Subsequent name:
Official Number: 166588
Class: BOBBY CLASS Coastal Stores Carrier
Pennant No: X04 / A204
Laid down:
Builder: Grangemouth Dockyard, Grangemouth
Launched: 28 July 1938
Into Service: November 1938
Out of service: 8 December 1971
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: There were 2 ships in this Class which mainly served around the U.K. coast but occasionally ventured as far afield as Malta. Both ships had a large No. 2 hold which could stow anything used in the Services, including Landing Craft. Both ships had long lives with the RFA. RFA Robert Dundas was named after the Hon. Robert Dundas, afterwards the fourth Lord Melville, who was Storekeeper General of the Royal Navy in 1832. As such he was a predecessor of the Director of Stores, Admiralty.
Courtesy of Falkirk Council Archives
28 July 1938 launched by Grangemouth Dockyard Co Ltd., Grangemouth as Yard Nr: 425 named ROBERT DUNDAS
10 November 1938 completed and was initially manned on Yard Craft Agreement and replaced RFA ARGO
22 December 1938 arrived at Plymouth from Portland
RFA Robert Dundas
16 March 1939 arrived at Devonport from Portsmouth
4 May 1939 arrived at Grangemouth from Rosyth
18 May 1939 sailed from Grangemouth for Rosyth
21 September 1939 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS's EDINBURGH and MATABELE delivering Naval Stores
8 June 1940 was placed under full RFA manning
3 July 1940 took on charge a John Poole of London chronometer ZAA1085 which had been purchased by the Admiralty in February 1858. It had been held on charge previously by RFA PETRONEL. It was taken off charge in 1947
8 July 1940 Mr Charles H Whitehead RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Chief Engineer Officer Charles H Whitehead RFA
September 1940 Captain Henry F Colbourne RFA appointed as Master
12 June 1941 sailed Scapa Flow in escorted convoy WN139 to Methil arriving 14 June 1941
16 August 1941 sailed Kirkwall in escorted convoy WN167 to Methil arriving 17 August 1941
8 October 1941 sailed Methil in unescorted convoy EC82 to Invergordon arriving the next day
10 October 1941 Captain Geoffrey B A Livesey RFA appointed as Master
4 November 1941 sailed Lyness in convoy WN200 to Methil arriving the next day
15 November 1941 sailed Methil in convoy EN6 to Invergordon arriving 18 November 1941
4 December 1942 sailed Stromness in unescorted convoy WN368 to Methil arriving the next day
14 January 1943 sailed Methil in convoy EN185 arrived at Invergordon the same day
2 March 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON delivering naval stores
4 March 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON delivering naval stores
6 March 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS NEWFOUNDLAND delivering naval stores
9 March 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS HOWE delivering naval stores
13 April 1943 at Scapa Flow alongside HMS ANSON delivering naval stores
11 August 1943 Captain Rowland K Hill RFA appointed as Master
Captain Rowland K Hill RFA
June 1944 RFA Officers and Naval Stores Dept Staff were involved in the planning of the fuel requirements for Operation Neptune - the Normandy Landings. Only two RFA’s were directly involved: RFA ROBERT DUNDAS and RFA RAPIDOL
12 June 1944 sailed Plymouth in convoy ECM5 arriving Seine Bay the next day
4 July 1944 sailed Seine Bay in convoy FBC18 to the Bristol Channel arriving 7 July 1944
12 July 1944 sailed Plymouth in convoy EBC38 to Seine Bay arriving the next day
25 July 1944 sailed Seine Bay in convoy FBC36 to Plymouth arriving the next day
7 August 1944 sailed the Solent in convoy EBC63 which also contained RFA SPABECK to Seine Bay arriving the same day
27 August 1944 sailed Seine Bay in convoy FTC80
6 September 1944 sailed Southampton in convoy FTC89 to Southend arriving the next day
3 May 1945 alongside HMS BERMUDA supplying stores at Clydebank
HMS BERMUDA
18 July 1945 Captain David Cook RFA appointed as Master
17 December 1945 passed Flamborough Head sailing northbound
18 December 1945 arrived at Grangemouth
13 February 1946 sailed Grangemouth for Alness, Ross-shire with Government Stores
4 March 1946 Captain David Cook RFA appointed as Master and Mr T Dowling RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
21 March 1946 sailed the River Tyne for Invergordon
4 April 1946 arrived the River Tyne from Kirkwall
6 April 1946 berthed at Inverness
24 July 1946 sailed the River Tyne for Rosyth
31 July 1946 berthed at Dundee from Rosyth to load
11 August 1946 arrived at Portsmouth from Devonport
17 August 1946 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
27 August 1946 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
29 October 1946 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
12 November 1946 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour for Devonport
29 November 1946 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
5 December 1946 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
16 January 1947 arrived at the Tyne from Rosyth
