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.

History
United Kingdom
Name: RFA Derwentdale
Builder: Harland and Wolff, Govan
Yard number: 1052[1]
Laid down: 14 November 1939
Launched: 12 April 1941
Completed: 30 August 1941[1]
Commissioned: 30 August 1941
Decommissioned: 19 May 1959
Fate:
  • Sold commercially in December 1959 as Irvingdale 1.
  • Arrived at Ferrol for scrapping on 23 July 1966
General characteristics
Class and type: Dale-class fleet tanker
Displacement: 16,782 tonnes full load
Length: 483 ft 4 in (147.32 m)
Beam: 59 ft 4 in (18.08 m)
Draught: 27 ft 6.5 in (8.39 m)
Propulsion: Burmeister & Wain 8-cylinder diesels with a single shaft 6,800 hp (5,100 kW).
Speed: 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h)
Complement: 44
For other ships with the same name, see RFA Derwentdale.

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

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 bombing at Salerno and towed to the UK via Malta to be re-engined with engines from the Denbydale. She returned to service as a tanker in 1946, 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.

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References
  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
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Lenton, H. T.; Colledge, J. J., eds. (1973). Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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