|
Lower image RFA Argus entering Portsmouth Harbour 9 July 2010
© Brian Burnell
Previous name: Contender Bezant
Subsequent name:
Official Number 384837
Class: Aviation Support and Primary Casualty Reception Ship
Pennant No: A135
Laid down:
Builder: Breda, Marghera
Launched: 28 November 1980
Into Service: 1 June 1988
Out of service:
Fate:
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: The only ship in this Class. Was originally built as a container ship for commercial owners and was requisitioned for service during the Falklands Conflict in 1982. She was subsequently purchased and converted for her new role as an aviation support ship. After extensive trials she entered service and replaced the smaller RFA ENGADINE. During the 1990 Gulf War she took on a further role when she was fitted out as a PCRS with a 100-bed emergency medical facility. During 2000/2001 she underwent a major refit of her permanent hospital facilities which were then based over 3 decks. At one stage it was mooted that her sister CONTENDER ARGENT was to be similarly converted, but this never came to fruition.
28 November 1980 launched by Cantieri Navali Breda S.A, Marghera Yard, Venice as Yard Nr 293 named CONTENDER BEZANT for Contender 2 Ltd (Sea Containers Ltd, Managers) Hamilton, Bermuda. The Lady Sponsor was Mrs Nigel J Tatham
31 July 1981 completed as a 1108 TEU capacity container ship
May 1982 Requisitioned for service during Operation Corporate - the Falklands Conflict - and was sent to Devonport for conversion into an auxiliary aircraft carrier
20 May 1982 sailed Devonport for the South Atlantic
6 June 1982 sailed Charleston, South Carolina enroute to the Falkland Islands
November 1982 returned to her owners after a refit to return her to her original role
1 March 1984 purchased for £18m by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast for conversion into an aviation training ship for resale to the MoD (N)
29 March 1984 arrived Belfast to begin her conversion
25 March 1987 formally renamed ARGUS at Belfast by Mrs Pamela Blelloch, the wife of the Second Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence
28 October 1987 initial sea trials
3 March 1988 conversion completed at a cost of £45m
18 March 1988 formally accepted by the MoD (N) to carry out extensive trials
1 June 1988 Service of Dedication and entered service as an aviation training ship to replace RFA ENGADINE
31 August 1988 Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA appointed as Master
26 June 1989 humanitarian aid - rescued a man lost overboard from the Russian tanker APIE 120 miles east of Madeira
2 October 1990 allocated for conversion to the role of a Casualty Evacuation Ship following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
29 October 1990 sailed Devonport to act as a Primary Casualty Evacuation Ship during Operation Granby - the Gulf War, but suffered a steering gear failure off the French coast
30 October 1990 returned to Devonport for repairs by DML
31 October 1990 finally sailed Devonport for the Gulf with 4 x sand coloured Seaking helicopters from C and D Flights 846 NAS
30 November 1990 was visited by C-in-C Fleet in the Gulf Area
23 January 1991 her embarked helicopters were reported to be conducting mine search operations
4 March 1991 was visited by the Chief of the Defence Staff
11 April 1991 Official Cease Fire comes into force
20 April 1991 to 15 July 1991 Humanitarian relief - served on Operation Haven - humanitarian support to Kurdish refugees in the Turkey/Iraq frontier area - along with RFA RESOURCE
7 July 1991 Steward S N Brown discharged dead
1991 was awarded the Kuwait 1991 Battle Honour along with 10 other RFA’s
10 August 1992 Captain Anthony Pitt DSC RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
October to December 1992 Supported Operation Grapple - sailed to the Adriatic with 4 x Seaking helicopters embarked to support British elements of the UN Protection Force in the former Yugoslavia - along with RFA’s SIR BEDIVERE and RESOURCE
14 July 1993 Captain Anthony Pitt DSC RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
11 January 1994 suffered a fire in her Forward Auxiliary Machinery Space while berthed at Portland
6 April 1994 became only the second RFA to fire 105 mm guns of the Royal Artillery from her Flight Deck while in the Ionian Sea. Seven rounds of 105 mm high explosive were fired from six guns The other firing had been aboard RFA SIR PERCIVALE and the first firing on each occasion was performed by the same Commanding Officer
3 September 1994 Humanitarian aid - rescued a family from their yacht which had struck rocks whilst on passage from Brittany to Milford Haven
2 June 1997 to 10 June 1997 was off west Africa as a contingency covering Operation Tiller in Sierra Leone and at short notice for the possible evacuation of British nationals from the Congo
2 February 1998 three RN helicopters from RN Air Station Culdrose and deployed on Argus rescused 12 members of the crew of a Spanish container ship mv Delfin Meditteraneo and one body when the ship sank 100 miles off Maderia in the North Atlantic when its containers had shifted in heavy seas in heavy weather. Three of the helicopters crews were later awarded the Air Force Cross, six received Queen's Commendations for Bravery in the Air and one received a Commander in Chief's Commendation.
