Subsequent name:
Official Number: 163014
Class: ENVOY CLASS Tug
Pennant No: W165 / B742 / A165
Laid down:
Builder: Cochrane, Selby
Launched: 11 March 1944
Into Service: 25 May 1944
Out of service: 1965
Fate: Sold out of Service
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
11 March 1944 launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby as Yard Nr: 1281 named HMS ENVOY
25 May 1944 completed
13 June 1944 assisted USS Nelson (DD623) with starboard engine problems to change anchorage from Spithead to off Ryde Pier
24 June 1944 Admiralty War report of this day reported that HMS SCYLLA had been damaged by a mine and was towed to Spithead by HMRT’s ENVOY and BRETON escorted by HMS ALBRIGHTON and a Polish warship
28 June 1944 sailed the Solent and joined convoy FTM21 to Southend arriving the next day
6 July 1944 sailed Seine Bay in convoy FTM29 to Portsmouth arriving the next day towing Goree
7 August 1944 sailed the Solent in convoy FBC47 to Falmouth arriving the same day
31 August 1944 sailed Seine Bay in convoy FBC69 to Plymouth arriving the next day
17 January 1945 sailed Oran in convoy GUS66 to Hampton Roads arriving 6 February 1945
11 April 1945 together with HMS SAMSONIA (later RFA SAMSONIA) assisting in the tow of AFD32 to Mersel Kebir. Called at Gibraltar this day to pick up charts and mail
30 April 1945 sailed Gibraltar in convoy MKS98G to Liverpool arriving 8 May 1945
3 July 1948 Captain J C Reid appointed as Master and Mr A Brown appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
22 September 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
23 September 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour returned later in the day and sailed again from Portsmouth harbour
12 October 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming westwards towing a minespeeper
16 October 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
4 December 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
15 December 1948 sailed Plymouth towing HMS LAGOS to Glasgow
16 December 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming westwards with tow
1949 under RFA conditions and renamed RFA ENVOY
22 January 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
28 January 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
29 January 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming westwards
13 February 1949 berthed at Avonmouth
16 March 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound with a tow
1 April 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
7 April 1949 together wih RFA SAUCY towed HMS ARETHUSA from Falmouth to off Portsmouth for gamma ray tests
22 April 1949 arrived at Portsmouth Harbour and berthed on the North Wall
24 September 1949 the Hampshire Telegraph reported –
27 October 1949 the Glasgow steamer Yewpark was in difficulty 30 miles from the Lizard. ENVOY managed to get a line onboard and tow her to Falmouth – this was reported in the Hartlepool Daily Mail newspaper –
2 November 1949 arrived at Portsmouth Harbour and berthed on the North Wall
4 November 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
10 November 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
15 November 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming westwards
3 December 1949 arrived Rosyth from Plymouth
10 January 1950 F J Sullivan appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
20 January 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming eastwards with a tow
29 March 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
18 April 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming westwards with a tow
4 May 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming westwards with tow
11 June 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
24 September 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
6 October 1950 sailed Plymouth
11 October 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard steaming westwards with a tow
13 October 1950 arrived Liverpool
15 October 1950 arrived at Plymouth
24 October 1950 sailed Liverpool
25 October 1950 arrived at Plymouth
12 February 1951 arrived at the River Tyne with tow from Harwich
6 March 1951 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
18 March 1951 together with HMS JAUNTY towed HMS DIDO from the Gareloch to Milford Haven
20 March 1951 together with HMS JAUNTY towed HMS DIDO from Milford Haven to Portsmouth
28 March 1951 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
10 April 1951 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
2 September 1951 sailed from Spithead this day with RFA’s JAUNTY and SAUCY and with HMS DUKE OF YORK in tow to be laid up at the Gareloch
HMS DUKE OF YORK
7 September 1951 while arriving off the Gladstone Dock, Liverpool with HMS DUKE OF YORK in tow the battle ship was in collision with the mv Royal Iris 60 people on the mv Royal Iris were injured
15 October 1951 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east with a tow
7 June 1952 sailed the River Tyne towing HMS PADSTOW BAY for Plymouth
HMS PADSTOW BAY
29 April 1953 arrived at Devonport with HMS PETARD under tow from Chatham
1 May 1953 sailed Devonport with HMS PETARD under tow to Belfast arriving on 4 May 1953
27 July 1953 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound with a tow
1 September 1953 sailed Cardiff to provide assistance to HMS TIREE off the north Cornwall coast with a wire fouled around her propellor in stormy waters. HMS VIRAGO was diverted to also provide assistance
29 January 1954 sailed Portsmouth towing HMS STORK (a frigate in the reserve fleet) for Londonderry – she broke her tow in heavy weather. The tow was reconnected and she was taken into Liverpool on 8 February 1954 due to the continuing heavy seas
7 August 1954 before the Portsmouth Coroner (Mr P H Childs) an inquest was held touching on the death of Seaman Harold Joseph Corless, who while under the influence of drink had fallen from an insecure brow onto a catamaran below. He suffered a spinal fracture. A verdict of accidental death was returned.
February 1955 with RFA ENFORCER and Admiralty tug Superman towed the depot ship HMS MONTCLARE from the Clyde to Portsmouth for refit. She broke her tow and it was re-established with some difficulty after 12 hours. The MONTCLARE and the tugs reached Portsmouth on the 7 February 1955
9 April 1955 Captain John R Hayward OBE RFA appointed as Master
Captain John R Hayward OBE RFA
26 October 1956 the Hampshire Telegraph reported –
22 February 1957 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head steaming southwards
17 January 1958 sailed Londonderry for the River Tyne towing HMS ACTÆON for refit
28 April 1959 Captain R F Dunkley RFA appointed as Master
24 January 1960 berthed at Malta from Gibraltar
2 March 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 2 jetty on RFA ENFORCER
13 March 1960 at Devonport on No: 2 jetty with RFA KINBRACE outboard of her
21 March 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 2 jetty to Plymouth Sound
16 April 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 3 wharf
17 April 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 3 wharf to No: 5 jetty and later to Plymouth Sound
21 April 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 2 jetty
29 April 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 2 jetty to No: 1 jetty on RFA FORT CONSTANTINE
30 April 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 1 jetty to Plymouth Sound
22 June 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 2 jetty outboard of RFA ADVICE
4 July 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 2 jetty to No: 2 basin
13 July 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 2 basin to No: 4 jetty
17 July 1960 at Devonport moved from No: No: 4 jetty to No: 2 basin
5 August 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 2 basin to No: 6 dock
24 August 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 6 dock to No: 2 basin
5 September 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 2 basin to No: 1 basin
7 September 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 2 jetty outboard of HMS BARGLOW to No: 1 basin
15 September 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 1 basin to No: 2 dock
19 October 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 2 dock to No: 1 basin
28 November 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 1 basin to No: 1 jetty on RFA ADVICE
2 December 1960 at Devonport moved from No: 1 jetty to Plymouth Sound
25 November 1963 on the Disposal List Devonport
23 February 1965 offered for sale ‘as lying’ at HM Dockyard, Pembroke Dock in The Times of this day
28 April 1965 purchased for £19,000 by Loucas Matsa & Sons, Piraeus and renamed MATSAS
1968 renamed Georgios L. Matsas by her owners
1973 purchased for scrap by Oldscrap Landaris Carvoudakis, Perama
27 July 1973 breaking up commenced
22 March 2011 at Bonhams sale rooms, New Bond Street, London the ships bell was sold for £300 inclusive of buyers premium.
Notes:
- Was a member of the British Pacific Fleet – hence the B pennant number