RFA Regent

RFA Regent

 

 

RFA Regent at Hobart, Tasmania in 1968 © Noel Brown

RFA Regent at Friedrickshgaven in April 1981 ©  Mark Nugent

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:              Shahzadelal  

Official Number:                    305574                                                       

Class:                                     REGENT CLASS Armaments Stores Ship

Pennant No:                          A486

Laid down:                             4 September 1964
Builder:                                  Harland & Wolff, Belfast

Launched:                              9 March 1966
Into Service:                           6 June 1967
Out of service:                        October 1992
Fate:                                        Sold for breaking up at Alang, India.

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:   There were 2 Admiralty-designed ships in this Class and although the order for them was officially announced at the beginning of 1963, it was not until the 13 August that year that the builders were named. They cost a total of £15 million and carried a full range of ammunition and armament stores, with limited stores and provisions. In 1966, this Class became the first RFA’s to be allocated permanent Flights and carried Wessex HU5 helicopters from 829 NAS until April 1987 as they were fitted with full aviation facilities. Affectionately known in the Fleet as Regret and Remorse, their proud boast was that they were designed to sink upright

 

24 January 1963 ordered as A.E.F.S. 02

8 February 1966 planned launch date delayed

9 March 1966 launched by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast as Yard Nr 1658 named REGENT. The Lady Sponsor  was Mrs Lucy Faulkner, w/o the Northern Ireland Minister of Commerce

18 December 1966 Captain Henry O L'Estrange DSC RD RFA appointed as Master

16 May 1967 in to service

27 July 1968 Captain A S McWilliam RFA appointed as Master

December 1968 berthed at Hobart, Tasmania

October 1969 humanitarian aid - received a request from the British cargo ship CYCLOPS which was 200 miles ahead of her in the South Atlantic, for medical assistance for a suspected case of gangrene on a Chinese steward. Her helo transported the patient to REGENT for treatment

4 August 1971 along with RFA OLMEDA she starred in Operation Lymelight - a live BBC TV programme from the English Channel

26 March 1973 humanitarian aid - along with HMS INTREPID, she assisted in fighting a fire aboard  the Liberian registered tanker NAESS SPIRIT 60 miles off  Brest

8 June 1973 along with RFA TIDESPRING she sailed Portsmouth  as part of Task Group 317.1  - the first Group Deployment -  led by the cruiser HMS TIGER

20 August 1973 sailed from Singapore to take part in Exercise Green Light with RFA Tidespring and RN Units

10 July 1974 to 30 July 1974 with RFA OLWEN (2) she supported the carrier HMS HERMES with 41 Commando Royal Marines standing by off Cyprus after a coup d’etat attempt and the subsequent Turkish invasion. Other ships standing by were RFA’s GOLD ROVER and OLNA (3)

5 September 1977 Along with RFA’s GREY ROVER, TARBATNESS and TIDEPOOL sailed Portsmouth as part of Task group 317.6 led by the helicopter cruiser HMS TIGER

8 May 1979 along with RFA’s BLACK ROVER and OLMEDA sailed Portsmouth as part of  Task Group 317.8 led by the guided missile destroyer HMS NORFOLK

April 1981 at Friedrickshaven

14 January 1982 Commodore Chief Engineer Officer George S Burnett RFA discharged dead.

19 April 1982 Sailed Plymouth for service during  Operation Corporate - the Falkland’s Conflict - with 2 x Wessex 5 helicopters from A Flight 848 NAS embarked

28 April 1982 RASed with RFA Plumleaf at 3 30N 16.31W receiving 790 tons of fuel

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

15 September 1982 arrived back U.K. on completion of Operation Corporate duties

September 1982 Captain Archie E T Hunter RFA in command

25 January 1984 humanitarian aid - along with RFA OLMEDA she transported their doctors across to the container ship KOWLOON BAY and transferred a patient back  to RFA REGENT

12 September 1984 Captain Rex A Cooper RFA appointed as Master

20 December 1984 was presented with her Falkland Islands 1982 Battle Honour at Rosyth by Rear Admiral J Burgess LVO, Port Admiral

12 August 1987 Sailed Rosyth for Operation Cimnel - mine clearance operations in the Persian Gulf area

13 May 1988 Captain Peter J Lannin RFA appointed as Master

7 December 1990 Captain Rex A Cooper RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

7 January 1991 along with RFA OLMEDA, was allocated to the HMS ARK ROYAL Group following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait

10 January 1991 Sailed UK for service during Operation Granby - the Gulf War- in company with  RFA OLMEDA, the carrier HMS ARK ROYAL and the frigate HMS SHEFFIELD

October 1992 on the Disposal List at Devonport

15 January 1993 purchased for £870,000 by Treusha Investments Ltd, Singapore and renamed  SHAHZADELAL for the delivery run to Indian  breakers

21 Janury 1993 sailed Devonport under her own power at a speed of 8 knots to conserve fuel and  with a crew of just 14

19 February 1993 arrived Alang for demolition

 

Notes:

20 June 1933  her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her predecessor

 

 

Ships of the same name

 

 

Regent. Brig of 350 bm, 97 x 29 feet, armed with 10 x 12 pdr carronade, 2 x 9 pdr, 2 x 6 pdr.  Purchased in 1816.  Transferred to the revenue service in 1831.

 

Regent. “S” class submarine of 1,475 tons, 260 x 30 feet, built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow and launched on the 11 June 1930.  Sunk by a mine in the Taranto Strait on the 16 April 1943.

Battle Honours for this Vessel: MEDITERRANEAN 1940-41