Name: BROWN RANGER, Ordered: 28 August 1939, Laid down: 28 October 1939, Launched: 12 December 1940 BY Harland & Wolff, Govan, Scotland., Commissioned: 10 April 1941, Decommissioned: November 1974, Laid up at Devonport., Struck: 1975, Fate: Demolition began at Gijón, 28 May 1975
General characteristics:
Class and type: Ranger-class fleet support tanker, Displacement: 6,630 long tons (6,736 t) full load, Length: 365 ft 10 in (111.51 m) oa, 349 ft 6 in (106.53 m) pp, Beam: 47.0 ft (14.3 m), Draught: 20.0 ft (6.1 m), Propulsion: 1 × 6-cylinder B&W diesel, 3,500 shp (2,600 kW), 1 shaft, Speed: 12 kn (14 mph; 22 km/h)
RFA BROWN RANGER TIMELINE
11 April 1941 completed. Joined the Fleet Fuelling Service.
21 July 1941 sailed Gibraltar escorted by the destroyer HMS BEVERLEY to refuel destroyers engaged in Operation Substance - a relief supply convoy from the Clyde to Malta.
30 July 1941 sailed Gibraltar escorted by HMS AVON VALE (Force S).
8 August 1941 to 10 August 1941 along with RFA’s DEWDALE (1), ENNERDALE (1) and DENBYDALE she was allocated for Exercise Leapfrog for Operation Pilgrim - the proposed action against the Canary Islands.
24 September 1941 to 30 September 1941 sailed Gibraltar under RN escort as Force S in Operation Halberd - to supply fuel to the escorts of Convoy WS 11X - a supply convoy from the Clyde to Malta - under escort of the corvette HMS FLEUR DE LYS.
16 November 1941 sailed Gibraltar as part of a convoy of 6 merchant ships escorted by five warships on Operation Chieftain - a diversion for Operation Crusader in the eastern Mediterranean.
11 June 1942 sailed Gibraltar for Operation Harpoon under the escort of HMS's COLTSFOOT and GERANIUM.
12 June 1942 to 16 June 1942 In Operation Harpoon as Force Y - to supply fuel to the escorts of Convoy WS 19Z a supply convoy from the Clyde to Malta - escorted by the corvettes HMS COLTSFOOT and HMS GERANIUM.
13 June 1942 refuelled HMS's CAIRO, BADSWORTH, BLANKNEY, BEDOUIN, ITHURIEL, KUJAWIAK, MARNE, MATCHLESS and PARTRIDGE.
25 July 1942 sailed Algiers to Bone - joined convoy KMS 3G (a convoy from the Clyde to Bone) arriving on the next day.
9 August 1942 sailed Gibraltar along with RFA DINGLEDALE for Operation Pedestal escorted by HMS's COLTSFOOT, GERANIUM, JONQUIL, and SPIRAEA supported by the tugs HMS's JAUNTY and SALVONIA.
10 August 1942 to 15 August 1942 in Operation Pedestal - a supply convoy to Malta - as Force R (the main oiling group for the escorts to Convoy WS 21S) along with RFA DINGLEDALE under close escort of the corvettes HM ships COLTSFOOT, GERANIUM, JONQUIL and SPIRAEA. RFA ABBEYDALE was also in this Convoy.
11 August 1942 assisted in refuelling 26 British destroyers and the cruiser HMS CAIRO.
16 August 1942 arrived at Gibraltar with HMS's JONQUIL, GERANIUM, COLTSFOOT, SPIRAEA, JAUNTY, and RFA DINGLEDALE.
22 October 1942 to 17 November 1942 took part in Operation Torch - the Allied Landings in North Africa - and formed Force R along with RFA DINGLEDALE. Was awarded the North Africa 1942 Battle Honour. Other RFA’s involved were ABBEYDALE, DERWENTDALE (1), DEWDALE (1), DINGLEDALE, ENNERDALE (1), NASPRITE and VISCOL.
