RFA Wave Regent

RFA Wave Regent

RFA Wave Regent

RFA Wave Regent

 

Official Number:                     180564 

Class:                                     WAVE CLASS  Freighting  Oiler (unmodified)

Pennant No:                           X110 / B 522 / A210

Signal Letters:                        GJLB

Laid down:                             28 April 1944
Builder:                                   Furness Shipbuilding Company
Launched:                              29 March 1945
Into Service:                           31 May 1945 
Out of service:                        May 1959
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 12,000t 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.

 

29 May 1943 ordered by the MoWT

28 April 1944 laid down 

12 March 1945 Mr Frederick B Hobson RFA (Warrant Engineer RNR) was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 March 1945 launched by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill as Yard Nr: 363 named WAVE REGENT

1 May 1945 Captain Reginald J Harland RFA appointed as Master

 

 HARLAND REGINALD JOHN

Captain Reginald J Harland RFA

 

31 May 1945 completed and handed over by the builders

14 July 1945 sailed Middlesborough independently for Rosyth arriving the next day

31 July 1945 sailed Methil independently for Curacao arriving 11 August 1945

12 August 1945 sailed Curacao independently for Cristobal arriving on 15 August 1945

23 August 1945 sailed Balboa independently for Manus Anchorage, Loyalty Islands arriving 14 September 1945

22 September 1945 sailed Manus Anchorage independently for Hong Kong arriving 29 September 1945

8 October 1945 at Hong Kong with HMAS MARYBOROUGH alongside to refuel

 

HMAS Maryborough

HMAS MARYBOROUGH

 

19 October 1945 Captain Albert E Curtain RFA appointed as Master

31 October 1945 sailed Hong Kong independently for Singapore arriving 4 November 1945

6 November 1945 sailed Singapore independently for Manus arriving 15 November 1945

17 November 1945 sailed Manus independently for Singapore arriving 26 November 1945

1 December 1945 sailed Singapore independently for Hong Kong arriving 6 December 1945

21 January 1946 arrived at Hong Kong

22 January 1946 while at Hong Kong shortly after arriving from Singapore damaged by fire. Temporary repairs affected. Full repairs to be undertaken at Bombay

9 January 1946 berthed at Singapore

21 January 1946 arrived at Hong Kong

29 January 1946 Chief Cook Leslie Bush and Cook Alfred C Howard appeared before the Court in Hong Kong charged with theft of 50lbs of flour, The two were caught in the act of passing a bag of flour over the stern of the ship to a sampan by the Chief Steward. Police were called. They both pleaded Guilty and were each sentenced to one months imprisonment

9 February 1946 sailed Hong Kong for Batavia arriving 15 February 1946

21 February 1946 sailed Batavia

2 March 1946 arrived at Bombay

7 April 1946 arrived at Muscat

21 April 1946 sailed Abadan for LEFO

24 April 1946 sailed Muscat

3 May 1946 arrived at Suez

6 May 1946 sailed Port Said

12 May 1946 passed Gibraltar sailing west

16 May 1946 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

14 June 1946 Captain Bertram Tunnard RFA (Temporary Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

 

Bertram_Tunnard

Captain Bertram Tunnard RFA

 

