Previous name:                  Tatry
Subsequent name:             Marisurf    

Official Number:                 169230                                                         

Class:                                SURF CLASS Freighting Tanker

Pennant No:                       A357
 
Laid down:                         20 March 1950
Builder:                               Bartram and Sons Ltd, Sunderland
Launched:                          7 February 1951
Into Service:                       17 July 1951
Out of service:                    11 May 1961 – laid up at Devonport
Fate:                                   Sold commercially December 1969

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  The two sister ships in this Class were originally ordered by Polish owners and both were jointly commandeered by the Admiralty and the Foreign Office under the Defence Regulations and Enactments during the Korean War. They were initially used mainly for charter work, then carried Admiralty cargoes for a short while before being placed in reserve. There was to have been a third ship in this Class, to have been named SURF PILOT, which was also requisitioned by the Admiralty during the Korean War to prevent her being used by the Communists. She however commissioned instead as a tender to HMS TERROR at Singapore, before being laid up in very poor condition and she was never used by the RFA

14 May 1948 ordered with a contract price of £630.000

20 March 1950 keel laid down by Bartram and Sons Ltd, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 332

7 February 1951 launched and named TATRY for Gdynia-America Shipping Lines Ltd, Gydnia, Poland which was subsequently dissolved and it’s fleet transferred to the Polskie Linie Oceaniczne

RFA Surf Patrol when still as Tary being moved across the dock at Sunderland

July 1951 requisitioned by the Government for the Admiralty

14 July 1951 renamed SURF PATROL and Captain Donovan J S Newton MID RFA appointed as Master  and with Mr Alexander B McIntyre RD (Commander (E) RNR (ret)) RFA as Chief Engineer Officer

16 July 1951 ran trials. The Shields Daily News reported …

17 July 1951 completed and handed over to the Admiralty. The Newcastle Evening Chronicle reported that –

19 July 1951 berthed at the Admiralty Quay, Hebburn, River Tyne

Press cutting from the Sunderland Daily Echo of 19 July 1951 

21 July 1951 sailed from the River Tyne for Southampton

25 September 1951 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head sailing north arriving at West Hartlepool from Plymouth the same day for repairs

28 September 1951 the Hartlepool Northern Daily mail reported –

19 January 1952 berthed at TIC Hebburn Quay, River Tyne 

26 January 1952 Mr A Webb RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 January 1952 berthed at TIC Hebburn Quay, River Tyne

1 February 1952 berthed at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

4 February 1952  berthed at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

19 February 1952 the builders submitted an account for £629.5.0d for additional work undertaken at the Admiralty’s request

29 February 1952 arrived at Beaumont, Texas

10 March 1952 arrived at Curaçao

14 March 1952 sailed Curaçao for Trinidad

18 March 1952 agreed payment for the ship made this day

30 August 1952 arrived at the River Tyne from Stanlow berthing on Wallsend Slipway

3 September 1952 Captain C N Rennels RFA appointed as Master

6 September 1952 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

12 September 1952 engaged a crew at the North Shields Shipping Office, River Tyne this day

15 September 1952 sailed from the River Tyne for Trinidad

24 February 1953 berthed at Hobart, Tasmania from Bahrain

4 March 1953 berthed at Melbourne from Bahrain

26 April 1953 berthed at Melbourne from Bahrain

3 May 1953 sailed Melbourne

6 July 1953 sailed Melbourne for Perth, WA

9 July 1953 berthed Perth, WA

3 September 1953 arrived Hobart to discharge from Bahrain

5 September 1953 sailed Hobart to Barhrain

30 October 1953 sailed Melbourne for Bahrain

23 December 1953 arrived Sydney, NSW Australia to discharge

25 December 1953 sailed Sydney, NSW Australia for Cairns

31 December 1953 arrived Cairns to discharge

2 January 1954 sailed Cairns for Bahrain

18 January 1954 Mr T H Purvis RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

19 March 1954 arrived at arrived Cairns to discharge

29 April 1954 Captain T G Hill RD RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

14 May 1954 sailed Melbourne

11 July 1954 arrived Brisbane to discharge from Bahrain

21 July 1954 sailed Townsville, Australia after discharging cargo

4 August 1954 sailed Colombo, Ceylon

12 August 1954 arrived at Bahrein

13 August 1954 sailed Bahrein for Colombo, Ceylon

21 August 1954 arrived at Colombo, Ceylon sailing later the same day for Hobart, Tasmania

8 September 1954 arrived at Hobart. Tasmania to discharge from Bahrain

10 September 1954 sailed Hobart to Sydney, NSW

12 September 1954 arrived at Sydney, NSW from Hobart, Tasmania

15 September 1954 sailed from Sydney, NSW for Cairns

19 September 1954 at Cairns

20 September 1954 sailed from Cairns for Bombay

21 September 1954 passed Thursday Island

5 October 1954 arrived at Trincomalee, Ceylon

11 October 1954 arrived at Bombay from Chittagong

4 November 1954 sailed Bombay for Bahrein

9 November 1954 arrived at Bahrein

10 November 1954 sailed from Bahrein for Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

2 December 1954 Mr P Ryan RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 December 1954 arrived Melbourne, Victoria

