Previous name: Empire Granite
Official Number: 168069
Class: 1st DALE CLASS Freighting Tanker
Pennant No: X 70 / B 530 / A170
Laid down: 4 January 1940
Builder: Hawthorne Leslie, Hebburn on Tyne
Launched: 29 November 1940
Into Service: 4 March 1941
Out of service: 12 April 1959
Fate: Broken up 1961
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: Originally there were to have been nineteen ships in this Class. The first six were purchased off the stocks from the British Tanker Co Ltd whilst building at the instigation of the then Director of Stores, Sir William Gick, who was concerned at the age of the RFA Fleet and ships that were approaching the end of their economic lives. A further two ships were purchased from Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd for evaluation purposes. At the outbreak of WW2, a further eleven ships were acquired from the MoWT war programme although one of these, to have been named EPPINGDALE, which had been registered in London as EMPIRE GOLD on 21/02/43 and intended for transfer to the Admiralty for manning and management as an RFA and despite five Officers being appointed to her, the intended transfer was cancelled the following day and she thus never entered RFA service. Three of this Class were converted into LSG’s and were then reconverted back into tankers at the end of the War.
29 November 1940 launched by Hawthorn Leslie & Co Ltd, Hebburn as Yard Nr: 628 named ECHODALE for the Ministry of Shipping
9 December 1940 Mr Harold M Pearson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 February 1941 Captain Bertram Tunnard RFA appointed as Master
Captain Bertram Tunnard RFA
4 March 1941 completed and acquired by the Admiralty
14 March 1941 sailed the Tyne to Methil arriving 17 March 1941
19 March 1941 sailed Methil in escorted convoy EN881/1 to Loch Ewe
21 March 1941 arrived at Loch Ewe
24 March 1941 sailed Liverpool in escorted Convoy OB302. The convoy dispersed on 30 March 1941and Echodale arrived at Aruba on 17 April 1941 to load
18 April 1941 sailed Aruba independently to Halifax arriving 26 April 1941
30 April 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX124 to Liverpool arriving 21 May 1941
30 June 1941 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB341. The convoy dispersed on 6 July 1941 at 48.30°N 26.30°W and Echodale arrived at Curaçao on 18 July 1941
23 July 1941 sailed Curaçao independently to Freetown arriving on 9 August 1941
29 August 1941 at Freetown, Sierra Leone HMS DUNEDIN alongside to be refuelled
HMS DUNEDIN
5 September 1941 attempted to refuel HMS EAGLE (Force F) at sea and alongside – six hawsers snapped during the attempts to secure to the tanker
HMS EAGLE
6 September 1941 further attempts to secure ahead of HMS EAGLE at sea resulted in fourteen hawsers parting due to the strain of the tanker towing the aircraft carrier. At 1300 HMS EAGLE was then successful with a further stern RAS (again with the tanker towing the aircraft carrier) with an estimated time to transfer the FFO and aviation fuel being 20 hours.
7 September 1941 the hawsers parted yet again. One wire whipped as parted hitting two ratings on HMS EAGLE – one received facial injuries and the other had arm, leg and abdominal injuries. The replenishment was stopped.
