Reproduced with permission of the MOD
Official Number: 186012
Class: EDDY CLASS Fleet Attendant Oiler
Pennant No: A261
Laid down: 25 April 1952
Builder: Lobintz & Co, Renfrew
Launched: 10 September 1953
Into Service: 25 April 1954
Out of service: Laid up 1 April 1981
Fate: Broken up
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 eight 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.
24 October 1953 Mr D F Gorrie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
January 1954 Captain Phadraig Colfer RFA appointed as Master
2 February 1954 at London registered as EDDYFIRTH under entry 23/54 in the Registry Book
10 February 1954 ran builders’ trials
25 April 1954 completed. Spent a large part of her career based at Malta, largely with the Motor Minesweeping Flotillas. In her latter years, as the sole survivor of the Class, she was employed in carrying avcat and lubricating oils around the U.K. coast.
1 June 1954 Captain A H Mackenzie RFA appointed as Master
23 June 1954 Mr C A Herbert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
30 June 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
14 September 1955 Captain Allistoun M Macquire-Samson RFA appointed as Master
13 December 1955 Mr A C Hawk RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 March 1956 Captain Alf Waters RFA appointed as Master
27 November 1956 Mr P Campbell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
5 December 1957 sailed from Turnchapel to No: 4 Buoy at Plymouth
7 December 1957 on No: 4 Buoy at Plymouth with RFA EDDYNESS
8 December 1957 Mr F Barclay RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
11 December 1957 sailed from No: 4 Buoy to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Pier, Devonport
12 December 1957 sailed from Turnchapel to No: 4 Buoy at Plymouth
13 December 1957 sailed Yonderbury Oil Fuel Pier, Devonport to Plymouth Sound
24 January 1958 sailed from No: 4 Buoy to No: 5 Buoy at Plymouth
26 January 1958 sailed from No: 5 Buoy to Plymouth Sound
22 February 1958 sailed from Plymouth Sound to No: 4 Buoy
26 February 1958 sailed from No: 4 Buoy to Plymouth Sound
23 May 1958 sailed from Immingham
4 June 1958 Mr C W H Neil RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
12 June 1958 Captain Stephen J Pethurst RFA appointed as Master
29 September 1959 moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel later returning to Plymouth Sound
30 October 1959 moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 5 Buoy
3 November 1959 moved from No: 5 Buoy to Plymouth Sound on RFA TIDEFLOW
6 November 1959 moved from No: 5 Buoy to No: 8 Wharf
9 November 1959 moved from No: 8 Wharf to No: 5 Wharf on HMS ARK ROYAL and then later to Plymouth Sound
4 March 1960 at Devonport from Plymouth Sound moved to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty berthing on RFA TIDEREACH later moving again to Turnchapel
5 March 1960 at Devonport from Turnchapel moved to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty berthing on RFA TIDEREACH later moving again and returning to Turnchapel
7 March 1960 at Devonport from Turnchapel moved to Plymouth Sound
14 July 1960 Captain George Baker RFA appointed as Master
1 September 1960 at Devonport from Plymouth Sound moved to Turnchapel
9 September 1960 at Devonport from Turnchapel moved to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty berthing on RFA TIDEREACH later moving again returning to Turnchapel
10 September 1960 at Devonport from Turnchapel moved to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty berthing on RFA TIDEREACH later moving again to Plymouth Sound
5 October 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
6 October 1960 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
12 October 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
13 October 1960 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
20 October 1960 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Millbay Docks
26 October 1960 at Devonport moved from Millbay Docks to Plymouth Sound
28 November 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
29 November 1960 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
5 December 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
7 December 1960 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
12 December 1960 moved from Portsmouth Dockyard to Gosport oil fuel jetty by RFA CAPABLE
16 December 1960 Mr Ciriaco G McFadzean RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
16 January 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
17 January 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
13 March 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel and Captain T H Macrow RFA appointed as Master
14 March 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
20 March 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
27 March 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Graves End Moorings on RFA TIDESURGE (1)
5 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
17 May 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty returning later to Plymouth Sound
20 May 1961 at Portsmouth
19 July 1961 at Immingham
29 August 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 5 basin
31 August 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 5 basin to No: 2 buoy
1 September 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 2 buoy to Plymouth Sound
18 September 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 6 buoy on RFA TIDEFLOW to No: 5 wharf on HMS ARK ROYAL
19 September 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 5 wharf on HMS ARK ROYAL to Turnchapel
20 September 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to No: 5 wharf on HMS ARK ROYAL returning to Turnchapel
