Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wireless Communications

Shortly before World War 1 with the Royal Navy ships and shore stations being fitted with wireless communications it wasn’t long before the ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary were similarly equipped.

Each Admiralty ship and shore station was allocated with a three letter call sign.

The following ships of the RFA were fitted with Royal Naval wireless communications during World War 1 and the ‘Admiralty War Staff Manual’ gives their call signs as: –

During the Great War these ships Radio Officers were, in the main, either RNR or RNVR W/T operators. However there were at least three who were members of the Mercantile Marine Reserve (MMR’s).

Hired RFA’s three letter call signs

By 1919 with the increase of the size of the RFA fleet and the expansion of wireless communications in most of the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships the three letter call signs were changed to ones of four letters.

Those RFA ships which had wireless communications equipment installed together with their call signs were: –

Further research is being undertaken and details found will be published when the data has been collated.