8 - 9 May 2000 Naval Airman Phil Bonnamy reported as missing over the side while the ship was involved in exercises in the North Atlantic off Lisbon
August 2000 Captain M T (George) Jarvis RFA in command
12 November 2000 part of the Amphibious Ready Force led by the assault ship HMS OCEAN which arrived off Sierra Leone on Operation Silkman - a high visibility demonstration of the U.K. commitment to Sierra Leone - along with RFA’s FORT AUSTIN, SIR BEDIVERE and SIR TRISTRAM
13 November 2002 as a Sea King Helicopter from 848 Naval Air Squadron was taking off from the ship in Lyme Bay the helicopter struck part of the ship and crashed. The crew managed to escape unhurt from the aircraft but three deck hands were injured and airlifted by a Coastguard helicopter to hospital .The three men, one seriously injured and the other two with minor injuries, were taken to the Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester .The serious casualty was transferred to the Southampton General Hospital in Hampshire
15 January 2003 to 28 May 2003 Deployed for Operation Telic - the 2nd Gulf War - along with 13 other RFA’s and had 2 x Sea King helicopters from 820 NAS embarked
28 January 2003 Captain (E) Robert J Smith RFA appointed Chief Engineer Officer
28 May 2003 returned to Plymouth on completion of Operation Telic duties with 4 x RAF Puma’s and 1 x RN Lynx helicopters
23 July 2003 Represented the RFA at the presentation by the Queen of New Colours to the RN aboard the LPD HMS OCEAN in Plymouth Sound along with RFA’s SIR BEDIVERE and WAVE KNIGHT (2)
19 December 2003 Captain Peter Farmer RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
7 October 2004 arrived on scene to the west of Ireland to assist in supporting helicopters assisting the Canadian submarine HMCS CHICOUTIMI which had suffered a fire on 05/10.Also assisting was RFA WAVE KNIGHT (2)
24 March 2005 Captain Shaun Jones RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
28 June 2005 Took part in the International Fleet Review for Trafalgar 200 at Spithead along with RFA’s FORT GEORGE, FORT VICTORIA, ORANGELEAF(3), SIR BEDIVERE, SIR GALAHAD (2), SIR TRISTRAM and WAVE RULER (2)
23 September 2007 sailed Portsmouth
13 July 2008 HMS Chatham, HMS Montrose, and HMS Edinburgh supported by RFA Argus seized 23 tonnes of narcotics in the Gulf region
9 August 2008 berthed at Gibraltar
14 August 2008 sailed Gibraltar for the UK
3 January 2009 Captain Paul Kehoe RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
21 January 2009 entered refit at Falmouth
18 October 2008 alongside at Loch Long, Clyde
4 May 2009 Firefighters with breathing sets called to a fire in the lower decks of RFA Argus when the ship was in refit at Falmouth. No reported injuries.
January 2010 RFA's Argus, Lyme Bay, Wave Knight and Wave Ruler together with RN units have been honoured by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for their work to repress piracy off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden at the 26th Session of the IMO.
