As RFA Rippledyke
Previous name: Empire Tesbury
Subsequent name: Ada
Official Number: 181125
Class: Oil Fuel Hulk
Pennant No:
Laid down:
Builder: Bartram and Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland
Launched: 21 November 1945
Into Service: 1951
Out of service: March 1960
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: She was originally built as a “TES” type (Tankers, Eastern, Steam) coastal tanker specially designed for service in the Far East. She served as an MFA at Bombay, Ceylon and Rangoon under commercial manning and management. She later served as a Shell tanker at Singapore until her purchase by the Admiralty, where all of her subsequent service was on bareboat charter. On her return to the U.K. she spent some time on charter to the Bulk Oil Co Ltd until 1958, when RFA-manned, she went to Gibraltar and was used there as an oil hulk until her sale
21 November 1945 launched by Bartram & Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 310 named EMPIRE TESBURY for the MoWT
20 February 1946 offered for sale or charter by the Ministry of War Transport in the Times of this date. The monthly charter rate being for a 3 year charter £550 and for a 5 year charter £450.
March 1946 completed and placed under management of Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd,. London
9 March 1946 sailed Sunderland for Colombo
21 March 1946 arrived Malta
25 March 1946 arrived at Bona
3 April 1946 arrived at Aden
12 April 1946 arrived at Colombo, Ceylon
14 April 1946 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for the Cocos Islands
14 July 1948 sailed Singapore for P Samboe
23 August 1948 sailed Singapore for Pnompenh
26 October 1949 arrived at Pladjoe
20 March 1950 alongside at Singapore
7 March 1951 in Kepple Dock, Singapore
6 June 1951 transferred to the Admiralty at Singapore and renamed RIPPLEDYKE. On charter to various commercial companies
19 February 1952 berthed at the Newcastle Quay, River Tyne from Inverness
23 February 1952 berthed at Springwell Tier on the River Tyne
25 February 1952 berthed at Springwell Tier on the River Tyne
5 April 1952 berthed at the Newcastle Quay, River Tyne from Inverness
14 April 1952 passed the Lloyds signal station on Flamorough Head sailing northbound
15 April 1952 sailed Hartlepool to Inverness
19 August 1952 berthed at Hartlepool from Shellhaven
21 August 1952 sailed Hartlepool to Saltend
21 September 1952 passed the Lloyds signal station on Flamorough Head sailing southbound
26 November 1952 arrived at Middle Dock, River Tyne from Kings Lynn
12 December 1952 sailed from the River Tyne
13 December 1952 sailed Hartlepool for Shellhaven
2 January 1953 arrived on the River Tyne from Thames Haven
4 January 1953 sailed from the River Tyne
7 February 1953 with RFA FRESHLAKE and from 17 February 1953 RFA EDDYCLIFFE assisted in the provision of fresh water and motor spirit to the area around Sheerness, Kent after severe flooding. The Portsmouth Evening News reported –
20 February 1953 berthed at Sunderland from Shellhaven
19 April 1953 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head sailing south
5 June 1953 berthed at Hartlepool from Kings Lynn
6 June 1953 arrived River Tees sailing later the same day
19 July 1953 arrived at the River Tyne from Thames Haven
25 July 1953 berthed on Jarrow Oil Wharf, Jarrow on Tyne
3 September 1953 berthed on Jarrow Oil Wharf, Jarrow on Tyne from Swansea
15 January 1954 engaged a crew at the South Shields shipping office
19 January 1954 berthed at Middle Dock, River Tyne
8 April 1954 arrived at the River Tees from Grangemouth
16 April 1954 sailed Hartlepool
11 August 1954 arrived at Hartlepool from Grangemouth
6 October 1954 arrived at the River Tyne from Inverness
7 October 1954 sailed from the River Tyne for Inverness
24 May 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing west bound
16 September 1955 Captain Iden W J Hall RFA appointed as Master
5 November 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing east bound
7 November 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamorough Head sailing north bound
15 December 1955 sailed the River Wear for Thameshaven
7 January 1956 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamorough Head sailing southbound
31January 1956 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing westbound
7 June 1956 at Brigham & Cowan Ltd., River Tyne
6 October 1956 arrived the River Wear
15 October 1956 arrived the River Wear
15 February 1957 arrived the River Tees sailing the day for the River Tyne
3 May 1957 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamorough Head sailing northbound
16 June 1957 arrived the River Tyne from Grangemouth berthing on No: 12 Tier
18 June 1957 berthed at Tyne Dock, River Tyne
27 June 1957 sailed the River Tyne
13 October 1957 arrived the River Tees from Sunderland
21 October 1957 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head sailing south
27 December 1957 sailed the River Tees
1 January 1958 arrived at Immingham from Salt End
20 January 1958 arrived Canvey Island
12 April 1958 sailed Immingahm
1958 became RFA manned and sailed to Gibraltar for service as an oil hulk
March 1960 on the Disposal List at Gibraltar
2 April 1960 arrived Genoa for demolition by Cantieri Navaferre, but was resold to S. Lucchese & I. Esposito, Venice and was converted into a suction dredger for service at Palermo, name unchanged
1965 purchased by Compagnia di Navigazione SpA “MOTIA”, Palermo and was renamed ADA
5 November 1966 in collision with the Yugoslavian BOCNA and sank near the northern breakwater at the entrance to Lido, port of Venice
14 November 1966 the wreck was struck by the wooden m.v. MARINA DI SAPRI inbound from Yugoslavia which sank without any casualties
4 February 1967 wreck refloated, repaired and re-engined with 1 x 6 cyl 230 x 489mm diesel engine by Motorenwerke Mannheim A.G., Mannheim. 1050 bhp
1978 reclassed as barge
November 1981 sold for demolition by Accaierie di Porto Nogaro, Porto Nogaro
July 1982 demolition begun