NAV John Evelyn

 

 

 

Previous name:                  Fort Laverstock
Subsequent name:             Maryston

Official Number:                 143498

Class:                                  Armament Stores Carrier

Pennant No:                        X 31

Laid down:
Builder:                               Corby Bros, Lowerstoft
Launched:                           27 August 1919
Into Service:                        April 1924
Out of service:                    1946
Fate:                                    Sold out of service

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:  One of a group of coasters which were not normally classed as RFA’s. They are included here as the ancestors of the more modern ammunition ships

Career Data:

 

27 August 1919 launched by Colby Bros., Lowerstoft as Yard Nr: 104 named Fort Laverstock for Fort Shipping Co Ltd., (W H Thurston, Manager) Cardiff

February 1920 completed

5 February 1921 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

6 February 1921 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound

13 September 1921 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

23 October 1922 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

8 January 1924 grounded in heavy weather off Falmouth

April 1924 purchased for £90,000 by the Admiralty for service as a Victualling Stores Carrier and renamed JOHN EVELYN

29 August 1924 berthed in Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth

30 August 1924 sailed Portsmouth for Plymouth but had to put into Portland due to bad weather

2 February 1925 arrived at Plymouth from Deptford

3 February 1925 sailed Plymouth

14 June 1925 sailed Plymouth for Deptford

30 September 1925 arrived at Plymouth from Gosport

26 November 1925 arrived at Plymouth

29 November 1925 sailed Plymouth for Woolwich

15 December 1925 sailed Plymouth for Portsmouth

24 May 1927 berthed at Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth Harbour

15 October 1927 arrived at Portsmouth from Plymouth

29 February 1928 sailed Plymouth for Portsmouth

28 March 1928 sailed Plymouth for Deptford

3 June 1928 arrived at Plymouth from Gosport

18 June 1928 arrived at Plymouth from Deptford

19 June 1928 sailed Plymouth for Gosport and Deptford

2 September 1928 arrived at Plymouth from Portsmouth

25 January 1929 sailed Devonport for Depford

11 March 1929 berthed in Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth

7 April 1929 arrived Devonport from Portsmouth

2 July 1929 sailed Devonport for Depford

13 August 1929 arrived at Devonport from Portsmouth

18 December 1929 arrived at Devonport from Portsmouth

12 June 1931 berthed in Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth

14 December 1932 berthed in Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth

10 February 1933 berthed in Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth

27 February 1933 berthed in Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth

6 April 1933 anchored at Spithead

19 May 1933 berthed in Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth

1 July 1933 berthed in Royal Clarence Yard, Portsmouth

8 January 1936 Captain Horace Baker was the ship's Master

1940 to 1946 on loan to the Naval Armanents Department as an Armanents Stores Carrier on the Inverness - Scapa Flow service

10 December 1940 sailed Methil in escorted Convoy EN39/1 to Scapa Flow arriving 14 December 1940

26 July 1944 sailed Methil in unescorted Convoy EN413 to Loch Ewe arriving 28 July 1944

12 July 1945 berthed at Grangemouth sailing the same day

13 August 1945 sailed Grangemouth

26 August 1945 sailed from Grangemouth

27 August 1945 berthed at Grangemouth

25 September 1945 sailed Grangemouth

1946 purchased by W N Lindsay Ltd., Leith - name unchanged

30 June 1947 arrived on the River Tyne from Scapa Flow sailing later the same day for Portsmouth

15 October 1947 arrived River Wear from Aberdeen

19 July 1948 berthed at the City Docks, Bristol

26 June 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard  sailing east bound

2 January 1949 arrived Hartlepool from Boston, Lincolnshire

20 July 1949 sailed the River Wear for Lowestoft

20 August 1949 sailed the River Tyne for Liverpool

20 November 1949 arrive at the River Tyne

30 December 1949 sailed the River Tees

13 June 1950 arrived the River Tees

9 March 1952 arrived River Tyne from Leith

1 May 1952 arrived River Tyne

20 June 1952 arrived at Dundee sailing the same day for Methil

9 February 1953 sailed the River Tyne

26 August 1953 sailed Seaham Harbour for Peterhead

21 December 1953 sailed the River Tyne for Granton

20 April 1954 arrived the River Wear from Leith

12 April 1955 sailed Blyth

7 January 1957 sailed Seaham Harbour for Leith

26 February 1957 arrived Seaham Harbour from Leith

4 April 1957 arrived Blyth from Scrabster

6 September 1957 sailed from the River Tyne for Montrose

8 November 1957 arrived River Tyne from Antwerp

1957 purchased by Beaufort Shipping Co., Guernsey and renamed Maryston

6 December 1957 sailed the River Tyne for Grangemouth

20 December 1957 sailed the River Tees for Scrabster

16 August 1960 arrived at New Waterway for demolition by De Koophandel NL

 

