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Confiance_1955

 

Confiance-03

confiance 001

 

             

Official Number:                                                                                                 

Class:                                       CONFIANCE CLASS Tug                 

Pennant No:                              A 289

Laid down:                            
Builder:                                     A & J Inglis Ltd, Pointhouse, Glasgow
Launched:                                 15 November 1955                                
Into Service:                               27 March 1956
Out of service:                  
Fate:                                         25 July 1984 sunk as a target

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:   There were originally 2 ships in this Class but a further 3, formerly rated as Dockyard Tugs, were officially added to the Class in 1971 as part of the RMAS Ocean Towing Force. Fitted with 2.50m dia Kanewa controllable pitch propellers. All were fitted for fire fighting and salvage work and also had a towing winch. They were used for both harbour and ocean towing duties but were not popular at sea due to their extreme liveliness in rough weather. Bollard pull was 24.6 tons. Their normal complement was 29 with a further 13 members of a salvage party. Five of the Class saw service as RFA’s. The full Class was as follows:

 

Pennant Nr                          Name                    Launched                 Completed                Fate
A 90                                   ACCORD               17/09/57                   9/58                         Disposed of 1988
A 89                                   ADVICE                16/10/58                   10/59                        RFA Service
A 88                                   AGILE                   2/07/58                     7/59                         RFA Service
A 289                                 CONFIANCE          15/11/55                   3/56                         RFA Service
A 290                                 CONFIDENT          17/01/56                    9/56                         RFA Service
 
 
 
 
 
15 November 1955 launched by A & J Inglis Ltd, Pointhouse, Glasgow as Yard Nr 1529 P  named CONFIANCE. The Lady sponser was Mrs Craig wife of Mr J S Craig Secretary of Colvilles Ltd and daughter in law of Sir John Craig Chairman of the ship builders

 

RMAS_Tug_Confiance

Builders Plate – © Andy Crespin – used with permission

 

27 March 1956 completed

28 March 1956 sailed Glasgow for Portsmouth

29 March 1956 accepted into service and was based at Portsmouth until 1957

2 August 1956 at Portsmouth Harbour open to the public during Navy Days

25 April 1957 the West Sussex Gazette reported – 

 

25 4 57 West Sussex Gazette Confiance

 

1957 to 1960 based at Malta

7 January 1960 sailed Malta for the UK

12 February 1960 became operational in the Port Auxiliary Service

24 May 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 5 Jetty then to No: 4 Basin

26 May 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 2 Jetty to Plymouth Sound

1960 to 1966 based at Portsmouth

Confiance at Portsmouth

PAS CONFIANCE off Portsmouth

4 January 1963 sailed Portsmouth to close to the Owers Lightship where the Belgian fishing boat Don Bosco had caught fire. The crew were saved, the fire was extinguished and the fishing vessel towed to Southampton. The Liverpool Echo newspaper reported –

 

4 1 63 Lpool Echo Confiance

20 July 1966 based Devonport

June 1971 based Portland

25 July 1984 sunk as a target at  59°49N  7°22W