Previous name:                      Chungking
Subsequent name: 

Official Number:                     184289                                                                          

Class:                                     RETAINER CLASS Armaments/Victualling Stores Issuing Ship

Pennant No:                            A329

Laid down:                              11 October 1948
Builder:                                    Scotts Shipbuilding, Govan
Launched:                               19 January 1950
Into Service:                            July 1954
Out of service:                         April 1978
Fate:                                        Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  There were two ships in this Class, which had originally been built as cargo/passenger liners for their owners’ China – Hong Kong – Amoy – Indonesia trade. As built, the Promenade and Upper Decks on each side were for the exclusive use of 48 x First Class passengers for whom their was luxurious accommodation in 2-berth cabins. They also had a Card Room, Lounge, Veranda Lounge and two Dining Saloons for European and Chinese palates respectively. There were no Second Class passengers but a steep social drop in accommodation in eight and ten berth cabins for three hundred and twenty Steerage Class passengers who also had their own Dining Saloon. Both ships proved surplus to requirements almost at once, as the trade at that time was overstocked with tonnage and the Chinese Communist Government stopped all immigration as soon as they came to power. The Admiralty purchased both ships and after employing them for a while on charter work, they were converted into Armament Stores Issuing Ships, although they also carried a proportion of Victualling Stores too. They were eventually replaced by RFA’s FORT GRANGE and FORT AUSTIN

19 January 1950  launched by Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Greenock as Yard Nr: 649 named CHUNGKING for China Navigation Co, London

31 July 1950 completed and after trials she was chartered by Cie des Messageries Maritimes, France for their France – South Pacific – Sydney service

m.v. CHUNGKING

16 February 1951 sailed Sydney, NSW for Noumea

15 June 1951 berthed at Sydney, NSW

21 June 1951 sailed Sydney, NSW for Marseilles, France

9 November 1951 arrived Sydney, NSW from Marselles, France

29 February 1952 purchased by the Admiralty from Butterfield & Swire Line – pending conversion for use as an RFA was chartered out to commercial shipping companies and placed under the commercial management of Buries Markes Ltd

6 April 1952 berthed at Sydney, NSW where Customs found an obscene film in a passengers possession. The passenger appeared before the Sydney Special Court where he pleaded Guilty and was fined £50

10 April 1952 sailed Sydney, NSW for Noumea

29 August 1952 arrived at Sydney, NSW from Mareseilles, France and Noumea

28 November 1952 arrived Liverpool and was offered for charter by the MoT

19 December 1952 renamed RETAINER and was chartered out to British India Steam Navigation Co, London

19 July 1953 at 45°16N 43°50W Chief Engineer Officer Arthur William Robert Mellish discharged dead – natural causes – apparent heart failure

July 1954 to be taken in hand by Vickers Armstrong (Shipbuilders) Ltd at Palmers Yard, Hebburn for conversion into a Stores Ship for service with the Far East Fleet as an RFA

13 September 1954 sailed from Gibraltar

16 September 1954 the Shields Daily News newspaper reported –

18 September 1954 Mr William J Brown OBE DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 September 1954 discharged the crew at the Newcastle on Tyne shipping office

25 September 1954 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA WAVE SOVEREIGN

21 October 1954 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA WAVE COMMANDER which was in refit

26 October 1954 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA WAVE COMMANDER which was in refit

30 November 1954 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA OLNA (2)

23 December 1954 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA OLNA (2)

28 December 1954 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA OLNA (2)

30 December 1954 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA OLNA (2)

6 January 1955 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA OLNA (2)

11 January 1955 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA OLNA (2)

13 January 1955 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA’s OLNA (2) and WAVE SOVEREIGN

18 January 1955 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn together with RFA’s OLNA (2) and WAVE SOVEREIGN

31 January 1955 Mr J Edge RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 February 1955 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn on Tyne

13 February 1955 Captain Douglas S Norrington RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

25 February 1955 Mr Charles Scott DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1 March 1955  at Palmers Yard, Hebburn on Tyne

17 March 1955 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA DEWDALE (1)

19 March 1955 at Palmers Yard, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA DEWDALE (1)

24 March 1955 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA WAVE KNIGHT (1) and RFA DEWDALE (1)

14 April 1955 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA WAVE KNIGHT (1) and RFA DEWDALE (1)

18 April 1955 conversion work was completed and Retainer arrived at Portsmouth for exercises and testing equipment. She required 3,000 tons of ballast and this was loaded (temporarily) from RNAD’s at Priddy’s Hard, Bull Point, Milford Haven and Trecwn and consisted of a large number of depth charge ballast weights and inert and empty shells. The first NASO – Mr G H Chandler MBE was appointed – details from Naval Armament Journal – August 1955 edition – supplied by RFAHS member Michael Dyson. The Portsmouth Evening News reported –

