RFA Resource

RFA Resource

 

 

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:                Resourceful  

Official Number:                     334496                                                                  

Class:                                       REGENT CLASS Armaments Stores Ship

Pennant No:                            A480

Laid down:                               19 June 1964

Builder:                                     Scotts Ship Building, Greenock

Launched:                                11 February 1966
Into Service:                              16 May 1967

Out of service:                          1 May 1997
Fate:                                           Broken Up

 

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 uprigh

 

24 January 1963 ordered as A.E.F.S. 01

8 February 1966 officially named RESOURCE but could not be launched owing to high winds on the Clyde. The Lady Sponsor was Mrs Haddocks, w/o the Director of Armament  Supply

11 February 1966 launched by Scotts Shipbuilding  & Engineering Co Ltd, Greenock as Yard Nr 697

15 March 1966 Mr A Webb RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 August 1966 Captain J Dines RD RFA appointed as Master

31 May 1968 Captain S E Clench RFA appointed as Master and Mr Hugh C F Sweenie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

November 1968 took part in Naval Exercises in the Mediterranean with 17 RN vessels and 33 other ships from Greece, Italy, the USA and France together with RFA's Olwen (2), Olmeda, Lyness and Tidepool

28 July 1969  took part in the Western Fleet Review at Torbay along with RFA‘s ENGADINE,  LYNESS and OLMEDA along with the aircraft carrier HMS EAGLE and 34 other warships of the Western Fleet. Was also the first RFA to fly the Personal Pennant of  the Prince of Wales when he made an official visit to the ship

19 November 1970 until 11 December 1970 along with RFA’s  SIR GALAHAD (1), OLWEN (2) and STROMNESS she supported  HM ships TRIUMPH, INTREPID and HYDRA on Operation Burlap  - humanitarian  aid to East Pakistan after the area had suffered extensive damage and flooding caused by a cyclone

31 October 1971 took part in the final steam past of  17 ships from the RN, RAN, RNZN and RFA in the Far East Fleet in the Singapore Straits after the closure of the Naval Base there which also included RFA’s FORT SANDUSKY, GOLD RANGER, OLNA (3),  RELIANT (2), STROMNESS, TIDEFLOW and TIDEPOOL. Immediately afterwards for 3 hectic days she participated in Operation Curtaincall - a combined RN, RAN, RNZN and RFA Fleet Exercise off the NW coast of Malaysia

26 March 1973 With HMS INTREPID she assisted in fighting a fire aboard the Liberian-registered tanker NAESS SPIRIT in position 48.11N 006.00W

28 June 1977 Took part in the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review at Spithead

November 1977 with RFA Olwen, the frigates HMS ALACRITY and HMS PHOEBE  and the nuclear powered submarine HMS DREADNOUGHT part of Naval Task Force for Operation Journeyman - steps to prevent Argentine Forces invading the Falkland Islands - after 50 Argentine  “scientists”  landed on South Thule.

5 January 1979 humanitarian aid - along with the frigate HMS ALACRITY she assisted in searching the area to the west of the Casquets Light Vessel in the English Channel  after the sinking of the Greek mv CANTONAD the previous day while on passage from Lisbon to Denmark with a cargo of salt. Only one of her crew of sixteen was rescued

1982 - took part in the Falklands War - Operation Corporate

5 April 1982 sailed from Rosyth to the Falklands with 2 x Wessex  5‘s from A Flight 845 NAS embarked.

11 April 1982 along with RFA STROMNESS she caught up with the Amphibious Landing Group  at sea which consisted of RFA’s SIR GALAHAD (1), SIR GERAINT, SIR LANCELOT, SIR PERCIVALE and PEARLEAF (2) escorted by the LPD HMS FEARLESS and the Type 21 frigates HMS ALACRITY and HMS ANTELOPE

17 April 1982 arrived Ascension Island

18 April 1982 sailed Ascension Island as part of the Carrier Battle Group - TG 317.8 - along with  RFA OLMEDA in company with the carrier HMS HERMES, the destroyer HMS GLAMORGAN and the frigates HM ships ALACRITY, BROADSWORD and YARMOUTH

