anshanjohn
RFA Fort Beauharnois - In Wellington, I understand
via John Currin (JC - Ex RNZN) - Google+ Public Posts ift.tt/1KabNz6
RFA Fort Beauharnois - In Wellington, I understand
22 January 1958 deployed for duties in support of Operation Grapple on Christmas Island with 933 tons 15cwts of cargo
22 July 1958 Captain William R Parker RFA appointed as Master
22 August 1958 present at Christmas Island during atomic bomb tests
Previous name: Fort Grand Rapids, Cornish Park
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 175606
Class: CANADIAN FORT CLASS Stores Ship
Pennant No: B586 / A285
Laid down:
Builder: West Coast Ship Builders, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Launched: 31 August 1944
Into Service: 22 September 1948
Out of service: 23 April 1962 laid up at Malta
Fate: Broken up at Italy
Items of historic interest involving this ship: Background Data: After the outbreak of WW2, the first cargo vessels built in Canada for the War Effort were the “North Sands” type, the hulls of which conformed to original British working drawings supplied by the North Sands Shipyard of J.L.Thompson & Sons at Sunderland. Following experience gained from these ships, improved versions with a more economic operation were introduced. These were the ”Victory” and “Canadian” types. The “Victory” type was an oil burner and two water tube boilers were substituted for the original 3 Scotch boilers. Because of the then concerns about oil fuel supplies, the “Canadian” type had coal bunkers and alternate oil fuel capacity installed, but with a reversion to the original 3 Scotch boilers of the “North Sands” type. In 1943, when the shipping situation in the Pacific was becoming acute, the British Government ordered that a number of the ships of the Canadian building programme be completed as Stores Issuing Ships whose intended task would be to follow and victual naval units as part of the British Pacific Fleet Train. In all, sixteen ships were completed as Stores Issuing Ships as follows: three as Ammunition Carriers, two as Air Stores Issuing Ships, two as Naval Stores Issuing Ships and nine as refrigerated Victualling Stores Issuing Ships. All were managed by commercial companies with vast experience of Far Eastern Waters as Mercantile Fleet Auxiliaries with Merchant Navy Crews and a detachment of Stores Staff from the Victualling Division of the Admiralty under a Commander. On the refrigerated ships, the refrigerated space was in the tween decks and amounted to 111,480 cubic feet in 25 chambers. The lower holds were used for non-perishable items of stores, clothing, etc. After WW2, eight of these ships became RFA’s. They were only armed during WW2. 31 August 1944 launched as a “Victory” type by West Coast Shipbuilders Ltd, Vancouver as Yard Nr 146 named FORT GRAND RAPIDS for the Canadian Government (Park Steamship Co, Montreal, Managers)29 October 1944 completed as a refrigerated VSIS named CORNISH PARK8 November 1944 as Cornish Park sailed from Vancouver to Victoria, British Columbia12 November 1944 sailed Victoria, British Columbia arriving Los Angeles on 17 November 194417 November 1944 sailed Los Angeles independently to Balboa arriving on 29 November 194429 November 1944 sailed Cristobal independently to New York9 December 1944 sailed in convoy HX325 from New York to Southend loaded with lead and lumber arriving 23 December 194431 January 1945 as Cornish Park sailed Southend joining convoy ON282 from Liverpool to New York and then independently to Cristobal arriving 23 February 194524 February 1945 sailed Balboa independently to Antofagasta, Chile arriving 5 March 19459 March 1945 sailed Antofagasta, Chile independently to San Antonio arriving on 12 March 194523 March 1945 sailed Valpariso independently to Chanaral arriving 27 March 19452 April 1945 sailed Chanral to Antofagasta, Chile arriving on 3 April 19454 April 1945 sailed Antofagasta, Chile to Los Angeles arriving 24 April 194525 April 1945 sailed Los Angeles independently arriving Port Townsend, Washington State, USA on 1 May 19451945 sold to the Ministry of War Transport and managed by A Holt & Co, Liverpool and renamed FORT BEAUHARNOIS3 December 1945 