8 September 1941 HMS EAGLE was successfully replenished (all bar 500 tons of FFO). HMS DORSETSHIRE was then RASed. Some officers and crew of HMS EAGLE were transferred to RFA ECHODALE for passage to Freetown
HMS DORSETSHIRE
9 December 1941 Mr A Ballentyne OBE RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
17 February 1942 sailed Freetown independently to New Orleans arriving 15 March 1942
15 March 1942 until 13 April 1942 undergoing repairs at New Orleans, USA
13 April 1942 sailed New Orleans independently to Key West arriving on 20 April 1942
23 April 1942 sailed Key West independently to Cape Town arriving 22 May 1942
29 May 1942 sailed Cape Town independently joining on 4 June 1942 convoy CM28 to Mombasa. The convoy was being escorted by the cruiser HMS FROBISHER
HMS FROBISHER
13 June 1942 sailed Mombassa independently to Aden arriving on 18 June 1942
22 June 1942 sailed Aden independently to Mombasa arriving 4 July 1942
10 July 1942 sailed from Mombassa returning there on 17 July 1942
1 October 1942 sailed Mombassa independently to Durban arriving 9 October 1942
23 November 1942 sailed Durban independently to Cape Town arriving 27 November 1942
28 November 1942 sailed Cape Town independently to Freetown arriving 14 December 1942
15 April 1943 damaged while berthing alongside the liner QUEEN MARY
QUEEN MARY in wartime grey paint
29 July 1943 reported she had engine defects with a reduced speed of 4kts and not possible to reach a normal speed until at least 12 August 1943
13 October 1943 sailed Freetown in convoy SL138 with later joined convoy MKS28 to the Clyde arriving on 5 November 1943
18 November 1943 sailed the Clyde independently to Loch Ewe arriving the next day
21 November 1943 sailed Loch Ewe in convoy WN508 to Methil arriving 22 November 1943
23 November 1943 sailed Methil in convoy FS1280 to the Tyne arriving the next day
24 November 1943 arrived on the Tyne – at Wallsend for degaussing and refitting of OAS and defensive armament equipment
25 November 1943 Mr Daniel S Wood RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 November 1943 Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA appointed Master
Captain Cecil R Rosen RFA
14 January 1944 under going repairs on the Tyne completed 20 January 1944
30 January 1944 sailed the Tyne and joined convoy FN1251 to Methil
31 January 1944 sailed Methil in convoy EN340 to Oban arriving on 2 February 1944 – RFA BLUE RANGER was also part of this convoy
13 February 1944 sailed Oban in Convoy OS68/KMS42 to Gibraltar arriving 25 February 1944 – RFA DEWDALE (1) and RFA ENNERDALE were also part of this convoy and (later) HMS SALVAGE DUKE
25 February 1944 sailed Gibraltar in convoy KMS42 to Port Said arriving 6 March 1944
8 March 1944 sailed Suez independently to Aden arriving 14 March 1944
16 March 1944 sailed Aden independently to Abadan to load arriving 23 March 1944
25 March 1944 sailed Abadan independently to Bandar Abbas
28 March 1944 sailed Bandar Abbas in convoy PB73 to Bombay arriving on 3 April 1944
14 April 1944 sailed Bombay in convoy BM93 to Colombo arriving 19 April 1944
26 April 1944 sailed Colombo in convoy JC46 along with RFA’s APPLELEAF (1) and EAGLESDALE to Trincomalee arriving on 28 April 1944
17 May 1944 orders were issued from the C in C Eastern Fleet for Operation Transom – an attack on Soerabaja) detailing Force 67 (the Tanker Force) would consist of RFA EAGLESDALE (as Force Commodore) together with RFA’s ECHODALE, EASEDALE, ARNDALE, APPLELEAF (1) and PEARLEAF and distilling and NSI ship RFA BACCHUS (2)
7 June 1944 at Trincomalee
15 July 1944 was the first ship to use the new AFD 23 at Trincomalee. This floating dock collapsed some days later with the battleship HMS VALIANT aboard
HMS VALIANT
16 November 1944 conducted successful OAS trials off Trincomalee with the battleship HMS HOWE using two 5-inch buoyant rubber hoses
HMS HOWE
13 January 1945 RFA ECHODALE sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon with RFA’s WAVE KING and EMPIRE SALVAGE together with HMS’s CEYLON and URCHIN as Force 69 to take part in Operation Meridan – an air attack on the oil refineries at Palembang to put them out of action. They were joined in the fuelling area south of Sumatra by RFA ARNDALE which had been despatched from Fremantle 2 days later
27 January 1945 refuelled HMS VICTORIOUS
22 February 1945 sailed Trincomalee under the escort of HMS TRENT for replenishment duty during Operation Stacey in Force 62 – Operation Stacey was a series of photographic reconnaissance missions covering Sumatra and Kra Isthmus
7 March 1945 on completion of Operation Stacey the RN ships refuelled and all returned to Trincomalee
2 May 1945 took part in Operation Dracula – the seizing of the port of Rangoon – along with RFA GOLD RANGER
10 May 1945 escorted by HMS PALADIN in Force 70 for replenishment of ships of Force 61 during interception of Japanese warships reported on passage in Malacca Straits (Operation DUKEDOM)
14 May 1945 refuelled the Battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth
7 June 1945 arrived at Trincomalee, Ceylon
