mv Somersby before becoming an RFA

RFA Somersby 

Subsequent name:                     RFA Reliant                                                         

Official Number:                          180097                                                                              

Class:                                          Aviation Stores / Victualling Stores Issuing Ship

Pennant No:                                A84

Laid down:
Builder:                                       Laing, Depford Yard
Launched:                                  9 September 1953
Into RFA Service:                       11 August 1957
Out of service:                            7 May 1976
Fate:                                           Broken Up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Originally designed as a cargo liner for Ropner Shipping Co, Darlington for the carriage of grain on the U.K. – Gulf of Mexico route and could also carry up to 12 passengers. She entered this service in March 1954 named SOMERSBY but due to uneconomical trading was turned over to tramping in 1956. She was chartered by the Admiralty for a 3 month period that year and the following year was purchased by them. After a quick docking and repairs, she entered service as RFA SOMERSBY on freighting duties and was used for the destoring of Trincomalee after the base there was handed over.

21 September 1953 at Laings Quay, Sunderland fitting out

5 January 1954 moved to NE Marine, River Tyne

4 March 1954 sailed Sunderland for sea trials

7 March 1954 sailed from Sunderland for London

15 March 1954 sailed London to Miami, New Orleans, Mobile and Houston USA with 12 passengers. Captain John Kenny was the Master

27 March 1954 arrived at Miami

12 April 1954 arrived at Houston

17 April 1954 sailed from Galveston for Liverpool

30 April 1954 arrived at Liverpool from Galveston, Texas, New Orleans and Miami. The Master was Captain John Kenny

9 May 1954 arrived at Belfast

12 May 1954 arrived at Dublin

13 May 1954 sailed Dublin for London

14 May 1954 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing eastbound

15 May 1954 arrived at London from US Gulf ports, Liverpool and Dublin

21 May 1954 sailed London to Miami, New Orleans, Mobile and Houston USA with 6 passengers

2 June 1954 arrived at Miami, Florida

3 June 1954 sailed from Miami for New Orleans

5 June 1954 arrived at New Orleans

8 June 1954 sailed New Orleansa for Galveston

21 June 1954 arrived at Pensacola

24 June 1954 sailed from Mobile for Liverpool

7 July 1954 arrived at Liverpool from New Orleans, Houston, Brownsville, Pensacola and Mobile. The Master was Captain John Kenny

6 August 1954 sailed London to Miami, New Orleans, Mobile and Houston USA with twelve passengers

17 August 1954 berthed at Miami

18 August 1954 sailed Miami for Mobile

20 August 1954 arrived at Mobile

25 August 1954 arrived at New Orleans

29 August 1954 arrived at Lake Charles

9 September 1954 sailed Houston for Liverpool

22 September 1954 berthed at Liverpool from Houston with two passangers

20 October 1954 sailed Hamburg

6 November 1954 arrived at New Orleans

9 November 1954 sailed New Orleans for Lake Charles

11 November 1954 sailed Lake Charles for Brownsville

13 November 1954 arrived at Brownsville

19 November 1954 sailed Houston for Galveston and Liverpool

5 December 1954 arrived Liverpool withseven passangers

30 December 1954 sailed Dublin, Ireland for London

8 January 1955 sailed London for US ports with twelve passengers

26 January 1955 arrived at Mobile

1 February 1955 arrived at New Orleans from Houston

24 February 1955 at 33°55N 37°43W passenger Gladys Ferguson discharged dead from a stroke

29 February 1955 passed the the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing west bound

4 March 1955 arrived at Liverpool with seven passengers

5 April 1955 sailed Cardiff to Houston and New Orleans, USA with ten passengers

17 April 1955 arrived at Galveston

28 April 1955 arrived at Galveston

22 July 1955 arrived New Orleans

6 September 1955 sailed London to Miami and Houston, USA with twelve passengers

1 October 1955 arrived at Houston, USA

6 October 1955 arrived New Orleans

11 November 1955 sailed from the River Tyne

17 November 1955 sailed London to Miami, New Orleans and Houston, USA with twelve passengers

28 November 1955 arrived at Miami

7 December 1955 arrived at Houston

9 December 1955 sailed Houston for Galveston

11 December 1955 sailed from Galveston for Brownsville

15 December 1955 arrived at Mobile

17 December 1955 sailed Mobile for Liverpool

30 December 1955 arrived at Liverpool with two passengers

15 January 1956 berthed at Dublin

16 January 1956 sailed Dublin for London

25 January 1956 sailed London to Miami and New Orleans, USA with twelve passengers

9 February 1956 arrived at Mobile

11 February 1956 arrived at New Orleans

16 February 1956 arrived at Houston, Texas

20 February 1956 sailed Houston, Texas for Galveston

7 March 1956 arrived at Liverpool

15 March 1956 sailed Liverpool for London

26 March 1956 sailed London passing Dover sailing west bound to Houston and New Orleans, USA with four passengers

6 April 1956 berthed at Miami, Florida

9 April 1956 arrived at New Orleans

 17 April 1956 arrived at Galveston

21 June 1956 the Times newspaper reported – 

12 July 1956 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamorough Head sailing south bound – signalled she was on passage to Cardiff

August 1956 requisitioned by the Admiralty for duty with British Forces in Operation Musketeer – the Suez Crisis. She was one of 70 additional British merchant ships for this service. Britain also recalled seven former LST’s which were out on commercial charter at the time

7 August 1956 at Barry, South Wales

15 August 1956 sailed Barry, South Wales for Malta

27 August 1956 sailed from Malta

1 October 1956 arrived at Gibraltar sailing later the same day for US Gulf Coast ports

19 October 1956 sailed from Mobile for Rotterdam

1 August 1957 arrived at Smith’s Dockyard Co Ltd, North Shields for examination

2 August 1957 discharged the crew at North Shields Shipping Office

4 August 1957 Mr W E Young RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 August 1957 Captain Samuel Thomas RFA appointed as Temporary Master

10 August 1957 sailed the River Tyne on trials

11 August 1957 first RFA crew appointments were made and she entered service as RFA SOMERSBY, on freighting duties and was also used in connection with the destoring of the former Naval base at Trincomalee, Ceylon when it closed

2 September 1957 deployed from London on Operation Grapple carrying 3,931 tons of cargo to Chrismas Island

1 October 1957 Captain Stanley C Kernick RFA appointed as Master

1 February 1958 in refit at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE RULER (1)

11 February 1958 in refit at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE RULER (1)

13 February 1958 in refit at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE RULER (1)

22 February 1958 in refit at Smiths Dock Co Ltd., River Tyne together with RFA WAVE RULER (1) 

29 March 1958 in refit at Smiths Dock Co Ltd., River Tyne – RFA WAVE SOVEREIGN was also present in the same ship yard at the same time

15 May 1958 in refit at Smiths Dock Co Ltd., River Tyne – RFA WAVE SOVEREIGN was also present in the same ship yard at the same time

5 July 1958 in refit at Smiths Dock Co Ltd., River Tyne – RFA WAVE GOVERNOR was also present in the same ship yard at the same time

29 July 1958 in refit at Smiths Dock Co Ltd., River Tyne – RFA WAVE GOVERNOR was also present in the same ship yard at the same time

11 August 1958 Captain Howard D Gausden DSO OBE RFA appointed as Master

26 August 1958 in refit at Smiths Dock Co Ltd., River Tyne – RFA WAVE GOVERNOR was also present in the same ship yard at the same time

6 September 1958 returned to the River Tyne after trials to Smiths Dock Co Ltd.

23 September 1958 name changed to RFA RELIANT

For further details of this ship please see RFA Reliant (2)