arrived at Sydney, Australia.18 December 1945 sailed from Sydney, NSW, Australia to Manus arrived 26 December 19452 May 1946 arrived Sydney, NSW, Australia from Hong Kong3 June 1946 sailed Sydney, NSW, Australia for Hong Kong12 July 1946 arrived at Yokohama1947 placed under the management of Lyle Shipping Company, London31 March 1947 Captain W D Wilson was the ship's Master3 May 1947 sailed Hong Kong to Kure arriving 9 May 19479 May 1947 arrived at Kure, Japan and berthed alongside HMAS HOBART to supply general cargo to the warship13 May 1947 at Kure, Japan 2nd Engineer Robert M Thompson discharged dead having suffered a heart attack13 May 1947 sailed Kure to Hong Kong arriving 22 May 19475 July 1947 sailed Hong Kong to Kure arriving 11 July 194716 July 1947 sailed Kure to Yokohama arriving 18 July 19472 August 1947 sailed from Yokohama to Kure arriving 5 August 19479 August 1947 sailed Kure to Hong Kong arriving 15 August 194730 August 1947 on passage from Hong Kong to exercise area as detailed below2 September 1947 and 3 September 1947 together with FORT SANDUSKY, RN and RAN ships together with US Navy Aircraft from Okinawa took part in Exercises Adgate Two and Three within an area 31 43N 127.34E and 29.26N 128.40E5 September 1947 after exercise Adgate Three berthed at Kagoshima to replenish various ships which had taken part in the exercise13 September 1947 sailed Kure to Sasebo arriving 15 September 194720 September 1947 sailed Sasebo to Kure arriving 25 September 19474 October 1947 sailed Kure to Hong Kong arriving 9 October 194724 December 1947 sailed Hong Kong to Sydney, NSW arriving 14 January 194813 February 1948 sailed Sydney, NSW to Melbourne arriving 15 February 194825 February 1948 sailed Melbourne to Fremantle arriving 4 March 1948 to load 2,131 gallon jars of rum5 March 1948 sailed Freemantle to Singapore arriving 15 March 194819 March 1948 sailed Singapore to Colombo arriving 25 March 19481 April 1948 sailed Colombo to Aden arriving 9 April 194810 April 1948 sailed Aden to Suez arriving 15 April 194816 April 1948 arrived at Port Said sailing the same day to London30 April 1948 berthed at London with 6 passengers with Captain ? D Wilson as ship's Master14 May 1948 sailed London to Portsmouth arriving the next day1948 taken over by the Admiralty as an RFA and converted into a Store ship1 June 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour1 September 1948 Captain Thomas H Card RFA appointed as Master22 September 1948 became and RFA and sailed from Portsmouth Harbour to San Fernando, Trinidad arriving 9 October 194818 October 1948 sailed San Fernando, Trinidad to Plymouth, Tobago arriving the same day24 October 1948 sailed Plymouth, Tobago to Bridgetown, Barbados arriving 25 October 19482 November 1948 sailed Bridgetown, Barbados to Castries, St. Lucia arriving the next day3 November 1948 sailed Castries, St Lucia to a port in Dominica arriving the next day8 November 1948 sailed Dominica to Nassau, Bahamas arriving 13 November 194817 November 1948 sailed Nassau, Bahamas to Bermuda arriving 21 November 194826 November 1948 at Bermuda Police Court Refrigeration Greaser Ernest Edward Henry Hicks from the ship appeared charged with larceny of magazines from another member of the crew - he was convicted and fined 5/
29 November 1948 sailed Bermuda to Antigua arriving 3 December 1948
5 December 1948 sailed Antigua to Fayal, Azores arriving 13 December 1948
14 December 1948 sailed Fayal, Azores to Spithead arriving 19 December 1948
20 December 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
14 January 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
15 February 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westwards
30 March 1949 Mr Arthur L Barr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Arthur_L_Barr
Chief Engineer Officer Arthur L Barr RFA
23 April 1949 berthed at Portmouth Harbour
16 May 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
22 June 1949 Captain William B Browne OBE RFA appointed as Master
29 June 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westwards
4 July 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastwards
