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(Source: Royal Fleet Auxiliary by Captain E. E. Sigwart.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary by Tony James) |
PAGE SIX
With the latest war with Iraq only lasting a few weeks the Royal Navy’s presence was scaled down with ships standing by, returning to the UK or proceeding to other duties. Similarly the role of the RFA followed along with fleet requirements.
June of 2003 saw Black Rover on counter drug operations in the Pacific before transferring to the Caribbean to work alongside the US Coastguard. During this period Sir Bedivere, Orangeleaf and Sir Percivale all found themselves in Malta at the same time, however the most newsworthy item of June occurred on the 23rd/ 24th of June and involved Sir Tristram. Sir Tristram had recently left Singapore for Bahrain where she had back loaded equipment bound for the UK.
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs.
BAHRAIN (NNS) 24th June 2003. 1136 Hrs. Story #NNS030624-17
Twenty seven crew members of a sinking Egyptian flagged cargo vessel were saved approximately 350 miles off the coast of Oman June 24th by the US and British Navy’s.
The twenty four year old general cargo ship, Green Glory, reported struggling with an engine fire at approximately 1700 hrs on the evening of the 23rd of June. Heavy seas in the area caused Green glory to take on water, and a “mayday” call went out at approximately 1754 hrs. The Royal Navy’s auxiliary ship, LSL Sir Tristram, was the closest coalition ship to the stricken vessel and provided assistance throughout the night. Although Green Glory was able to restart its engines in the middle of the night, the vessel was still dead in the water and continued to flounder. The US Navy’s 5th Fleet, headquartered here, directed USNS Concord 5T-AFS 5), a US Navy supply ship, and a P-3 Orion maritime reconnaissance patrol aircraft to provide additional assistance in the rescue effort.
By 0900 hrs the following morning an MH-60 utility helicopter from Concord deployed two rescuers aboard Green Glory to assist in abandon ship efforts, and help deploy their lifeboats. Within an hour, the helicopter began to pluck sailors from Green Glory’s lifeboats and bring them aboard the LSL Sir Tristram, where they were medically evaluated, fed and clothed. All of Green Glory’s 27 crewmen were airlifted to the LSL Sir Tristram by approximately 1400 hrs, by then Green Glory’s decks were awash, and the vessel was taking heavy rolls, as the last of the crewmembers were rescued.
CREWMEN BEING LOWERED ONTO SIR TRISTRAM BY MH-60.USN
Green Glory, built in 1979 in Yugoslavia, is 150 metres long and displaces 10,000 metric tons of water. It was originally named the Baco Trader, but changed its name in February 2002. The vessel was bound from Bombay to Leixoes in Portugal, when the incident occurred. She was later salvaged.
Sir Tristram was later able to land some of Green Glory’s crew at Djibouti, unfortunately some members of her crew, without consular representation in Somalia had to be landed at the southern end of the Suez Canal before Sir Tristram could continue her voyage home, she arrived in the UK on the 1st of August.
June also saw Diligence in the Gulf and Arabian Sea making visits to Karachi and Colombo, Ceylon and in July Wave Ruler participated in Joint Maritime Course 032 in which navies totalling 47 ships, six submarines and 87 aircraft took part in a multi national exercise, Wave Ruler later returned to the UK for maintenance and repairs. Orangeleaf, operating in the Baltic took part in BALTOPS 03 during which ships from NATO and Baltic state fleets exercised as to their interoperability with the RFA ship replenishing ships as and when required. Gold Rover who was on station as an Atlantic Patrol Tanker took part in manoeuvres with HMS Lancaster and elements of the Ghanaian Navy.
LARGS BAY.
Numast
In August RFA Largs Bay was named at the Swan Hunters yard on the Tyne, designed to carry troops and equipment into areas of operation, the 16,000 ton ship is the first of a new class, the Landing Ship Dock, four are to be completed, two at Swan Hunters and the remaining pair at BAe, Govan.