17 January 1947 sailed the River Tyne
29 January 1947 passed Flamborough Head sailing north bound
13 February 1947 arrived the River Tyne from Rosyth
23 February 1947 sailed the River Tyne for Portsmouth
25 February 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
12 March 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
17 March 1947 berthed at Hull in Alexandra Dock from Portsmouth
19 March 1947 sailed Hull for Rosyth with Naval Stores
23 March 1947 sailed the Tyne for Portsmouth
28 June 1947 berthed at Portmouth Harbour
1 July 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
7 July 1947 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
11 July 1947 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
15 July 1947 Captain Hugh W Davies RFA appointed as Master
25 July 1947 sailed Blyth
27 July 1947 sailed the River Wear for Chatham
9 August 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
11 August 1947 Mr L D Sinclair RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
22 August 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
30 August 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
15 September 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
23 September 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
1 October 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
3 October 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
6 October 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
11 October 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
15 October 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
24 October 1947 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
3 November 1947 Captain James H Chant RFA appointed as Master
13 November 1947 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
19 November 1947 sailed Swansea for Devonport
26 November 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
10 December 1947 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
25 January 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harboiur
4 February 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
7 February 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
12 February 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
15 March 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
20 March 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
24 March 1948 Mr C J Abel RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
10 April 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
16 April 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
27 April 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour from Plymouth
30 April 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
24 May 1948 berthed from Portsmouth Harbour
21 July 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
15 September 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
23 September 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
6 October 1948 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
25 October 1948 sailed Glasgow for Devonport
27 October 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east
30 October 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour having sailed from Devonport
5 November 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour returning to her berth later the same day
9 November 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
12 November 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
16 November 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
21 November 1948 Captain Edmund H Butterworth RFA appointed as Master
Captain Edmund H Butterworth RFA
16 December 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
20 December 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour passing the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west
18 January 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
2 February 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
12 February 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
17 February 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
19 February 1949 arrived at Blyth from Portsmouth Harbour
24 February 1949 sailed Blyth for Portsmouth Harbour
27 February 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
3 March 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
4 March 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
7 March 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head sailing north for Rosyth
10 April 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
19 April 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
5 May 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
6 May 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
12 May 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
12 July 1949 while on passage from Malta to Devonport sailed from Gibraltar this day
18 August 1949 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound
19 August 1949 arrived at Liverpool from Plymouth
