RFA Oakol (1)

Subsequent name:             Orthis,  Orthis Maru

Official Number:                  142307

Class:                                 SECOND 1000 t CREOSOL CLASS Harbour Oiler

Pennant No:                       X46

Laid down:             
Builder:                               William Gray & Co. Hartlepool (South Yard)
Launched:                           22 September 1917 
Into Service:                        9 March 1918
Out of service:                    1920
Fate:                                   Sold out of service to commercial interests

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:   On the outbreak of WW1, the Admiralty embarked on a further programme of tanker construction for the newly – formed RFA Service. Eventually there were 18 ships in this Class, 12 of which were named after trees with the OL suffix, while the remainder had names connected with the oil industry also with the OL suffix. 4 of the Class were diesel engined and were sold after the Armistice but the rest, being triple expansion steamers, had long and successful service

22 September 1917 launched by Wm. Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool as Yard Nr: 889 named OAKOL (1)

6 November 1917 Engineer Lieutenant James W Jay RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 November 1917 Lieutenant Harold E E Bate RNR appointed in command until 9 July 1918 when he was appointed in Command of RFA PETROBUS

Lieutenant Harold E E Bate RNR

18 February 1918 Greaser Jos Rowland MMR 96061 logged as deserted but apparently returned to the ship. He was then discharged on 20 March 1918 and signed on RFA EBONOL

3 April 1918 Stewards Boy W J Davies logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 26 January 1918.

3 May 1918 Donkeyman L Hacking logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 29 December 1917

10 July 1918 Lieutenant John H T Lewis RNR appointed in command

Lieutenant John H T Lewis RNR

4 October 1918 Lieutenant Robert A Prichard RNR appointed in command. He his previous appointment had been RFA SPRUCOL. He was demobilised on 23 January 1920

19 November 1918 Donkeyman W Hamilton logged as deserting. He had signed on on 25 May 1918

3 January 1919 Engineer Lieutenant George Redpath RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Engineer Lieutenant George Redpath RNR

20 February 1919 arrived at the River Wear

1 April 1919 Greaser E G Townsend MMR 994276 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 7 December 1917.

3 September 1919 Greaser Christopher Connell MMR 944003 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 23 August 1919

Greaser Christopher Connell MMR 944003

12 September 1919 Greaser John Robson MMR 1004738 and Greaser Robert Hosie MMR 1007118 both logged as deserting. Greaser Robson had signed on on 23 August 1919 and Greaser Hosie had signed on on the 9 September 1919

17 September 1919 engines were disabled and she was towed to the Humber for repairs

22 October 1919 Ordinary Seaman J C Wright MMR 977207 logged as deserting. He had signed on on the 1 May 1919

12 November 1919 Fireman Pat Fox MMR 997968 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 14 October 1919

29 January 1920 sold to Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd., London and renamed Orthis

10 August 1920 sailed Granton for Thames Haven in ballast

17 August 1920 arrived at Granton from Thames Haven

14 September 1920 sailed Preston for Portishead with a cargo of motor spirit

17 September 1920 sailed Portishead for Dublin

26 April 1921 sailed Cardiff for Fleetwood

As the Shell tanker Orthis

12 March 1924 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head  sailing south

7 June 1924 berthed at Portishead from Cardiff for bunkers

RFA Oakol (2)

Subsequent name:

Official Number:                     181505

Class:

Pennant No:                          A300

Laid down:                            12 December 1945           
Builder:                                  Lobnitz & Co. Renfrew
Launched:                             28 August 1946
Into Service:                          1 November 1946

Base Port:                             Singapore (1952)
Out of service:                       February 1965
Fate:                                      Broken up at Ghent starting 14 November 1969

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

7 November 1946 Captain E Payne RFA appointed as Master

1946 took on charge a John Poole of London chronometer ZAA0086

6 January 1947 Mr Albert J R Emerson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 March 1948 Captain Donovan J S Newton MID RFA appointed as Master

5 June 1948 Mr Ciriaco G McFadzean RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 April 1949 Captain H Oakley RFA appointed as Master

3 May 1950 Mr E A Chantler RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 December 1950 Captain J Bottomley RFA appointed as Master

1950 was deployed as part of the Royal Navy’s Fleet train during the Korean War stationed as a harbour tanker at Singapore

1951 Captain Stanley S Maddock RFA appointed as Master

Captain Stanley S Maddock RFA

kindly donated by his daughter Mrs Gillian Pickard

22 February 1952 Mr L Cochrane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 October 1952 Mr J W Ritchie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 May 1953 Captain John Toms RFA appointed as Master

24 February 1956 at Portsmouth alongside HMS OBDURATE to refuel her

7 August 1954 Captain Douglas G Cox OBE, RFA appointed as Master

19 August 1954 Mr E Smeaton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 March 1955 Mr E A H Chantler RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 March 1955 Captain W J H Roberts RFA appointed as Master

6 April 1956 Captain T H Macrow RFA appointed as Master

12 November 1956 Captain William R Town RFA appointed as Master

21 December 1956 Mr T B Willis RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

21 May 1957 entered Chatham Dockyard from the River Medway berthing alongside HMS WIZARD and later HMS CHEQUERS

9 July 1957 Mr A Bloomer RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

30 November 1957 sailed the River Tyne

5 December 1957 arrived Hartlepool from the River Tyne in ballast

7 December 1957 sailed Hartlepool for Portsmouth

13 January 1958 Captain Alfred W Camamile DSC, RFA appointed as Master

14 January 1958 ship ran aground in the Solent near the Needles. Towed off the next day by the tug RFA Samson she continued on her voyage to Portland

15 January 1958 the Liverpool Echo newspaper reported –

31 January 1958 the Hampshire Telegraph & Post reported –

5 June 1958 Mr R W A Hunt RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

25 June 1958 Captain Alistair C Gibson RFA appointed as Master

7 April 1959 in the Medway River berthed alongside Hulk PHILOL

31 July 1959 Captain J Bottomley RFA appointed as Master

11 August 1959 Mr Denis G P Wells RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

18 January 1960 alongside HMS ARK ROYAL in Plymouth Sound

14 December 1960 Captain W A Hiorns RFA appointed as Master

30 January 1961 at Barry Docks Donkeyman Greaser Aaron Bloor discharged dead – having died from natural causes

19 April 1961 Mr G W H Neill RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

20 June 1961 Captain R E A Davies RFA appointed as Master

8 September 1961 at Portsmouth alongside HMS BERMUDA to refuel her

19 March 1962 Mr H Maddison RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 April 1962 Captain Archibald Murchie RFA appointed as Master

30 November 1962 at Devonport – arrived from sea and moored in Milbay Docks

27 September 1963 Captain William R Town RFA appointed as Master

18 November 1963 Mr E F Paice RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 June 1964 Mr Allan D Harris RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

7 September 1964 Captain G E B Harcombe RFA appointed as Master

February 1965 laid up at Devonport

12 July 1969 advertised for sale in the Times newspaper by the Board of Trade

24 September 1969 sailed Devonport to Bruges for food storage purposes.

14 November 1969 broken by at Ghent by Van Heyghen Freres