RFA Dewdale (A151)
Encyclopedia
RFA Dewdale (A151) was a Dale-class
fleet tanker
and landing ship (gantry) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
.
Taken over by the Admiralty and completed as a Landing Ship Gantry carrying 15 LCMs
with accommodation for 150 military personnel. Her landing craft were in the first assault waves during the North African landings
in 1943. Credited with shooting down two Ju 88s
at Bougie
, she was later damaged by bombing at Algiers and returned to UK for repairs in October 1944. Later in the war she served in the eastern Mediterranean and with the Eastern Fleet during the Malaya Landings
.
Reconverted to a tanker at Portsmouth by March 1947, she resumed freighting duties before being sold to Netransmar Cie. SA for scrap in 1959.
Dale class oiler
The Dale class were a class of replenishment oilers taken up for service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, supporting the Royal Navy during the inter-war period. The went on to see action during the Second World War and supported British and allied fleet units in Cold War conflicts such as the Korean...
fleet tanker
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
and landing ship (gantry) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
.
Taken over by the Admiralty and completed as a Landing Ship Gantry carrying 15 LCMs
Landing Craft Mechanized
The Landing Craft Mechanized or Landing Craft Mechanical was a landing craft designed for carrying vehicles. They came to prominence during the Second World War when they were used to land troops or tanks during Allied amphibious assaults....
with accommodation for 150 military personnel. Her landing craft were in the first assault waves during the North African landings
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
in 1943. Credited with shooting down two Ju 88s
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
at Bougie
Béjaïa
Béjaïa, Vgaiet or Bejaya is a Mediterranean port city on the Gulf of Béjaïa in Algeria; it is the capital of Béjaïa Province, Kabylia. Under French rule, it was formerly known under various European names, such as Budschaja in German, Bugia in Italian, and Bougie...
, she was later damaged by bombing at Algiers and returned to UK for repairs in October 1944. Later in the war she served in the eastern Mediterranean and with the Eastern Fleet during the Malaya Landings
Operation Tiderace
Operation Tiderace was the codename of the British plan to retake Singapore in 1945. The liberation force was led by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Command...
.
Reconverted to a tanker at Portsmouth by March 1947, she resumed freighting duties before being sold to Netransmar Cie. SA for scrap in 1959.