27 June 1946 Mr Charles M Martin RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

7 September 1946 sailed Portsmouth Harbour to Haifa arriving 16 September 1946

10 September 1946 passed Gibraltar sailing east

16 September 1946 arrived at Haifa

20 September 1946 sailed Haifa for Malta arriving 23 September 1943

29 September 1946 sailed Malta to Port Said arriving 2 October 1946

2 October 1946 sailed for Aden, transitted Suez Canal 

7 October 1946 put into Aden for repairs

16 November 1946 arrived Hong Kong from Abadan having suffered heavy weather damage.

13 December 1946 sailed Singapore to Abadan with defective boilers – on forced draughtt only

25 December 1946 sailed Abadan to Singapore arriving 7 January 1947

11 January 1947 sailed Singapore to Abadan arriving 22 January 1947

23 January 1947 sailed Abadan to Trincomalee

2 February 1947 sailed Trincomalee to Abadan arriving 10 February 1947

12 February 1947 sailed Abadan to Trincomalee

21 February 1947 sailed Trincomalee to Bombay arriving 26 February 1947

5 March 1947 sailed Bombay to Abadan arriving 9 March 1947

15 March 1947 sailed Abadan via Suez (arrived 26 March 1947) to Port Said

29 March 1947 sailed Port Said to Abadan

9 April 1947 sailed Abadan to Rosyth (passing Gibraltar 26 April 1947) arriving 3 May 1947

5 June 1947 sailed Rosyth to Aden (passing Gibraltar 10 June 1947) arriving 25 June 1947

27 June 1947 sailed Aden to Abadan

4 July 1947 sailed Abadan to Aden arriving 16 July 1947

12 October 1947 Mr J B Morgan RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

7 November 1947 arrived Port Said from Cardiff

18 November 1947 sailed Abadan for Trincomalee, Ceylon

29 November 1947 sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon

2 December 1947 arrived at Bombay

6 December 1947 sailed from Bombay

26 December 1947 arrived at Malta from Abadan

29 December 1947 sailed Malta for Abadan

1 January 1948 arrived at Port Said from Malta sailing the same day for Aden and Abadan

6 January 1948 arrived Aden

8 January 1948 sailed Aden

16 January 1948 sailed Abadan

2 February 1948 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound

16 February 1948 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound

26 March 1948 sailed Suez

30 March 1948 passed Aden

13 April 1948 arrived at Adden from Abadan

21 April 1948 sailed Aden for Abadan

27 April 1948 arrived at Abadan from Aden

28 April 1948 sailed Abadan for LEFO

11 May 1948 sailed from Port Said for LEFO

17 May 1948 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound for Salt End

22 May 1948 berthed at Saltend, Hull on arrival from Abadan

24 May 1948 sailed Saltend, Hull

1 June 1948 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound

7 June 1948 arrived at Port Said

15 June 1948 sailed from Port Said for Abadan

19 June 1948 arrived at Aden from Port Said

30 June 1948 sailed from Aden for Abadan

21 July 1948 arrived at Aden from Abadan

27 July 1948 arrived at Suez

28 July 1948 arrived at Port Said from Abadan

30 July 1948 sailed from Port Said

3 August 1948 arrived at Malta from Abadan

7 August 1948 sailed from Malta

10 August 1948 passed Gibraltar while on passage from Abadan to Devonport

15 August 1948 berthed at Devonport

17 August 1948 three crew members appeared before Torpoint Magistrates’ Court charged with attempting to evade customs duty on 6,450 cigarettes. They were fined a total of £63 5sh 1d

 

Press Report - wave regent

Press report from the Gloucestershire Daily Echo of 17 August 1948

 

1 September 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour. Captain James Jolly RFA appointed as Master

26 October 1948 Captain Bertram Tunnard RFA (Temporary Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

25 November 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

29 December 1948 sailed Malta for Abadan

26 March 1949 sailed Abadan

5 April 1949 arrived Suez for LEFO

8 April 1949 sailed Port Said for LEFO

18 April 1949 sailed Avonmouth for Liverpool

20 April 1949 sailed Liverpool for Falmouth

23 April 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

10 May 1949 passed Gibraltar saling east bound

16 May 1949 arrived at Port Said

18 May 1949 sailed from Suez

23 May 1949 arrived at Aden from Falmouth

29 May 1949 sailed Aden

3 June 1949 arrived at Abadan

5 June 1949 sailed from Abadan

11 June 1949 pass Aden

16 June 1949 arrived at Suez

17 June 1949 sailed Port Said

23 June 1949 passed Gibraltar while on passage from Abadan for Devonport

2 July 1949 at Falmouth in refit together with RFA WAVE LIBERATOR

14 July 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing east

17 July 1949 arrived at Malta

23 July 1949 sailed Malta

26 July 1949 arrived at Port Said from Falmouth when on passage to Abadan

27 July 1949 sailed Suez

7 August 1949 arrived Abadan

21 August 1949 arrived Suez

22 August 1949 sailed Port Said

23 August 1949 Captain Ernest W J Rousell RFA appointed as Master

29 August 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing west

7 September 1949 arrived on Hebburn Buoys, River Tyne from Rosyth

10 September 1949 berthed on the Admiralty Tier, River Tyne

15 September 1949 berthed on the Admiralty Tier, River Tyne

22 September 1949 at Devonport Saloon Topas M Fernandes logged as having deserted

25 September 1949 passed Gibraltar sailing east

26 September 1949 Mr R B Burgh RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1 October 1949 arrived at Port Said

3 October 1949 sailed Suez

8 October 1949 sailed Aden for Abadan

16 October 1949 sailed Abadan for Trincomalee, Ceylon

1 November 1949 arrived at Bombay

4 November 1949 sailed from Bombay

21 November 1949 arrived at Suez

22 November 1949 sailed from Port Said

6 December 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

6 January 1950 in Portsmouth Harbour in refit and Lloyds Survey

11 February 1950 Captain Raymond V Boodle RFA appointed as Master

 

  Raymond Boodle

Captain Raymond V Boodle RFA

 

10 March 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

24 March 1950 in radio contact with the Cable & Wireless Radio Station on Bermuda

28 March 1950 sailed from Trinidad for LEFO

30 April 1950 passed Gibraltar while on passage from Falmouth to Abadan

6 May 1950 while on passage from Falmouth to Abadan arrived Port Said

8 May 1950 sailed Suez

18 May 1950 berthed at Abadan

21 June 1950 sailling Wellington, New Zealand for Colombo, Ceylon

25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 although involved in the Korean War along with 18 other RFA‘s but did not receive a battle honour