30 October 1942 together with RFA DINGLEDALE sailed Gibraltar with HMS's BOADICEA, PENN, PANTHER, and LOOKOUT for oiling at sea exercises with HMS's FURIOUS, AURORA, CHARYBDIS, WESTCOTT, WISHART, COWDRAY, BRAMHAM, ACHATES, VANOC, VERITY, and O.R.P BLYSKAWICA.
5 November 1942 sailed Gibraltar with an escort as Force R, the fuelling support for Force H comprising of HMS's COREOPSIS, LOCH OSKAIG, IMPERIALIST, ARCTIC RANGER, and ST NECTAN. They were accompanied by the 4th Trawler Group (CAVA, OTHELLO, JULIET, and STROMA), the 5th Trawler Group (HOY, INCHOLM, MULL, and RYSA), and M/Ls 307, 238, 273, 283, 295, 336, 338, and 444 (T.O.N. II 122).
15 November 1942 arrived at Gibraltar with HMS FURIOUS and escorting destroyers. HMS's COREOPSIS, ARCTIC RANGER, ST NECTAN, LOCH OSKAIG and together with RFA DINGLEDALE.
21 November 1942 sailed Gibraltar with RFA DINGLEDALE escorted by HMS's VENOMOUS, WIVERN, VERITY, ENCHANTRESS, FLEETWOOD, COREOPSIS, JONQUIL, BRIXHAM, and POLRUAN to rendezvous with Convoy KMS3 and subsequently to sail with the convoy to Oran and Algiers.
25 November 1942 sailed Algiers in convoy KMS 3G.
18 June 1943 sailed Algiers in convoy KMS16 along with RFA’s ABBEYDALE and CELEROL arriving Malta 22 June 1943.
10 August 1943 at Grand Harbour, Malta USS BENSON moored alongside to refuel - supplied 22,134 gallons of FFO.
12 September 1943 was disabled on the Clyde.
28 October 1943 sailed Malta to join Convoy MKS 29 (Alexandria - Gibraltar) which also contained RFA PRESTOL for a while.
2 March 1944 at Loch Long moored alongside USS BARNETT (ComTransDiv FIVE) to refuel her - supplied 162,200 gallons of FFO.
30 March 1944 sailed Scapa Flow, along with RFA BLUE RANGER, for Operation Tungsten - an attack on the German TIRPITZ in her Norwegian lair in Altenfjord together with HMS's ROYALIST, SEARCHER, EMPEROR, PURSUER, FENCER, FURIOUS, JAMAICA, SHEFFIELD, VERULAM, VIRAGO, VIGILANT, SWIFT, and WAKEFUL.
7 April 1944 arrived at Scapa Flow with RFA BLUE RANGER escorted by HMS's PIORUN, JAVELIN, and ULYSSES.
28 May 1944 sailed Oban to the Clyde arriving the next day. 24 October 1944 sailed the Clyde in convoy OS93KM - the convoy split at sea.
24 February 1945 sailed Sydney, NSW to Manus, Papua, New Guinea arriving on 3 March 1945.
28 March 1945 took part in Operation Iceberg One - the British Pacific Fleet’s operations against Okinawa - where she acted as a Water Carrier along with RFA’s ARNDALE, BACCHUS (2), CEDARDALE, DINGLEDALE, WAVE KING and WAVE MONARCH all of which formed Task Force 112 to support Task Force 57, the carrier task group. In spite of defects, the overworked and undermanned oilers with inexperienced crews supported the Task Group with 7 replenishment sorties.
29 March 1945 sailed Manus, Papua, New Guinea arriving Leyte 6 April 1945.
13 May 1945 at Leyte Cabin Boy Foster William Gibbons discharged dead having accidentally drowned when run down by an LCM (US) while swimming from the ship.