FLEET LIST AS OF SUMMER 2003.
ARGUS Aviation Training/Primary Reception Casualty Ship, built Breda Italy1981, 18 Kts, ex Contender Bezant, 28,081 grt, A135.
DILIGENCE Forward Repair Ship, built Landskrona, Sweden 1981, 10.5 Kts, ex Stenna Inspector, 10,765 grt, A132.
FORT AUSTIN Fleet Support Stores Ship, built Scott Lithgow, Greenock 1979, 21 Kts, 23,482 grt, A386.
FORT ROSALIE Fleet Support Stores Ship, built Scott Lithgow, Greenock 1978, 22 Kts, 23,384 grt, A385.
FORT GEORGE Fleet Support Tanker & Stores Ship, built Swan Hunter, Wallsend 1993, 22 Kts, 32,300 grt, A388.
FORT VICTORIA Fleet Support Tanker & Stores Ship, built Harland & Wolff, Belfast 1994, 22 Kts, 31,565 grt, A387.
GREY ROVER Small Fleet Tanker, built Swan Hunter, Wallsend 1970, 19 Kts, 11,485 grt, A269.
GOLD ROVER Small Fleet Tanker, built Swan Hunter, Wallsend 1974, 19 Kts, 11,522 grt, A271.
BLACK ROVER Small Fleet Tanker, built Swan Hunter, Wallsend 1974, 19 Kts, 11,522 grt, A273.
BRAMBLELEAF Fleet Support Tanker, built Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 1976, 15 Kts, 40,870 grt, A81.
ORANGELEAF Fleet Support Tanker, built Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 1979, 15 Kts, 40,870 grt, A110.
BAYLEAF Fleet Support Tanker, built Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 1981, 15 Kts, 37,930 grt, A109.
OAKLEAF Fleet Support Tanker, built Uddevalla, Sweden 1981,14.5 Kts, 49,377 grt, A111.
WAVE KNIGHT Fleet Support Tanker, built BAe Systems, Barrow-in-Furness 2002, 18 Kts, 31,500 grt, A389.
WAVE RULER Fleet Support Tanker, built BAe Systems 2002, Govan 2002, 18 Kts, 31,500 grt, A390.
SIR BEDIVERE Landing Ship Logistic, built Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn 1967, 17 Kts, 6,700 grt, L3004.
SIR GALAHAD Landing Ship Logistic, built Swan Hunter, Wallsend 1987, 17 Kts, 8,751 grt, L3005.
SIR GERAINT Landing Ship Logistic, built Alex Stephen, Glasgow 1967, 16 Kts, 5,674 grt, L3027. Currently laid up.
SIR PERCIVALE Landing Ship Logistic, built Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn 1968, 16 Kts, 5,674 grt, L3036.
SIR TRISTRAM Landing Ship Logistic, built Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn 1967, 15 Kts, 6,407 grt, L3505.
BAY CLASS
Currently under construction, this class as they are completed will replace the aging LSL’s.
LARGS BAY, LYME BAY, MOUNTS BAY and CARDIGAN BAY.
Ships with sealift capacity who’s building was heavily subsidised by the Government that can revert from their commercial employment to the requirements of the ‘Ministry of Defence.
LIGHTHOUSE CLASS.
ANVIL POINT, BEACHY HEAD, EDDYSTONE, HARTLAND POINT, LONGSTONE and HURST POINT.
QUEEN’S COLOUR, BBC Archives.
PRESENTATION, BBC Archives.
On the 23rd of July 2003 Sir Bedivere, Wave Knight and Argus represented the RFA at the presentation of new colours to the Royal Navy by her majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11. The ceremony has only occurred on two previous occasions, 1926 by King George V and in 1969 again by Queen Elizabeth 11. The colour, made of silk is a symbol of respect awarded to a service or regiment acknowledging its heroic deeds and battle honours and becomes a symbol of spirit to the recipients.
SAIL PAST, BBC Archives.
1969 REVIEW, BBC Archives.