RFA.BACCHUS

RFA BACCHUS

Ship No 483

RFA Bacchus was an order from British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd. She was to be part of a two ship order, being the sister ship to “Hebe” and they were amongst the largest ships built in the Leith Shipyards.

At 4823 Grt (5218 dwt) and with a length between perpendiculars of 350 feet and a beam of 55 feet, along with a design draught of 31 feet.

She was launched on 4th of June 1962. She was handed back to her owners on 8th November 1962.

She was chartered on a long term bare boat charter by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

Ready For Anything Set up in August 1905, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary - unofficial motto: Ready for Anything - was originally a logistic support organisation, Admiralty-owned but run on civilian lines, comprising a miscellaneous and very unglamorous collection of colliers, store ships and harbour craft. This book charts its rise in fleet strength, capability and importance, through two world wars and a technical revolution, until the time when naval operations became simply impossible without it. Its earliest tasks were mainly freighting - supplying the Royal Navy’s worldwide network of bases - but in wartime fleets were required to spend much longer at sea and the RFA had to develop techniques of underway replenishment. This did not come to full fruition until the British Pacific Fleet operated alongside the Americans in 1944-45, but by then the RFA had already pioneered many of the procedures involved.This book combines a history of the service, including many little-known wartime operations, with data on the ships, and a portrait of life in the service gleaned from personal accounts and recollections. Half way between a civilian and a military service, the RFA has never received the attention it deserves, but this book throws a long-overdue spotlight on its achievements.

Bacchus was to serve the MOD (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) for the full nineteen years of her charter and was handed back to her owners in 1981.

She continued working for another six years under new ownership before being sold for scrap in 1986.

H.M.S. MEDIATOR

RFA. MEDIATOR

Ship No 335


“Bustler Class” Rescue Tug.

Was a further order for the supply of Four more, Ocean Going Diesel salvage tugs, all of the “Bustler Class” With Mediator being the fifth of the class built by Henry Robb in Leith.

They were required to carry out salvage and rescue work along with convoy escort duties.

They were large and very powerful tugs put to good use during World War II and for long after as well. A fleet of the “Bustler class tugs along with others were stationed in Campbeltown on the Scottish coast during the long “Battle of the Atlantic”

Nicknamed the “Campbeltown Navy” they were instrumental in saving many thousands of tons of shipping badly needed for the war effort against Hitler’s Germany and they also saved countless seamen from the ravages of the U-Boats.

She was 1,100 tons with a length overall of 190 feet and beam of 38 feet and six inches, with a draught of 19 feet.

Launched 21 Jun 1944

Commissioned 8 Nov 1944

DE-COMMISSIONED from the Royal Navy in 1965.


MEDIATOR was to spend most of her post war time in the Mediterranian and was eventually owned by  Greek interests. She was Re-Named ATLAS.