RFA Derwentdale (A114)

RFA Derwentdale (A114) was a Dale-class fleet tanker and landing ship (gantry) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She served during the Second World War.

For other ships with the same name, see RFA Derwentdale.

History
RFA EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameRFA Derwentdale
BuilderHarland and Wolff, Govan
Yard number1052[1]
Laid down14 November 1939
Launched12 April 1941
Completed30 August 1941[1]
Commissioned30 August 1941
Decommissioned19 May 1959
Fate
  • Sold commercially in December 1959 as Irvingdale 1.
  • Arrived at Ferrol for scrapping on 23 July 1966
General characteristics
Class and typeDale-class fleet tanker
Displacement16,782 tonnes full load
Length483 ft 4 in (147.32 m)
Beam59 ft 4 in (18.08 m)
Draught27 ft 6.5 in (8.39 m)
PropulsionBurmeister & Wain 8-cylinder diesels with a single shaft 6,800 hp (5,100 kW).
Speed11.5 knots (21.3 km/h)
Complement44

Built for the Ministry of War Transport, she was taken over by the Admiralty and completed as a Landing Ship Gantry. As such, 15 LCMs could be carried on the ships, with two Gantry cranes, one forward of the ship's bridge and one aft, used to lift the landing craft off the deck and lower them to the sea.[2][3] with accommodation for 150 military personnel.

Service

Her maiden voyage was as part of convoy ON-19 to Halifax on September 22, 1941. Later Derwentdale took part in the British invasion of Madagascar in 1942, leaving Durban, South Africa on 25 May 1942, and contributing 14 landing craft for the landings at Diego Suarez on 5 May.[4] In November 1942, the British and Americans landed in French North Africa in Operation Torch, with Derwentdale taking part in the landings at Arzew near Oran in Algeria on 9 November.[5] She later took part in the invasions of Sicily and Italy. She was damaged by dive-bombing at Salerno on September 1943 and towed to the UK via Malta. Re-engined with engines from the Denbydale in February 1946, she returned to service as a tanker, her extra accommodation was used for passengers whilst freighting oil on the Trinidad to UK run. She was decommissioned on 19 May 1959 and was laid up at Rosyth, and offered for sale on 20 October. Sold in December 1959 to Kent Line Canada and renamed Irvingdale 1, on July 23rd 1966 she was moved to El Ferrol, Spain, to be broken up.[6]

The Derwentdale was one of the eight RFA ships to be awarded Battle Honours during World War II, and the only to be awarded them three times (North Africa 1942, Sicily 1943 and Salerno 1943).[7]

Citations
  1. McCluskie, Tom (2013). The Rise and Fall of Harland and Wolff. Stroud: The History Press. p. 148. ISBN 9780752488615.
  2. Lenton & Colledge 1973, pp. 528, 607
  3. Winser 2002, p. 86
  4. Winser 2002, pp. 7–8, 47
  5. Winser 2002, pp. 12, 65
  6. Puddlefoot, Geoff (2010). Ready for Anything - The Royal Fleet Auxiliary 1905-1950. Seaforth Publishing. p. 213. ISBN 978 1 84832 074 1.
  7. Puddlefoot, Geoff (2010). Ready for Anything - The Royal Fleet Auxiliary 1905-1950. Seaforth Publishing. p. 184. ISBN 978 1 84832 074 1.

References
  • Adams, Thomas A.; Smith, James R. (2005). The Royal Fleet Auxiliary: A century of Service. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-259-7.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Lenton, H. T.; Colledge, J. J., eds. (1973). Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.
  • Sigwart, E. E. (1969). Royal Fleet Auxiliary. London: Adlard Coles. ISBN 978-0-229-98581-4.
  • Winser, John de S. (2002). British Invasion Fleets: The Mediterranean and beyond 1942–1945. Gravesend, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-9543310-0-1.


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