21 September 1955 to 28 September 1955 in the Norwegian Sea participated in the major NATO exercise of the year (Exercise Sea Enterprise) with units from the Royal Navy, RCN, RNN and the USN which included five British aircraft carriers, six submarines and twenty five other ship types

9 December 1955 the Victor Harbour Times, a South Australian newspaper reported …

24 May 1956 at 49°40N 2°58W Able Seaman/Signalman Thomas McDonald discharged dead – natural causes

29 May 1956 the Hampshire Telegraph newspaper reported –

RFA Retainer in Grand Harbour, Malta on 6 October 1956 close to the Admiralty Floating Dock with RFA Tiderace (1) off her port bow and ahead of RFA Tiderace (1), on the buoys, is RFA Tiderange

1 November 1956 sailed Malta to support Operation Musketeer – the Suez Crisis – until 29 November 1956 along with 39 other RFA’s – the entire crew qualified for the award of the Naval General Service Medal with the “Near East” Clasp.  Was in Task Force 325.8 – the Logistics Group supporting the carriers – along with  RFA’s FORT SANDUSKY, OLNA (2), TIDERACE and TIDERANGE

6 March 1957 Mr William J Brown OBE DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 March 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA OLNA (2) both in refit

25 March 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit together with RFA WAVE BARON

10 May 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit together with RFA WAVE BARON

28 May 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit together with RFA WAVE BARON

2 July 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit together with RFA WAVE BARON

20 July 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA WAVE EMPEROR both in refit

23 July 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA WAVE EMPEROR both in refit

22 August 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne  in refit

27 August 1957 at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit

12 October 1957 Captain T G Hill RD RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

29 October 1957 still alongside Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit engaged some crew at the Newcastle Shipping Office

4 November 1957 at the River Tyne

7 November 1957 alongside Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne in refit

9 November 1957

15 February 1958 berthed at Palmers, Heburn, River Tyne

18 June 1958 berthed alongside HMS BERMUDA in Akrotiri Bay, Cyprus

14 July 1958 sailed from Malta as a precautionary measure with a number of RN ships following the Iraq revolution

17 July 1958 berthed at Tobruk

20 July 1958 sailed Tobruk after discharging equipment for 45 Commando, Royal Marines

28 July 1958 sailed Akrotiri Bay, Cyprus

29 July 1958 RASed with HMS BERMUDA

15 September 1958 Captain Hubert G Carkeet RFA appointed as Master

12 December 1958 at Plymouth

21 August 1959 sailed Malta for Devonport

28 August 1959 moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 1 Jetty, Devonport Dockyard

7 September 1959 moved from Devonport Dockyard to Plymouth Sound

November 1959 RASed with HMS GIRDLE NESS supplying a Sea Slug Missile –

© IWM (A 34233)

10 December 1959 along with RFA’s WAVE PRINCE,  RELIANT (2), TIDESURGE (1) and HMS’s CENTAUR, SOLEBAY, LAGOS, FINNISTERRE, LLANDAFF and ALERT engaged in Queensland Centenary Celebrations

10 November 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 1 Salt Ash trot

1 December 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 1 Salt Ash trot to No: 5 wharf

12 December 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 5 wharf to No: 5 basin

15 December 1960 Mr Kenneth I J George RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 January 1961 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 5 basin to No: 9 dock

12 January 1961 Captain Iorwerth B Roberts RFA appointed as Master

30 January 1961 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 9 dock to No: 5 basin

8 February 1961 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 5 basin to Plymouth Sound

9 February 1961 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 1 jetty

14 February 1961 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 1 jetty to Plymouth Sound, then to Saltash Trot

18 February 1961 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Saltash Trot to Plymouth Sound

21 March 1961at Devonport Dockyard moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 1 Salt Ash Trot

27 March 1961 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 1 Salt Ash Trot to Plymouth Sound

July 1961 saw service during Operation Vantage- the Kuwait Crisis – along with 12 other RFA’s