 

 

Previous name:                            HMS Jaunty
Subsequent name:                       Nisos Chios

Official Number:                           181622

Class:                                            ASSURANCE Class Tug

Pennant No:                                 W30 / A140

Laid down:

Builder:                                         Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders at Selby
Launched:                                    11 June 1941
Into Service:                                  
Out of service:                              1965 Sold commercially
Fate:                                             1973 Broken Up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:  There were originally twenty one ships in this Class, seven of which saw service as RFA’s. Of 700 t standard displacement and 1350 t full load displacement, they had a complement of thirty one and a bollard pull of 13½ tons. In wartime they were armed with 1 x 3“ gun, 1 x 20mm AA gun and 2 x .303 machine guns.

 

11 June 1941 launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby as Yard Nr: 1233 named HMS JAUNTY

7 November 1941 commissioned

22 December 1941 sailed from Scapa Flow as part of Force J to carry out landings on Lofoten Islands together with RFA's BLACK RANGER and GRAY RANGER

1 January 1942 returned to Scapa Flow as part of Force J which had carried out landings on Lofoten Islands together with RFA's BLACK RANGER and GRAY RANGER on completion of Operation Anklet

24 January 1942 sailed to assist vessel THYRA II which had signalled she required immediate assistance - her position given as 165 miles 267 degrees Barra Head and 297 degrees Malin Head - from signal from the FOIC Greenock

17 April 1942 sailed Loch Ewe towing ss Rudderman in escorted convoy UR20 to Reykjavik arriving on 22 April 1942 with the assistance of the British tug GONDIA

ss Rudderman

11 May 1942 escorted by HMS AMAZON to join Refuelling Group (Force R) which was with PEDESTAL ships. Commanding Officer Lt. Commander H Osburn RNR

18 May 1942 towed SS Gemini, suffering from a damaged propeller while escorted by USS Gemini and USS Williamsburg arrived at Havfjordur, Iceland on 2 June 1942

11 August 1942 carried out rescue work with two RN units when HMS EAGLE was hit by torpedo fired by German submarine U-73 and sank within eight minutes. 927 survivors were rescued by the three ships

August 1942 assisted in bringing the tanker Ohio into Malta

8 November 1942 with ss ALASKA, which had been damaged by a torpedo,  in tow in the North Atlantic arrived Lisbon 9 November 1942. After ss ALASKA had been berthed at Lisbon JAUNTY directed to return to Gibraltar - Source Admiralty War Diary of 8 November 1942 page 580

15 November 1942 took in tow USS Almaack (AK27) which had been torpedoed by the German submarine U-155 (Kapitanleutnant Adolf Piening)  eight miles off the coast of Portugal - under the escort of HMS BRILLIANT. She towed the USS Almaach into Gibraltar arriving on 17 November 1942

9 February 1943 east of Algiers took in tow the Italian submarine Avorio which had been brought to the surface by HMCS REGINA - the submarine sank. He crew were landed at Bone, Algeria

25 February 1943 sailed Bone in convoy ET12 with HMS ITHURIEL in tow to Gibraltar arriving 2 March 1943

7 March 1943 arrived at Oran

1 April 1943 involved in the salvage of the tanker ss Seminole at Oran which had been hit by two torpedoes. The crew were awarded salvage money as detailed in the London Gazette of 11 May 1945

4 April 1943 sailed Gibraltar to Oran

5 April 1943 arrived at Oran as part of Force H with HMS NELSON, HMS RODNEY, HMS FORMIDABLE. Sailed later the same day to Gibraltar

11 May 1943 arrived at Oran

3 June 1943 sailed Alexandria in convoy XTG1 towing HMS BADSWORTH to Gibraltar arriving 17 June 1943. RFA GREEN RANGER was in the same convoy

15 June 1943 arrived at Oran

24 June 1943 sailed Gibraltar to Cape St. Vincent for HM S/m P56 which required the assistance of a tug

30 June 1943 sailed Gibraltar in escorted convoy KMS17 to Malta arriving on 6 July 1943. RFA's ABBEYDALE, PRESTOL, ORANGELEAF (1), SALVEDA and SALVESTOR were in the same convoy

10 September 1943 involved in assisting the Italian Fleet into Malta to surrender

19 September 1943 the British battleship HMS WARSPITE was hit by a German FX1400 guided bomb and near-missed by a second. The ship was heavily damaged. She was towed by the U.S.N. tugs to Malta arriving there on the same day After emergency repairs she was towed to Gibraltar by HMS Jaunty

HMS WARSPITE

5 June 1944 LCT2428 was due to take part in the D Day landings (Operation Neptune) but developed a leak and after capsizing she was sunk by the tug Jaunty in the Channel as she was a hazard to navigation. LCT2428 was the ‘leader’ of the 105th Flotilla of Assault Group J1Support Squadron, assigned to Juno beach to support the 7th Infantry of the 3rdCanadian Division at Courseulles.