6 July 1949 together with units of the Home Fleet and RFA BLACK RANGER commenced Exercise Verity in the Western Approaches
30 November 1949 Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 December 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
9 January 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
10 January 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
20 March 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
23 May 1950 arrived at Malta from Devonport
26 May 1950 sailed Malta for Devonport
4 June 1950 berthed at Devonport from Malta
14 November 1950 berthed at Malta from Gibraltar with Prince Phillip's polo pony 'Ballarin', his car and 40 cases of personal effects as cargo. The Prince had been appointed to a shore position in the Royal Navy at Malta with his wife the then Princess Elizabeth
2 February 1951 Mr Wilfred C Shortland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
11 May 1951 Mr George McBain RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer until 13 May 1951 when the ship was at Newport, Monmouthshire
27 July 1951 sailed Malta to Rosyth
26 February 1952 Mr Lionel W Pool RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 May 1952 sailed Chatham
14 May 1952 berthed at Malta
3 October 1952 in support of Operation Hurricane 1- the first British test atomic bomb explosion at Monte Bello Islands off NW Australia - along with RFA’s FORT CONSTANTINE, FORT ROSALIE (1), GOLD RANGER, WAVE KING, WAVE PRINCE, WAVE RULER (1) and WAVE SOVEREIGN.
22 December 1952 berthed at Malta having arrived from Gibraltar
15 January 1953 Mr Allan D Harris RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 February 1953 berthed at Chatham Dockyard
11 March 1953 sailed Malta for Gibraltar
27 July 1953 Mr Oscar Goodwin RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 January 1954 a De Haviland Comet aircraft call sign YOKE PETER crashed into the Tyrhennian Sea to the south of Elba with the loss of 35 lives. Between February and May that year, RFA SEA SALVOR recovered parts of the wreckage.
6 March 1954 sailed Malta with parts of the Comet aircraft (see above) for examination at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough
8 April 1954 berthed at Chatham Dockyard
6 May 1954 Mr George McBain RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1 June 1954 Commodore William B Browne OBE RFA appointed Master
12 August 1954 arrived Malta with Rear Admiral Brittain as a passenger
8 March 1955 Mr Charles M Morgan RFA (Commander (E) R.N.R. (ret)) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 March 1955 sailed Chatham Dockyard
16 October 1955 Captain Howard D Gausden DSO RFA appointed as Master
Captain Howard D Gausden
Captain Howard D Gausden DSO RFA
photo taken when as an Apprentice in 1919
14 April 1956 Mr J Wilson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
15 May 1956 at 35.20N 37.50W 2nd Engineer Douglas Hermann Buckley RFA discharged dead from 2nd and 3rd degree scalds
BUCKLEY DOUGLAS HERMANN
2nd Engineer Officer Douglas H Buckley RFA
early in his career at sea
23 June 1956 arrived at Port London, Christmas Island to support Operation Grapple- the British H-bomb test in the Pacific Ocean - after a voyage via Panama and Honolulu. Served with 16 other RFA’s during the test period.
Port_London_Christmas_Island
18 November 1957 Commodore Thomas Elder CBE DSC RFA appointed as Master
29 November 1957 Mr Allan D Harris RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
22 January 1958 deployed for duties in support of Operation Grapple on Christmas Island with 933 tons 15cwts of cargo
22 July 1958 Captain William R Parker RFA appointed as Master
22 August 1958 present at Christmas Island during atomic bomb tests
22 January 1959 Arrived Leith for refit and while there suffered a fire aboard,
16 February 1959 Captain Rowland K Hill OBE RFA appointed as Master
1 May 1959 deployed for the second time for duties in support of Operation Grapple on Christmas Island with 15 tons 2.75cwts of cargo
15 July 1959 together with USS Current (ARS 22) involved in the salvaging of MV Beaverbank stranded at the English Harbour entrance to Fanning Island at 3.51N 159.22W. Salvaged by 24 July 1959.