22 September 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA TIDEFLOW
2 October 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Gravesend Mooring later returning to Turnchapel
7 October 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
19 October 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
23 November 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
24 November 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
2 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
4 December 1961 Mr B C Jeremiah RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA TIDEFLOW
9 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA TIDEFLOW to Plymouth Sound returning later to Turnchapel
14 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to No: 4 buoy then to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA WAVE KNIGHT (1)
15 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA WAVE KNIGHT (1) and then to Turnchapel
16 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
17 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA OLNA (2)
18 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty to Turnchapel
28 December 1961 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
12 January 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty
15 January 1962 at Devonport moved from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound on RFA OLNA (2) and then moved to Turnchapel
17 January 1962 at Devonport moved from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA OLNA (2) to Turnchapel
18 January 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
23 January 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound on RFA WAVE CHIEF
31 January 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty
2 February 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound on RFA TIDEREACH
3 February 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
4 February 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound on RFA TIDEREACH
5 February 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
24 February 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Turnchapel
2 March 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound and then to No: 6 buoy
8 March 1962 at Devonport moved from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA OLNA (2) and later to Turnchapel
9 March 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound returning to Turnchapel later
13 March 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Plymouth Sound
31 March 1962 at Devonport moved from Turnchapel to Milbay Docks
11 April 1962 at Devonport moved from Milbay Docks to Plymouth Sound
20 June 1962 at Haslar Naval Hospital Chief Steward Henry Jenkins Powell discharged dead – natural causes
6 July 1962 Captain H E Michael RFA appointed as Master
31 July 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 7 wharf on RFA TIDEFLOW
6 August 1962 berthed at Gibraltar while on passage to Malta from the UK.
7 August 1962 at Gibraltar three crew members appeared before the Magistrates’ Court charged with causing wilful damage to an Admiralty Launch to the value of £7/10/3d. Three men were seen in the launch crossing the Harbour from the Fleet Landing Catamaran at Coaling Island. The launch was chased by a Police Patrol launch during which Seaman Derek M Southwell apparently thew himself into the Harbour. He was rescued by the Police Officers and the Admiralty launch was eventually stopped with Seaman Roger Sherrott onboard. The third man was not in the launch but a man was found later near HMS Rooke soaking wet. The Court found Southwell and Sherrott Guilty of the charge. The third man was found not guilty and discharged. The two convicted Seaman were fined £5 each and were ordered to pay the cost of the damage between them
7 January 1963 Mr E T Rees RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 January 1963 at Plymouth
20 August 1963 Mr J M Lumsden RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
15 September 1963 Captain O J Coulthard RFA appointed as Master
9 February 1964 at Rosyth alogside RFA TIDESPRING (1) supplying her with AVCAT
23 March 1964 Captain Donald G M Averill RFA appointed as Master
Captain Donald G M Averill RFA
31 March 1963 at Portsmouth
1 August 1963 at Portsmouth
19 August 1963 at Portsmouth
10 September 1963 at Middlesborough
6 July 1964 Mr W P Garrick RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 August 1965 Captain David P Kindersley RFA appointed as Master
25 September 1965 Mr J W Ritchie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1966 Redesignated as a Harbour Tanker
8 February 1966 at Thameshaven (see note 1)
4 March 1966 the body of a male person was discovered in a ships locker on board this day – reported in The Times of the 5 March 1966
25 August 1966 Captain A Hewitt RFA appointed as Master
10 October 1966 Mr C E Prentis RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
30 December 1966 sailed from Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
31 December 1966 berthed at Pembroke Dock
2 January 1967 sailed from Pembroke Dock
3 January 1967 berthed at Fawley Oil Refinery
4 January 1947 sailed from Fawley Oil Refinery to Portsmouth on 4 occasions
17 January 1967 sailed from Fawley Oil Refinery for Invergordon
19 January 1967 berthed at Invergordon
20 January 1967 sailed from Invergordon
23 January 1967 berthed at Fawley Oil Refinery
24 January 1967 sailed from Fawley Oil Refinery for Invergordon
27 January 1967 berthed at Invergordon
28 January 1967 sailed from Invergordon
30 January 1967 berthed at Fawley Oil Refinery