12 July 1950 berthed at Seletar

29 September 1950 at the approaches to Inchon with HMAS WARRAMUNGA alongside being refuelled

30 September 1950 at the approaches to Inchon while anchored refuelled HMAS BATAAN alongside

 

HMAS Bataan

HMAS BATAAN

 

16 December 1950 berthed at Old Kilpatrick Fuel Depot from Abadan

22 December 1950 sailed Old Kilpatrick Fuel Depot in ballast for Abadan

14 March 1951 Captain Bertram Tunnard RFA appointed as Master

26 March 1951 passed the Lloyds Signal station on Flamborough Head sailing north. Signalled she was bound for Rosyth

5 April 1951 arrived at the River Tyne from Rosyth

6 April 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

10 April 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

28 April 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE MASTER

1 May 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE MASTER

2 May 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE MASTER

9 May 1951  berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE MASTER

18 May 1951 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

1 June 1951 sailed the River Tyne for Curaçao

30 June 1951 Captain Robert  D  Almond RFA (Lieutenant Commander RNR) appointed as Master

 

Captain Robert Almond

Captain Robert D Almond RFA

 

17 July 1951 arrived Trinidad

6 August 1951 arrived at Port Said

5 September 1951 arrived Curaçao

7 September 1951 sailed from Curaçao

18 September 1951 Mr J H Young RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 September 1951 in Hospital at Port Spain, Trinidad  Lascar Ahmed Kassum discharged dead – stroke

7 November 1951 arrived at Curaçao

8 November 1951 sailed Curaçao

21 November 1951 passed Gibraltar sailing east bound for Aden

24 November 1951 sailed Malta for Port Said

28 November 1951 arrived at Port Said

4 December 1951 arrived at Aden

10 December 1951 sailed from Aden

24 December 1951 arrived at Bombay, India

29 December 1951 arrived at Mena Al Ahmadi

10 January 1952 arrived Suez

11 January 1952 sailed Port Said

19 January 1952 passed Gibraltar sailing west

14 February 1952 moved from Plymouth Sound to a berth in Devonport by RFA CAREFUL

16 February 1952 moved from berth at Devonport to Plymouth Sound by RFA CAREFUL

24 March 1952 arrived at the River Tyne from Invergordon

28 March 1952 berthed on the TIC, Hebburn Quay, River Tyne

29 March 1952 sailed the River Tyne

21 June 1952 Mr W E Burke RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

8 July 1952 Captain William H G Hine RFA appointed as Master

1 February 1953 berthed at Port of Spain, Trinidad

5 August 1953 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne from Avonmouth

22 August 1953 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

25 August 1953 Mr David L Walls RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 September 1953 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

18 September 1953 engaged a crew at the North Shields Shipping Office

26 September 1953 Captain Walter L Holtham RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain W. L HOLTAM

Captain Walter L Holtham RFA

 

17 October 1953 sailed Malta for Port Said and Tas Tanura

2 August 1954  Mr L Cochran RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 August 1954 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne and discharged the officers at the North Shields Shipping Office

2 September 1954 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

7 September 1954 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

16 September 1954 engaged a crew at the North Shields Shipping Office

25 September 1954  berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

6 October 1954 sailed the River Tyne, passing the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head  for Killingholme

15 October 1954 passed Gibraltar sailing east

18 October 1954 arrived at Malta

20 October 1954 sailed from Malta

23 October 1954 arrived at Port Said

25 October 1954 sailed Suez

9 November 1954 sailed Ras Tanura for Bombay

14 November 1954 sailed Bombay for Trincomalee, Ceylon

18 November 1954 arrived Trincomalee, Ceylon

20 November 1954 sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon for Mena al Ahmadi

1 December 1954 sailed Mena al Ahmadi for Suez

10 December 1954 arrived at Suez

11 December 1954 sailed Port Said

17 December 1954 passed Gibraltar sailing west bound

20 December 1954 passed Ushant

21 December 1954 passed Dover sailing east bound

23 December 1954 berthed at Rotterdam

27 December 1954 sailed from Rotterdam for Aruba

11 January 1955 sailed from Aruba

24 January 1955 arrived at Amsterdam

26 February 1955 sailed from Aruba for Lands End

10 April 1955 sailed from Gibraltar

13 April 1955 arrived at Malta

18 April 1955 arrived at Port Said

27 April 1955 sailed from Port Said

28 April 1955 sailed from Suez

15 May 1955 sailed Colombo, Ceylon for Singapore

21 May 1955 sailed Singapore for Sasebo, Japan

13 June 1955 arrived Trincomalee, Ceylon

16 June 1955 sailed Trincomalee, Ceylon for Singapore

20 June 1955 arrived at Singapore

18 July 1955 berthed at Mena Al Ahmadi

19 July 1955 sailed Mena Al Ahmadi for LEFO

30 July 1955 arrived at Suez

6 August 1955 passed Gibraltar sailing west on passage to Swansea

22 August 1955 arrived at the River Tyne from Swansea. Mr William J Brown OBE DSC RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 August 1955 discharged the crew at the North Shields Shipping Office, River Tyne. The ship was berthed at Wallsend Slipway