20 December 1959 Mr Hugh C F Sweenie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1960 was employed carrying stores and official passengers to the Mediterranean and Far East
8 July 1960 berthed at Malta from Chatham
6 August 1960 Captain Douglas G Cox OBE RFA appointed as Master
16 August 1960 sailed Chatham to Aden and Singapore with 8 passengers
2 November 1960 sailed Malta to Gibraltar
3 November 1960 challenged by HMS BERMUDA 'What ship where bound'
14 December 1960 sailed Chatham to Malta and Singapore with 6 passengers
23 December 1960 berthed at Malta from Chatham
20 March 1961 Captain Alfred M Uglow RFA appointed as Master until 30 March 1961
12 December 1961 Captain Douglas S Norrington OBE RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master
13 December 1961 at sea at 37.35N 09.17E Seaman 1 Sk Fakir Abdulrehman discharged dead - natural causes - heart failure - buried at sea
19 December 1961 Mr N Bothwell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
17 February 1962 berthed Devonport from Gibraltar and Malta with an eight month old donkey as cargo. The animal had been presented by HMS PHOENICIA, Malta to HMS EXCELLENT, Whale Island as a mascot
23 April 1962 laid up at Malta transferred to the MoT for disposal
July 1962 placed on the Disposal List
23 July 1962 advertised for sale 'as lying' at Malta in The Times of this day
8 November 1962 arrived La Spezia for demolition by Cantieri Navali Santa Maria
Notes:
Prior to RFA service was a member of the British Pacific Fleet - hence the B pennant number
View full size (1600x1596)
RFA Fort Beauharnois - In Wellington, I understand
via John Currin (JC - Ex RNZN) - Google+ Public Posts ift.tt/1KabNz6
RFA Fort Beauharnois - In Wellington, I understand
22 January 1958 deployed for duties in support of Operation Grapple on Christmas Island with 933 tons 15cwts of cargo
22 July 1958 Captain William R Parker RFA appointed as Master
22 August 1958 present at Christmas Island during atomic bomb tests
Previous name: Fort Grand Rapids, Cornish Park
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 175606
Class: CANADIAN FORT CLASS Stores Ship
Pennant No: B586 / A285
Laid down:
Builder: West Coast Ship Builders, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Launched: 31 August 1944
Into Service: 22 September 1948
Out of service: 23 April 1962 laid up at Malta
Fate: Broken up at Italy
Items of historic interest involving this ship: Background Data: After the outbreak of WW2, the first cargo vessels built in Canada for the War Effort were the “North Sands” type, the hulls of which conformed to original British working drawings supplied by the North Sands Shipyard of J.L.Thompson & Sons at Sunderland. Following experience gained from these ships, improved versions with a more economic operation were introduced. These were the ”Victory” and “Canadian” types. The “Victory” type was an oil burner and two water tube boilers were substituted for the original 3 Scotch boilers. Because of the then concerns about oil fuel supplies, the “Canadian” type had coal bunkers and alternate oil fuel capacity installed, but with a reversion to the original 3 Scotch boilers of the “North Sands” type. In 1943, when the shipping situation in the Pacific was becoming acute, the British Government ordered that a number of the ships of the Canadian building programme be completed as Stores Issuing Ships whose intended task would be to follow and victual naval units as part of the British Pacific Fleet Train. In all, sixteen ships were completed as Stores Issuing Ships as follows: three as Ammunition Carriers, two as Air Stores Issuing Ships, two as Naval Stores Issuing Ships and nine as refrigerated Victualling Stores Issuing Ships. All were managed by commercial companies with vast experience of Far Eastern Waters as Mercantile Fleet Auxiliaries with Merchant Navy Crews and a detachment of Stores Staff from the Victualling Division of the Admiralty under a Commander. On the refrigerated ships, the refrigerated space was in the tween decks and amounted to 111,480 cubic feet in 25 chambers. The lower holds were used for non-perishable items of stores, clothing, etc. After WW2, eight of these ships became RFA’s. They were only armed during WW2. 