Subsequent name:                  

Official Number:                    168421                                                              

Class:                                    Armament Stores Carrier

Pennant No:                          A 378

Laid down:                              
Builder:                                  Philip & Son Ltd., Dartmouth

Launched:                             14 November 1942
Into Service:                          4 March 1943
Out of service:                       30 August 1978

Fate:                                      Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

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

24 April 1941 ordered

14 November 1942 launched by Philip & Son Ltd., Dartmouth as Yard Nr: 1040 and named Kinterbury

4 March 1943 completed at a cost of £91,532 and after the war was based at Priddy’s Hard

26 June 1943 Mr J Masters appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 July 1943 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN260/2 to Loch Ewe arriving the next day

31 August 1943 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN275/2 to Loch Ewe arriving 2 September 1943

13 November 1943 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN306/2 to Loch Ewe arriving 15 November 1943

20 November 1943 Captain H W Adams appointed as Master

23 December 1943 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN323/2 to Loch Ewe arriving 25 December 1943

27 February 1944 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EN351/2 to Loch Ewe arriving the next day

6 June 1944 sailed Barry in unescorted convoy EBC3 to St Helens Roads

10 June 1944 sailed the Solent and joined escorted  convoy EBC5 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

10 July 1944 sailed Plymouth and joined escorted convoy EBC36 to Portsmouth arriving the next day

1945 based at Priddy’s Hard, Portsmouth Harbour

28 June 1946 sailed from Ardrossan to dump out of date ammuntion in the Irish Sea

30 August 1946 sailed from Ardrossan to dump out of date ammuntion in the Irish Sea

31 December 1946 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westward

1 January 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westward

7 January 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

6 June 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

3 September 1947 sailed Granton for Plymouth

23 February 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

6 May 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

10 August 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

20 August 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westward

26 August 1949 at Chatham Dockyard

29 August 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

1 November 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

13 January 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

17 February 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westward

21 May 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

19 December 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward

13 March 1951 entered Chatham Dockyard from the River Medway

14 April 1951 at Newton Noyes Pier, Milford Haven Fireman Ronald Nancarrow discharged dead having drowned

2 May 1951 RFA FG certificated Masters loaned to replace HT certificated officers for Mediterranean freighting

30 January 1952 at Chatham Dockyard moved to Folly Buoys

21 December 1952 Captain H W Adams appointed as Master

20 April 1953 Mr J Mack appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1 August 1956 loading in the UK

6 August 1956 sailed UK for the Mediterranean for retention, if necessary, as an Armanents Store Carrier (from a Top Secret signal from the Admiralty to C in C Mediterranean copied to C in C East Indies & FOME)

March 1957 register closed

5 December 1958 sailed from Chatham Dockyard ino the River Medway and onto the Naval Ammunition Depot’s Upnor Pier

11 December 1958 sailed from the Naval Ammunition Depot’s Upnor Pier to sea

1 January 1959 sailed up the River Medway and berthed on the Naval Ammunition Depot’s Upnor Pier

1959 converted with hold stowage and with derricks for handling missiles for the guided weapons trials ship HMS GIRDLENESS

21 August 1959 sailed Malta for Devonport

23 September 1959 sailed Malta for Gibraltar and the UK

1 October 1959 berthed on the Naval Armanents Depot Upnor Pier, River Medway

11 June 1960 sailed Malta for Gibraltar

26 July 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Ernesettle

29 July 1961 at Devonport moved from Ernesettle to Plymouth Sound

23 August 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Bull Point

3 October 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Bull Point

17 June 1965 sailed Malta for the UK

28 March 1966 moved from the River Medway into Chatham Dockyard

31 March 1966 moved from Chatham Dockyard into the River Medway

12 May 1966 sailed Malta for Gibraltar

15 July 1966 arrived at Malta from Suda Bay

2 December 1966 entered Chatham Dockyard from the River Medway

10 December 1966 sailed from Chatham Dockyard into the River Medway

7 January 1970 at Plymouth Sound alongside RFA REGENT – cargo work

15 August 1973 sailed Portsmouth for Gibraltar. The ship’s Master was Captain Walter Prayle

16 August 1973 off Ushant stopped and boarded by an armed French Customs party. Allowed to proceed

18 August 1973 the Birmingham Daily Post reported …

8 December 1973 entered Chatham Dockyard from the River Medway

13 January 1975 at Plymouth Sound moved alongside RFA RETAINER which was berthed on ‘D’ Buoy

1 July 1977 entered Chatham Dockyard from the River Medway returning later the same day to the River

30 August 1978 sold for scrap

November 1978 after a period of lay up in Portsmouth arrived at Sittingbourne, Kent for demolition by Liguria Maritime Ltd

NAV Kinterbury awaiting demolition

Notes

1. was designed as a replacement for NAV UPNOR, and it was a requirement that she should be capable of carrying the largest guns used in the Navy, hence her exceptionally long 54′ derricks

2. during WW2 she was mainly employed between the River Forth and Scapa Flow

3. after VE Day she carried large quantities of explosives to Heligoland for the destruction of the fortifications there

4. together with her sister NAV THROSK made three voyages to Malta after the loss of NAV BEDENHAM at Gibraltar and before RFA AMHERST was brought into service

5. took part in the Normany Invasion in 1944