Welcome to the Historical RFA

Supported by the RFA Association

Historical RFA

RFA Honour

RFA History

RFA Ships

Peter Maddison

I joined the RFA as an Engineer Cadet in September 1961 and spent two years at Kingston upon Thames College of Further Education with 12 other cadets (2 RFA, 4 Shaw Saville, 2 BP, 4 Esso) studying for an OND in Marine Engineering – quite strange really as most of the other college classes were studying aeronautical things with Hawker Aviation being a major employer in the town.

RFA Remembrances O Boating 2

Fourth Engineer – RFA Olwen 17.07.1968 to 12.07.1969   Having had a good time for 9 months on Olna in the Far East and Australia I was a little bit reluctant to join Olwen when I found out that she…
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Peter1

RFA Remembrances O Boating (1)

  OLNA             19/08/1967 to 16/04/1968 Following on from my 13 months on Tidereach with its mixture of excitement of the Middle and Far East and the absolute boredom of many months on the Beira patrol and all the hot…
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Number_1

Old “Tide Boat” Engine Room

As mentioned in my remembrances as a junior engineer on the Tidereach all of the old Tide boats (Reach, Flow, Surge and Austral) where designed by a committee incorporating all the experience learned from the second world war. This in…
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old-tide-1

RFA Remembrances – Junior Engineer

A Junior Engineer – March 1965 – May 1966   My apprenticeship came to an abrupt end when I joined RFA Tidereach in refit at Birkenhead. The original Tide boats (Reach, Flow, Surge and Austral) were very much ships designed…
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RFA Remembrances

The Apprentice – September 1961 – September 1963   I joined the RFA as an Engineer Cadet in September 1961 and spent two years at Kingston upon Thames College of Further Education with 12 other cadets (2 RFA, 4 Shaw…
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Kingston College

RFA Remembrances O Boating 2

Peter1
Fourth Engineer – RFA Olwen 17.07.1968 to 12.07.1969   Having had a good time for 9 months on Olna in the Far East and Australia I was a little bit…
View more

RFA Remembrances O Boating (1)

Number_1
  OLNA             19/08/1967 to 16/04/1968 Following on from my 13 months on Tidereach with its mixture of excitement of the Middle and Far East and the absolute boredom of…
View more

Old “Tide Boat” Engine Room

old-tide-1
As mentioned in my remembrances as a junior engineer on the Tidereach all of the old Tide boats (Reach, Flow, Surge and Austral) where designed by a committee incorporating all…
View more

RFA Remembrances

Kingston College
The Apprentice – September 1961 – September 1963   I joined the RFA as an Engineer Cadet in September 1961 and spent two years at Kingston upon Thames College of…
View more