- Author
- Ramsay, George
- Subjects
- Ship histories and stories, History - WW2
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- HMAS Nepal, HMAS Westralia II
- Publication
- March 1990 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Friday we arrived at Diego Garcia, and moved alongside the RFA APPLELEAF, the only ship at this remote island spot, to refuel. From Diego Garcia. APPLELEAF sailed with NEPAL, and the Captain told us she will stay with us for part of our journey to Australia, topping up our fuel supplies before turning back, leaving us on our own and she to be alone too. Sunday, in RAS (Replenishment at Sea) evolution, we took on 110 tons of fuel, and Monday again some more fuel in the same manner (on a second attempt), before APPLELEAF wished NEPAL bon voyage, then turned back on her lonely trip to rejoin the fleet — somewhere else. On Wednesday, March 31, NEPAL ceased her zig zagging course to conserve fuel, also believing we had a Catalina aircraft escort in the vicinity, but later we learnt it had been forced down in the cyclone we ran into last week, so we were on our own again.