RFA Fort Grange entering Sydney, NSW, Australia 2 October 1986 © Kingsley Barr

Lower image RFA Fort Grange during the Falklands War © Brian Bilverstone

Previous name:
Subsequent name:                                 Fort Rosalie

Official Number:                                       377548

Class:                                                        FORT CLASS Ammunition, Food, Explosive Stores Ship

Pennant No:                                              A385

Laid down:                                                9 November 1973
Builder:                                                      Scott's SB, Greenock
Launched:                                                 9 December 1976
Into Service:                                              6 April 1978
Out of service:
Fate:

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:  An order for 2 new Fleet Replenishment Ships was announced in November 1971 and the ships in this Class provided up to date replenishment facilities for both ammunition and general naval and victual ling stores. Both were fitted with extensive aviation facilities with a single spot flight deck and full hangar facilities. The roof of the hangar was also strengthened for use as an emergency landing spot which enabled them to operate up to 4 Sea King helicopters

November 1971  ordered

9 November 1973 laid down as AEFS 03

9 December 1976 Launched by Scotts Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Cartsburn Yard,Greenock as Yard Nr 737 named FORT GRANGE. The Lady Sponsor was Mrs E.M. Glue, wife of Mr G.T. Glue, DGST (N). Named after a Palmerston fort which is currently with the grounds of HMS Sultan, Gosport , Hampshire

6 April 1978 completed and accepted into service. Was provided with the first Sea King Flight of 706 Squadron NAS to be permanently embarked aboard an RFA

15 April 1978 first arrival at Plymouth

16 July 1979 to October 1979  along with RFA BACCHUS (3) she supported Operation Culex which was  conducted following an influx of illegal immigrants in Hong Kong and delivered one Seaking helicopter

7 October 1979 her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her

17 January 1980 along with RFA GREY ROVER she was part of the RN Task Force which was sent to the Mediterranean to co-operate with the USN due to the Iranian crisis

31 August 1980 berthed at Devonport

13 May 1982 sailed Devonport for service during Operation Corporate - the Falklands Conflict -  with 824 NAS C Flight embarked - 3 x Sea King HAS2 helicopters

22 May 1982 arrived Ascension Island

24 May 1982 sailed Ascension Island

26 May 1982 entered the TEZ (Total Exclusion Zone) around the Falkland Islands

31 May 1982 attacked by an Argentinian C-130 on its way to join the Carrier Battle Group

3 June 1982 joined the Carrier Battle Group to relieve RFA FORT AUSTIN

5 June 1982 commenced transferring stores from RFA FORT AUSTIN

6 June 1982 completed transfer of stores

9 June 1982 arrived San Carlos Anchorage along with the ferry NORDIC FERRY

28 July 1982 Captain Barry H Rutterford RFA appointed as Master

Captain Barry H Rutterford RFA

17 August 1982 sailed Falkland Islands for home on completion of Operation Corporate duties

3 October 1982 arrived back U.K. on completion of Operation Corporate duties

11 April 1983 off the Falkland Islands with HMS Active and HMS Cardiff

1 September 1983 Captain Rex A Cooper RFA appointed as Master

11 April 1985 was presented with her Falkland Islands 1982 Battle Honour at Plymouth by Captain C.G. Butterworth CMS

14 April 1986 sailed Portsmouth as part of Task Group 318.4 - the Global 86 Deployment led by the carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS - along with RFA’s BAYLEAF (3) and OLMEDA

22 July 1986 at anchor in Hong Kong

4 October 1986 TG 318.4 participated in the Australian Fleet Review in Sydney

13 June 1988 sailed Portsmouth as part of Task Group 318.1 - the Outback 88 Deployment led by  the carrier HMS ARK ROYAL - along with RFA’s ORANGELEAF (3) and  OLWEN (2)

8 August 1990 decision taken to deploy her, along with RFA’s OLNA (3) and DILIGENCE to the Gulf following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait

22 August 1990 sailed Devonport for service during Operation Granby - the Gulf War - with 2 x Sea King helicopters from 846 NAS embarked

24 August 1990 along with RFA OLNA (3) she r/v off Gibraltar with HNMS’s WITTE DE WITH and PIETER FLORIS

9 September 1990 arrived in the Gulf Area

11 April 1991 official Cease Fire comes into force

1991 was awarded the Kuwait 1991 Battle Honour, along with 10 other RFA’s

23 April 1991 to 3 June 1991 Humanitarian relief - was in Operation Manna - the relief operations in Bangladesh  following major damage and flooding in the wake of a cyclone