July – August 1961 supported the carrier HMS VICTORIOUS

27 December 1961 the Coventry Evening Telegraph reported …

14 May 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Capital Ship Trot

16 May 1962 at Devonport moved from Capital Ship Trot to  Plymouth Sound

24 November 1962 Captain Henry O L’Etrange DSC RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master

May 1963  accompanied the carrier HMS ARK ROYAL from the UK to the Far East along with RFA’s FORT DUQUESNE and TIDESURGE

24 September 1963 at Singapore

8 October 1963 Junior Engineer David Charles Stevenson RFA discharged dead. An inquest held on 24 March 1964 in Singapore recorded a verdict of Death by Misadventure finding that he had fallen down a ladder on the upper deck

27 May 1964 at Subic Bay, Phillippines with RFA’s TIDESPRING (1), WAVE SOVEREIGN, RELIANT (2), FORT ROSALIE (1) and FORT CHARLOTTE arrived and together with HMAS SUPPLY formed Task Group 490.7. RFA TIDEFLOW which should have joined the Task Group remained at Singapore due to a mechanical breakdown

24 June 1964 at Singapore. Electrical Officer Jack H Paul RFA retired from the RFA Service after over 34 years service. His fellow officers onboard presented him with an engraved silver cigarette box to commemorate the occasion

4 August 1964 Mr W F Young RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 November 1964 Captain S C Dunlop MBE RFA appointed as Master

May 1965 was in Operation Seahorse – a SEATO maritime operation in the South China Sea – along with RFA RELIANT (2)

13 June 1965 together with RN & RAN units operating in exercies in the Assault area in the vicinity of Marang

1 November 1965 Captain P T Taylor RFA appointed as Master

2 December 1965 the Daily Mirror newspaper reported …

11 April 1966 Mr T J W Humphrey RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 August 1966 Captain John D Fisher RFA appointed as Master

1 September 1966 at Plymouth (see note 1)

22 October 1966 at Portland (see note 1)

1 December 1966 at Plymouth

11 April 1967 Mr J S Aitken RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 September 1967 Captain G P A McDougall RFA appointed as Master

11 October 1967 to 25 January 1968 was part of Task Force 318 – the Aden Task Force- formed to cover the final British  military withdrawal from the area codenamed Operation Magister- along with nine other RFA’s

8 February 1968 her Ship’s Badge was officially awarded to her

21 May 1968 on the River Tyne at South Shields

29 July 1968 Captain C G Butterworth RFA appointed as Master

19 August 1968 on the River Clyde

14(?) November 1968 together with RFA BROWN RANGER involved in a search for a Wasp Helicopter from Portland which had crashed into the sea off Torquay

4 February 1969 at Gibraltar

18 February 1969 on the River Clyde

25 March 1969 at Plymouth

17 August 1969 on the River Clyde

9 October 1969 at Cyprus

15 December 1969 at Falmouth

4 March 1970 at Falmouth

28 May 1970 at Suda Bay, Crete Seaman William Schween killed when he fell into the hold

9 July 1970 arrived at Rotterdam together with RFA TIDEPOOL, RFA SIR TRISTRAM and HMS ALBION

28 July 1970 at Plymouth

7 January 1971 at Falmouth

1 March 1971 whilst refitting on the River Clyde, she was holed by the British Houlder Brothers ore carrier ST MARGARET which was being towed upriver

3 March 1971 the Newcastle Journal reported –

6 December 1972 at Glen Douglas

20 December 1972 at Falmouth

25 January 1973 Junior Electrical Officer J Goodyear RFA discharged dead

12 February 1973 at Falmouth

July 1973 deployed together with RFA’s TIDEPOOL and OLNA in Joint Maritime Course 168

20 July 1973 at Portland

10 August 1973 at Portland

July 1974 sailed the River Tyne for Plymouth then to Milford Haven. Captain J Swan RFA was the ship’s Master

