Wreck R.F.A. Darkdale

RFA Darkdale was launched on 23 July 1940 as the 'Empire oil' before being transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as a Fleet tanker. She was fitted with 1 x 4.7 inch gun, 1 x 12 pounder gun, 2 x Pig Trough rocket launchers, 2 each of Hotchkiss, Marlin and Lewis machine guns.
She was positioned in James Bay St Helena as the fleet oiler for the South Atlantic in August 1941, refuelling many Royal Navy ships.
At 01.42 hours on 22 October 1941 the Darkdale (Master Thomas H. Card) was torpedoed and sunk by U-68 while anchored as a storage ship in Jamestown harbour, St. Helena. The tanker caught fire after being hit by a torpedo, exploded and sank. 38 crew members and three gunners were lost. The master, five crew members and three gunners survived the sinking, but only two of the men had actually been aboard when the ship was hit and were rescued by harbour craft after jumping overboard.
In 2015, after several surveys, the British M.O.D. organised the draining of the wreck's fuel tanks and the removal of 38 unexploded shells from the ships 2 main guns.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Sharky Ward
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward