Previous name:                      Empire Herald

Official Number:                     181127   

Class:                                     WAVE CLASS  Replenishment  Oiler (modified)

Pennant No:                           X134 / A207

Signal Letters:                        GDNX (1946)

Laid down:
Builder:                                   Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland
Launched:                              27 July 1945
Into Service:                           March 1946
Out of service:                        1966
Fate:                                       Broken up

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 12000t Class being built were given sharper bows and sterns and turbine engines with water tube boilers. In all, twenty one 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.

27 July 1945 launched by Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Deptford Yard, Sunderland as Yard Nr: 761 named  EMPIRE HERALD for the MoWT. Cost £239,234.00 (source contract letter in Tyne & Wear Archives)

1 December 1945 arrived the River Tyne from Sunderland being towed by tug Wearmouth

8 March 1946 completed and placed under initial management of United Molasses Co, London (Athel Line) sailing from the Wear to the River Tyne arriving the next day

12 March 1946 – sailed the River Tyne for the River Clyde and also mentioned in the Sunderland Daily Echo newspaper

24 December 1946 sailed Abadan

4 January 1947 sailed Port Said for LEFO

10 January 1947 acquired by the Admiralty but remained under commercial management

21 January 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound

29 January 1947 Captain James Jolly, RFA appointed as Master

1 February 1947 Mr J H Dawe RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 February 1947 commercial management terminated and renamed WAVE PRINCE

28 February 1947 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound

5 March 1947 arrived at Port Said from Falmouth

10 March 1947 while on passage from Falmouth to Abadan called at Aden this day

15 March 1947 arrived at Abadan

6 April 1947 at Gibraltar Deck Serang Rajakhan Cader discharged dead having suffered a stroke

18 May 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

3 June 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

22 November 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

19 December 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

24 December 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

14 May 1948 sailed Busreh and Abadan 

26 May 1948 sailed Port Said for LEFO

1 December 1948 Captain James Jolly RFA appointed as Master

February 1949 in Rosyth Dockyard in refit

22 April 1949 arrived at Abadan

25 April 1949 sailed Abadan for Port Said

5 May 1949 arrived at Suez

11 May 1949 sailed from Port Said

14 May 1949 passed Malta

17 May 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound

28 May 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound

4 June 1949 sailed Suez

13 June 1949 arrived at Abadan

15 June 1949 sailed Abadan

27 June 1949 arrived at Suez

29 June 1949 arrived at Port Said

2 July 1949 sailed from Port Said for Cyprus

13 July 1949 arrived at Port Said

14 July 1949 sailed Suez

23 July 1949 arrived at Abadan

25 July 1949 sailed Abadan for Port Said

17 August 1949 sailed from Suez

26 August 1949 arrived at Abadan

10 September 1949 arrived at Singapore

13 September 1949 sailed from Singapore

29 September 1949 arrived at Abadan

4 October 1949 arrived at Aden then sailing the same day

2 November 1949 arrived at Abadan

12 November 1949 arrived at Trincomalee, Ceylon

2 December 1949 arrived at Abadan

3 December 1949 sailed from Abadan

8 December 1949 arrived at Abadan

19 December 1949 sailed Singapore for Abadan

30 December 1949 arrived at Abadan

1 January 1950 sailed from Abadan for Hong Kong

20 January 1950 arrived at Hong Kong

24 January 1950 sailed Hong Kong for Abadan

8 February 1950 arrived at Abadan

10 February 1950 sailed Abadan for Port Said

21 February 1950 arrived at Port Said

1 March 1950 sailed Port Said for Malta

4 March 1950 arrived at Malta

6 March 1950 sailed from Malta for Abadan

10 March 1950 sailed from Suez

19 March 1950 arrived at Abadan

21 March 1950 sailed Abadan

1 April 1950 sailed from Port Said

8 April 1950 passed Gibraltar sailing west

20 April 1950 arrived River Tyne and berthed at Wallsend Slipway

29 April 1950 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair

3 May 1950 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair

16 May 1950 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair

26 May 1950  berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair

10 June 1950 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne for refit or repair

13 June 1950 sailed the River Tyne

14 June 1950 passed Ushant

18 June 1950 sailed Gibraltar for Abadan

25 June 1950 sailed Suez for Abadan

25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953 involved in supporting the UN shipping in the Korean War – received the Battle Honour ‘Korea 1950 -1953’

4 July 1950 arrived Abadan

5 September 1950 refuelled HMAS BATAAN

3 November 1950 at approaches to Inchon with HMAS BATAAN alongside being refuelled

18 December 1950 at Inchon with HMAS WARRAMUNGA alongside being refuelled

HMAS WARRAMUNGA

23 December 1950 at Inchon with HMAS WARRAMUNGA alongside being refuelled

9 March 1951 Mr Philip E Bassadona RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 April 1951 Captain Henry F Colbourne RFA appointed as Master

15 October 1951 sailed San Francisco for Vancouver, Canada

20 October 1951 Mr Frederick B Hobson RFA (Warrant Engineer Officer RNR) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 November 1951 at Devonport on Gravesend Mooring with RFA BIRCHOL (2) alongside

10 November 1951 at Devonport RFA BIRCHOL (2) moved from alongside

14 November 1951 at Barry, South Wales

16 March 1952 at Taechong Do with HMAS WARRAMUNGA alongside being refuelled with 259 tons FFO

18 March 1952 at Taechong Do with HMAS WARRAMUNGA alongside being refuelled with 180 tons FFO

22 March 1952 at Taechong Do with HMAS WARRAMUNGA alongside being refuelled with 240 tons FFO

31 July 1952 at Ellesmere Port

6 August 1952 Captain Frank A Shaw RFA (Lieutenant RNR) appointed as Master

1 October 1952 Mr C D Reid RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 October 1952 supported Operation Hurricane 1 – the first British test atomic bomb explosion at the Monte Bello Islands off NW Australia – along with 6 other RFA’s

7 October 1952 discharged crew at North Shields Shipping Office

18 October 1952 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

25 October 1952 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

8 November 1952 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

13 November 1952 engaged crew at North Shields Shipping Office while still berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne in refit or for repair

18 November 1952 sailed from Port Said

29 November 1952 sailed from Suez

8 December 1952 arrived at Bahrein

9 December 1952 sailed from Bahrein for Singapore

20 January 1953 at Taechong Do with HMAS ANZAC alongside being refuelled

22 January 1953 at Taechong Do with HMCS HAIDA alongside being refuelled

HMCS HAIDA

24 January 1953 at Taechong Do with HMAS CONDAMINE alongside being refuelled

19 February 1953 off Korea in the Haeju area RAS’ed with HMAS ANZAC

24 February 1953 RASed with Netherlands warship Johan Mauritz Van Nassau while under the protection of HMS CARDIGAN BAY

15 March 1953 arrived Haeju area, Korea escorted by HMS WHITESANDS BAY

23 March 1953 off Korea RAS’ed HMAS ANZAC

25 March 1953 off Korea RAS’ed HMS NEWCASTLE, HMS CHARITY and HMAS ANZAC

HMS NEWCASTLE

15 April 1953 at Yongpyong Do, Korea with HMAS ANZAC alongside being refuelled

20 April 1953 at Yongpyong Do, Korea with HMAS ANZAC alongside being refuelled

22 April 1953 at Yongpyong Do, Korea with HMAS ANZAC alongside being refuelled

16 May 1953 at Taechong Do, Korea with HMAS CULCOA alongside being refuelled

HMAS CULCOA

18 May 1953 while lying to the west of Yong Pong Do, Korea with HMAS CULCOA alongside being refuelled

26 May 1953 between Taechong Do and Sockong Do, Korea with HMAS CULCOA alongside being refuelled

29 August 1953 sailed Singapore for Mena Al Ahmadi

11 September 1953 sailed from Mena Al Ahmadi for LEFO

21 September 1953 arrived Suez

22 September 1953 sailed Port Said

21 October 1953 Mr J H Young RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 October 1953 Captain William R Parker RFA appointed as Master