12 June 1945 sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon independently to Bombay arriving 18 June 1945
5 August 1945 sailed Bombay independently to Abadan arriving 10 August 1945
12 August 1945 sailed Abadan independently to Trincomalee arriving 22 August 1945
5 September 1945 sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon for Penang
27 September 1945 Mr Henry S Edwards RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Henry S Edwards RFA
10 October 1945 at sea off Singapore Deck Bhandary Cajee Ismail Cajee Yusoofdischarged dead after suffering from heart failure
8 November 1945 sailed Bangkok to Saigon arriving 11 November 1945
17 November 1945 sailed Saigon independently to Singapore arriving 1 December 1945
25 April 1946 arrived at Singapore from Hong Kong
1 May 1946 sailed Singapore to Kure arriving 12 May 1946
17 May 1946 sailed Kure to Singapore arriving 26 May 1946
3 June 1946 sailed Singapore to Hong Kong then to Colombo
4 July 1946 arrived Colombo from Hong Kong. Sailed 8 July 1946 to Bombay
16 July 1946 sailed Bombay to Abadan arriving 23 July 1946
25 July 1946 sailed Abadan passing Aden on 4 August arriving at Port Said on 12 August 1946
21 August 1946 sailed Malta
12 August 1946 sailed Port Said to Malta arriving 16 August 1946 then to Taranto
21 August 1946 sailed Taranto passing Gibraltar on 26 august 1946 and the Needles on 30 August 1946 berthing at Portsmouth Harbour on the next day
23 October 1946 Captain John M Humphrey OBE DSC RFA appointed Master
21 December 1946 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
26 December 1946 passed Gibraltar from Portsmouth Harbour to Port Said arriving on 2 January 1947
3 January 1947 sailed Port Said to Aden arriving on 9 January 1947 and then to Abadan
18 January 1947 sailed Abadan to Colombo, Ceylon arriving 27 January 1947
27 January 1947 sailed Colombo, Ceylon to Singapore arriving 3 February 1947
16 February 1947 sailed Hong Kong for Colombo, Ceylon
22 February 1947 sailed Singapore for Colombo, Ceylon
27 February 1947 sailed from Colombo, Ceylon for Abadan
7 March 1947 at Abadan
30 March 1947 at Hong Kong
15 April 1947 sailed from Hong Kong for Abadan
6 May 1947 sailed Abadan for the UK
12 July 1947 arrived at Abadan from Devonport
28 July 1947 arrived at Suez from Abadan
6 August 1947 sailed from Malta for Port Said
10 August 1947 sailed Port Said for Aden and Abadan
10 September 1947 arrived at Bombay
19 September 1947 sailed Abadan for the UK
26 September 1947 passed Aden
1 October 1947 arrived at Suez from Abadan
10 October 1947 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
4 January 1948 arrived at Curaçao from Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
5 January 1948 sailed from Curaçao
17 February 1948 sailed Aruba for the UK
15 March 1948 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound
27 March 1948 sailed from Port Said for Abadan
12 April 1948 sailed from Abadan for Sydney, NSW
4 August 1948 arrived at Abadan from Simonstown. South Africa
7 August 1948 sailed Abadan for Malta
20 August 1948 arrived at Suez from Abadan
21 August 1948 sailed Port Said for Malta
27 August 1948 sailed Malta for Port Said
2 September 1948 sailed from Suez
13 September 1948 arrived at Abadan from Malta
15 September 1948 sailed Abadan for the UK
28 September 1948 arrived at Suez from Abadan
29 September 1948 sailed from Port Said
19 October 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
22 October 1948 Captain Arthur J D Gosney RFA appointed as Master
2 November 1948 Captain William B Browne OBE RFA appointed as Master
24 November 1948 Mr David L S Hood DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 March 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound
2 April 1949 arrived Port Said from Devonport
21 May 1949 Captain George S Perry RFA appointed as Master
Captain George S Perry RFA
27 June 1949 Mr Walter McKee RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
13 August 1949 arrived at Aden from Abadan
18 August 1949 arrived at Suez
4 October 1949 sailed Abadan for Fremantle, Western Australia
6 October 1949 Mr Harold M Pearson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 October 1949 arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia to discharge from Abadan
4 November 1949 berthed at Fremantle, Western Australia (North Wharf No 1 Berth) for engine repairs
7 November 1949 sailed from Fremantle, Western Australia to Abadan
3 January 1950 arrived Palmers Yard, River Tyne from Stanlow
6 January 1950 Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA (Temporary Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master
Captain Emil E Sigwart RFA
9 January 1950 at Palmers Yard at Hebburn on Tyne in refit
11 January 1950 at Palmers Yard at Hebburn on Tyne in refit
19 January 1950 at Palmers Yard at Hebburn on Tyne in refit
31 January 1950 at Palmers Yard at Hebburn on Tyne in refit
7 February 1950 at Palmers Yard at Hebburn on Tyne in refit
20 March 1950 berthed on the TIC Hebburn Quay, River Tyne
24 April 1950 passed Ushant sailing southbound
25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953 part of the Fleet Train during the Korean War – as a freighting tanker only