23 May 1945 sailed Leyte to Manus, Papua, New Guinea arriving 29 May 1945.
July 1945 in an attempt to remedy the shortage of OAS equipment within Task Force 57, along with RFA BACCHUS (2) she was used as a carrier and issuing vessel for replacing lost and damaged hoses.
12 July 1945 sailed Manus, Papua, New Guinea to Eniwetok, Marshall Islands arriving 1 August 1945. August 1945 was attached to the British Pacific Fleet along with RFA’s ARNDALE, BACCHUS (2), BISHOPDALE, CEDARDALE, DINGLEDALE, EASEDALE, EMPIRE SALVAGE, GREEN RANGER, RAPIDOL, SERBOL, WAVE EMPEROR, WAVE GOVERNOR, WAVE KING, WAVE MONARCH and HMS (later RFA) OLNA (2).
19 December 1946 RASed with HMS VANGUARD while she was on passage from Gibraltar to Portsmouth at 50° 22N 1° 31W.
10 February 1947 RASed with HMS VANGUARD off Freetown while the battleship was carrying HM the King and Queen with other members of the Royal Family to South Africa.
August 1949 towed HMS LANDGUARD (ex US Coastguard Cutter SHOSHONE) from Trincomalee to Singapore.
3 November 1949 took part in Flotilla Exercise with various RN units off Hong Kong. RASed with HMS WHITESAND BAY.
25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953 saw service during the Korean War along with 18 other RFA’s and was awarded the Korea 1950-52 Battle Honour.
15 April 1951 to 25 April 1951 supported HMS CHARITY, RFA SALVALOUR and the seized tanker YUNG HAO between Hong Kong and Singapore and RASed them three times.
19 August 1952 carried out Anti-submarine exercises with HMS CARDIGAN BAY, HMCS IROQUOIS, NOOTKA, HMNZ ROTOITI, Columbian frigate CAPITAN TONO, and US submarine USS CHAN.
13 April 1955 Captain Stanley S Maddock RFA discharged dead. He is buried in Haslar Naval Cemetery, Gosport, Hampshire.
31 October 1956 in Operation Musketeer - the Suez Crisis - along with 34 other RFA’s.
24 December 1956 entered Grand Harbour, Malta with RFA TIDEREACH, RFA WAVE VICTOR and RFA WAVE LIBERATOR after covering with RN units the Anglo-French Forces withdrawal from Port Said. 1959 was working in waters around Cyprus during the emergency there along with RFA BLUE RANGER.
23 November 1959 met up with HMS GAMBIA off Malta and transferred to her the Band of the Royal Highland Regiment which she had brought from Cyprus for a memorial service on the island of Volos at the grave side of those 17 killed on HMS DEVONSHIRE in a turret explosion on the 26 July 1929 and who were buried on Volos over the next three days.
11 December 1959 berthed at Malta.
November 1960 became CLYDE PORT Oiler under the control of Flag Officer Submarines.
17 April 1961 sailed Malta for Exercises with RN and other Allied ships together with RFA WAVE BARON, RFA TIDE AUSTRAL, RFA SEA SALVOR and RFA FORT DUQUESNE.
1973 presented with a Meritorious Unit Commendation by the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Naval Personnel in recognition of her contribution to a joint US / UK oceanographic operation ( Task Group 81.3 ) in the North Atlantic.
1974 her last major duty was supporting HM ships on Pitcairn Island Patrol during the French nuclear tests in that area. November 1974 was de-stored and laid up at Portsmouth.
February 1975 placed on the Disposal List. 8 February 1975 advertised for sale by the Department of Trade 'as lying' at HM Dockyard, Portsmouth in the Times newspaper of this day. April 1975 purchased by Manuel Hevia Gonzales, Gijon.
21 May 1975 sailed Devonport in tow of Spanish tug INIGO-LOPEZ-TAPIA for scrap. 28 May 1975 arrived at Gijon, Spain for breaking up by Desguaces Hevi.
Sources: Wikipedia. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary by Adams & Smith. http://www.historicalrfa.org/rfa-brown-ranger