Previous name:
Subsequent name: Salvaliant
Official Number: 301071
Class: ENVOY CLASS Tug
Pennant No: W179 / A379
Laid down:
Builder: Cochrane & Sons Ltd., Selby
Launched: 2 December 1944
Into Service: 11 April 1945
Out of service: 1967
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: There were 6 Admiralty-designed Fleet Tugs in this Class, 3 of which saw service as RFA’s. As completed they were armed with 1 x 12 pdr AA gun, 1 x 2 pdr AA , 2 x 20 mm AA and 4 x .303 machine guns. They had a bollard pull of 16 tons and a complement of 33
2 December 1944 launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby as Yard Nr: 1294 named HMS ENCORE
11 May 1945 completed
9 June 1945 arrived at Montrose from Dundee
10 June 1945 sailed Montrose
20 March 1947 sailed Bombay with HMS MEDIATOR, HMS REWARD (later to become RFA REWARD) towing AFD35 to Malta. named as Operation Snow White. Arrived at Aden 3 April, Suez Bay on 14 April, Port Said on 29 April, Malta on 8 May
21 November 1949 at Hong Kong Able Seaman Walter Innes C/JX238228 discharged dead. He is buried in the Hong Kong Cemetery
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
7 January 1955 Able Seaman Yip Kau discharged dead
24 September 1956 off Hong Kong towing target – target fired on by HMAS ANZAC
19 November 1957 with ships of the Far East Strategic Reserve took part in the Fleet Regatta in Junk Bay, Hong Kong
1958 at Hong Kong under RFA conditions and renamed RFA ENCORE
26 October 1959 Captain R H A Adams appointed as Master and Mr A Butler appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
30 October 1960 Mr D G Earp appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 May 1961 Mr J A Anderson appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
19 October 1961 landed 23 crew members in Singapore of an Italian tanker the ss Fede which had run aground in Indonesian Waters south of Singapore. Encore returned to the tanker to attempt to pull her off the rocks. After six days the ship broke up in heavy weather and was abandoned
13 February 1962 after the Stanvac tanker Sumatra broke in two during a gale in the South China Sea Encore towed the fore part into Singapore.
5 September 1962 towed the ss Sletholm to Hong Kong after the tug Kowloon Docks (ex RFA ALLEGIANCE) which had been towing the Sletholm was lost in Typhoon Wanda
12 October 1962 Mr F J Sullivan appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
31 March 1963 Captain E Moore RFA appointed as Master
3 May 1963 towed the US Liberty ship Vivian from the north west of Penang to Singapore when the US ship lost her propeller
23 July 1963 sailed Singapore to render assistance to a Panamanian registered ship ss Cattle which had broken down with engine failure in the Berhala Strait off the East Coast of Sumatra
7 January 1964 while on passage from Hong Kong to Singapore rendered assistance to the Norwegian freighter Folga which had total engine failure. She was towed to Singapore
5 September 1964 an incident in Hong Kong resulted in Chief Officer R H Ross, Sailor Lai L F, Sailor Fuk L and No 1 Greaser Fan L H being awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze Medal
25 March 1965 off Singapore in the vicinity of the Johire Shoal Buoy engaged with HMS LONDON and HMAS PARRAMATTA as part of Exercise FORTEX 65
14 July 1965 at Singapore the local press reported –
27 October 1965 withdrawn from service and laid up at Singapore
14 March 1967 offered for sale ‘as lying’ at Singapore in the Times of this day
6 November 1967 purchased by Selco (Singapore) Ltd, Singapore and renamed SALVALIANT
1970 Transferred to Selco (Panama) Ltd Inc, Panama name unchanged
17 August 1970 offered for sale at Singapore in the Straits Times of this day – registered under the Panamanian flag – by Thome & Company Pte Ltd.
1971 offered for sale for demolition
7 July 1972 under the name Salvaliant offered for sale for breaking up ‘as lying’ at Singapore in the Straits Times of this day
September 1972 purchased by Hong Hunt (Pte) Ltd, Jurong.
9 September 1972 breaking up began