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RFA Wave Laird (A119)
Encyclopedia
RFA Wave Laird (A119) was an Wave-class
fleet support tanker
of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
. She was built in 1946 as Empire Dunbar by Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham for the Ministry of Transport and completed at Wave Laird. She served until 1961 when she was laid up at HMNB Devonport
. Wave Laird was scrapped in 1970 in Spain.
The ship was 493 in 8 in (150.47 m) long overall (465 in 0 in (141.73 m) between perpendiculars), with a beam of 64 in 1 in (19.53 m). She had a draught of 28 in 6 in (8.69 m), and a depth of 35 in 6 in (10.82 m). She was assessed as , 4,562 NRT
. Fully loaded, she displaced 16,650 tons.
The ship was propelled by two Metrovick-type
double reduction geared steam turbines, which were fed by three drum boilers. 6800 shp. The turbines were built by Richardsons Westgarth Ltd. They drove a single screw propeller, and could propel the ship at 15 knots (29.4 km/h).
. Her port of registry was London
. She was allocated the United Kingdom Official Number 180967 and the Pennant number
X129. This was later changed to A119.
Wave Laird suffered a number of problems shortly after entering service. In October 1946, her steering gear failed on a voyage from Sunderland to the Tyne
and she was towed into port. In December 1946, boiler problems delayed her departure from Portland
, Dorset
for Trinidad
. On 17 March 1947, boiler problems left her adrift in gale force winds 20 nautical miles (37 km) off the Tasker Rock, Ireland
. Assistance was requested as the ship suffered heavy damage, which had to be repaired before her cargo was able to be discharged at Old Kilpatrick
.
On 10 November 1949, Wave Laird was on a voyage from Abadan
, Iran to Malta
when she was caught in a storm. A deckhand sustained fatal injuries. He was buried at Kalkara
Royal Naval Cemetery. The funeral was attended by officers and crew from , and Wave Laird and the Secretary of the Malta Branch of the National Union of Seamen
.
Wave Laird was on active service in Korea
from 25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953. She was awarded a battle honour
. On 19 July 1951, she was involved in a collision with the Royal Interocean Line's ocean liner
off Singapore. In January 1954, Wave Laird was one of the naval vessels supporting the Royal Yacht
in Australia. On 31 October 1956, Wave Laird was one of 35 Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships deployed as part of Operation Musketeer
. From 16–29 September 1960, she was deployed off Iceland in support of the Royal Navy
, which was caught up in the Cod Wars. Wave Laird was featured on a postcard
produced by Valentine's, Dundee
. The card showed Wave Laird refuelling at sea.
Wave Laird was laid up in reserve at HMNB Devonport
in 1961. She was advertised for sale by tender in November 1969 "as lying at HMNB Devonport". She departed from Devonport under tow on 26 January 1970, bound for Gibraltar
, from where she departed on 25 February under tow for Gandia
, Spain. Wave Laird was scrapped in March 1970 by Hierros Ardes, Gandia.
Wave class oiler
The Wave class was a class of replenishment oilers built for service supporting the Royal Navy during the later years of the Second World War...
fleet support tanker
Tank ship
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
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...
. She was built in 1946 as Empire Dunbar by Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham for the Ministry of Transport and completed at Wave Laird. She served until 1961 when she was laid up at HMNB Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
. Wave Laird was scrapped in 1970 in Spain.
Description
The ship was built in 1946 by Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. She was yard number 767.The ship was 493 in 8 in (150.47 m) long overall (465 in 0 in (141.73 m) between perpendiculars), with a beam of 64 in 1 in (19.53 m). She had a draught of 28 in 6 in (8.69 m), and a depth of 35 in 6 in (10.82 m). She was assessed as , 4,562 NRT
Net register tonnage
Net register tonnage is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of . It is calculated by reducing non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's...
. Fully loaded, she displaced 16,650 tons.