4 June 2010 entered Toulon Harbour, France - sailed 5 June 2010 for Gibraltar
30 June 2010 anchored outside of Plymouth Breakwater
9 July 2010 entered Portsmouth Harbour
30 July/1 August 2010 open to the public at Portsmouth Navy Days
6 August 2010 entered Portsmouth Harbour
11 August 2010 Deputy Commander in Chief Fleet, Vice Admiral Richard Ibbotson CB DSC visited the ship alongside in Portsmouth Naval Base
12 August 2010 150 Sea, Army, Air and Combined Cadet Force cadets from all over the UK sailed Portsmouth bound for Dartmouth in Devon. The cadets are all working towards their Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award
15 August 2010 berthed Leith Docks for a 11 day visit to Edinburgh
8 September 2010 Maritime Aviation Support Force (MASF) was formally commissioned on board alongside in Falmouth Docks
February 2011 at Portland conducting Merlin helicopter flying trials with 824 Naval Air Squadron (NAS)
March 2011 deployed to be ready to assist with the rescue of British nationals from civil war in Libya - off the Liybian coast for 10 days then sailed to Cyprus to load stores and provisions.824 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) relieved by 820 Naval Air Squadron (NAS). In addition members of B Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines joined the ship.
March/April 2011 tasked to conduct counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden
6 June 2011 GULF OF ADEN A RN Merlin HM MK 1 helicopter carrying a medically evacuated sailor from the German-flagged motor vessel Baltic Island lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The sailor was initially transported from Baltic Island to the Republic of Korea navy destroyer ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun-Shin (DDH 975) before being moved to the Argus. After being evaluated aboard Argus he was transferred to Enterprise for advanced treatment
25 June 2011 berthed at Gibraltar
29 June 2011 sailed Gibraltar for Falmouth
25 October 2011 berthed at Portland
7 November 2011 The Royal Navy's new Wildcat Helicopter touched down on the flight deck of the RFA aviation trials ship Argus off England's south coast, at the start of four weeks of tough trials for air and ground crew. The Wildcat is the 21st century variant of the Lynx helicopter which has served the Navy since the 1970s.
26 January 2012 at Portland
Ships of the same name
Argus. A Sloop of 10 guns and 326 bm, she was a French Privateer of 103 x 27 feet, captured in 1799. The ship was broken up in April 1811.
Battle Honours for this vessel: GROIX ISLAND 1795
Argus. Brig-sloop of 18 guns, launched by Hill of Sandwich on the 11 September 1813 as a “Cruizer” class Sloop. Sold on the 11 July 1827 ,but the sale was cancelled, she was re-sold on the 26 March 1828 to a Mr Ledger.
Argus. A 5th Rate of 36 guns to be built by Sheerness Dockyard, she was ordered in 1812 and cancelled the same year.
Argus. A sloop of 480 bm and 18 guns, she was laid down by Portsmouth Dockyard in March 1831 and cancelled in June 1831.
Argus. A Wood Paddle Sloop of 981 bm, launched by Portsmouth Dockyard on the 15 December 1849, 190 x 33 feet. Broken up in October 1881.
Battle Honours for this Vessel: ASHANTEE 1873-74.
Argus. A Coastguard vessel of 357 tons, 136 x 22 feet, launched by Green of Blackwell in 1851. The ship was armed with 2 x 32 pdr guns, she was re-named ‘Amelia’ on the 16 April 1872 and then ‘Fanny’ in April 1889. The ship was hulked in 1899, before being transferred to Boom Defence Duties in 1902. She was sold for breaking up in 1907.
Argus. A Coastguard vessel of 380 tons, 130 x 23 ft launched by Bow McLachlan on the 6 December 1904, she was armed with 2 x 6 pdr. Renamed ‘Argon’ in 1918 and sold out of service in February 1920.
Argus. Ex ‘Conte Rosso’ purchased in August 1916 and renamed ‘Argus’, she was converted to an Aircraft Carrier of 14,150 tons, 505 x 68 feet armed with 4 x 4 inch guns and 20 aircraft by Beardmores in December 1917. The ship was reduced to harbour service in December 1944 and sold on the 5 December 1946 for breaking up at Ward’s Inverkeithing.
Battle Honours for this Vessel: ARCTIC 1941, ATLANTIC 1941-42, MALTA CONVOYS 1942, NORTH AFRICA 1942.
|