31 August 1944 launched as a “Victory” type by West Coast Shipbuilders Ltd, Vancouver as Yard Nr 146 named FORT GRAND RAPIDS for the Canadian Government (Park Steamship Co, Montreal, Managers)29 October 1944 completed as a refrigerated VSIS named CORNISH PARK8 November 1944 as Cornish Park sailed from Vancouver to Victoria, British Columbia12 November 1944 sailed Victoria, British Columbia arriving Los Angeles on 17 November 194417 November 1944 sailed Los Angeles independently to Balboa arriving on 29 November 194429 November 1944 sailed Cristobal independently to New York9 December 1944 sailed in convoy HX325 from New York to Southend loaded with lead and lumber arriving 23 December 194431 January 1945 as Cornish Park sailed Southend joining convoy ON282 from Liverpool to New York and then independently to Cristobal arriving 23 February 194524 February 1945 sailed Balboa independently to Antofagasta, Chile arriving 5 March 19459 March 1945 sailed Antofagasta, Chile independently to San Antonio arriving on 12 March 194523 March 1945 sailed Valpariso independently to Chanaral arriving 27 March 19452 April 1945 sailed Chanral to Antofagasta, Chile arriving on 3 April 19454 April 1945 sailed Antofagasta, Chile to Los Angeles arriving 24 April 194525 April 1945 sailed Los Angeles independently arriving Port Townsend, Washington State, USA on 1 May 19451945 sold to the Ministry of War Transport and managed by A Holt & Co, Liverpool and renamed FORT BEAUHARNOIS3 December 1945 arrived at Sydney, Australia.18 December 1945 sailed from Sydney, NSW, Australia to Manus arrived 26 December 19452 May 1946 arrived Sydney, NSW, Australia from Hong Kong3 June 1946 sailed Sydney, NSW, Australia for Hong Kong12 July 1946 arrived at Yokohama1947 placed under the management of Lyle Shipping Company, London31 March 1947 Captain W D Wilson was the ship's Master3 May 1947 sailed Hong Kong to Kure arriving 9 May 19479 May 1947 arrived at Kure, Japan and berthed alongside HMAS HOBART to supply general cargo to the warship13 May 1947 at Kure, Japan 2nd Engineer Robert M Thompson discharged dead having suffered a heart attack13 May 1947 sailed Kure to Hong Kong arriving 22 May 19475 July 1947 sailed Hong Kong to Kure arriving 11 July 194716 July 1947 sailed Kure to Yokohama arriving 18 July 19472 August 1947 sailed from Yokohama to Kure arriving 5 August 19479 August 1947 sailed Kure to Hong Kong arriving 15 August 194730 August 1947 on passage from Hong Kong to exercise area as detailed below2 September 1947 and 3 September 1947 together with FORT SANDUSKY, RN and RAN ships together with US Navy Aircraft from Okinawa took part in Exercises Adgate Two and Three within an area 31 43N 127.34E and 29.26N 128.40E5 September 1947 after exercise Adgate Three berthed at Kagoshima to replenish various ships which had taken part in the exercise13 September 1947 sailed Kure to Sasebo arriving 15 September 194720 September 1947 sailed Sasebo to Kure arriving 25 September 19474 October 1947 sailed Kure to Hong Kong arriving 9 October 194724 December 1947 sailed Hong Kong to Sydney, NSW arriving 14 January 194813 February 1948 sailed Sydney, NSW to Melbourne arriving 15 February 194825 February 1948 sailed Melbourne to Fremantle arriving 4 March 1948 to load 2,131 gallon jars of rum5 March 1948 sailed Freemantle to Singapore arriving 15 March 194819 March 1948 sailed Singapore to Colombo arriving 25 March 19481 April 1948 sailed Colombo to Aden arriving 9 April 194810 April 1948 sailed Aden to Suez arriving 15 April 194816 April 1948 arrived at Port Said sailing the same day to London30 April 1948 berthed at London with 6 passengers with Captain ? D Wilson as ship's Master14 May 1948 sailed London to Portsmouth arriving