RFA’s Under Two Flags
During both World Wars there was an urgent need for ships to supplement the RFA fleet, some ships were hired or requisitioned, others were taken over on the stocks and a small group were captured enemy ships, awarded to the Admiralty by the Prize Courts.
That is just part of the story as throughout its history the RFA has disposed of surplus ships, either at the end of major conflict, as in the two World Wars, or at times of financial restraint. This series of articles will attempt to highlight the on-going careers of ships that were at one time in the RFA service.
The first two ships featured were part of the original ‘Leaf’ class, a group of eighteen vessels of a variety of types that were acquired on the builders stocks, or purchased from shipping companies, all of them were converted to their role as tankers.
This ‘Leaf’ class of ships were originally intended to operate as RFA’s, but because of the American Neutrality act and International Law, they were placed under the management of Lane and MacAndrew, London, though operationally they still came under the orders of the Admiralty, who was responsible for their manning, and some of the stores they carried.
Material for these articles was collated with the kind help of Mr James R Smith, co-author of “RFA A Century of Service”, to whom we are extremely grateful.