24 August 1955 Captain Douglas N J Williams RD RFA (Commander RNR (Rtd)) appointed as Master

25 August 1955 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne 

8 September 1955 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

17 September 1955 arrived at Devonport

25 September 1955 sailed from Devonport

6 October 1955 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

13 October 1955 engaged a new crew at North Shields Shipping Office, River Tyne

25 October 1955 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

4 November 1955 arrived at Gibraltar

27 November 1955 sailed Bombay

7 April 1956 sailed from Bandar Mashur

18 April 1956 sailed from Port Said

24 April 1956 passed Gibraltar when on passage from Swansea to Bahrein

11 May 1956 arrived at Port Said

12 May 1956 sailed Suez

22 May 1956 sailed Bahrein

1 June 1956 arrived at Suez

2 June 1956 arrived at Port Said

29 June 1956 sailed from Trinidad

29 July 1956 sailed Curaçao

12 August 1956 berthed at Malta from Curaçao to discharge 9,000 tons of FFO and 1,000 tons of Diesel

25 August 1956 arrived at Maderia from Curaçao

5 September 1956 sailed from Curaçao

9 October 1956  berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE MONARCH

15 October 1956 Captain G O W Evans DSC RFA appointed as Master and Mr J A Swallow RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 October 1956 berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne together with RFA WAVE MONARCH

10 December 1956 Mr B C Jeremiah RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 December 1956  berthed at Wallsend Slipway, River Tyne

13 April 1957 Mr P Ryan RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

11 June 1957 passed Flamborough Head sailing south bound for Sheerness

24 June 1957 sailed from Immingham

18 October 1957 arrived the River Tyne from Rosyth

7 November 1957 at Smith’s Dock & Co Ltd., River Tyne – in refit

16 November 1957 at Smith’s Dock & Co Ltd., River Tyne – in refit

14 December 1957 at Smith’s Dock & Co Ltd., River Tyne – in refit together with RFA TIDERANGE

January 1958 Captain Leslie J Mack DSO RFA appointed as Master

3 January 1958 engaged a crew at the North Shields shipping office, River Tyne

3 February 1958 sailed from Rosyth

20 March 1958 arrived at Suez

11 April 1958 sailed from Suez

22 April 1958 arrived at Abadan

24 April 1958 sailed Abadan for Bombay

29 April 1958 arrived at Bombay

1 May 1958 sailed from Bombay

18 May 1958 arrived at Gibraltar

22 May 1958 sailed from Gibraltar

25 May 1958 passed Ushant

7 June 1958 arrived at Rosyth

12 June 1958 Captain Allistown M Macquire-Samson RFA appointed as Master

14 June 1958 at Tail of Bank

15 June 1958 arrived at Lisahally

19 June 1958 sailed from the Old Kilpatrick Oil Fuel Depot on the River Clyde

21 June 1958 sailed from the Clyde anchorage

29 June 1958 passed the Signal Station at Dover when sailing west bound and later anchored at Spithead

3 July 1958 sailed Portsmouth

7 July 1958 arrived at Southampton

12 July 1958 sailed from Southampton 

14 July 1958 arrived at Lough Foyle, Northern Ireland

17 July 1958 arrived at Pembroke Dock

26 July 1958 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing east bound then passed Southend sailing up stream for the Isle of Grain

30 July 1958 arrived at Portsmouth

6 August 1958 passed Dover

9 August 1958 arrived at Portland

19 August 1958 arrived at Malta for Abadan

22 August 1958 arrived Suez

3 September 1958 arrived at Abadan

5 September 1958 sailed Abadan for Aden

19 November 1958 Mr D F Gorrie RFA was appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 December 1958 in collision with an unknown vessel

15 April 1959 Captain Edward E A Le Sage RFA appointed as Master

2 May 1959 sailed from the River Tyne for Plymouth

3 May 1959 arrived at Devonport for disposal

8 June 1960 purchased by BISCO for scrap

23 June 1960 at Devonport moved from 1 West Mud moorings to Plymouth Sound under tow

29 June 1960 arrived at Faslane to be broken up by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd

 

Notes:

 

Was part of the British Pacific Fleet Train – hence the B-pennant number