Official Number: 180034
Class: WAVE CLASS Freighting Oiler (unmodified)
Pennant No: X100 / B523 / A100
Signal Letters: GJKT (1944)
Laid down: 19 September 1943
Builder: Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill
Launched: 16 October 1944
Into Service: 20 December 1944
Out of service: 1959
Fate: Arrived at Barrow for breaking up 19 June 1960
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: A need for fast tankers to bring oil into the country had been envisaged early in the Second World War, but by the time the material had been collected and the Yards had space to build them, the need had largely passed and the original design of diesel-engined ships was abandoned. Instead, the standard 12,000t Class being built were given sharper bows and sterns and turbine engines with water tube boilers. In all, twentyone of this type were built and were offered to the Admiralty, who wanted faster tankers for the Pacific Fleet Train. The Admiralty took twenty of them (the final vessel being completed commercially for Oil and Molasses Tankers Ltd, London as BEECHWOOD) and renamed them with the WAVE nomenclature. Performance varied considerably from ship to ship and they underwent various modifications in their rigs for RAS work. The eight best ones were finally given an extensive refit, with extra accommodation added to the Bridge Deck and extra turbo cargo pumps and derricks to make them more satisfactory for Fleet work. Initially expensive to run, they recouped some of their expensive repair bills by earning revenues from charter work after the Korean War. From this Class was evolved the TIDE CLASS oilers.
3 February 1943 ordered
15 September 1943 laid down
14 October 1944 Mr Lowrie Cowell RD RFA (Engineer Lieutenant RNR (retd) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
16 October 1944 launched by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill as Yard Nr: 361 named WAVE EMPEROR for the Admiralty
20 December 1944 completed
12 January 1945 Mr R N Foster RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 January 1945 sailed Middlesborough to Southend arriving on 17 January 1945
19 January 1945 sailed Southend in escorted convoy UC53A arriving New York on the 2 February 1945
19 February 1945 sailed New York in escorted convoy CU59 in position 23 in column 2. Arrived Avonmouth 2 March 1945 along with ss EMPIRE BOUNTY (later RFA WAVE VICTOR)
4 March 1945 sailed Avonmouth to the Clyde arriving the next day
11 April 1945 sailed the Clyde in escorted convoy UC63B and then from 17 April 1945 independently arriving Curaçao on the 24 April 1945
27 April 1945 sailed Curaçao independently to Cristobal arriving 29 April 1945
30 April 1945 sailed Balboa, Panama independently to Manus arriving 25 May 1945
25 May 1945 arrived Manus, Admiralty Islands
1 June 1945 listed as in port at Manus, Admiralty Islands
2 June 1945 at Manus, Admiralty Islands refuelled alongside HMAS NEPAL and HMAS NAPIER
7 June 1945 arrived at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
1 July 1945 part of the United States Third Fleet Operations as a ship in Task Unit 112.2.1
26 July 1945 refuelled HMAS NAPIER alongside
27 July 1945 sailed from Manus, Admiralty Islands for Entiwetok
August 1945 RFA’s forming the logistics support group for the British Pacific Fleet included RFA’s ARNDALE, BACCHUS (2), BISHOPDALE, BROWN RANGER, CEDARDALE, DINGLEDALE, EASEDALE, EMPIRE SALVAGE, GREEN RANGER, RAPIDOL, SERBOL, WAVE GOVERNOR, WAVE KING, WAVE MONARCH and HMS (later RFA) OLNA (2)
3 August 1945 at Eniwetok with HMAS BENDIGO alongside to refuel
HMAS BENDIGO
4 August 1945 arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands
13 August 1945 along with HMS (later RFA) OLNA conducted the last wartime RAS in WW2 to the British Pacific Fleet and refuelled the Escort Carrier HMS RULER, the Escort Sloop HMS PHEASANT and HM frigates BARLE, CRANE and FINDHORN as well as units of the Australian and U.S. navies
21 August 1945 sailed Eniwetok independently arriving Leyte 28 August 1945
9 September 1945 off Kowloon, Hong Kong with HMAS LAUNCESTON alongside being refuelled
HMAS LAUNCESTON
17 September 1945 at Hong Kong refuelled HMAS MARYBOROUGH alongside
HMAS MARYBOROUGH
21 September 1945 at Hong Kong harbour refuelled HMAS GOULBURN alongside
18 October 1945 at Hong Kong harbour refuelled HMAS MILDURA alongside
7 December 1945 Captain William W Peddle RFA appointed as Master
Captain William W Peddle RFA
29 December 1945 sailed Sydney, NSW for Abadan
