Previous name: George Lyras
Subsequent name: Damon
Official Number: 186296
Class: SECOND LEAF CLASS Support Tanker
Pennant No: A83
Laid down:
Builder: Batram & Sons, Sunderland
Launched: 22 April 1955
Into Service: 17 April 1959
Out of service: July 1970
Fate: Returned to owners
Items of historic interest involving this ship:
Background Data: In June 1956 the London Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference discussed Britain’s future naval strategy and the vulnerability of static bases in the face of world-wide change. Consideration was given to the provision of Fleet Trains to supply warships at sea and the Admiralty announced plans to build up a force of such ships. So began a period of major Fleet modernisation with the bare-boat chartering of 8 motor tankers for freighting duties that reintroduced the LEAF names to the Fleet. These 8 vessels were all broadly similar and were bare-boat chartered as replacements for the DALE and WAVE Classes. Although primarily intended for freighting duties, most of them were also capable of replenishment at sea
22 April 1955 launched by Bartram & Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 346 named GEORGE LYRAS for Marine Enterprises Ltd (Lyras Bros Ltd, Managers) London – towed to the River Tyne
21 May 1955 berthed at North Eastern Marine, River Tyne fitting out
2 June 1955 berthed at North Eastern Marine, River Tyne fitting out
25 June 1955 berthed at North Eastern Marine, River Tyne fitting out
22 September 1955 sailed from the River Tyne on Builders trials
2 October 1955 sailed the River Tyne for Corpus Christi
8 November 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing east bound
24 November 1955 sailed Amuay Bay for Copenhagen
10 December 1955 arrived at Copenhagen
13 December 1955 sailed Copenhagen for Curaçao
18 January 1956 sailed Buenos Aire
2 February 1956 sailed Amuay Bay for New York
9 February 1956 sailed New York for Aruba
6 April 1956 arrived Buenos Aires
2 June 1956 sailed from Aruba for Port Everglades
29 October 1956 sailed Suez
5 April 1957 sailed Batangas for Miri
13 April 1959 Mr P Ryan RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
13 April 1959 Captain John M Humphrey OBE DSC MID RFA appointed as Master
17 April 1959 bare-boat chartered by the Admiralty for 11 years and renamed APPLELEAF (2)
5 May 1959 sailed Devonport on her first voyage to Trinidad
1 October 1959 sailed Malta to Trinidad
4 November 1959 Commodore Thomas Elder CBE DSC RFA appointed as Master
14 May 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty
16 May 1960 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound
19 May 1960 Mr I M McFarlane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 May 1960 Captain D A C Butler RFA appointed as Master
11 June 1960 sailed Malta to Abadan
15 October 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty
16 October 1960 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound
31 December 1960 arrived from sea into Plymouth Sound. RFA FRESHBURN berthed alongside to supply fresh water
9 February 1961 Captain James H Chant RFA appointed as Master
9 February 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty
11 February 1961 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound
March 1961 officially opened the new Henderson Graving Dock at Immingham
16 June 1961 Mr J Edge RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
30 July 1961 at Plymouth Sound with RFA BIRCHOL (2) alongside
8 December 1961 Captain Leslie G Rowling DSC RFA appointed as Master
1 May 1962 arrived at Malta from Port Said
9 July 1962 at Devonport moved from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound
10 July 1962 Mr A King RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 November 1962 sailed Malta to Abadan
23 March 1963 berthed at Devonport on the Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty
26 March 1963 sailed from Devonport on the Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty to sea
26 April 1963 sailed Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot for Aden but suffered engine trouble on passage
3 May 1963 arrived Gibraltar for repairs to be effected
26 August 1963 Mr Thomas L Morton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
3 December 1963 Captain A H Tarr RFA appointed as Master
30 December 1963 arrived at Tail of Bank
29 February 1964 at 49°40N 5°47W Sailor Mau Yuen Lam discharged dead having died apparently from natural causes. He was buried at sea
2 March 1964 Mr J S Aitken RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
April 1963 at Trinidad to load cargo
22 July 1964 took part in a training film with HMS LOCH FADA in Persian Gulf on light jackstay transfer
7 May 1965 arrived Auckland, New Zealand
28 July 1965 Captain Robert H Venning RFA appointed as Master
30 September 1965 Mr J S Aitken RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
29 May 1966 Mr E Smeaton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
19 September 1966 Captain Alf Waters RFA appointed as Master
17 April 1967 Mr J A Ferguson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 May 1967 Captain G E B Harcombe RFA appointed as Master
11 October 1967 to 25 January 1968 was part of Task Force 318 – the Aden Task Force formed to cover the final British military withdrawal from the area codenamed Operation Magister – along with 9 other RFA’s
23 November 1967 the Cornish Guardian newspaper reported …
2 April 1968 berthed at South Shields, River Tyne
6 May 1968 Mr R E Davies RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 May 1968 berthed at Glasgow
8 May 1968 sailed from Glasgow
15 June 1968 Captain Charles W P Sumner RFA appointed as Master
29 July 1968 berthed at Singapore
September 1969 after a breakdown in the North Atlantic was towed back to Devonport by RFA GREEN ROVER for extended repairs to be carried out
January 1970 returned to owners and renamed Damon and owned by Arpa Sg Corp SA being registered at Pireaus, Greece
1974 sold to Tri Amindo (S) Pte Ltd and registered at Singapore retaining the same name – official number changed in that registry to 3560
21 February 1974 was disabled and flooding In the Atlantic about 170 miles east of Norfolk, Virginia, but there was no immediate danger to the ship’s 37 crew. The US Coast Guard dropped a pump to assist the crew.
16 November 1974 in The Straits Times, Singapore notice is given to change the ships name to RALUSA – this change of name did not take place
1978 sold to La Naviera Linea Argentina de Nav Maritima y Fluvial Sac and registered at Buenos Aires retaining the same name
1 March 1979 suffered extensive damage as the result of an engine room fire while lying at San Pedro and was sold for scrap to local Argentine breakers
6 August 1980 broken up at San Pedro, Argentina
Notes:
Was one of 17 tankers employed in the Mozchan on Beira Patrol duties