Previous name: Beskidy
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 169231
Class: SURF CLASS Freighting Tanker
Pennant No: A365
Laid down: 4 July 1950
Builder: Bartram and Sons Ltd., South Dock, Sunderland
Launched: 23 April 1951
Into Service: 28 November 1951
Out of service: 13 August 1960 – Laid up at Devenport
Fate: Broken up
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 requisitioned 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 at a cost of £630,000
4 July 1950 laid down by Bartram and Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 333
23 April 1951 launched and named BESKIDY for Gdynia-America Shipping Lines Ltd, Gydnia, Poland which was subsequently dissolved and its fleet was handed over to the Polskie Linie Oceaniczne
14 July 1951 requisitioned by the Admiralty under paragraph 1, Regulation 53, Defence Regulations 1939 and renamed SURF PIONEER
11 August 1951 Mr A J Daniel RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
25 September 1951 Captain Cecil H Grainger MID RFA appointed as Master
28 November 1951 completed and handed over to the Admiralty after builders trials
11 December 1951 berthed at Palmers Hebburn on Tyne
17 December 1951 sailed from the River Tyne
18 December 1951 at Corporation Quay, Sunderland loading bunkers
19 December 1951 sailed for Key West, Florida.
Press report from the Sunderland Daily Echo
19 February 1952 the builders submitted an account for additional work undertaken at the Admiralty’s request amounting to £115.18.11d
21 May 1952 berthed at Palmers Jarrow, River Tyne
3 February 1953 Captain William F Curlett RFA appointed as Master
18 January 1954 Mr H G May RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
6 February 1954 one officer and five crew members in a ships boat in the Indian Ocean carried away by strong currents – rescued by Indian coastal ships. This was reported by the Shields Daily News newspaper –
13 February 1954 at Bombay in refit
22 July 1954 the Coventry Evening Telegraph reported –
3 December 1954 discharged crew in North Shields Shipping Office
8 December 1954 Captain C M Rennels RFA appointed as Master
11 December 1954 Mr Harry G May RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
16 December 1954 alongside at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne together with RFA BROWN RANGER
19 December 1954 sailed from the River Tyne
20 December 1954 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Flamorough Head sailing south bound
21 December 1954 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing west bound. Signalled she was on passage to Avonmouth
29 January 1955 sailed Montevideo for Paysandu
25 February 1956 passed Dover sailing east bound
27 February 1956 berthed at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne after arrival from Liverpool
1 March 1956 Captain Frank C Holt RFA appointed as Master
Captain Frank C Holt RFA
13 March 1956 berthed at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne with RFA’s ARNDALE and ECHODALE
27 March 1956 at the North Shields, River Tyne Shipping Office signed off her crew
29 March 1956 the Shields Daily News reported –
31 March 1956 berthed at Smith Dock, River Tyne together with RFA ARNDALE
4 April 1956 at North Shields shipping office discharged part of the crew
16 April 1956 the Shields Daily News reported that –
23 April 1956 engaged a crew at North Shields Shipping Office, River Tyne
5 May 1956 at Smiths Dock, River Tyne. RFA SURF PATROL was also berthed there
7 August 1956 Mr Charles H Gurr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
17 September 1956 berthed at Gibraltar with 10,000 tons of fresh water which had been loaded at Algiers
5 November 1956 was deployed on Operation Musketeer – the Suez Crisis – until 22 December 1956 as a water carrier – the entire crew qualified for Naval General Service Medal with the “Near East” Bar
25 December 1956 entered Grand Harbour, Malta after covering, with RN units, the Anglo-French Forces withdrawl from Port Said
5 January 1957 the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser reported –
3 May 1957 arrived at the River Tyne from Oslo
28 May 1957 in refit at Smith’s Dock, River Tyne and Captain Albert E Curtain OBE RD RFA (Commander RNR (Rtd)) appointed as Master
2 July 1957 arrived at Immingham from Trinidad
7 August 1957 sailed Gibraltar for Marseilles
16 August 1957 arrived at Gibraltar
17 August 1957 sailed from Gibraltar for Trinidad
3 September 1957 sailed from Trinidad for LEFO
24 September 1957 passed Dover sailing west bound
25 September 1957 arrived at Plymouth Sound
10 October 1957 sailed Santiago, Chile for Kingston, Jamaica
15 October 1957 sailed Trinidad for LEFO
28 October 1957 arrived at Canvey Island
2 November 1957 sailed Grangemouth for Plymouth
5 November 1957 arrived at Plymouth
21 November 1957 sailed Santiago. Chile
25 November 1957 arrived Trinidad
15 December 1957 arrived Grangemouth
17 December 1957 sailed Grangemouth for Falmouth
1 January 1958 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
14 January 1958 arrived at Santiago
20 January 1958 sailed Trinidad for LEFO
18 February 1958 sailed from Devonport
19 March 1958 berthed at Immingham from Trinidad
9 June 1958 Captain Howard D Gausden DSO OBE RFA appointed as Master
14 July 1958 Mr Harry G May RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 August 1958 Captain Russell G Edmons RFA appointed as Master
9 September 1958 Captain George W Webster RFA appointed as Master
Captain George W Webster RFA
1 January 1959 Mr Harry G May RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
12 May 1959 Captain Edward E Laurence RFA appointed as Master
10 July 1959 Mr Charles H Gurr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 July 1959 suffered engine break down while in the eastern Mediterranean. The tug naval HMS BRIGAND sailed from Malta to stand by her
18 August 1959 sailed from Immingham
23 September 1959 Captain Edward E A Le Sage RFA appointed as Master
26 December 1959 Captain R J Lockwood RFA appointed as Master
10 February 1960 sailed Malta to Abadan to load
14 March 1960 berthed at Malta to discharge
17 March 1960 sailed Malta for Port Said
27 July 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty
29 July 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound
3 August 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty
4 August 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound
9 August 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty
10 August 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound
13 August 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty
16 August 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to No: 9 wharf prior to being laid up
20 September 1960 at Devonport Dockyard moved from No: 10 wharf to 3 West Mud moorings
29 September 1960 at Devonport Dockyard when at West Mud Moorings RFA’s NASPRITE and GREEN RANGER berthed alongside of her
20 July 1961 at Devonport Dockyard when at West Mud Moorings RFA GREEN RANGER was moved alongside of her from Millbay Docks
21 August 1961 at Devonport Dockyard when at West Mud Moorings RFA NASPRITE berthed alongside her
18 November 1969 placed on the Disposal List
29 November 1969 advertised for sale ‘as lying’ at Devonport in The Times of this date by the Board of Trade
16 February 1970 sailed Devonport in tow for the breakers
28 February 1970 arrived Burriana for breaking up by Aguilar y Peris S.A.
March 1970 breaking up began
Notes:
1. Her and her sister always retained the Polish Eagle embossed on their funnels.