23 September 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
9 December 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour returning to her berth later on the same day
12 December 1949 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
22 December 1949 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
13 January 1950 passed the Isle of Wight
23 February 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
3 March 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on Flamborough Head sailing north for Blyth
16 March 1950 passed Dover sailing westbound and later berthing at Portsmouth Harbour
23 March 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
12 April 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
16 April 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
19 April 1950 passed Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound
19 May 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
22 May 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
25 May 1950 passed Flamorough Head sailing north bound
4 June 1950 passed Flamorough Head sailing south bound
4 August 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
10 August 1950 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
26 August 1950 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
1 March 1951 Captain Allistoun M Macquire-Samson RFA appointed as Master
24 May 1951 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
3 August 1951 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
27 September 1951 sailed River Tyne for Rosyth Dockyard
4 October 1951 sailed Blyth for Chatham Dockyard
13 November 1951 the Portsmouth Evening News reported -
7 December 1951 Captain D A C Butler RFA appointed as Master
13 December 1951 arrived River Tyne from Sheerness
6 February 1952 arrived River Tyne from Harwich
20 August 1952 Captain Ronald V Warren DSC RFA appointed as Master
21 September 1952 arrived at Portsmouth Harbour
27 October 1952 Mr L D Sinclair RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 January 1953 before Portsmouth Magistrates' Court a Seaman from the ship was fined £1 for being drunk and disorderly in the Square, Portsea during the night
2 August 1953 berthed at Hebburn on Tyne from Portsmouth
11 August 1953 alongside at Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne together with with RFA's ARNDALE and OLNA (2)
2 September 1953 berthed at Aberdeen to load a new mooring boat
29 September 1953 berthed at Hebburn on Tyne from Invergordon
18 December 1953 berthed on the Admiralty Quay, River Tyne from Rosyth
1 March 1954 Captain W J H Roberts RFA appointed as Master
11 June 1954 Mr J E Allen RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
2 July 1954 sailed the River Tyne for Devonport
25 August 1954 arrived at Portsmouth Harbour at the end of Exercise Haul. The Exercise had lasted nine days of continous defensive and offensive manoeuvers. The Force, in part consisted of 17 merchant ships of which 14 were 'paper' ships together with HMS FLEETWOOD, RAF Bridport (a RAF trials vessel) together with RFA ROBERT DUNDAS
23 September 1954 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing westbound
18 April 1955 Captain R J Lockwood RFA appointed as Master
26 July 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing westbound
27 March 1956 at Portsmouth Dockyard
31 March 1956 berthed at Chatham Dockyard
2 July 1956 at Portsmouth Dockyard
23 October 1956 sailed the River Tyne for Chatham
28 October 1956 arrived on the River Tees from Plymouth
4 March 1957 Captain Norman R McLeod RFA appointed as Master
Captain Norman R McLeod RFA
26 July 1957 arrived at Blyth from Portsmouth
26 July 1958 sailed Glasgow for Devonport
22 December 1958 Captain Basil V Dobbie RFA appointed as Master
10 May 1959 Captain Archibald M M Telfer RFA appointed as Master
23 October 1960 Mr S Dobney RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
4 December 1962 stood by and joined in the search for the crew of a trawler the 'Boston Heron' which struck rocks on the island of Scalpay in the Outer Hebrides and the crew abandoned her.
20 December 1962 Captain O J Coulthard RFA appointed as Master
20 June 1963 Captain A Smith RFA appointed as Master
27 July 1964 Captain J G M Coull RFA appointed as Master
15 September 1965 Captain W F Henderson RFA appointed as Master
23 June 1966 at Devonport Dockyard
29 July 1966 at Belfast
12 August 1966 Captain D O Davies RFA appointed as Master
10 November 1966 Mr F J Derry RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 November 1966 at Chatham Dockyard
1 June 1967 Captain J B Leaf RFA appointed as Master
14 February 1968 sailed Portsmouth to Appledore with Naval Hovercraft XT493 as cargo - arrived two days later
24 March 1968 at Lossiemouth harbour loaded Royal Naval Buccaneer aircraft XV155 for transportation to Hawker Siddeley, Brough via Hull Docks
7 June 1968 Captain D O Davies RFA appointed as Master
9 August 1968 her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her