3 November 1992 Captain (E) E M Quigley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 April 1994 start of Operation Grapple at Split and she was based there to act as an accommodation and storage ship for food and ammunition for the British Forces operating in Croatia

12 December 1994 was relieved at Split by RFA RESOURCE

6 July 1996 Captain David Gerrard RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

Captain David Gerrard RFA

14 December 1996 berthed at Malaga, Spain

5 April 1997 again arrived Split, Croatia

14 April 1997 replaced RFA RESOURCE on Operation Grapple duties

9 June 1998 Captain (E) E M Quigley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

October 1998 Captain Steven Hodgson RFA in command

14 February 1999 while anchored off Split, Croatia Staff Sergeant Jacqueline O'Rourke and Petty Officer John Walker were married

April 1999 Captain Jeremy R J Carew OBE RFA in command

December 1999 Captain John Stones RFA in command

6 January 2000 sailed Split for the UK on the termination of Operation Grapple duties there

1 June 2000 renamed Fort Rosalie (2) to obviate confusion with RFA FORT GEORGE during a refit period on the Tyne

14 June 2000 sailed from the Tyne after renaming

20 June 2000 arrived Gibraltar to act as an accommodation ship for the crew of the submarine  HMS/m TIRELESS during the submarine’s lengthy repairs

10 November 2000 Captain Pat Thompson OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

7 May 2001 sailed Gibraltar after supporting HMS/m Tireless

29 November 2001 Captain (E) E M Quigley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

24 October 2002 Captain Pat Thompson OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

15 January 2003 sailed UK for service during Operation Telic - the 2nd Gulf War - along with 13 other RFA’s

9 February 2003 to 28 May 2003 deployed on Operation Telic

28 May 2003 arrived Plymouth Sound on completion of Operation Telic duties

1 September 2004 with RFA Sir Bedivere berthed at Tema Harbour, Accra, Ghana to off load supporting logistics and supplies for a bilateral military training exercise. The six-week exercise code-named "Ex-Western Rhumba 2004" is a joint military exercise aimed at practicing tactics, techniques and procedures required to operate in the jungle

4 March 2005 berthed at Gibraltar

27 May 2005 sailed Gibraltar

15 December 2006 the Commodore in Chief HRH the Earl of Wessex visit the ship at Portland

27 March 2007 was granted the Freedom of the Borough of Tarnworth

June 2007 following a collision between an Italian freighter and a French yacht off Finistere at the request of the French coastguards assisted the Italian freighter by keeping other vessels away from her as she made her way to Southampton in a damaged condition and in heavy weather

19 July 2008 suffered a fire while undergoing refit at Birkenhead

8 January 2009 ship visited by the Defence Secretary John Hutton as she was coming to the end of a refit at Birkenhead.

20 June 2009 to 25 June 2009 with RFA Mounts Bay and various RN and Indian Navy ships engaged in Exercise Konkan off Portsmouth

14 July 2009 visited Cherbourg, France for a port visit

27 January 2010 while at sea off Portsmouth Sergeant Andrew Pearson, Royal Marines fell while attempting to board the ship from a RIB and died from a combination of having his breathing restricted, falling from a height and drowning. An inquest touching on the cause of his death was held at Portsmouth on the 23 August 2011 where a verdict of 'accidental death' was returned by the jury.

19 -23 March 2010 paid an informal visit to Den Helder

16 June 2010 members of the ships company attended a ceremony at the Commonwealth Cemetery at La Boule, France

17 June 2010 Commanding Officer and a party made up from all sections of the ships company attended the commemorative service at the Lancastria memorial on the sea front in St. Nazaire, where wreaths were laid by The Commanding Officer Captain V Ramsey-Smith for the RFA and by 2/O Ian Gill for the Royal Navy, alongside those of the various Lancastria associations, families and affiliates.

3 September 2010 berthed at Greenock

8 June 2011 off Cyprus loaded an Apache helicopter and ferried it to HMS Ocean off Libya

10 August 2011 entered Grand Harbour, Malta and berthed alongside Dock No 2 at French Creek

24 October 2011 anchored off Kirkcaldy, Scotland

27 November 2011 entered Plymouth Sound and moored to C Bouy

28 November 2011 sailed Plymouth Sound to sea returned later the same day

20 January 2012 berthed at Grenada to provide support to the seventh UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum

23 February 2012 and 24 February 2012 at Bridgetown, Barbados the Prince and Princess Edward, Earl and Countess of Wessex made a formal visit  to the Island from the ship

28 February 2012 at Port of Spain Trinidad the Prince and Princess Edward, Earl and Countess of Wessex made a formal visit  to the Islands from the ship

20 April 2012 berthed at Road Town, British Virgin Islands