News from the Past

11 July 1941 RFA Ennerdale (1) completed and acquired by the Admiralty. Operated as a tanker with limited LSG capability

11 July 1963 RFA Olynthus (2) laid down at Hawthorn Leslie Shipbuilders Ltd, Hebburn as Yard Nr 755

12 July 1917 RFA Boxol launched by Barclay Curle & Co Ltd, Whiteinch as Yard Nr 548

12 July 1917 the Captain of RFA Barkol was charged before a Court Martial firstly that he ‘Negligently or by default stranded His Majesty’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary ‘Barkol’ and secondly being drunk on board. The record doesn’t show if the stranding was caused by the Captain’s drunkenness. The charges were proved and he was ‘Dismissed his Ship’.

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Commodore William Walworth OBE RFA visits the Military Sealift Fleet Support Command

Jack Taylor, director of Military Sealift Fleet Support Command (left), hosted RFA Commodore William Walworth, on the 23 February 2011, at MSFSC headquarters in Norfolk, Va. This was the Commodore's third visit to the command. 

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RFA Fort Victoria has success chasing pirates again

Over the past few days ten pirates in two skiffs made repeated efforts to storm the Japanese owned, Singapore flagged, 2010 built, bulk carrier MV Sagar Ratan with boarding ladders. It signalled an SOS as it took evasive maneuvers to defend itself some 150 miles southwest of the Omani capital Muscat.

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Louis Grima 1930 to 2011

It is with great sadness that the RFA Historical Society learnt on Thursday 3 March 2011 of the death of Mr Louis Grima, an ex RFA Seaman from Gozo, Malta.

Read more: Louis Grima 1930 to 2011

RFA Brambleaf (3) at Van Heyghen Recycling yard

RFA Brambleaf (3)

On 18 August 2009 RFA Brambleleaf (3) sailed from Portsmouth under tow to Van Heyghen Recycling yard at Ghent, Belgium

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RFA Fort George sails to the breakers

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RFA Fort George's identity is removed

RFA Fort George, currently coming to the end of her destoring at Liverpool, has had her identity removed.

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The Duchess of Cornwall visits RFA Argus

The Duchess of Cornwall has made a visit to RFA Argus and during a tour of the ship met the Commanding Officer, Captain Paul Kehoe RFA and members of the ship's crew. The ship  is currently berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard.

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RFA Diligence receives a Mayday call

On 16 May 2011 RFA Diligence (A132), the Service's Forward Repair Ship received a Mayday call from the German owned, Panamanian flagged 158,000 ton MV Artemis Glory, saying that their ship was under attack by pirates in the Gulf of Oman. The tanker was on passage from Juaymah Terminal in Saudi Arabia to China with a cargo of crude oil.

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HMAS Canberra is being launched today

With the RFA having one of its Bay class ‘landing ship dock’ vessels being withdrawn from service as a result of the Defence review cuts we are pleased to report that our sister service – the Royal Australian Navy – will, today (17 February 2011) welcome the launch of HMAS Canberra, a landing helicopter dock at Navantia - Ferrol, El Ferrol, Spain. The launch is planned for 1446Z to coincide high tide

Read more: HMAS Canberra is being launched today