the next day1948 taken over by the Admiralty as an RFA and converted into a Store ship1 June 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour1 September 1948 Captain Thomas H Card RFA appointed as Master22 September 1948 became and RFA and sailed from Portsmouth Harbour to San Fernando, Trinidad arriving 9 October 194818 October 1948 sailed San Fernando, Trinidad to Plymouth, Tobago arriving the same day24 October 1948 sailed Plymouth, Tobago to Bridgetown, Barbados arriving 25 October 19482 November 1948 sailed Bridgetown, Barbados to Castries, St. Lucia arriving the next day3 November 1948 sailed Castries, St Lucia to a port in Dominica arriving the next day8 November 1948 sailed Dominica to Nassau, Bahamas arriving 13 November 194817 November 1948 sailed Nassau, Bahamas to Bermuda arriving 21 November 194826 November 1948 at Bermuda Police Court Refrigeration Greaser Ernest Edward Henry Hicks from the ship appeared charged with larceny of magazines from another member of the crew - he was convicted and fined 5/
29 November 1948 sailed Bermuda to Antigua arriving 3 December 1948
5 December 1948 sailed Antigua to Fayal, Azores arriving 13 December 1948
14 December 1948 sailed Fayal, Azores to Spithead arriving 19 December 1948
20 December 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
14 January 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
15 February 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westwards
30 March 1949 Mr Arthur L Barr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Arthur_L_Barr
Chief Engineer Officer Arthur L Barr RFA
23 April 1949 berthed at Portmouth Harbour
16 May 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
22 June 1949 Captain William B Browne OBE RFA appointed as Master
29 June 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing westwards
4 July 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing eastwards
6 July 1949 together with units of the Home Fleet and RFA BLACK RANGER commenced Exercise Verity in the Western Approaches
30 November 1949 Mr G A Calvert RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 December 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
9 January 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
10 January 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
20 March 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
23 May 1950 arrived at Malta from Devonport
26 May 1950 sailed Malta for Devonport
4 June 1950 berthed at Devonport from Malta
14 November 1950 berthed at Malta from Gibraltar with Prince Phillip's polo pony 'Ballarin', his car and 40 cases of personal effects as cargo. The Prince had been appointed to a shore position in the Royal Navy at Malta with his wife the then Princess Elizabeth
2 February 1951 Mr Wilfred C Shortland RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
11 May 1951 Mr George McBain RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer until 13 May 1951 when the ship was at Newport, Monmouthshire
27 July 1951 sailed Malta to Rosyth
26 February 1952 Mr Lionel W Pool RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 May 1952 sailed Chatham
14 May 1952 berthed at Malta
3 October 1952 in support of Operation Hurricane 1- the first British test atomic bomb explosion at Monte Bello Islands off NW Australia - along with RFA’s FORT CONSTANTINE, FORT ROSALIE (1), GOLD RANGER, WAVE KING, WAVE PRINCE, WAVE RULER (1) and WAVE SOVEREIGN.
22 December 1952 berthed at Malta having arrived from Gibraltar
15 January 1953 Mr Allan D Harris RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 February 1953 berthed at Chatham Dockyard
11 March 1953 sailed Malta for Gibraltar
27 July 1953 Mr Oscar Goodwin RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 January 1954 a De Haviland Comet aircraft call sign YOKE PETER crashed into the Tyrhennian Sea to the south of Elba with the loss of 35 lives. Between February and May that year, RFA SEA SALVOR recovered parts of the wreckage.