4 August 1950 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
11 August 1950 arrived at Glasgow from Abadan and Mr Alexander B McIntyre RD RFA (Commander (E) RNR (ret)) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Alexander B McIntyre RD RFA
16 August 1950 sailed for Abadan
22 August 1950 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound
8 January 1951 at the Royal Naval Hospital, Portland Lascar 1st Class Fackeer Bassa discharged dead from pneumonia. On the same day the ship berthed at Palmers Yard, Hebburn, River Tyne
10 January 1951 berthed at Palmers Yard, Hebburn on the River Tyne at the same time as RFA BROOMDALE and RFA WAVE DUKE
11 January 1951 berthed at Palmers Yard, Hebburn River Tyne at the same time as RFA BROOMDALE and RFA WAVE DUKE
12 January 1951 berthed at Palmers Yard, Hebburn River Tyne at the same time as RFA BROOMDALE and RFA WAVE DUKE
16 January 1951 berthed at Palmers Yard, Hebburn River Tyne at the same time as RFA BROOMDALE and RFA WAVE DUKE
13 May 1951 Mr William John Brown OBE DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
27 May 1951 Captain Edward E A Le Sage RFA appointed as Master
18 June 1951 Captain Archibald Hobson DSC RFA appointed as Master
Captain Archibald Hobson DSC RFA
19 March 1952 at Devonport moved from the Sound to her berth by RFA CAREFULL
21 March 1952 Mr Henry E Thirkell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 March 1952 at Devonport moved from her berth to the Sound by RFA CAREFULL
28 June 1952 arrived at Port Said
7 August 1952 Captain James Jolly RFA appointed as Master
14 October 1952 Mr George Bray RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer George Bray RFA ( image taken 1918)
31 October 1952 arrived at Port Said
8 November 1952 arrived Suez
10 November 1952 arrived at Aden
12 November 1952 sailed from Aden for Bahrein
25 November 1952 sailed Muscat for Colombo, Ceylon
1 December 1952 sailed from Colombo, Ceylon
10 January 1953 sailed Singapore for Colombo, Ceylon
20 January 1953 arrived at Bombay, India
25 January 1953 sailed from Bombay for Bahrein
31 January 1953 arrived at Bahrein
2 February 1953 sailed Bahrein
19 February 1953 arrived at Singapore Roads
1 March 1953 sailed Hong Kong
20 March 1953 sailed from Hong Kong for Singapore
13 April 1953 sailed from Colombo, Ceylon for Bahrein
21 April 1953 arrived at Bahrein
23 April 1953 sailed from Bahrein
4 May 1953 arrived at Colombo, Ceylon
21 May 1953 arrived at Singapore
6 June 1953 sailed from Singapore for Mena Al Ahmadi
2 July 1953 sailed from Colombo, Ceylon
7 July 1953 arrived at Bombay
20 July 1953 sailed Bombay for Mena Al Ahmadi
6 August 1953 sailed Mena Al Ahmadi for LEFO
24 August 1953 arrived at Aden
3 September 1953 arrived Suez
5 September 1953 sailed Port Said for Gibraltar
18 September 1953 sailed Gibraltar for the UK
25 September 1953 Mr R C Veitch RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 October 1953 Captain Thomas Elder DSC RFA appointed as Master
4 March 1954 sailed Singapore Roads for the Persian Guilf
22 March 1954 sailed Bahrein for Kuwait
31 March 1954 sailed from Mena Al Ahmadi
21 April 1954 arrived at Suez
24 April 1954 arrived at Port Said
7 May 1954 sailed from Farina Bay
26 May 1954 Mr Henry E Thirkell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1 June 1954 arrived at Palmers, River Tyne from Swansea. Later the same day at the Newcastle on Tyne Shipping Office discharged the officers
3 June 1954 berthed at Palmers, Hebburn in refit together with RFA WAVE SOVEREIGN
17 June 1954 berthed at Palmers, Hebburn in refit together with RFA WAVE SOVEREIGN
24 Jun 1954 berthed at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit together with RFA WAVE SOVEREIGN
1 July 1954 berthed at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit also at Hebburn on Tyne Secunny Eusoof Abdooraman discharged dead having suffered from a stroke
7 July 1954 sailed the River Tyne on trials
21 July 1954 sailed the River Tyne for Gibraltar
24 August 1954 sailed Mena Al Ahmadi for Gibraltar for orders
6 September 1954 arrived at Suez
20 September 1954 sailed Pernis
26 September 1954 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing westbound
8 October 1954 arrived at Port Said
14 October 1954 sailed Suez
19 October 1954 sailed Aden for Mena Al Ahmadi
27 October 1954 sailed from Fao for Balik Papan
19 November 1954 sailed Balik Papan for Singapore
23 November 1954 arrived at Singapore
24 December 1954 arrived at Suez
4 January 1955 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
30 January 1955 arrived at Lisbon
17 May 1955 arrived at the River Tyne
19 May 1955 in refit at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne and Mr J B D Payne RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 June 1955 in refit at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne
30 June 1955 while in refit at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne a fire broke out in a store room while the ship was in dry dock. Fire appliances from Wallsend attended and extinuished the fire – damage was slight. The fire was was under control with 25 minutes.