The ship was propelled by two Metrovick-type
Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers, Metrovick, or Metrovicks, was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse. Highly diversified, they were particularly well known for their industrial electrical equipment such as generators, steam...
double reduction geared steam turbines, which were fed by three drum boilers. 6800 shp. The turbines were built by Richardsons Westgarth Ltd. They drove a single screw propeller, and could propel the ship at 15 knots (29.4 km/h).
History
Empire Dunbar was built by Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland for the Ministry of Transport. She was launched on 3 April 1946 and completed on 30 September 1946 as RFA Wave Laird for the Royal Fleet AuxiliaryRoyal 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...
. Her port of registry was London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She was allocated the United Kingdom Official Number 180967 and the Pennant number
Pennant number
In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...
X129. This was later changed to A119.
Wave Laird suffered a number of problems shortly after entering service. In October 1946, her steering gear failed on a voyage from Sunderland to the Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
and she was towed into port. In December 1946, boiler problems delayed her departure from Portland
Isle of Portland
The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A tombolo over which runs the A354 road connects it to Chesil Beach and the mainland. Portland and...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
for Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
. On 17 March 1947, boiler problems left her adrift in gale force winds 20 nautical miles (37 km) off the Tasker Rock, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Assistance was requested as the ship suffered heavy damage, which had to be repaired before her cargo was able to be discharged at Old Kilpatrick
Old Kilpatrick
Old Kilpatrick is a village in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.The village is on the north bank of the River Clyde immediately to the north of the Forth and Clyde Canal, three miles from Clydebank on the road to Dumbarton. The Great Western Road runs through Old Kilpatrick, and the next village to...
.
On 10 November 1949, Wave Laird was on a voyage from Abadan
Abadan
Abadan is a city in and the capital of Abadan County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. It lies on Abadan Island , from the Persian Gulf, near the Iraqi-Iran border. The civilian population of the city dropped to near zero during the eight-years Iran–Iraq War. In 1992, only 84,774 had returned to live...
, Iran to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
when she was caught in a storm. A deckhand sustained fatal injuries. He was buried at Kalkara
Kalkara
Il-Kalkara is a small picturesque village in Malta, with a population of 2,856 . The name is derived from the Latin word for lime , and it is believed that there was a lime kiln present there since Roman times. Kalkara forms part of the inner harbour area and occupies the area around Kalkara Creek...
Royal Naval Cemetery. The funeral was attended by officers and crew from , and Wave Laird and the Secretary of the Malta Branch of the National Union of Seamen
National Union of Seamen
The National Union of Seamen was the principal trade union of merchant seafarers in the United Kingdom from the late 1880s to 1990. In 1990, the union amalgamated with the National Union of Railwaymen to form the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers .- The National Amalgamated...
.
Wave Laird was on active service in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
from 25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953. She was awarded a battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
. On 19 July 1951, she was involved in a collision with the Royal Interocean Line's ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
off Singapore. In January 1954, Wave Laird was one of the naval vessels supporting the Royal Yacht
Royal Yacht
A royal yacht is a ship used by a monarch or a royal family. If the monarch is an emperor the proper term is imperial yacht. Most of them are financed by the government of the country of which the monarch is head...
in Australia. On 31 October 1956, Wave Laird was one of 35 Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships deployed as part of Operation Musketeer
Operation Musketeer (1956)
Operation Musketeer was the Anglo-French-Israeli plan for the invasion of Egypt to capture the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis. Israel had the additional objective to open the Straits of Tiran.-The operation:...
. From 16–29 September 1960, she was deployed off Iceland in support of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, which was caught up in the Cod Wars. Wave Laird was featured on a postcard
Postcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
produced by Valentine's, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
. The card showed Wave Laird refuelling at sea.
Wave Laird was laid up in reserve at HMNB Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
in 1961. She was advertised for sale by tender in November 1969 "as lying at HMNB Devonport". She departed from Devonport under tow on 26 January 1970, bound for Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, from where she departed on 25 February under tow for Gandia
Gandia
Gandia is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Eastern Spain on the Mediterranean. Gandia is located on the Costa del Azahar, 65 km south of Valencia and 96 km north of Alicante....
, Spain. Wave Laird was scrapped in March 1970 by Hierros Ardes, Gandia.