 

Plan of a Mark V Landing Craft Tank of the same type as LCT(A) 2428, source: English Heritage

 

19 June 1944 sailed Seine Bay in escorted convoy FTC12 to Southend arriving the next day towing HMS DESPATCH

27 June 1944 sailed Solent in escorted convoy ETC19 to Seine Bay arriving the same day 

10 September 1944 sailed Southend in escorted convoy ETC94 to Seine Bay arriving the next day

24 November 1944 while attempting to provide a tow to vessel Cyrus with the tug Griper both tugs sustained damage which provented them being able to tow. Tug Gripper in the tow of tug Attentive and in the company of Jaunty sailed to Portsmouth for repairs. Not shown in the Portsmouth Admiralty Pilots records of any of the tugs entering Portsmouth 

28 November 1944 Lieutenant William Sutton Lowrey RNR the ship's Commanding Officer was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during Operation Neptune

28 April 1945 took ss REDMILL in tow. HMS RUPERT escorting the tow

August 1945 Lieutenant Carlton Arthur Hire RNR appointed as Commanding Officer until 20 July 1946

October 1945 she towed a Floating crane to Ceylon and spent the next year in the Far East

22 January 1947 Mr J T W Coulson appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

22 Aug 1947 Captain Reginald E Coad appointed as Master

6 November 1947 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

7 November 1947 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

25 February 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

17 March 1948 passed Dungeness while on passage to Plymouth with a tow

3 June 1948 on passage from the River Clyde to Portsmouth with two barges in tow. In heavy weather both barges broke their tow. One barge ran aground at Lands End and the other had its tow reconnected south of Start Point. The tow to Portsmouth continued

5 June 1948 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour

10 June 1948 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour

24 June 1948 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west with a tow

10 September 1948 sailed Plymouth with HMS NUBIAN in tow to Scotland for trials

1949 under RFA Conditions as JAUNTY

3 January 1949 sailed the River Tyne for Sheerness

11 January 1949 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west with a tow

4 November 1949 arrived at Portsmouth Harbour and berthed on the North Wall

13 March 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

21 April 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west bound

23 April 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east with a tow

26 April 1950 sheltered in Mounts Bay

11 May 1950 off the Medway Buoy in the River Thames Able Seaman John Joseph Phillips discharged dead presumed drowned

19 May 1950 sailed the River Tyne for Rosyth with a tow

24 May 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west

31 July 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east with a tow

24 August 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

30 August 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

21 September 1950 arrived at Aberdeen from Scapa Flow with HMS BARLOW in tow for the boom defence vessel to be refitted by Alex Hall & Co Ltd.

HMS BARLOW

4 October 1950 sailed from Aberdeen

13 October 1950 berthed at Plymouth

14 October 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west with a tow

17 October 1950 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east bound

20 October 1950 arrived at Immingham sailing later the same day

21 October 1950 arrived the River Tyne

26 October 1950 arrived at the River Humber

13 December 1950 sailed Rosyth

22 December 1950 arrived Devonport

28 December 1950 sailed Plymouth

13 March 1951 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east with a tow

11 August 1951 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing west with RFA SAUCY with HMS ANSON in tow to be laid up at the Gareloch

19 August 1951 while towing a tank landing craft from the River Clyde to Sheerness lost the tow off the Cornish Coast and which then sank

20 August 1951 arrived at Portsmouth

3 September 1951 together with RFA's SAUCY and ENVOY sailed from Portsmouth with HMS DUKE OF YORK in tow to be laid up at the Gareloch

HMS DUKE OF YORK

7 September 1951 while arriving off the Gladstone Dock Liverpool with HMS DUKE OF YORK in tow the battleship was in collision with the m.v. Royal Iris 60 people on the m.v. Royal Iris were injured

25 September 1951 arrived at Aberdeen to tow HMS BARFOUNT to Aultbea

2 April 1952 sailed the River Tyne for Sheerness towing HMS SILVERTON

17 June 1955 sailed Harwich with tug Vengeance towing two heavy list vessels to Portland to be used in the salvage of HMS/m SIDON

30 June 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing west

1956 to 1958 based at Chatham on Yard Craft Agreement and PAS manned

1958 in reserve at Pembroke Dockyard

1963 at Portland target towing replacing  RESTIVE

19 March 1964 based at Chatham

31 August 1965 advertised for sale in the Times newspaper "as lying" at Chatham -

 

 

15 November 1965 sold to Jos De Smedt, Antwerp for demolition

21 December 1966 sold again.