6 March 1954 sailed Malta with parts of the Comet aircraft (see above) for examination at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough
8 April 1954 berthed at Chatham Dockyard
6 May 1954 Mr George McBain RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1 June 1954 Commodore William B Browne OBE RFA appointed Master
12 August 1954 arrived Malta with Rear Admiral Brittain as a passenger
8 March 1955 Mr Charles M Morgan RFA (Commander (E) R.N.R. (ret)) appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 March 1955 sailed Chatham Dockyard
16 October 1955 Captain Howard D Gausden DSO RFA appointed as Master
Captain Howard D Gausden
Captain Howard D Gausden DSO RFA
photo taken when as an Apprentice in 1919
14 April 1956 Mr J Wilson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
15 May 1956 at 35.20N 37.50W 2nd Engineer Douglas Hermann Buckley RFA discharged dead from 2nd and 3rd degree scalds
BUCKLEY DOUGLAS HERMANN
2nd Engineer Officer Douglas H Buckley RFA
early in his career at sea
23 June 1956 arrived at Port London, Christmas Island to support Operation Grapple- the British H-bomb test in the Pacific Ocean - after a voyage via Panama and Honolulu. Served with 16 other RFA’s during the test period.
Port_London_Christmas_Island
18 November 1957 Commodore Thomas Elder CBE DSC RFA appointed as Master
29 November 1957 Mr Allan D Harris RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
22 January 1958 deployed for duties in support of Operation Grapple on Christmas Island with 933 tons 15cwts of cargo
22 July 1958 Captain William R Parker RFA appointed as Master
22 August 1958 present at Christmas Island during atomic bomb tests
22 January 1959 Arrived Leith for refit and while there suffered a fire aboard,
16 February 1959 Captain Rowland K Hill OBE RFA appointed as Master
1 May 1959 deployed for the second time for duties in support of Operation Grapple on Christmas Island with 15 tons 2.75cwts of cargo
15 July 1959 together with USS Current (ARS 22) involved in the salvaging of MV Beaverbank stranded at the English Harbour entrance to Fanning Island at 3.51N 159.22W. Salvaged by 24 July 1959.
20 December 1959 Mr Hugh C F Sweenie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1960 was employed carrying stores and official passengers to the Mediterranean and Far East
8 July 1960 berthed at Malta from Chatham
6 August 1960 Captain Douglas G Cox OBE RFA appointed as Master
16 August 1960 sailed Chatham to Aden and Singapore with 8 passengers
2 November 1960 sailed Malta to Gibraltar
3 November 1960 challenged by HMS BERMUDA 'What ship where bound'
14 December 1960 sailed Chatham to Malta and Singapore with 6 passengers
23 December 1960 berthed at Malta from Chatham
20 March 1961 Captain Alfred M Uglow RFA appointed as Master until 30 March 1961
12 December 1961 Captain Douglas S Norrington OBE RD RFA (Commander RNR) appointed as Master
13 December 1961 at sea at 37.35N 09.17E Seaman 1 Sk Fakir Abdulrehman discharged dead - natural causes - heart failure - buried at sea
19 December 1961 Mr N Bothwell RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
17 February 1962 berthed Devonport from Gibraltar and Malta with an eight month old donkey as cargo. The animal had been presented by HMS PHOENICIA, Malta to HMS EXCELLENT, Whale Island as a mascot
23 April 1962 laid up at Malta transferred to the MoT for disposal
July 1962 placed on the Disposal List
23 July 1962 advertised for sale 'as lying' at Malta in The Times of this day
8 November 1962 arrived La Spezia for demolition by Cantieri Navali Santa Maria
Notes:
Prior to RFA service was a member of the British Pacific Fleet - hence the B pennant number
View full size (1600x1596)