RFA Mariner

 

HMS_Mariner_1883
 
Drawing of HMS Mariner before becoming an RFA
 
 

Previous name:                        HMS Mariner
Subsequent name:

Class:                                       MARINER CLASS Sloop (originally)

Pennant No:                             W35

Laid down:                                8 January 1883
Builder:                                     Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth
Launched:                                23 June 1884

Into Service:                             1916
Out of service:                          19 February 1929
Fate:                                         Sold for breaking up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:   She was one of a Class of 6 gun vessels designed by Nathaniel Barnaby, the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction, which were all re-rated as sloops before they entered service. The Class consisted of: HM ships ACORN, ICARUS, MARINER, MELITA, RACER and REINDEER, three of which were converted into Salvage Vessels. They were originally powered by a two cylinder horizontal compound  expansion steam engine produced by Hawthorn Leslie

 

23 June 1884 launched by HM Dockyard, Devonport as Yard Nr:     as a gun vessel named HMS MARINER

26 November 1884 re-rated as a sloop

9 March 1885 Engineer Aldred Palmer appointed

19 March 1885 commissioned for Particular Service. Hull cost £37,156 and her machinery £12,841

12 May 1885 sailed Devonport with HMS Racer (later to become RFA Racer), HMS Mercvury and HMS Conquest

14 May 1885 berthed at Queenstown harbour

22 May 1885 anchored at Bantry Bay

10 June 1885 joined the British Evolutionary Squadron formed to test the practical efficiency of the material of the Fleet

1 September 1885 proceeded to the Mediterranean then to the East Indies

25 September 1885 arrived at Suez and sailed the next day for Suakin. Commander John Durnford Royal Navy was in command

1 October 1885 arrived at Suakin and sailed the next day for Aden

13 November 1885 the Edinburgh Evening News newspaper reported –

 

13 11 1885 Edinb Evening News Mariner

 

22 February 1886 the Illustrated London News reported –

 

27 2 1886 Ill London News Mariner

 

20 May 1886 captured a slave dhow Kibibi and two slaves

4 August 1886 arrived at Mauritius with other RN ships including HMS REINDEER (later to become RFA REINDEER)

17 September 1886 berthed at Reunion with other RN ships sailing 21 September 1886

6 December 1886 arrived at Bombay with other RN ships

29 December 1886 arrived at Rangoon from Trincomalee

12 August 1887 arrived at Mauritius

24 August 1887 sailed from Mauritius

15 September 1887 arrived at Zanzibar from Madagascar with HMS BACCHANTE (flagship)

8 November 1887 at Zanzibar

6 December 1887 the Admiralty paid prize money to the Commanding Officer, Officers and crew for the capture of the slaves and dhow Kibibi on 20 May 1886

8 December 1887 Commander Charles R Arbuthnot Royal Navy appointed in command inlieu of Commander John Durnford Royal Navy who was appointed in command of HMS Defiance on this day

1 May 1888 sailed Zanzibar for Aden

24 May 1888 sailed from Aden for Zeillah

12 June 1888 arrived at the Seychelles

24 June 1888 sailed from the Seychelles for Zanzibar

10 January 1889 recommissioned at Trincomalee and employed in the blockade of the East African coast

22 August 1889 arrived at the Seychelles from Zanzibar

8 September 1889 sailed from the Seychelles for Zanzibar

18 December 1889 arrived at Bombay

28 March 1890 sailed from Bombay

19 July 1890 arrived at Kurrachee from the Persian Gulf

13 April 1891 captured a dhow Hannah Lake

1891 at the Cape of Good Hope and West Africa

29 November 1891 arrived at and sailed from Mombassa

12 January 1892 sailed Port Said

5 February 1892 sailed Malta

13 February 1892 due to heavy weather was forced to berth at Algiers to bunker and then continue her voyage to Gibraltar

16 February 1892 berthed at Gibraltar

20 February 1892 sailed Gibraltar for Devonport. Her departure had been delayed by bad weather

26 February 1892 arrived at Plymouth

21 March 1892 prize money paid by the Admiralty to the Commanding Officer, Officers and crew for the capture of the dhow Hannah Lake was paid this day

