

20 February 1913 to 21 February 1913 ran exhaustive trials

28 February 1913 completed for her owners’ coasting trade

26 March 1913 purchased by the Admiralty for service as an Armaments Stores Carrier, name unchanged

1918 Captain C Harrison was Master

24 March 1919 alongside RFA Ruthenia at Longhope, Scapa Flow

1922 Captain W G Williams appointed as Master

1929 re-engined with a steam triple expansion engine by Ferguson & Co,

31 December 1929 Captain William E Truscott appointed as Master

16 August 1933 Captain Sydney C Moyse appointed as Master

5 June 1937 Captain A H Paice appointed as Master

July 1939 Captain E G L Geary appointed as Master

25 January 1942 lost near Wick when she ran aground in snow and heavy weather, striking rocks and sinking while on passage from Lyness to Invergordon fourteen of the crew and one DEMS gunner were killed - their details appear in the Roll of Honour for that year. Gunner John Frederick Clark is remembered with pride on the Chatham Naval Memorial, 2nd Engineer Officer William A Cleghorn, AB Cyril S Cook, Boy SIdney G Davis, Captain David A K Foalle, Chief Engineer Officer Horace D Gumbrell, Chief Officer William A Hall, AB Victor D Kingdom, Fireman Harry J Lawrence, OS Roy C J McGrane, Fireman Frank Rawlins, Boy Harry Rowe, OS George W Smith, and AB William G Witham are remembered with pride on the Tower Hill Memorial (Panel 130). Fireman and Trimmer Hector MacNichol is remembered in Perth (Wellshill) Cemetery, in Section K,  Jeanfield Div, , Grave 211

 

McNicol

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

24 November 1953. The wreck was located at 58 26 29.5N, 003 03 47.5W, or on a bearing of 074 degrees and 880 metres from the Wick south pier light

9 July 1992. Clearance operations are being carried out by a Royal Naval clearance diving unit commencing on 30 June 1992. It is expected to last 2 weeks

5 August 1992. Clearance operations were conducted between 30 June 1992 and 4 July 1992, during which a number of 4.7" cartridge cases, .303 rounds, .50 calibre ammunition and a depth charge were removed. A 1000lb solid shot projectile was located but left in situ. They recommend that the legend remain unchanged on charts because further ordnance may be uncovered in the future

 

Isleford_1

 

4 September 2011 a memorial was erected at Wick Harbour by the Merchant Navy Association - the RFA was represented by Captain Duncan Lamb RFA

 

 
RFA Isla

 

Previous name:                     Thistle  
Subsequent names:             Pass of Brander,  Nordsee, Ludwig Friederich

Official Number:                     113134                                               

Class:                                      Collier / Spirit Carrier

Pennant No:                           P93, X29, X33

Laid down:                            

Builder:                                   Garston Graving Dock, Garston
Launched:                              14 February 1903
Into Service:                           6 March 1907
Out of service:                       9 September 1921 Sold to commercial interests and renamed
Fate:                                        14 May 1959 Broken up at Bremerhaven

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -


 

Background Data:  Soon after the turn of the 20th Century, the Admiralty acquired a number of small tankers and store ships and from the experiments conducted with these tankers was obtained  the experience which resulted in the building of a large number of tankers of various sizes which were especially designed for their task of refuelling warships. None of these early ships were sister ships, and they became the first Admiralty vessels to fall into the new RFA category on its inception in 1905

 

14 February 1903 launched by Garston Graving Dock & Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Garston as Yard Nr 23  named THISTLE for John Brewster & Son Ltd,  Whitehaven

March 1903 completed

29 December 1906 To be purchased by the Admiralty and to be converted to a tanker to carry petrol for submarines

6 March 1907 purchased by the Admiralty for £ 8,925 through C.W. Kellock  & Co, London (the Admiralty Shipping Agent) and renamed ISLA. Over the next 3 years £ 16,277 was to be spent on her converting her into a petrol carrier 