20 April 1982 RASed with HMS BROADSWORD  

25 April 1982 entered the TEZ (Total Exclusion Zone ) around the Falkland Islands

4 May 1982 along with RFA Fort Austin one of the first ships to rescue survivors from HMS Sheffield after she had been hit by an exocet missile. Her Wessex 5 helicopter assisted in the evacuation

14 May 1982 RASed with HMS INVINCIBLE  

15 May 1982 RASed with RFA REGENT  

23 May 1982 entered San Carlos Water along with RFA’s SIR BEDIVERE and TIDEPOOL

24 May 1982 near missed by Argentinian bombs along with RFA’s FORT AUSTIN and STROMNESS

25 May 1982 sailed Falkland Sound along with RFA’s SIR PERCIVALE, STROMNESS and TIDEPOOL and escorted by the frigate HMS AMBUSCADE

26 May 1982 RASed with RFA REGENT  

31 May 1982 sailed for South Georgia to replenish

26 June 1982 RASed with HMS HERMES  

28 June 1982 departed Falklands Islands for the U.K

19 July 1982 arrived back U.K. on completion of Operation Corporate duties

28 April 1983 MM1A Thomas Sawyer discharged dead

10 April 1984 Quartermaster Clive Mills discharged dead

19 June 1984 during a RAS with HMS Manchester in Scottish waters a Soviet spy ship recklessly sailed in front of the two ships which nearly had to undertake an emergency breakaway

28 September 1984 was presented with her Falkland Islands 1982 Battle Honour in Plymouth Sound by  Captain C.G. Butterworth RFA CMS

June 1990 while in a period of extended readiness Chief Officer Bob Jones RFA in command

17 October 1990 Sailed Emden on Operation Granby - the Gulf War - with Army Emergency Munition  Reserves. She was escorted through the Suez Canal by the Argentinian warship SPIRO

14 November 1990 arrived Gulf area

1991 was awarded the Kuwait 1991 Battle Honour along with 9 other RFA’s

10 March 1991 Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

20 April 1991 to 15 July 1991 humanitarian relief - along with RFA ARGUS she was involved in Operation Haven and provided support to Kurdish refugees in the Turkey/Iraq frontier area

1992 laid up at Rosyth with a maintenance crew aboard

November 1992 sailed UK to act as accommodation ship and floating warehouse at Split, Croatia on Operation Grapple

24 April 1994 was relieved at Split by RFA FORT GRANGE on Operation Grapple

27 November 1995 Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

19 May 1996 whilst serving as Commanding Officer of the ship at Split, Croatia, Captain Shane Redmond, OBE RFA retired from the service after 40 years.

14 April 1997 again replaced by RFA FORT GRANGE on Operation Grapple at Split. She was one of the few British units  to have participated in all 4 phases of British operations in the Balkans viz UNPROFOR, UNCRO, IFOR and SFOR 

1 May 1997 arrived Devonport to destore for disposal

June 1997 was sold for £1.7 million to Harlequin Shipping Ltd (Electra Maritime (London) Ltd, Managers) St Vincent & Grenadines and was renamed RESOURCEFUL

24 June 1997 sailed Devonport for Indian breakers

20 August 1997 arrived Alang India to be broken up.

 

Notes:

4 July 1927  her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her predecessor, an R.N. repair ship .

Was one of the 11 storeships employed in the Mozchan on Beira Patrol duties

 

 

Ships of the same name

Resource.  A 6th rate of 603 bm launched by Randall of Rotherhithe on the 10 August 1778, 120.5 x 33.5 feet, armed with 28 guns.  Became a floating battery in 1804, then reduced to harbour service in April 1806, renamed Enterprize.  Sold out of service on the 28 August 1816.

Battle Honours for this Vessel: EGYPT 1801.

Resource. A repair ship of 12,300 tons, 500 x 83 feet built and launched by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow on the 27 November 1928.  Broken up by Wards of Inverkeithing in February 1954.