September 1974 Portland work up then sailed to Devonport to load cargo

24 September 1974 entered Plymouth Sound from the sea

10 October 1974 sailed from Devonport to the sea

5 November 1974 anchored south of Plymouth Sound breakwater

6 November 1974 entered Plymouth Sound making fast to ‘D’ Buoy

7 November 1974 at Plymouth

12 November 1974 sailed from ‘D’ Buoy, Plymouth Sound to the sea

December 1974 / January 1975 at Rosyth

13 January 1975 entered Plymouth Sound making fast to ‘D’ Buoy

7 March 1975 at Plymouth

19 March 1975 at Gibraltar

13 June 1975 berthed at Grand Harbour, Malta from La Madlena

4 July 1975 at Portland

27 July 1975 at Plymouth

17 March 1976 at Malta

7 June 1976 at Wallsend

17 August 1976 at Malta

19 August 1976 sailed Malta for Gibraltar

23 August 1976 RASed with HMS AMAZON then berthed at Gibraltar

27 August 1976 due to sail Gibraltar but delayed due to engine repairs

28 August 1976 sailed Gibraltar for Rosyth

31 August 1976 off the Lizard RASed with HMS LINCOLN

2 September 1976 arrived at Rosyth

21 September 1976 sailed for Plymouth arriving 24 September 1976 – alongside at Devonport

4 October 1976 sailed Devonport for Gibraltar. RAS’ed with HMS FEARLESS – 119 pallets transfered

6 October 1976 RASed with HMS SHEFFIELD

8 October 1976 anchored Gibraltar until 11 October 1976

11 October 1976 sailed Gibraltar for exercises in the Mediterranean 

15 October 1976 RASed HMS Fife – then anchored Marsaxlokk, Malta 

20 October 1976 sailed for RAS with RFA TIDEREACH for bunkers and fresh water. RASed with HMS FEARLESS – returned to Marsaxlokk, Malta

21 October 1976 forced to sail – gale blowing and dragged anchor

22 October 1976 returned to anchor at Marsaxlokk, Malta

25 October 1976 sailed to RAS with HMS FEARLESS while HMS FEARLESS simultaneously RASed with RFA TIDEREACH

29 October 1976 berthed at Trieste – later moved to anchorage in harbour

30 October 1976 drags anchor

3 November 1976 sailed Trieste – RASed with HMS FEARLESS

6 November 1976 exercises with HMS MOHAWK, USS, Italian naval units. RASed with HMS MOHAWK. RASed with RFA TIDEREACH to load bunkers and water

9 November 1976 RASed with HMS FEARLESS

11 November 1976 called at Gibraltar to drop off Radio Officer and pick up mail. Sailed to Plymouth arriving 15 November 1976

26 November 1976 at Plymouth

3 December 1976 sailed Plymouth for Bermuda via the Azores due to adverse weather conditions

4 December 1976 very rough seas – damage to fixtures and fittings sustained

14 December 1976 berthed at HMS MALABAR, Bermuda

15 December 1976 ships cook transferred to isolation hospital on Bermuda with TB

17 December 1976 sailed Bermuda to rendezvous with HMS TARTAR

19 December 1976 RASed with HMS TARTAR

20 December 1976 RASed with HMS TARTAR again

21 December 1976 berthed in Port Everglades – Fort Lauderdale

27 December 1976 sailed Port Everglades for Cristobal

29 December 1976 0800hrs stopped in position 21° 02’N, 83° 43’W- water leaking into engine – under way at 1730hrs

2 January 1977 berthed Cristobal to bunker then transit of Panama Canal – sailed for Seattle

11 January 1977 in position 27° 42’N, 116° 25’W 0815hrs engine stopped for repairs until 12:45 heading for San Diego for engine repairs

12 January 1977 diverted back on course for Seattle as repairs completed

16 January 1977 berthed at Bangor Annexe near Seattle

24 January 1977 sailed for Manchester for bunkers then sailed for San Francisco

27 January 1977 berthed at NWS Concorde, San Francisco

2 February 1977 sailed San Francisco for Panama

13 February 1977 anchored off Panama City

14 February 1977 commenced transit of Panama Canal. Cleared Cristobal by 1030hrs

18 February 1977 Berthed Freeport, Grand Bahama for bunkers

19 February 1977 sailed for Sunnypoint

21 February 1977 berthed at Sunnypoint, North Carolina

24 February 1977 sailed for Plymouth

6 March 1977 0139hrs stopped for engine repairs until 0230hrs. Midday position 47° 23’N, 17° 40’W

8 March 1977 berthed at Plymouth

16 June 1977 at Rosyth

7 July 1977 at Plymouth

April 1978  arrived Rosyth to destore and then be laid up for disposal.

29 October 1979  towed from Rosyth to Barcelona for breaking up

19 November 1979 arrived at Barcelona to be broken up by Desguaces Cataluna SA

Notes

1. Locations kindly provided by Bosun George Collings RFA (Retired) from his Discharge Book