30 December 1945 in communication with HMAS WARRAMUNGA
3 March 1946 arrived at Hong Kong
22 May 1946 sailed Kure, Japan for Singapore
4 June 1946 sailed Singapore for Abadan
14 August 1946 sailed Singapore for Abadan
18 September 1946 arrived Abadan
22 September 1946 sailed Abadan for Colombo, Ceylon
7 October 1946 sailed Colombo, Ceylon to Fremantle, Australia
13 October 1946 arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia
17 October 1946 berthed at Perth, Western Australia to discharge
21 October 1946 sailed Perth, Western Australia for Bombay
3 November 1946 sailed from Bombay
10 November 1946 sailed Abadan
15 November 1946 passed Aden
20 November 1946 sailed Port Said for LEFO
26 November 1946 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
30 November 1946 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
4 March 1947 Mr David L S Hood DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
9 March 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
20 March 1947 arrived at Trinidad
1 April 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastbound
2 April 1947 berthed at Devonport
21 April 1947 passed Gibraltar sailing eastbound
26 April 1947 arrived Port Said from Devonport
5 May 1947 sailed Aden for Abadan
11 May 1947 berthed at Abadan to load
20 May 1947 berthed at Colombo, Ceylon
15 June 1947 at Abadan Hospital 2nd Cook John Soares discharged dead. He had left the ship on 11 June 1947, had been admitted to hospital, and died from empyema
18 August 1947 on the River Clyde along with RFA’s BROOMDALE, WAVE CHIEF and WAVE PROTECTOR in refit
20 August 1947 Mr J Wilson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
9 September 1947 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound
15 September 1947 sailed from Port Said
19 September 1947 passed Aden
26 September 1947 sailed Abadan
10 October 1947 berthed at Malta from Abadan
26 October 1947 sailed Malta for Abadan
29 October 1947 sailed from Port Said
8 November 1947 arrived at Abadan
10 November 1947 sailed Abadan for Trincomalee, Ceylon
18 November 1947 arrived at Trincomalee, Ceylon
20 November 1947 sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon for Bombay and Abadan
23 November 1947 arrived at Bombay
1 December 1947 sailed from Bombay
8 December 1947 sailed from Abadan
17 December 1947 arrived at Suez from Abadan
18 December 1947 sailed Port Said
24 December 1947 sailed from Malta for Abadan
6 January 1948 arrived Abadan
8 January 1948 sailed Abadan
14 January 1948 passed Aden
18 January 1948 arrived at Suez
19 January 1948 sailed Port Said
25 January 1948 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
11 February 1948 arrived Liverpool in ballast
26 February 1948 Captain Cecil R Rosen OBE RFA appointed as Master
Captain Cecil R Rosen OBE RFA
24 April 1948 sailed Avonmouth for Abadan
14 May 1948 sailed from Abadan
24 May 1948 arrived at Suez from Abadan
31 May 1948 passed Aden
17 June 1948 arrived at Suez from Abadan
19 June 1948 sailed from Port Said for Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
26 July 1948 arrived at Abadan from Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot, River Clyde
28 July 1948 sailed Abadan for Bombay and Colombo, Ceylon
2 August 1948 arrived at Bombay
5 August 1948 sailed from Bombay
8 August 1948 sailed from Colombo, Ceylon for Sydney, NSW, Australia
23 August 1948 arrived at Chowder Bay, Mosman, NSW, Australia to discharge
28 August 1948 sailed from Sydney, NSW, Australia
2 September 1948 passed Thursday Island when on passage to Abadan
12 September 1948 arrived Trincomalee, Ceylon from Sydney, NSW, Australia
15 September 1948 sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon for the UK
26 September 1948 arrived at Suez from Trincomalee, Ceylon
15 October 1948 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound
20 October 1948 arrived at Port Said
30 October 1948 sailed Port Said
8 November 1948 arrived at Abadan
29 November 1948 sailed Cape Town for Abadan
13 December 1948 arrived at Abadan
15 December 1948 sailed Abadan
21 December 1948 passed Aden
26 December 1948 sailed Port Said
31 December 1948 passed Gibraltar while on passage to Devonport
7 January 1949 Captain Frederick S Harvey RFA appointed as Master
Captain Frederick S Harvey RFA as an Apprentice
13 January 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound
16 January 1949 arrived at Malta while on passage from Devonport
18 January 1949 sailed from Malta
