Requisitioned Auxiliary – Fort Wrangell

  
Fort Wrangel

Fort Wrangel

 

Official Number:                        179218

Laid down:

Pennant No:                              B 583

Builder:                                     Burrard Dry Dock Co, Vancouver

Launched:                                 1944

Into Service:                              1944

Out of service:                        

Fate:                                         17 April 1968 broken up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

1944 launched by Burrard Dry Dock Co, Vancouver as Yard Nr: 221 named FORT WRANGELL fo the Dominion of Canada

22 December 1944 completed for bareboat charter to the MoWT and placed under management   of Eastern and Australian  SS Co Ltd, Lond

10 January 1945 sailed Vancouver, Canada independently to Los Angles arriving 15 January 1945

17 January 1945 sailed Los Angles to Syndey, NSW, Australia arriving 9 February 1945

13 June 1945 sailed Sydney, NSW, Australia independently to the Naval Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands arriving 23 June 1945

12 July 1945 sailed the Naval Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands under escort to Eniwetok arriving  19 July 1945

6 August 1945 together with RFA’s DINGLEDALE and WAVE KING and Requisitioned Auxiliary’s San Amado, Glenartny provided replenishment to HMAS’s NAPIER, NORMAN, BALLARAT and BURNIE & HMS’s NIZAM, BARLE, PHEASANT. Anti Aircraft protection was provided by HMS CRAN

13 August 1945 together with HMS Olna, RFA Wave Emperor and Requisitioned Auxiliary’s San SAN ADOLPHO, SAN AMADO, SAN AMBROSIO, replenished HMS’s RULER, PHEASANT, FINDHORN, USK, BARLE together with HMAS BURNIE, BALLARAT, GERALDTON, IPSWICH and HMHS TJITJALENGKA. This was the last replenishment of British Pacific Fleet during war operations 

 2 September 1945 was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender of Japan along with RFA’sDINGLEDALE and WAVE KING

 10 September 1945 sailed Tokyo independently to the Naval Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands arriving on 22 September 1945

23 September 1945 sailed the Naval Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands independently to Sydney, NSW, Australia

15 November 1945 sailed Sydney, NSW, Australia independently to Newcastle, NSW, Australia arriving the same day

16 November 1945 sailed Newcastle, NSW Australia to Syndey, NSW arriving the next day

6 December 1945 sailed Sydney, NSW, Australia independently to the Naval Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands arriving 14 December 1945

15 December 1945 sailed the Naval Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands independently to Hong Kong arriving 26 December 1945

30 December 1945 sailed Hong Kong 

3 April 1946 anchored in Gage Roads, Perth, Western Australia from Hong Kong and reported two of the crew were suffering from mild cases of smallpox

16 May 1946 berthed at Port Fremantle, Western Australia to load stores for the British Pacific Fleet

4 October 1946 Second Officer Denis N S Foss and Second Tindall Ali Ahmed Aynuddin both awarded a Mentioned in Despatches for ‘good services during the war in the Far East in the London Gazette of this day

27 May 1948 offered for sale by the Park Steamship Company Ltd on behalf of the War Assets Corporation part of the Government of Canada in the Montreal Gazette. The ship was lying at Saint John, New Brunswick and was offered ‘as is, where is’

1948 purchased by Eastboard Nav Ltd, Montreal and renamed EASTWAVE

16 August 1950 berthed at Port Adelaide, South Australia to load wheat for UK ports

1951 purchased by Federal Commerce and Nav CoLtd, London name unchanged

1952 purchased by Andros Shipping Co Ltd, London and renamed LAGOONSIDE

1952  purchased by Cia Armadora San Francisco S.A, Panama and renamed LAGOS ONTARIO

Lagos Ontario

Fort Wrangell as Lagos Ontario in August 1956 at Vancouver
Copyright – City of Vancouver Archives

17 April 1968 arrived Kaohsiung for demolition

 

Notes:

  1. Served  as a Victualling Stores Issuing Ship with the British Pacific Fleet Train hence the B-Pennant No.