9 December 1954 sailed Melbourne, Victoria

16 December 1954 arrived Cairns, North Queensland to discharge

17 December 1954 sailed Cairns, North Queensland for Bahrein

1 January 1955 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for Bahrein

7 January 1955 arrived at Bahrein

9 January 1955 sailed from Bahein for Botany Bay

7 February 1955 arrived at Newcastle, NSW

17 February 1955 passed Thursday Island

3 March 1955 arrived at Colombo, Ceylon

5 March 1955 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for Bahrein

13 March 1955 sailed Bahrein for Hobart, Tasmania

12 April 1955 sailed from Devonport, Tasmania for Melbourne

19 April 1955 sailed Melbourne, Victoria for Bahrein

4 May 1955 sailed from Colombo, Ceylon for Bahrein

11 May 1955 berthed at Bahrein

14 May 1955 sailed from Bahrein for Sydney, NSW, Australia

5 June 1955 passed Thursday Island, Australia

17 June 1955 sailed Sydney, NSW, Australia for the Persian Gulf

23 June 1955 passed Thursday Island, Australia

17 July 1955 arrived at Bahrein

25 July 1955 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for Brisbane, Australia

9 August 1955 passed Thursday Island

15 August 1955 arrived Brisbane, Australia

22 August 1955 sailed from Brisbane, Australia for Colombo, Ceylon

26 August 1955 passed Thursday Island

9 September 1955 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for Bombay

12 September 1955 arrived at Bombay

11 October 1955 arrived at Bombay

15 October 1955 arrived at Bahrein

26 October 1955 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for Hobart, Tasmania

13 November 1955 sailed from Hobart, Tasmania

17 November 1955 arrived at Melbourne, Australia

21 November 1955 sailed Melbourne for Colombo, Ceylon

5 December 1955 arrived at Colombo Road, Ceylon from Melbourne, Australia

7 December 1955 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for Bahrein

13 December 1955 arrived at Bahrein

17 December 1955 sailed from Bahrein for Colombo, Ceylon

25 December 1955 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for Sydney, NSW, Australia

17 January 1956 five members of the Chinese crew appeared before Sydney Magistrates’ Court, NSW, Australia and each pleaded Guilty to smuggling £10,000 worth of opium into Australia. They claimed they had bought the drug in Bahrain. They were each fined £100 The Central Queensland Herald of this day reported –

23 January 1956 Sailor Lee Ing Chong discharged dead from gas poisoning

21 March 1956 arrived at the River Tyne 

22 March 1956 Captain Donald B C Ralph OBE DSC* RFA appointed as Master

25 March 1956 Mr Reginald R Darroch RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Reginald R Darroch RFA

29 March 1956 the Shields Daily News newspaper reported –

31 March 1956 sailed the River Tyne and later passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head sailing south – when on passage to Antwerp

5 May 1956 at Smiths Dock, River Tyne. RFA SURF PIONEER was also berthed there

12 May 1956 Captain B Smith RFA appointed as Master

22 November 1956 Mr Daniel S Wood RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 December 1957 Mr E S Meaton  RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 January 1958 arrived at Yonderberry Pier from Plymouth Sound

6 January 1958 sailed from Yonderberry Pier to Plymouth Sound

17 January 1958 Captain Emile E Sigwart RFA (Temporary Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

Captain Emile E Sigwart RFA

15 April 1958 arrived at Malta from Pembroke Dock

29 April 1958 berthed at Pembroke Dock from Malta

27 October 1958 Captain Frank P Hennin OBE RFA appointed as Master

2 December 1958 Captain George S Perry RFA appointed as Master

12 February 1959 the Liverpool Echo reported –

13 February 1959 after grounding off Innellan Village, Argyllshire in the Firth of Clyde was refloated this day and taken to Tail of Bank, Greenock for inspection

RFA Surf Patrol aground in the Firth of Clyde

13 February 1959 the Coventry Evening Telegraph reported –

22 November 1959 berthed at Malta

26 November 1959 sailed Malta to the Persian Gulf

31 January 1960 berthed at Malta from the Persian Gulf

6 January 1960 Captain Douglas G Cox OBE RFA appointed as Master

7 January 1960 Mr W Ditchburn RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 January 1960 at Plymouth Sound with RFA BIRCHOL (2) berthed alongside

4 March 1960 berthed at Singapore

2 April 1960 berthed at Malta

17 June 1960 berthed at Malta from the Persian Gulf

8 July 1960 berthed at Malta

2 August 1960 Mr W B Jones RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 August 1960 Captain J Ditchburn RFA appointed as Master

5 February 1961 visited Auckland, New Zealand

7 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to 

10 April 1961 at Devonport on Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty moved to Plymouth Sound

13 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

17 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound

20 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

21 April 1961 at Devonport on Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty with RFA BLUE RANGER berthed outboard of her

24 April 1961 at Devonport from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty moved to Plymouth Sound

28 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

2 May 1961 at Devonport from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty moved to Plymouth Sound

11 May 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to No: 1 jetty to be laid up

23 May 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 1 jetty to West Mud Moorings on RFA BISHOPDALE

1 November 1969 offered for sale ‘as lying’ at Devonport Dockyard in the Times of this day

December 1969 Purchased by General Carriers S.A, London and renamed MARISURF

1970 Purchased by Allied Industries Ltd, Limassol name unchanged

31 August 1974 laid up at Piraeus, Greece

27 May 1980 sold for demolition

16 June 1980 delivered to Elkhart & Co, Germany for resale

21 July 1980 arrived Split for demolition by Brodospas

Notes:

1. Her and her sister (RFA Surf Pioneer)  always retained the Polish Eagle embossed on their funnels