21 January 1949 arrived at Port Said
6 February 1949 sailed from Suez
15 February 1949 arrived at Abadan
17 February 1949 sailed from Abadan
27 February 1949 arrived at Suez
28 February 1949 sailed Port Said for LEFO
7 March 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
14 March 1949 berthed at Immingham to discharge sailing the same day
15 March 1949 passed Dover for Devonport
5 May 1949 Captain Cyril F Cunningham RFA appointed as Master
Captain Cyril F Cunningham RFA
30 May 1949 arrived at Port Said
1 June 1949 sailed Suez for Abadan
10 June 1949 arrived at Abadan from Devonport
11 June 1949 sailed Abadan for Singapore
24 June 1949 sailed from Singapore for Hong Kong
28 June 1949 arrived at Hong Kong
11 July 1949 sailed Hong Kong for Bombay
22 July 1949 arrived at Bombay
3 August 1949 at Abadan Pantryman Joaquim Rodrigues discharged dead having either heat stroke or cerebral malaria
14 August 1949 arrived at Suez
15 August 1949 sailed from Port Said
21 August 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
30 August 1949 Mr G McK Blair RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
6 September 1949 passed Gibraltar east bound while on passage from Falmouth to Abadan
11 September 1949 arrived at Port Said from Falmouth
18 September 1949 sailed Suez
29 September 1949 sailed Suez for Abadan
10 October 1949 sailed from Port Said
13 November 1949 arrived at Port Said this day when on passage from Falmouth to Abadan
29 November 1949 sailed Suez for Abadan
9 December 1949 arrived at Abadan from Falmouth
22 December 1949 sailed Port Said
31 December 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
5 January 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour passing the Lloyds Signal Station on St Catherines sailing west
28 January 1950 while on passage from Falmouth to Abadan arrived at Gibraltar this day
2 February 1950 arrived at Port Said
3 February 1950 sailed Suez for Abadan
13 February 1950 arrived at Abadan
21 March 1950 arrived Suez when on passage from Abadan to Devonport
22 March 1950 sailed Port Said when on passage from Abadan to Devonport
30 March 1950 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound for Devonport
3 April 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastward
10 April 1950 Mr F Hobson RFA (Warrant Engineer RNR) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
24 June 1950 on passage from Devonport passed Gibraltar this day
26 July 1950 arrived at Port Said from Devonport
5 September 1950 berthed at Singapore
28 March 1951 at Abadan Fireman Sheikh Habib discharged dead from Pneumonia
28 April 1951 arrived Chowder Bay, Mosman, NSW, Australia from Abadan to discharge
28 June 1951 Captain Edward E A Le Sage RFA appointed as Master
Captain Edward E A Le Sage RFA
(taken early in his sea going career)
8 July 1951 arrived at Hebburn, River Tyne
14 July 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne
16 July 1951 Mr R N Foster RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
18 July 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
27 July 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
2 August 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
7 August 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
30 August 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
6 September 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
10 September 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
14 September 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
20 September 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair
2 October 1951 sailed the Tyne for Curaçao
15 October 1951 arrived at Curaçao
16 October 1951 sailed Curaçao for Malta
30 October 1951 arrived at Malta
1 November 1951 sailed Malta for Port Said
4 November 1951 arrived at Port Said
5 November 1951 sailed Suez
14 November 1951 arrived at Bombay
21 November 1951 sailed from Mena Al Ahmadi
2 December 1951 sailed Port Said
8 December 1951 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound for Thames Haven
16 January 1952 sailed Curaçao for Gibraltar
30 January 1952 sailed from Gibraltar for Curaçao
24 February 1952 arrived Malta to discharge
24 October 1952 Captain E Payne RFA appointed as Master
2 March 1953 at anchor in the tideway of New York Harbour while on charter to Esso Standard Oil Company
14 April 1954 Captain James H Chant RFA appointed as Master
21 April 1954 passed Gibraltar while on passage from Swansea to Mena Al Ahmadi