22 July 1955 partly engaged a new crew at the North Shields Shipping Office, River Tyne
13 March 1956 berthed at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne with RFA’s ARNDALE and SURF PIONEER
3 May 1956 berthed at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne with RFA WAVE PROTECTOR
6 May 1956 Captain C N Rennels RFA appointed as Master
8 May 1956 berthed at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne
18 May 1956 Mr T H Purvis RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 June 1956 arrived at Bahrein
2 August 1956 directed to Gibraltar to fully load a cargo of FFO for Malta (from a Top Secret signal from the C in C Mediterranean to Flag Officer Gibraltar and the ship)
11 August 1956 arrived at Malta
23 September 1956 while in the Mediterranean the 2nd Officer was taken seriously ill. Surgeon Lieutenant D. J. Cripps, Royal Navy was taken by helicopter, at night, from HMS ALBION to Echodale when he was lowered onto the ship and attended to the patient. This was believed to be the first night flight off a carrier by a helicopter – reported in The Times of the 25 September 1956
13 November 1956 sailed Gibraltar
27 November 1956 deployed on Operation Musketeer – the Suez Crisis – until 3 December 1956 – the entire crew qualified for the Naval General Service Medal (1915) with the “Near East” clasp
30 August 1957 passed Thursday Island, Australia
15 January 1958 Mr A M Evans RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
9 May 1958 Captain Douglas N J Williams RD RFA (Commander RNR (Rtd)) appointed as Master
12 April 1959 laid up at Devonport for disposal
2 September 1959 at Devonport on No: 9 Buoy with RFA EDDYNESS moved from alongside
5 September 1959 at Devonport on No: 9 Buoy with RFA EDDYNESS moved back alongside
7 September 1959 at Devonport on No: 9 Buoy with RFA EDDYNESS moved from alongside
13 March 1960 at Devonport at 1 Capital Ship Trot moved to 3 West Mud moorings on RFA ABBEYDALE
28 June 1960 advertised for sale in the Times of this day ‘as lying’ at Devonport
5 July 1960 advertisment for sale withdrawn in the Times of this day
31 August 1960 at Devonport while laid up on No: 3 West Mud moorings RFA WAVE LAIRD was berthed alongside of her
19 October 1960 at Devonport while laid up on No: 3 West Mud moorings RFA WAVE LAIRD was berthed alongside of her
17 November 1960 at Devonport while laid up on No: 3 West Mud moorings RFA EDDYREEF which had been moored alonside of her was moved to Millbay Docks
29 December 1960 at Devonport RFA EDDYREEF was moved from Milbay Docks to alongside RFA ECHODALE on No: 3 West Mud moorings
23 March 1961 re-advertised for sale in the Times of this day ‘as lying’ at Devonport
19 July 1961 at Devonport RFA EDDYREEF was alongside RFA ECHODALE on No: 3 West Mud moorings moved to alongside RFA WAVE LAIRD
25 August 1961 at Devonport moved from West Mud Moorings to Plymouth Sound under tow
30 August 1961 sailed Devonport under tow for Italian breakers
20 September 1961 arrived La Spezia to be broken up.
Notes:
Was part of the British Pacific Fleet Train – hence the B-pennant number