23 March 1892 paid off at Devonport

1892 to 1894 in reserve at Devonport

26 July 1901 hawsers strung between the ship and HMS REINDEER have become part of the defence at Devonport

November 1915 taken in hand by Hawthorn Leslie for conversion into a Salvage Vessel

28 August 1917 Chief Stoker William Merritt discharged dead. He is buried in Portsmouth’s Kingston Cemetery in grave 10.13 1/2

 

Merritt 2

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

1 November 1917 Lieutenant John William Miskin RNR appointed in command. Discharged 4 December 1918 to HMS Victory

12 September 1918 Engineer Lieutenant Charles A Munro RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 October 1918 sailed Burghhead

30 October 1918 anchored in Peterhead Bay

1 December 1918 Lieutenant William Pryce-Thomas RNR appointed in command

10 March 1919 Assistant Steward Elliott Egerton Whitehead MMR 976082 discharged dead. Buried at Birkinhead (Flaybrick Hill) Cemetery.

 

 Whitehead Eliot Egerton

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

1919 to 1921 under management of Liverpool Salvage Association

1922 to 1929 laid up

14 June 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

18 July 1924  berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

26 August 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

7 March 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

18 August 1924 berthed at No: 2 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard together with RFA KIMMEROL

26 August 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

2 September 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

3 October 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

13 October 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

16 October 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

29 October 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

30 October 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

5 November 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

8 November 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

21 November 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

1 December 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

3 December 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

10 December 1924 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

1 January 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

11 February 1925  berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

7 March 1925  berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

24 March 1925  berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

4 April 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA’s HICKOROL & KIMMEROL

14 April 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA KIMMEROL

5 May 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

12 May 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

20 May 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

27 May 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

5 June 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

17 June 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

17 July 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

14 August 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA’s EBONOL (1) and KIMMEROL

20 August 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

26 September 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

3 October 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

14 October 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

29 October 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

14 November 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA EBONOL (1)

1 December 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

12 December 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

24 December 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

30 December 1925 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

3 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

6 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

9 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

12 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

15 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

19 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

21 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

22 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

25 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

27 January 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

11 February 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

18 February 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

22 February 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

4 March 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

5 March 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

6 March 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

17 March 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour together with RFA RACER

22 March 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

24 March 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA RACER

29 March 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

6 April 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA RACER

15 April 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA RACER

23 June 1926  berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as NAV UPNOR and RFA SCOTOL 

1 July 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

31 July 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

16 August 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA KIMMEROL and RFA PETRONEL

17 August 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

20 August 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

21 September 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

8 October 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA’s DREDGOL

16 October 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

19 October 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA EBONOL (1)

21 October 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

22 October 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

30 October 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

8 November 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

12 November 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA’s DREDGOL

15 November 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

1 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

3 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA KIMMEROL

7 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA’s DREDGOL and PRESTOL

8 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA DREDGOL 

11 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour at the same time as RFA’s DREDGOL and PRESTOL

30 December 1926 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

1 January 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

3 January 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

4 January 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

6 January 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

7 January 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

8 January 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

11 January 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

12 January 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

21 January 1927  berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

10 February 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin Portsmouth Harbour

11 February 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin Portsmouth Harbour

19 February 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

21 February 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

26 February 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

3 March 1927 berthed in No: 3 Basin, Portsmouth Harbour

1928 placed on the disposal list

19 February 1929 purchased by Hughes Bolckow & Co Ltd for demolition at Blyth

25 March 1929 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

 

 

Ships of the same name

Mariner. A gun brig of 180 bm, 80 x 23 feet by Pitcher of Northfleet launched on the 4 April 1801.  Armed with 2 x 23 pdr carronade, 10 x 18 pdr.  Sold out of service on the 29 September 1814.

 

Mariner. A brig of 481 bm built by Pembroke Dock and launched on the 19 October 1846.  105 x 33.5 feet, armed with 4 x 32 pdr carronade, 12 x 32 pdr.  Sold on the 12 June 1865.

 

Mariner. An Algerine class minesweeper built at Port Arthur and launched on the 9 May 1944, she was sold to the Burmese Navy on the 18 April 1958 and renamed Yan Myo Aung.  Laid up and deleted in 1982.