4 June 1954 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing east bound
31 July 1954 Mr David C Leathley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer David C Leathley RFA
23 August 1954 Mr D F Gorrie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 October 1954 arrived at Port Said while on passage from Falmouth to Abadan
20 March 1955 berthed at Abadan
2 October 1955 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound
7 October 1955 arrived at Port Said
16 October 1955 arrived at Aden
23 October 1955 arrived at Fao
24 October 1955 sailed Fao for Venice
6 November 1955 arrived at Suez
7 November 1955 sailed from Port Said
20 November 1955 arrived at Port Said
22 November 1955 sailed from Suez
4 December 1955 sailed from Mena Al Ahmadi
12 December 1955 arrived at Colombo, Ceylon sailing the same day for Fremantle, Western Australia
24 December 1955 arrived at Quinana
4 January 1956 arrived at Adelaide
26 January 1956 sailed Colombo, Ceylon
29 January 1956 arrived at Bombay
7 February 1956 sailed Bombay, India for Calcutta
10 February 1956 arrived at Cochin
11 February 1956 sailed from Cochin for Calcutta
16 February 1956 arrived at Calcutta
3 March 1956 sailed Mena al Ahmadi for LEFO
15 March 1956 sailed Port Said
22 March 1956 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound
27 March 1956 arrived at Swansea
30 March 1956 Captain Alfred M Uglow RFA appointed as Master
3 April 1956 sailed Swansea for the River Tyne
6 April 1956 arrived at the River Tyne and berthed at Smith’s Dock
14 April 1956 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound
20 April 1956 arrived Port Said
21 April 1956 sailed from Suez
1 May 1956 arrived at Bombay
8 June 1956 berthed at Swansea
26 June 1956 sailed from Amsterdam
16 July 1956 arrived at New Orleans
19 July 1956 sailed from Houston, Texas
25 July 1956 arrived at Curaçao
9 August 1956 arrived at Devonport
20 August 1956 arrived at Falmouth
29 October 1956 sailed from Port Said for Abadan
30 November 1956 Mr A C Hawk RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 April 1957 in collision with m.v. Activity in the River Thames. An investigation found differences between the Engine Room movement book and the Bridge log. A recommendation was made that more use of the radar should be made
1 June 1957 arrived at the River Tyne
4 June 1957 berthed on the Admiralty Quay, River Tyne
18 June 1957 berthed on the Admiralty Quay, River Tyne
4 July 1957 Captain George Baker RFA appointed as Master
11 July 1957 berthed at Palmers at Hebburn together with RFA RETAINER
20 July 1957 berthed at Palmers at Hebburn together with RFA RETAINER
30 July 1957 berthed on the Admiralty Quay, River Tyne with RFA WAVE BARON
22 August 1957 berthed at Palmers at Hebburn together with RFA RETAINER
3 October 1957 the Shields Daily News reported –
19 October 1957 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne
7 November 1957 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne
16 November 1957 berthed on the Admiralty Quay, River Tyne with RFA WAVE DUKE
14 December 1957 berthed on the Admiralty Quay, River Tyne with RFA WAVE DUKE
31 December 1957 berthed at Palmers Yard at Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA’s RESURGENT, TIDEREACH and WAVE KNIGHT (1)
21 January 1958 berthed on the Admiralty Quay, River Tyne with RFA WAVE COMMANDER
7 June 1958 passed Dover sailing west bound
23 August 1958 sailed Port de Bouc, France
30 August 1958 arrived at Port Said
31 August 1958 sailed from Suez
4 September 1958 sailed from Aden Roads for Abadan
13 September 1958 sailed Abadan
19 September 1958 sailed from Aden
24 September 1958 arrived Suez and after transitting the Canal sailed from Port Said
28 September 1958 arrived at Malta
5 October 1958 ailed from Malta for Port Said
12 October 1958 sailed Aden for Abadan
24 October 1958 sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon
28 October 1958 arrived at Bombay
29 October 1958 sail Bombay for Gibraltar
7 November 1958 arrived at Suez
15 November 1958 arrived at Gibraltar
24 November 1958 arrived at Eastham
2 December 1958 sailed Falmouth to Plymouth arrived the same day to destore prior to being laid up at Portland for disposal
7 May 1959 offered for sale in ‘The Times’ lying ‘as is’ at Portland
15 June 1960 at Devonport moved from No 2 West Mud moorings to Plymouth Sound under tow
19 June 1960 arrived at Barrow to be broken up by T.W.Ward Ltd
Notes:
Was part of the British Pacific Fleet Train – hence the B-pennant number