20 November 1953 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound

28 November 1953 sailed Suez

7 December 1953 arrived at Bahrein

17 December 1953 arrived at Suez

21 December 1953 arrived at Malta

27 December 1953 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound for Trinidad

6 January 1954 sailed Trinidad for Malta for orders

18 January 1954 sailed Gibraltar for Malta

21 January 1954 arrived at Malta

24 January 1954 sailed Malta for Gibraltar

27 January 1954 sailed from Gibraltar

6 February 1954 arrived at Trinidad

12 February 1954 sailed Trinidad for Malta

23 February 1954 passed Gibraltar

27 February 1954 sailed from Malta for Port Said

18 June 1954 at Trincomalee, Ceylon

2 March 1954 arrived at Port Said

15 March 1954 sailed Bahrein for Malta

6 December 1954 Mr J W Ritchie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 December 1954 at Falmouth

31 December 1954 Captain William F Curlett RFA appointed as Master

7 February 1955 at Falmouth

2 March 1955 sailed Trinidad for Rio de Janerio, Brazil

22 March 1955 sailed from Rio de Janerio, Brazil for the Falkland Islands

28 March 1955 arrived at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

3 April 1955 sailed Port Stanley, Falkland Islands for Trinidad

18 April 1955 sailed Trinidad for a UK port

12 May 1955 passed Malta

30 May 1955 arrived Bahrein

31 May 1955 sailed from Bahrein

1 September 1955 sailed from Aden

26 September 1955 passed Dover sailing north

27 September 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamorough Head sailing north from Portsmouth. Arrived the River Tyne later the same day

28 September 1955 discharged the crew at the Newcastle Shipping Office

6 October 1955 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

13 October 1955 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

19 October 1955 Mr William J Brown OBE DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

25 October 1955 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA WAVE KING

5 November 1955 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA WAVE KING

22 November 1955 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA’s WAVE KING and WAVE SOVEREIGN

1 December 1955 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA’s WAVE KING and WAVE SOVEREIGN

3 January 1956 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA WAVE KING

17 January 1956  in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA’s WAVE KING

9 February 1956  in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA OLNA (2) and RFA WAVE KING

18 February 1956 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with RFA OLNA (2)

1 March 1956 whilst alongside on the River Tyne, she was struck by the Shell tanker VOLVULA which had broken loose from Wallsend in a gale and had careered five miles down the river, colliding with seven ships enroute

Shell tanker VOLVULA

5 March, 1956 Captain E Payne RFA appointed as Master

13 March 1956 together with RFA C635 and RFA OLNA (2) in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

26 March 1956 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

25 April 1956 Mr I M MacFarlane RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1 May 1956 in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

8 May 1956  in refit at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne

2 October 1956 arrived at Singapore Roads

7 October 1956 during Exercise Albatross RAS’ed HMAS SYDNEY, HMS NEWCASTLE, HMAS QUADRANT and HMS COMUS

RFA Wave Prince RASing with HMAS SYDNEY and HMS NEWCASTLE

3 November 1956 berthed at Singapore

1957 – 1960 supported Operation Grapple – the British H-bomb test at Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean – along with 16 other RFA’s

6 April 1957 sailed from Gibraltar for Trinidad

2 August 1957 Captain Frank C Holt RFA appointed as Master

30 September 1957 arrived at the River Tyne from Rosyth

4 October 1957 discharged the crew at the South Shields Shipping Office

14 October 1957 sailed the Tyne for Curaçao

7 December 1957 Captain R K McKenzie RFA appointed as Master

9 December 1957 sailed from No: 9 wharf, Devonport Dockyard to Plymouth Sound

13 January 1958 Mr G S Burnett RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 January 1958 deployed for duties in support of Operation Grapple on Christmas Island transferring her 53 tons 13.5cwt of cargo to RFA WAVE MASTER

22 February 1958 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

25 February 1958 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

29 March 1958 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

12 April 1958 Captain Sydney S F Dalgleish OBE RFA appointed as Master

22 April 1958 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

5 June 1958 arrived at Malta

9 June 1958 sailed from Malta

20 June 1958 sailed from Malta for Cyprus

14 July 1958 sailed from Malta for Augusta

25 July 1958 sailed from Malta

27 July 1958 anchored at Akrotiri Bay with RFA’s RETAINER and  FORT DUQUESNE and various Royal Naval units including HMS BERMUDA