July 1907 proceeded to Sheerness for conversion

9 April 1908 approval was given for her temporary use as a collier

31 October 1910 conducted inclination tests at Sheerness

12 May 1912 registered under the Merchant Shipping Act

April 1913 Captain R N Smardon RFA was Master

1914 rerated as an oiler

10 January 1914 Mr E K Horsley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. 

3 May 1915 Lieutenant Ernest G Enright RNR appointed in command

4 August 1915 Lieutenant  Arthur D Davies RNR appointed in command and Engineer Lieutenant Ernest K Horsley RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 November 1915 Able Seaman John McKean discharged dead. Buried in Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, Kent in the Royal Naval Section. 

 

McKean_J

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project


1 January 1916 Engineer Lieutenant Lewis T Stribling RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 April 1917 Second Officer John A Wells RFA appeared before a court martial charge with (a) being found drunk on board and (b) improperly leaving his ship. First charge was adjudged not to be proved. The second charge was adjudged to be proved and he was sentenced to be severely reprimanded and to be dismissed his ship.

9 October 1917  Lieutenant F W Baron RNR appointed in command.  He remained in command until 20 January 1919

8 February 1919 Mess Boy Harry L Bartlett was logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on the ship on the 6 February 1919 

7 March 1919 Lieutenant James P Downie RNR appointed in command

20 March 1919 in collision with the British steamer ss LINHOPE

14 August 1919 Engineer Lieutenant David E Morgan RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. He signed off the ship on the 8 October 1919 when he was appointed to RFA Slavol

9 October 1919 Mr C W Gilbert RFA appointed as Chief ENgineer Officer

9 September 1921 sold to Bulk Oil SS Co Ltd (Sea Nav Co Ltd, Managers) as their first tanker and was renamed PASS OF BRANDER

12 July 1927 ran aground in the vicinity of Cross Sand Lightship in the North Sea. The tug Yare, built in 1883, in attempting to render assistance struck a submerged object, believed to be a wreck, and sank.  The ship was eventually refloated with the assistance of a steam drifter Torbay II, a steam tug George Jewson and some lifeboats.

3 December 1927 the salavage of the PASS OF BRANDER after she ran aground was the subject of litigation in the Admiralty Division of the High Court this day before Mt Justice Hill and Elder Brethren of Trinity House. The Court awarded the George Jewson £500, the Torbay II £500 and the Lifeboat crews £150

1928 managers now J.W. Cook & Co Ltd

1934 purchased by John T. Essberger GmbH, Hamburg and renamed NORDSEE and registered at Hamburg

1939 sold to Reederei Eugen Friederich and renamed Ludwig Friederich, Bremen and renamed LUDWIG  FRIEDERICH and was increased in size from 518 to 654 tons.

14 May 1959 broken up at Bremerhaven by Eisen u.Metall KG Lehr & Co

 
RFA Innistrahull

RFA Innistrahull

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:      

Official Number:                     133144                                                                     

Class:                                       INNIS CLASS Water Carrier

Pennant No:

Laid down:
Builder:                                    William Chalmers & Co Ltd, Rutherglen
Launched:                               9 May 1913
Into Service:                            15 September 1915
Out of service:                         1916 
Fate:                                          Sunk

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

 

14 March 1916 purchased by the Admiralty name unchanged

Background Data:   There was originally a Class of 18 vessels with the INNIS prefix to their names, and the first 12 vessels were ordered in 1912, followed shortly afterwards by orders for a further 6 vessels. Only 6 of the Class  saw Admiralty service as Water Carriers during WW1


9 May 1913 Launched by William Chalmers & Co Ltd, Rutherglen as Yard Nr 165 named  INNISTRAHULL for Coasting  Motor Shipping Co Ltd (John M. Paton, Manager) Glasgow

25 June 1913 ran reials

21 August 1913 registered as above

14 March 1916 purchased by the Admiralty for service as a Water Carrier, name unchanged

1916  lost on Admiralty Service details currently unknown

27 April 1916 register closed

 

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