2 February 1967 sailed from Fawley Oil Refinery for Invergordon
5 February 1967 berthed at Invergordon
6 February 1967 sailed from Invergordon
8 February 1967 berthed at Thameshaven
9 February 1967 sailed from Thameshaven
15 February 1967 berthed at Gibraltar
18 February 1967 sailed from Gibraltar
23 February 1967 berthed at Thameshaven
25 February 1967 sailed from Thameshaven
26 February 1967 berthed at Devonport
1 March 1967 sailed from Devonport for Fawley
3 March 1967 sailed from Fawley to Portsmouth (3 trips)
10 March 1967 sailed from Portsmouth to Thameshaven
11 March 1967 berthed at Thameshaven
12 March 1967 sailed from Thameshaven for Devonport
13 March 1967 berthed at Devonport
14 March 1967 sailed from Devonport to Fawley
15 March 1967 berthed at Fawley
16 March 1967 sailed from Fawley for Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
18 March 1967 berthed at Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
19 March 1967 sailed from Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde for Fawley
21 March 1967 berthed at Fawley
22 March 1967 sailed from Fawley for Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
24 March 1967 berthed at Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
26 March 1967 sailed from Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde for Fawley
29 March 1967 berthed at Fawley
30 March 1967 sailed from Fawley for Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
1 April 1967 berthed at Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
2 April 1967 sailed from Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde for Fawley
5 April 1967 berthed at Fawley
6 April 1967 sailed from Fawley for Portland arriving the same day and then later also the same day sailing for Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
8 April 1967 arrived at Old Kilpatrick and underwent a boiler clean
20 April 1967 sailed from Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot for Invergordon
22 April 1967 berthed at Invergordon
23 April 1967 sailed from Invergordon to Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
25 April 1967 berthed at Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot sailing later the same day for Invergordon
27 April 1967 berthed at Invergordon
28 April 1967 sailed from Invergordon to Fawley
30 April 1967 berthed at Fawley
2 May 1967 sailed from Fawley to Gosport Oil Fuel Depot (3 trips)
9 May 1967 sailed from Gosport Oil Fuel Depot to Thameshaven
10 May 1967 berthed at Thameshaven
11 May 1967 sailed frpm Thameshaven to Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
14 May 1967 berthed at Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
15 May 1967 sailed from Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
18 May 1967 berthed at Thameshaven
19 May 1967 sailed from Thameshaven
20 May 1967 berthed at Devonport for an engine repair (3 hours)
22 May 1967 berthed at Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
23 May 1967 sailed from Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot to Faslane arriving the same day
24 May 1967 sailed from Faslane to Invergordon
26 May 1967 arrived at Invergordon
27 May 1967 sailed from Invergordon to Faslane
29 May 1967 arrived at Faslane
30 May 1967 sailed from Faslane to Invergordon
1 June 1967 berthed at Invergordon
26 August 1967 Captain John C Moffat RFA appointed as Master
7 September 1967 Mr J W Ritchie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 December 1967 Captain B A Seymour RFA appointed as Master
10 January 1969 at Plymouth
17 March 1969 at Portsmouth
31 March 1969 at Plymouth
9 July 1969 at Plymouth
29 July 1969 at Plymouth
8 September 1969 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
6 July 1970 at Rosyth
12 September 1970 at Fawley
2 October 1970 Mr Ronal C Putt MID RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
3 October 1970 sailed Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty to Fawley ( 3 trips)
8 October 1970 sailed Fawley to Gibraltar arriving 13 October 1970
16 October 1970 sailed Gibraltar to Devonport arriving 22 October 1970
12 February 1971 at Portsmouth berthed alongside RFA WAVE CHIEF on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
13 February 1971 sailed from alongside RFA WAVE CHIEF on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
26 Jun 1971 at Portsmouth
7 September 1971 at Portsmouth
29 October 1974 sailed Malta for Augusta
12 December 1974 arrived from Sea into Plymouth Sound sailing back to sea later
31 December 1974 arrived at Devonport and berthed on RFA TIDEREACH on Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty
1 January 1975 sailed from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty on RFA TIDEREACH to sea
12 January 1975 arrived from Sea and berthed on No: 1 jetty, Devonport Dockyard
15 January 1975 sailed from No: 1 jetty, Devonport Dockyard to sea
15 December 1975 Captain Shane Redmond RFA appointed as Master
Captain Shane Redmond RFA
25 March 1977 at Portsmouth
11 July 1977 at Portsmouth
December 1977 Captain John Roddis RFA in command
12 December 1977 at Roseneth on the Clyde
2 January 1978 at Portsmouth
1 June 1979 sailed from Devonport Dockyard
15 October 1979 Captain Anthony Pitt RFA appointed in command
Captain A F Pitt RFA
16 June 1980 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour
16 October 1980 Captain Anthony Pitt RFA appointed in command
1 April 1981 destored and was laid up at Devonport
5 October 1981 placed on the Disposal List ‘as lies Devonport‘
1981 sold to Spence & Young for £50,000 for demolition
January 1982 resold to Spanish breakers
28 March 1982 arrived Seville, Spain for breaking up by Desguaces del Guadalquivir
Notes
1. From the Discharge Book of Geoff Cushnet