7 August 1958 refuelled HMS BERMUDA alongside at Akrotiri Bay supplying 580 tons of FFO

17 August 1958 arrived at Malta

15 September 1958 sailed from Port Said

16 September 1958 the Birmingham Daily Post reported …

19 September 1958 sailed from Aden

26 September 1958 sailed from Muscat

29 September 1958 arrived at Abadan

30 September 1958 sailed Abadan for Aden

11 October 1958 arrived Port Said sailing the same day

18 October 1958 arrived at Gibraltar

20 October 1958 sailed Gibraltar for the UK

1 November 1958 arrived at Malta

14 November 1958 entered Admiralty Floating Dock No. 35 at Malta for hull examination after the vessel had grounded in Msida Creek

16 January 1959 arrived Malta

11 February 1959 at the Royal Naval Hospital, Bighi, Malta – Signalman Alan Morris discharged dead from natural causes.  He is buried in Kalkara Royal Naval Cemetery, Malta

Image courtesy British War Graves with thanks

30 March 1959 sailed from Augusta

3 April 1959 arrived at Gibraltar

29 April 1959 sailed from Gibraltar for Malta

2 May 1959 berthed at Grand Harbour, Malta

May 1959 together with RFA FORT DUQUESNE and HMS DEFENDER and other RN units together with Italian Navy Units involved in exercise off Augusta

2 May 1959 arrived at Malta

8 May 1959 sailed from Malta for Patras

11 May 1959 arrived at Malta

19 May 1959 arrived at Malta

4 June 1959 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound

8 June 1959 passed Flamborough Head sailing northbound

10 August 1959 Captain A H MacKenzie RFA appointed as Master

10 December 1959 along with RFA’s TIDESURGE (1),  RELIANT (2), RETAINER and HMS’s CENTAUR, SOLEBAY, LAGOS, FINNISTERRE, LLANDAFF and ALERT engaged in Queensland Centenary Celebrations

19 March 1960 berthed at Malta after arriving from the Persian Gulf

22 May 1960 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 12 June 1960

5 July 1960 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 24 July 1960

29 July 1960 Mr Wallace G Downing RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 August 1960 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 7 September 1960

19 November 1960 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 27 November 1960

16 December 1960 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 9 January 1961

11 January 1961 Captain Robert H Venning RFA appointed as Master

18 January 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

23 January 1961 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound 

6 February 1961 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 1st Cod War until 1 March 1961

1 March 1961 on the River Tyne the m.v. Volvula broke adrift in a storm. She was carried 4 miles down the river hitting and damaging RFA WAVE PRINCE and RFA C.653

MV Volvula

25 May 1961 Captain George Robson RFA appointed as Master

26 May 1961 at Lisanally

6 July 1961 at the Strangers Hospital, Rio de Janeiro Chief Engineer Officer John Wilson discharged dead – heart failure

7 July 1961 Mr J A Ferguson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 August 1961 berthed at Gosport Oil Jetty

16 October 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty

17 October 1961 at Devonport moved from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound

8 November 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Gravesend Moorings

15 November 1961 at Devonport moved from Gravesend Moorings to No: 1 jetty

17 November 1961 at Devonport moved from No: 1 jetty to Plymouth Sound

December 1961 to February 1962 in the Special Squadron during its South Atlantic Cruise supporting the cruiser HMS LION

February 1962 supported Royal Naval Ships off British Guiana during unrest in that colony

1962 accompanied the Squadron visiting Stockholm for the British trade Fair in Helsinki and en route towed the broken-down Grimsby-registered coaster CABOURNE from the Pentland Firth to Wick

