Subsequent name:                    Knossos

Official Number:                        184739

Class:                                      EDDY CLASS Fleet Attendant Oiler

Pennant No:                             A190

Laid down:                             
Builder:                                    Blythswood Shipbuilding, Scotstoun
Launched:                                25 August 1952

Into Service:                             16 February 1953
Out of service:                          1964 sold commercially

Fate:

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data: This Class were a part of the RFA’s first post-WW2 construction programme and the ships were Admiralty-designed to act as Fleet Attendant Oilers. Even as they were being built for world-wide service however, their designed functions had become obsolete due to the rapid and wide scale practice of refuelling at sea. This resulted in RFA EDDYCOVE, ordered on 23 January 1951 and RFA EDDYMULL, ordered on 27 March 1951 being cancelled in 1952 and the remaining 8 ships in the Class refocused on harbour and coastal service within a short time. With the exception of RFA EDDYFIRTH, the remainder of the Class had very short service lives with the RFA

9 December 1952 Mr Henry E Thirkell RFA appointed at Chief Engineer Officer

RFA Eddycliff after her launch

10 January 1953 at London registered as EDDYCLIFF under refence 3/53 in the Registry

19 January 1953 Captain A Jackson OBE RFA appointed as Master

26 January 1953 commenced Builders’ Trials in the Firth of Clyde

29 January 1953 completed Builders’ Trials

10 February 1953 completed

13 February 1953 ran her Acceptance Trials in the Firth of Clyde

17 February 1953 assisted RFA FRESHLAKE and RFA RIPPLEDYKE in the supply of fresh water to the area around Sheerness, Kent which had suffered severe flooding.

March 1953 time chartered to Shell in UK waters

24 October 1953 Mr D F Gorrie RFA appointed at Chief Engineer Officer

12 April 1954 Mr J G Yuill RFA appointed at Chief Engineer Officer

1 June 1954 Captain George Baker RFA appointed as Master

1 February 1955 Mr C A Herbert RFA appointed at Chief Engineer Officer

17 July 1956 Captain Phadraig Colfer RFA appointed as Master

1 September 1956 at Grand Harbour, Malta alongside HMS LOFOTEN to refuel

10 September 1956 sailed Grand Harbour, Malta

23 October 1956 at Grand Harbour, Malta alongside HMS ANZIO to refuel – 128 tons of FFO supplied

30 October 1956 at Grand Harbour, Malta together with RFA’s TIDERACE and RETAINER sailed

26 September 1957 Captain Iden W J Hall RFA appointed as Master

21 December 1957 sailed from Plymouth Sound to the Yonderbury Oil Fuel Depot outboard of RFA OLNA (2)

31 December 1957 sailed from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Depot to RFA WAR NARWAB

6 January 1958 sailed from RFA WAR NARWAB to Plymouth Sound

13 January 1958 Captain Cyril Alexander DSC RFA appointed as Master

16 January 1958 sailed from Plymouth Sound to RFA WAR NAWAB

18 January 1958 sailed from Plymouth Sound on RFA SURF PATROL to Turnchapel

19 January 1958 sailed from Turnchapel to RFA WAR NARWAB

21 January 1958 sailed from RFA WAR NARWAB to Plymouth Sound

18 August 1958 Captain J Coull RFA appointed as Master

10 March 1959 in Grand Harbour, Malta alongside HMS CENTAUR refuelling her

4 May 1959 sailed Malta to join costal minesweepers exercising with the Spanish Navy off Palma

15 June 1959 sailed Malta

8 August 1959 Mr J G Yuill RFA appointed at Chief Engineer Officer

12 December 1959 Captain Walter Gibb MBE RFA appointed as Master

4 April 1960 sailed Malta for Cagliari

17 April 1960 berthed at Malta from Cagliari

28 July 1960 berthed at Malta from Athens

5 October 1960 3rd Engineer Officer William McGowan discharged dead from a heart attack. He died in the Royal Naval Hospital, Bighi and is buried in Kalkara Royal Naval Cemetery, Malta

13 February 1961 sailed from Grand Harbour, Malta

25 February 1961 berthed at Grand Harbour, Malta

17 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Millbay Docks

27 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Millbay Docks to Yonderberry Oil fuel Jetty on RFA BLUE RANGER then moved to No: 9 wharf also on RFA BLUE RANGER

1 May 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 9 wharf on RFA BLUE RANGER to No: 1 jetty

2 May 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 1 jetty to Plymouth Sound

5 May 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 1 jetty to Plymouth Sound

6 May 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 6 buoy on RFA BLUE RANGER

8 May 1961 at Devonport moved No: 6 buoy on RFA BLUE RANGER to Millbay Docks

7 September 1961 at Devonport moved from Millbay Docks to No: 3 West Mud moorings on RFA WAVE LAIRD

August 1963 after a period of lay-up at Devonport she was placed on the Disposal List

3 September 1963 offered for sale ‘as lying’ at H M Dockyard, Devonport in the Times of this date

7 September 1961 at Devonport moved from Millbay Docks to No: 3 West Mud moorings alongside RFA WAVE LAIRD

1964 sold commercially and renamed Knossos owned by Greek Tanker Shipping Co, Piraeus. Her port of registry was changed to Piraeus.

1966 sold to Greek Atlantic Fishing Co Ltd, Piraeus (C. Diamantis, Manager) and converted into a Fish Factor Ship

1973 sold to Heleno Argentino SA. her port of registry was changed to Buenos Aires

1977 resold to Greek Atlantic Cod Fishing Co Ltd, Piraeus – name unchanged

1978 sold to Mar Claro SA – her port of registry did not change

30 April 1980 driven aground during severe weather after being struck by ANNA C and breaking her moorings

8 May 1980 was refloated

1982 resold to Helenoargentino SA, Buenos Aires – name unchanged

1986 sold to Pesquera Argentona del Sur SA – her port of registry did not change

2008/9 deleted from the Argentinian registry