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RFA Bacchus (1915)

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History
RFA EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameRFA Bacchus
BuilderWilliam Hamilton and Company, Port Glasgow
Launched10 May 1915
Commissioned1915
Decommissioned1937
RenamedRFA Bacchus II, May 1936
FateSunk as target, 15 November 1938
General characteristics
Displacement3,598 long tons (3,656 t)
Length295 ft 1 in (89.94 m) p/p
Beam44 ft 1 in (13.44 m)
Draught20 ft 8 in (6.30 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engines
  • Two shafts
Speed10 knots (19 km/h)
Complement52

RFA Bacchus was a stores freighter and distilling ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Built by William Hamilton and Company, of Port Glasgow for the Indo-China Steam Navigation Company and purchased by the Admiralty while on the stocks on 22 March 1915.[1]

On 4 May 1928, Bacchus was in collision with the Greek cargo ship Ioannis Falafos in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of St. Alban's Head, Dorset. Ioannis Falafos sank in three minutes with the loss of ten of her 22 crew. The survivors were initially rescued by Bacchus but she was severely damaged at the bows and was abandoned as it was thought that she would sink too. The British cargo ship Manchester Commerce took all on board. Bacchus was later reboarded once it became apparent that she would remain afloat. She was towed into Portland Harbour stern-first by an Admiralty tug.[2][3][4] Bacchus was subsequently repaired and returned to service.

She was renamed RFA Bacchus II in May 1936 in order to free the name for a new ship. She was sunk as target on 15 November 1938 over the Hurd Deep, 10 miles (16 km) off Alderney in the Channel Islands, by gunfire from the cruiser HMS Dunedin.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "RFA Bacchus (I)". historicalrfa.org. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Collision in Channel". The Times. No. 44885. London. 5 May 1928. col D, p. 12.
  3. ^ "Casualty reports". The Times. No. 44885. London. 5 May 1928. col B, p. 21.
  4. ^ "The Channel collision". The Times. No. 44886. London. 7 May 1928. col C, p. 9.