NAV Chattenden
Previous name: EMPIRE CHUZZLEWIT
Subsequent name: MARK BOWEN
Official Number: 169754
Class: Armament Stores Carrier
Pennant No: Y39
Laid down:
Builder: Richards Ironworks Ltd, Lowestoft
Launched: 14 October 1943
Into Service: February 1944
Out of service: December 1967
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: One of a group of nine coasters which were not normally classed as RFA’s although some, on making deep sea passages, had a proportion of RFA Officers among their complement. They are included here as the ancestors of the more modern ammunition ships
7 February 1943 Captain Frederick J Bluett appointed Master and Mr F C Tapley appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Captain Frederick J Bluett
14 October 1943 launched by Richards Ironworks Ltd., Lowestoft as Yard Nr: 311 named EMPIRE CHUZZLEWIT for the MoWT
February 1944 completed as the Naval Armanents Coaster CHATTENDEN
9 June 1944 sailed the Solent in escorted Convoy ETC 5 to Seine Bay arriving on 11 June 1944 along with RFA BEDDENHAM and HMS SUCCOUR (later RFA SUCCOUR)
23 June 1944 sailed Plymouth in escorted convoy EBC20 to Seine Bay arriving on 25 June 1944
21 July 1944 at Londonderry
30 July 1944 sailed Londonderry for Belfast
17 August 1944 at Workington
19 August 1944 sailed from Workington
29 August 1944 sailed from Workington for Belfast arriving 4 September 1944
14 September 1944 sailed from Belfast to Workington arriving the next day
24 September 1944 sailed from Belfast
30 November 1944 arrived at Belfast from Workington
7 December 1944 sailed from Belfast for Workington arriving the next day
13 December 1944 sailed from Workington to Belfast
20 December 1944 sailed from Belfast for Workington arriving the next day
25 March 1945 sailed from Belfast for Workington
3 May 1945 sailed from Workington
9 August 1945 arrived at Workington
3 January 1946 sailed from Workington arriving at Belfast 6 January 1946
10 January 1946 sailed from Belfast to Workington
20 January 1946 arrived at Belfast from Workington
26 January 1946 sailed from Belfast for Workington arriving the same day
6 February 1946 sailed from Workington arriving at Belfast the same day
26 February 1946 sailed from Workington arriving Belfast the next day
2 March 1946 sailed from Belfast for Workington arriving the same day
12 November 1946 Captain J Pearce appointed as Master and Mr F C Tapley as Chief Engineer Officer. The ship was berthed at Milford Haven
12 December 1946 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westbound
15 February 1947 berthed at Dundee from Inverness in ballast
12 April 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastbound
2 July 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastbound
11 February 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westbound
21 May 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastbound
23 June 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westbound
2 July 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastbound
12 August 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westbound
30 October 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westbound
1951 laid up in Porchester Creek, Portsmouth
26 April 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing eastbound
14 March 1957 sailed from Chatham Dockyard into the River Medway
19 June 1958 moved from the River Medway to Chatham Dockyard and later the same day to the Armanents Depot at Upnor
1961 was reduced to a dumb derrick lighter
December 1967 purchased by H.G. Pounds Ltd, Portsmouth name unchanged
1969 purchased by T. Bowen & P. Caines, converted into an aggregate suction dredger and renamed MARK BOWEN
1978 laid up in the River Itchen, Southampton where she was later broken up
Notes:
She was one of eight “EMPIRE” coasters built by Richards Ironworks Ltd at Lowestoft during WW2