30 May 1962 RASed with HMS BERMUDA

3 July 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Gravesend Mooring

11 July 1962 at Devonport moved from Gravesend Mooring to Plymouth Sound

6 September 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty

8 September 1962 at Devonport moved from Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound

24 October 1962 Captain E Payne RFA appointed as Master

27 October 1962 Mr J A MacPherson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 December 1962 sailed Portsmouth as escort Supply Ship to HMY BRITANNIA bound for Suva to commence the Royal Tour of Fiji, New Zealand and Australia during which she steamed 26,000 miles

14 December 1962 RASed with HMY BRITANNIA off Ponta Delgada, Azores

22 December 1962 20 members of the crew to HMY BRITANNIA for a Carol Service

23 December 1962 berthed at Kingston, Jamaica with HMY BRITANNIA – sailed for the Panama Canal on 28 December 1962

30 December 1962 at Rodman US Naval Base, Panama City after transit of Panama Canal

6 February 1962 visited Auckland, New Zealand

5 March 1963 RASed HMY Britannia while on passage from Sydney, NSW to Brisbane

9 March 1963 refuelled HMAS ANZAC while on passage from Brisbane to Hayman Island

14 March 1963 RASed with HMAS ANZAC

16 March 1963 arrived at Dawin with HMY BRITANNIA and HMAS ANZAC

18 March 1963 sailed Darwin with HMY BRITANNIA and HMAS ANZAC

19 March 1963 RASed with HMY BRITANNIA and HMAS ANZAC 129 miles south west of Bathhurst Island while on passage from Darwin to Fremantle, Western Australia

21 March 1963 RASed with units of the Royal Yacht Squadron

23 May 1963 Seaman S Smith fell over the side in Hong Kong Harbour. Assistant Cook Arthur Boyle jumped over the side and rescued Seaman Smith. Boyle was later awarded a Testimonial on Parchment by the Royal Humane Society

7 October 1963 Captain S E Clench RFA appointed as Master

9 November 1963 at Newcastle on Tyne and Mr Ronald C Putt MID RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer Officer Ronald C Putt MID RFA

15 January 1964 transitted the Panama Canal with the Royal Yatch

20 February 1964 arrived at Suva

7 March 1964 transitted the Panama Canal

12 March 1964 arrived at Trinidad

14 March 1964 arrived at St Kitts Nevis

16 March 1964 sailed from St Kitts Nevis to Bermuda calling at Antigua to land a sick member of the crew

14 March 1964 

12 April 1964 at Plymouth

17 April 1964 Captain A S McWilliam RFA appointed as Master

Captain A S McWilliam RFA

4 August 1964 at Plymouth and Mr T J W Humphrey RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 December 1964 at Smith’s Dock, North Shields for refit until 11 January 1965

2 June 1965 at Plymouth (see note 1)

June 1965 visited Sweden with HMS LION and HMS BERWICK

17 July 1965 at Portsmouth

27 July 1965 Mr J B Jackson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 August 1965 to 11 August 1965 took part in the Clyde Royal Review along with RFA’s BLACK RANGER,  OLYNTHUS (2), RESURGENT and ROWANOL and was then laid up at Devonport

15 October 1965 Captain R J Lockwood RFA appointed as Master

20 December 1965 at Plymouth

7 January 1966 at Plymouth

10 January 1966 Mr Ronald C Putt MID RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

17 January 1966 at Plymouth

February 1966 brought out of reserve to assist in a major fuel lift from Trinidad and completed two voyages.

4 February 1966 sailed Devonport for Trinidad arriving 17 February 1966

19 February 1966 sailed Trinidad to Devonport arriving 3 March 1966

5 March 1966 sailed Devonport to Pembroke Dock arriving the next day

8 March 1966 sailed Milford Haven for Trinidad arriving 19 March 1966

24 March 1966 sailed Trinidad to Old Kilpatrick OFJ arriving 3 April 1966

5 April 1966 sailed Old Kilpatrick OFJ for Devonport arriving 6 April 1966 to be laid up again

24 April 1966 at Plymouth

2 June 1971 placed on the Disposal list

12 June 1971 offered for sale ‘as lying’ at Devonport in The Times of this day

5 December 1971 sailed Devonport in tow for the breakers

16 December 1971 arrived at Burriana, Spain for breaking up

Notes

1. From the Discharge Book of Geoff Cushnet