BLACKBURN CLASS Naval Aviation Stores Carriers
James R Smith
On 7 February 1943 The Admiralty placed an order for 2 small naval aviation stores carriers with Jas Pollack & Sons at Faversham and an additional order for a further 2 vessels of this type was placed on 24 December 1943. A final order for a further 3 ships was placed with the Blyth Drydock & Shipbuilding Co Ltd on 1 June 1944.
All 7 vessels were originally planned to be twin-screwed with dimensions of 172’06” (o.a.) x 31’05” x 10’00½” and were to have 2 x 8 cyl diesel engines by Crossley Bros Ltd, Manchester with a 10½” bore and 13½” stroke producing 960 bhp and giving a service speed of 10½ knots, but the final 3 vessels were engined by White’s Marine Engineering Co at Hebburn-on-Tyne. They were armed with 1 x 12 pdr A.A. gun aft and 2 x 20mm A.A. guns above the bridge deck. The order for the second batch of 2 of these vessels was subsequently cancelled on 9 May 1947 but these ships were subsequently lengthened and completed as single-screw coasters for commercial owners. They had holds forward and aft and for cargo handling were fitted with 1 x 12t and 1 x 6t derrick stepped on a tripod mast forward of the bridge. They had a limited capacity for carrying even cased aircraft and they mainly carried aviation stores. Of the 5 vessels completed to the original Admiralty order, 4 were naval-manned whilst one was transferred to the RFA and was mainly used to ferry aircraft between Northern Ireland and the West coasts of England and Scotland and also to carry general naval and /or victualling stores. The full breakdown of their histories was as follows:
RIPON
07/02/43 Ordered
15/03/45 Launched by Jas Pollack, Son & Co Ltd., Faversham as Yard Nr: 1838 named HMS RIPON (F 106) for the Admiralty
08/45 Completed
25/02/59 Purchased by the Government of Montserrat as RIPON
1961 Purchased by Wall Inter-Island Shipping Service Ltd., Montserrat and was renamed RIPON M
1994 Deleted from the Registers – existence in doubt
SEA FOX
07/02/43 Ordered
31/12/43 Laid down
16/05/46 Launched by Jas Pollack, Son & Co Ltd., Faversham as Yard Nr: 1839 named HMS SEA FOX (F 114) for the Admiralty
11/46 Completed
05/51 Withdrawn from Commissioned Service
01/11/51 Taken in hand for conversion to meet Lloyds Register Requirements for Merchant Ships in order to change to RFA manning
24/01/52 Entered service as RFA SEAFOX
10/53 Was reclassified as a Victualling Stores Issuing Ship
01/58 Placed on the Disposal List
12/58 Purchased by Lloyds Albert Yard & Motor Packet Services Ltd., London as SEAFOX
1959 Purchased by Ambassador Steamships Private Ltd., ( F. Collis & Co Ltd, managers) Cochin, name unchanged
1968 Purchased by M. Darapayana, Khoramshahr (Iran) and was renamed ROUBAYE DARYA
1971 Purchased by Gulf Shipping Co S.A, Khorramshahr, name unchanged.
1999 Deleted from Registers – presumed broken up as no further details available.
SEA GLADIATOR
24/12/43 Ordered
09/05/47 Order cancelled
18/12/48 Launched by Jas Pollack, Son & Co Ltd, Faversham as Yard Nr: 1844 named GOLDHIND for E.J. & W Goldsmith Ltd., London.
09/49 Completed
1952 Purchased by Coastal Tankers Ltd, London and was renamed PURPLE EMPEROR
1955 Purchased by Anchor Shipping & Foundry Co Ltd., Nelson (New Zealand) and was renamed TOWAI
1969 Purchased by Southern Cross Shipping (Pty) Ltd., Port Moresby (Papua) and was renamed AKANA.
1969 Purchased by Akana Pty Ltd, Port Moresby., name unchanged.
1972 Purchased by Heatherington Kingsbury Pty Ltd., Port Moresby , name unchanged.
1974 Purchased by Coastal Tug & Barge Pty Ltd., Port Moresby, name unchanged.
1975 Purchased by Seafreight Pty Ltd, Port Moresby, name unchanged.
1977 Purchased by Ali Ahamed, Male (Maldives) and was renamed MINAA MAAREE
1979 Purchased by D. Ibrahim Kalayfaanu, Male and was renamed MASAHI
1983 Was scuttled off Male.
SEA HURRICANE
24/12/43 Ordered
09/05/47 Order cancelled
24/09/49 Launched by Jas Pollack, Son & Co Ltd., Faversham as Yard Nr: 1845 named GOLDLYNX for E.J. & W Goldsmith Ltd, London
02/50 Completed as a coaster BALLYEDWARD
1951 Purchased by Efford Shipping Co Ltd., London and was renamed SPRINGWOOD
1953 Purchased by Leadenhall Shipping Co Ltd., London and was renamed LEAFOAM
1953 Purchased by John Kelly Ltd., Belfast and was renamed BALLYEDWARD
1970 Purchased by Zodiac Shipping Ltd., Belfast and was renamed LADY HYACINTH
1973 Purchased by Commercial Ferries Ltd., Belfast and was renamed GOLDEN TRADER
13/04/74 Arrived San Esteban de Pravia for demolition by Desguaces Blanco
BLACKBURN
01/06/44 Ordered
04/02/46 Launched by Blyth Drydock & Shipbuilding Co Ltd., Cowpen Quay, Blyth as Yard Nr: 311 named HMS BLACKBURN (F 113) for the Admiralty
1946 Completed as an Aircraft Transport
1950 Became an RNVR Drillship on the Clyde
15/06/53 Participated in the Queen Elizabeth 11 Coronation Fleet Review at Spithead
1970 Purchased by H.G. Pounds Shipowners & Shipbreakers Ltd., Portsmouth, name unchanged
1974 Purchased by Gardline Shipping Ltd, Lowestoft and was renamed ISIS LOCATOR
1975 Owners became Gardline Shipping Ltd, Lowestoft and she was renamed GARDLINE LOCATOR
08/97 Arrived Singapore for demolition by Ban Choon Sg. Pte. Ltd
ROC
01/06/44 Ordered
28/03/45 Launched by Blyth Drydock & Shipbuilding Co, Cowpen Quay, Blyth as Yard Nr: 309 named HMS ROC for the Admiralty
1945 Completed as an Aircraft Transport
1959 Purchased by Ungava Transports Ltd, Quebec and was renamed GASPESIAN
1965 Purchased by North Shipping & Transportation Ltd, Quebec, name unchanged
1977 Purchased by Gulf Brownsville Shipping Ltd., Quebec, name unchanged
10/12/77 Foundered 50 n.m. off Brownsville, Texas
WALRUS / SKUA
01/06/44 Ordered
28/05/45 Launched by Blyth Drydock & Shipbuilding Co, Cowpen Quay, Blyth as Yard Nr: 310 named HMS WALRUS (F 116) for the Admiralty
1945 Completed
1953 Was renamed HMS SKUA
1962 Purchased by Segans, Nantes and was renamed ASTRAGALE
1967 Was converted into a drilling and Diving Support Vessel
1973 Purchased by Soc Navale, Nantes, name unchanged
1979 Purchased by Cosag Marine Services Ltd., London, name unchanged
1983 Purchased by Hydrosphere Ltd., London and was renamed HYDRAGALE
09/84 Arrived Milton Regis for demolition by Liguria Maritime Ltd.