Previous name: Ebonol (2), Cedarol
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 180931
Class: 1500t OL CLASS Harbour Tanker
Pennant No: A284
Laid down: 27 September 1945
Builder: Lobnitz, Renfrew
Launched: 15 May 1946
Into Service: 21 August 1946
Base Port: Malta (1952)
Out of service: 1971
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data:
There were four ships in this Class, all Admiralty-designed as harbour oilers. A fifth vessel, the ex-German LISELOTTE ESSBERGER which had been captured at Trondheim in April 1945 and was taken as a War Prize, was handed over to the MOWT and was renamed EMPIRE TEGYIKA. In 1947 she was transferred to the Admiralty and was renamed THORNOL, but remained under commercial management and was never RFA-manned
27 September 1945 laid down
15 May 1946 launched by Lobnitz & Co, Renfrew as Yard Nr 1091: named EBONOL (2)
21 August 1946 completed as CEDAROL as the original EBONOL had been recovered from the Japanese after WW2 had finished
1 June 1946 Mr D H Evans RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
15 July 1946 Captain Frederick G Edwards RFA appointed as Master
27 July 1946 Mr James W Stewart RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer until 31 March 1947
22 May 1947 at Gibraltar Mr Andrew Porteous RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer until 17 October 1947 at Malta
18 September 1947 to obviate confusion with RFA CEDARDALE she was renamed ROWANOL and spent her early years at Malta until relieved there by RFA EDDYCLIFF
1 November 1947 at Malta Mr Andrew Porteous RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
29 December 1947 Captain Leslie Sonley RFA appointed as Master
15 April 1948 relieved RFA BOXOL as Harbour Oiler at Malta
8 August 1948 Mr R W Cook RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 November 1948 Captain Alfred M Uglow RFA appointed as Master
Captain Alfred M Uglow RFA – image taken in 1920 when as a Deck Apprentice
22 to 28 September 1949 took part in the Mediterranean Fleet’s Second Summer Cruise with Rowanol visiting Aranci Bay with RFA’s FORT DUQUESNE & BLUE RANGER and various RN units
5 September 1950 Mr R E Davies RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
29 July 1951 Mr Robert Blacklock RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
29 May 1952 Captain Leslie J. Mack DSO RFA appointed as Master
2 July 1952 Norwegian tanker Fernpark ran aground off Munxar Point, St. Thomas Bay, Malta while on its way to Marsaxlokk Harbour. RFA SEA SALVOR attempted to tow her off but failed – ROWANOL took 1,000 tons of fuel oil off the Fernpark which allowed SEA SALVOR to refloat her
ss Fernpark
19 August 1952 Mr Frank Buttigieg RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
13 – 26 September 1952 took part in the Mediterranean Fleet’s Cruise with Rowanol visiting Villefranche, Naples and Golfe Juan with HMS SURPRISE, HMS FORTH, HMS/m TRENCHANT, HMS/m SANGUINE, HMS/m STURDY, HMS/m SENTINEL, HMS MANXMAN and HMS DARING
HMS MANXMAN
1 – 6 October 1952 took part in the Mediterranean Fleet’s Cruise with Rowanol visiting Palermo with HMS CLEOPATRA and HMS EURYALAS
20 January 1953 sailed Grand Harbour, Malta
13 July 1953 sailed Grand Harbour, Malta along with HMS’s GLASGOW, MEON, LCT 4040, REGGIO, DIEPPE, ST KITTS, WRANGLER (F5) CHEQUERS, BLACK PRINCE, TEREDO, SENTINEL, TALENT, TOKEN, INS RANJIT & JUMNA, RFA’s DINGLEDALE & BLUE RANGER for Exercise Bullock
13 October 1953 arrived at Malta and berthed at the Fuel Wharf
5 December 1953 the Bradford Observer newspaper reported …
March 1954 berthed at Malta together with RFA BLUE RANGER
28 May 1954 in the London Gazette of this day salvage awards for officers and crew members who had been involved in the salvage of the Norwegian ship Fernpark on 2 July 1952 (see above) with RFA SEA SALVOUR, HMS BRIGAND, Tug Expert and Tanac V56 announced
28 June 1954 Captain Leslie J. Mack DSO RFA – Master RFA ROWANOL declared an honorary citizen of the Greek town of Karlovasi for the rescue of three fishermen who had been forced to jump in the sea when their boat got into difficulties.
