On this day in July

 

Since the creation of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1905 the ships of the Service have, during the month of July

On this day – 

 

01-Jul

 

On this day in 1917 RFA Berbice deployed as the Scapa Flow Hospital Ship

02-Jul

 

On this day in 1964 RFA Olna (3) laid down at Hebburn on Tyne

03-Jul

 

On this day in 1937 RFA War Sepoy grounded in the Persian Gulf. Refloated. Repaired at Colombo, Ceylon

03-Jul

 

On this day in 1943 RFA Freshpool entered RFA service

04-Jul

 

On this day in 1942 RFA Spa was in collision with the cruiser HMS Phoebe

04-Jul

 

On this day in 1950 on RFA Wave Commander AB Morris Ellis died saving the life of the Bosun. He was later posthumously awarded the Albert Medal (2nd Class) for his gallantry

05-Jul

 

On this day in 1942 RFA Aldersdale was bombed by German aircraft and badly damaged in the Barents Sea. The wreck was sunk two days later

05-Jul

 

On this day in 1960 RFA Abbeydale was offered for sale in the Times newspaper

06-Jul

 

On this day in 1915 RFA Tarakol enters RFA service – later renamed RFA Vineleaf

07-Jul

 

On this day in 1942 RFA Aldersdale was bombed and heavily damaged in the Barents Sea. After a further attack she sank

08-Jul

 

On this day in 1937 RFA Boardale commenced her maiden voyage from Glasgow to Abadan

08-Jul

 

On this day in 1958 RFA Eddybay grounded at Rhu on the Gareloch

09-Jul

 

On this day in 1914 RFA Attendant while undergoing sea trials and before acceptance into the Service was in collision with the Requisition Collier Frances Duncan

09-Jul

 

On this day in 1945 HMS LST 3523 later to become RFA Empire Gull was launched at Lauzon

10-Jul

 

On this day in 1919 RFA Sprucol was torpedoed and damaged in the North Sea without loss of life

10-Jul

 

On this day in 1941 RFA Nasprite was in collision with HMS Marigold at Scapa Flow

10-Jul

 

On this day in 2010 RFA Diligence delivered a Coast Guard launch to the Government of the Seychelles as a gift from the UK Government

11-Jul

 

On this day in 1941 RFA Ennerdale (1) entered RFA service

12-Jul

 

On this day in 1917 RFA Boxol entered RFA service

12-Jul

 

On this day in 1926 RFA War Sirdar was in collision with a tug at Singapore

12-Jul

 

On this day in 1969 RFA’s Birchol (2), Oakol (2) & Teakol (2) all offered for sale in the Times newspaper

13-Jul

 

On this day in 1943 RFA Ennerdale (1) was bombed and suffered sundry damage off Sicily from near misses. One crew member was killed

14-Jul

 

On this day in 1941 RFA War Pindari was dived bombed and damaged off Solmunde, Faroe Islands

14-Jul

 

On this day in 1954 RFA Wave Commander in thick fog in collision with another ship. Fire broke out onboard. Extinguished

15-Jul

 

On this day in 1919 RFA Roseleaf in refit in Cardiff suffered an explosion onboard with one ships officer badly injured and twelve dockyard workmen killed

16-Jul

 

On this day in 1921 RFA Pearleaf (1) off Borneo grounded. Jettisoned 1,333 tons of cargo and refloated without any damage

16-Jul

 

On this day in 1928 RFA War Krishna was the 1st ship to discharge cargo into the newly built Admiralty Oil Fuel Depot at Darwin, Northern Territories, Australia

17-Jul

 

On this day in 1916 RFA Mixol was launched at Dundee

17-Jul

 

On this day in 1940 RFA Steady was mined off Newhaven, Sussex she broke in two and sank. Five of the crew were killed

18-Jul

 

On this day in 1944 RFA Freshford entered RFA service

19-Jul

 

On this day in 1940 RFA War Sepoy at Dover was bombed and beached

20-Jul

 

On this day in 2006 RFA Sir Galahad (2) entered reserve at Portsmouth

21-Jul

 

On this day in 1916 RFA Santa Margherita entered RFA service

22-Jul

 

On this day in 1944 RFA Wave King entered RFA service

23-Jul

 

On this day in 1917 RFA Elmol launched at Wallsend on Tyne

23-Jul

 

On this day in 1940 RFA Darkdale launched at Glasgow

24-Jul

 

On this day in 1906 RFA Nucula was launched as Hermione

24-Jul

 

On this day in 1948 RFA Wave Commander suffered an engine room explosion while on passage in the North Sea

24-Jul

 

On this day in 1961 RFA Tidespring (1) was laid down at Hebburn on Tyne

25-Jul

 

On this day in 1917 RFA Oakleaf (1) was torpedoed and sunk 64 miles NW of the Butt of Lewis

25-Jul

 

On this day in 1940 RFA War Sepoy damaged during an air raid at Dover, caught fire and burnt out. No loss of life

26-Jul

 

On this day in 1924 RFA Thermol was the only RFA in the Royal Fleet Review of that year

26-Jul

 

On this day in 1931 RFA Kharki was sold out of the Service to commercial interests in China

26-Jul

 

On this day in 1983 Sailor Chiu Yiu Nam of RFA Sir Galahad (1) invested with the George Medal by H. M. the Queen

27-Jul

 

On this day in 1938 RFA War Nawab grounded off Trinidad. A Board of Enquiry blamed the Master

27-Jul

 

On this day in 1945 RFA Wave Prince was launched at Sunderland in the name of Empire Herald

27-Jul

 

On this day in 1966 RFA Sir Percivale was laid down at Swan Hunter at Hebburn on Tyne

28-Jul

 

On this day in 1965 RFA Olna (3) launched at Hebburn on Tyne

28-Jul

 

On this day in 2012 RFA Diligence suffered a fire onboard. Fire extinguished by the local Fire Brigades over 4 hours

29-Jul

 

On this day in 1908 RFA Petroleum was at Portland Harbour. Eleven of the crew were returning on board in a small boat which capsized. Two of the crew were drowned

29-Jul

 

On this day in 1941 RFA Nasprite when berthing alongside the Battleship HMS King George V at Scapa Flow was damaged

30-Jul

 

On this day in 1915 17 of the crew of RFA Reliance appeared before a Naval Court on HMS Europa and each was convicted of combining to refuse to obey a lawful order and refusal of duty. Each was sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour

30-Jul

 

On this day in 1946 RFA Wave Chief entered RFA service

30-Jul

 

On this day in 1965 RFA Wave Sovereign in collision with HMS Euryalus

31-Jul

 

On this day in 1916 RFA Viscol was completed at a cost of £68,523

31-Jul

 

On this day in 1944 RFA Dewdale (1) in collision with USS Lyon

31-Jul

 

On this day in 1945 RFA Mixol in collision with the Polish destroyer Slazak