31 August 1969 Humanitarian aid - on passage from Haakonsvern to Portsmouth she sighted distress flares and upon investigation came upon the motor fishing vessel SILVER VIKINGout of Aberdeen which had engine trouble and a sick crew member who required hospital treatment. She took the mfv in tow to Aberdeen and handed the tow over to the local tug SEA TROJAN who towed her into harbour where an ambulance awaited her arrival
1 January 1970 sailed Devonport No: 3 Jetty to sea but returned with an engine defect and anchored in Plymouth Sound. Captain J B Leaf RFA was the Master
2 January 1970 berthed at No: 3 Jetty, Devonport
16 January 1970 sailed Devonport
18 January 1970 berthed at Birkenhead
19 January 1970 sailed Birkenhead to Belfast
23 January 1970 sailed Belfast
24 January 1970 berthed at Princes Dock, Glasgow - No: 16 berth
28 January 1970 sailed Princes Dock, Glasgow to Faslane and berthed at No: 3 berth
30 January 1970 sailed Faslane
31 January 1970 berthed at Cavindish Wharf, Birkenhead
5 February 1970 sailed Birkenhead
6 February 1970 berthed at Devonport Slip Jetty
9 February 1970 sailed Devonport
11 February 1970 berthed at St. Mary's Wharf, Chatham
16 February 1970 sailed Chatham
17 February 1970 anchored at Spithead and then sailed to Sheer Jetty, Portsmouth Harbour with the tug Dalmation assisting
19 February 1970 sailed Portsmouth and anchored in Portland Harbour for shelter
20 February 1970 berthed alongside at Portland on the east side loading jetty
23 February 1970 sailed Portland to Plymouth and anchored in the Sound
24 February 1970 berthed Slip Jetty, Devonport
26 February 1970 sailed Devonport
27 February 1970 anchored at Spithead and then entered Portsmouth Harbour and berthed on Sheer Jetty
3 March 1970 sailed Portsmouth
4 March 1970 berthed at Chatham No: 3 Basin
7 March 1970 sailed Chatham
9 March 1970 anchored off Inverkeithing and then moved to and berthed at North Wall, Rosyth Dockyard
11 March 1970 sailed Rosyth Dockyard
12 March 1970 berthed at Inverness North Quay
13 March 1970 sailed Inverness
15 March 1970 berthed at Ipswich Cliff Jetty
16 March 1970 sailed Ipswich to Chatham berthing South Wall, No: 3 basin
23 March 1970 sailed Chatham
24 March 1970 anchored at Spithead and then into Portsmouth Dockyard and berthed at Sheer Jetty
25 March 1970 sailed Portsmouth Dockyard
26 March 1970 berthed at Devonport No: 2 wharf
1 April 1970 sailed Devonport
2 April 1970 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard on Sheer Jetty
7 April 1970 sailed Portsmouth Dockyard to Portland 25 ton Crane Jetty
8 April 1970 sailed Portland
10 April 1970 berthed at Belfast Queens Quay
15 April 1970 sailed Belfast
16 April 1970 berthed at Birkenhead
17 April 1970 sailed Birkenhead
18 April 1970 berthed at Barrow sailing the same day
20 April 1970 berthed at Sheer Jetty, Portsmouth
24 April 1970 sailed Portsmouth
25 April 1970 berthed at Devonport, No: 2 wharf
29 April 1970 Captain W F Henderson RFA appointed as Master
30 April 1970 sailed Devonport Dockyard
1 May 1970 berthed at Portsmouth on Sheer Jetty
4 May 1970 sailed Portsmouth
5 May 1970 berthed at Chatham No: 3 basin
12 May 1970 sailed Chatham
14 May 1970 berthed at Rosyth Dockyard on the North Wall
18 May 1970 sailed Rosyth Dockyard
19 May 1970 berthed at Inverness
21 May 1970 sailed Inverness to Invergordon
22 May 1970 sailed Invergordon
23 May 1970 berthed at Rosyth Dockyard
26 May 1970 sailed Rosyth Dockyard
28 May 1970 berthed at Chatham Dockyard - St Mary's Wharf
1 June 1970 sailed Chatham Dockyard
2 June 1970 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard
4 June 1970 sailed Portsmouth Dockyard
5 June 1970 berthed at Camber Jetty, Devonport
8 June 1970 sailed Devonport and anchored at Portland Harbour
9 June 1970 berthed alongside at Portland Harbour and then sailed later in the day
10 June 1970 berthed at Milford Haven on Newton Noyes Wharf
12 June 1970 sailed Milford Haven
13 June 1970 berthed at No: 14 Quay, Prince Dock, Glasgow
15 June 1970 sailed Glasgow
16 June 1970 berthed at Belfast at Queens Quay
18 June 1970 sailed Belfast
19 June 1970 berthed at No: 15 Quay, Princes Dock, Glasgow
22 June 1970 sailed Glasgow
23 June 1970 berthed at Belfast sailing later the same day
24 June 1970 berthed at Londonderry No 8 Queens Quay
26 June 1970 sailed Londonderry
28 June 1970 anchored in Portland Harbour
29 June 1970 alongside at Portland Harbour
30 June 1970 sailed Portland to Devonport Slip Jetty then sailed the same day
8 December 1971 laid up at Chatham
18 March 1972 offered for sale 'as lying' at Chatham Dockyard this day in The Times newspaper. The advertisment was repeated on the 25 March 1972
1 June 1972 and 2 June 1972 while enroute to the ship breakers used by the BBC as the location for one of the Dr Who programs entitled 'Carnival of Monsters' in which she starred as the ficticious 'ss Bernice'
Film action on the RFA Robert Dundas
3 June 1972 arrived Grays, Essex for demolition by T.W. Ward Ltd after sale for £7,800
March 1973 demolition begun