21 July 1954 Captain Stephen J Pethurst RFA appointed as Master
1 December 1954 Mr A C Hawk RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
3 March 1955 entered Chatham Dockyard from the River Medway berthing on RFA FORT DUNVEGAN, later berthed on HMS LOCH KILLISPORT and HMS GRENVILLE
4 March 1955 within Chatham Dockyard moved to a berth on HMS BROADSWORD
17 August 1955 Mr P Carrick RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
24 August 1955 Captain Robert D Almond RFA appointed as temporary Master until 28 June 1956
1 March 1956 Mr T R Reed RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 August 1956 Captain Robert D Almond RFA appointed as temporary Master until 13 December 1956
Captain Robert D Almond RFA
13 August 1956 at Portland Dockyard
20 September 1956 at Portland alongside HMS RELENTLESS
HMS RELENTLESS
13 December 1956 at Greenock. Captain George Robson RFA appointed as Master
18 January 1957 at Greenock
4 September 1957 Captain A H Tarr RFA appointed as Master
27 October 1958 Captain Robert D Almond RFA appointed as Master until 1 April 1960
28 November 1958 Mr Arthur Bloomer RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 May 1959 Mr W Hynd RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
28 March 1960 involved in a collision with HMS EXMOUTH (F84) in the Gare Loch
9 December 1960 Captain B H Lawrence RFA appointed as Master
17 May 1961 Captain Alfred M Uglow RFA appointed as Master until 31 May 1961
19 May 1961 at Greenock
31 May 1961 Captain John D Fisher RFA appointed as Master
4 June 1961 still at Greenock
10 June 1961 at Faslane with HMS/m ASTUTE alongside being refueled then sailed from Faslane
14 June 1961 at Faslane with HMS BLACKWOOD alongside being refueled
21 June 1961 at Tail of Bank with HMS BLACKWOOD alongside being refueled. RFA FRESHMERE was alongside at the same time supplying the frigate with fresh water
29 September 1961 Mr John G Yuill RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 April 1962 Mr A Bloomer RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
25 November 1962 Captain T H Macrow RFA appointed as Master
17 May 1963 Mr H Maddison RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
5 July 1963 at Greenock alongside HMS MOWHAWK refuelling her
16 September 1963 Captain John H Wehner BEM RFA appointed as Master
4th Quarter 1963 involved in a collision with HMS DALRYMPLE at Greenock – slight damage incurred
HMS DALRYMPLE
10 December 1963 was badly damaged after a collision in fog on the Clyde with the Swedish vessel ARJEPLOG and a coaster mv Spinel
Swedish motor vessel ARJEPLOG
11 December 1963 the Aberdeen Press and Journal reported the previous days collision thus –
29 April 1964 Mr J H Mills RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 May 1964 Captain W F Curlett RFA appointed as Master
26 June 1964 Captain Archibald Proudlock RFA appointed as Master
30 January 1965 at Glasgow
1 April 1965 at Greenock
8 August 1965 to 11 August 1965 took part in the Clyde Royal Review along with RFA‘s BLACK RANGER, OLYNTHUS (2), RESURGENT and WAVE PRINCE
10 October 1965 Captain Charles W P Sumner RFA appointed as Master
13 January 1966 Mr J H Mills RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
30 June 1966 Captain Henry Carr RFA appointed as Master until 21 November 1966
28 July 1966 at Greenock
3 June 1967 Mr H Maddison RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 October 1967 Captain J McCulloch RFA appointed as Master
1 December 1967 Captain T Paton RFA appointed as Master
8 February 1968 her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her
21 June 1968 in the mouth of the Clyde while being escorted by HMS MALCOLM was used as a torpedo target by HMAS/m OTWAY
28 November 1969 Captain Richard Thorn RFA appointed as Master
1 December 1970 sailed from the Clyde for the last time
3 December 1970 arrived Devonport to destore and reduce to hulk status
March 1971 on the Disposal List at Devonport
25 September 1971 offered for sale by the Department of Trade & Industry ‘as lying’ at Devonport Dockyard in the Times of this day
10 December 1971 arrived Zeebrugge in tow for demolition by Ets Jacques Bakker en Zonen