RFA Sir Geraint

RFA Sir Geraint

 

 

 

 

 

Previous name:
Subsequent name:           Sir G  

Official Number:                334551                                                            

Class:                              SIR LANCELOT CLASS Landing Ship Logistics

Pennant No:                     L3027

Laid down:                       8 January 1966
Builder:                            Stephen, Linthouse
Launched:                        26 January 1967
Into Service:                    January 1970
Out of service:                 1 May 2003
Fate:                               Scrapped in India 12 December 2005

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:   In December 1961 the following announcement was made: War Office Military Supply Ship: “A 6000t ocean-going twin screw military supply vessel has been ordered by the MOT from the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd at Govan, who are to develop the final specifications of the ship, which is expected to cost about £1million. Building will start around February 1962 and the ship is expected to be in service late in 1963 or early in 1964. The design calls for a fast troop and vehicle carrier capable of discharging onto beaches. She will have bow and stern loading facilities for tanks and military vehicles, ramp loading hatches, cargo handling cranes and provision for carrying and launching pontoons. A helicopter will be carried aft, and on completion she will have a Merchant Navy crew and will be managed by the British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd”.  In March 1963 it was announced that tenders were to be invited for a further two vessels at a cost of £2 million each and all 3  would then replace 13 former Tank Landing Ships and would be part of an eventual Class of 5 or 6 ships, all of which would be named after Knights of the Round Table. The final 3 vessels were ordered in April 1965, and in December 1968 it was announced that as from January 1970, the management of these 6 vessels, as well as that of 1 ex-LST, would be transferred to the RFA

 

8 January 1966 laid down as LSL 04

26 January 1967 launched by Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd, Linthouse as Yard Nr 691 named SIR GERAINT for the Ministry of Transport

 

 

12 July 1967 completed and placed under management of British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd., London

1 June 1969 sailed Malta with the 3rd Parachute Regiment onboard to take part in Operation Express in the Cyprus area

16 December 1969 was berthed at Marchwood and loaded equipment for 52 Port Squadron RCT and awaited orders to sail to Tobruk with 8 members of the Squadron. The orders were then cancelled and the troops disembarked and the equipment was discharged. The ship then sailed empty save for about 100 MWT packing cases

16 January 1970 berthed at Tobruk from the UK to load military cargo, ammunition and 43 vehicles during the withdrawl of British Forces from Libya

19 January 1970 sailed from Tobruk for the UK to discharge

5 February 1970 berthed at Tobruk from the UK to load military cargo, ammunition, 40 vehicles and 2 passengers during the withdrawl of British Forces from Libya

7 February 1970 sailed Tobruk for the UK to discharge

5 March 1970 management transferred to the RFA

24 March 1970 berthed at Tobruk from the UK to load military cargo, 48 vehicles and 327 passengers during the withdrawl of British Forces from Libya

28 March 1970 sailed with RFA Empire Gull from Tobruk for the final withdrawl of British Forces from Libya

19 October 1970 berthed at Malta

25 January 1971 her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her

26 January 1972 to 7 February 1972  along with HMS FEARLESS and RFA’s Sir Bedivere and Sir  Tristram she was part of the British Amphibious Task Force patrolling off British Honduras to   provide an anti-invasion force

April 1972 freighted large quantities of service equipment and belongings from Malta following Mr Mintoff’s ultimatum and the evacuation of British forces from the island

25 May 1973 sailed from Malta

17 August 1973 at Pinto Wharf, Malta the steveadores being used to assist in the unloading of cargo claimed they had delayed the work through industrial action

May 1977 was in Operation Pallium - was deployed to Pitcairn Island with a detachment of Royal Engineers with machinery and materials to improve landing facilities in Botany  Bay and to improve some roads

24 June 1977 to 29 June 1977 took part in the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review at Spithead with eight other RFA's and units of the Royal Navy and foreign navies. Carried Official guests from Southampton Ocean Terminal along the lines of ship being reviewed by HM the Queen and returned them to Southampton Ocean Terminal

21 June 1979 in collision with the German tanker Tarpenbek in the English Channel 5.5 miles south west of Selsey Bill in thick fog. The Tarpenbek sank.

30 May 1980 arrived at Glasgow from Belfast with 570 men of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Scots after a four month tour of duty in the province

7 August 1980 at a Board of Trade enquiry at Southampton into the above collision the Master of the Sir Geraint was deemed to be at fault

5 April 1982 sailed Devonport for service during  Operation Corporate - the Falklands Conflict - with 450 Royal Marines and 3 Gazelle helicopters embarked

7 April 1982 the Amphibious Landing Group assembled at sea and other ships were  RFA’s SIR LANCELOT, SIR PERCIVALE, SIR GALAHAD (1), SIR TRISTRAM and  PEARLEAF(2)

11 April 1982 Amphibious Landing Group joined by RFA STROMNESS

19 April 1982 arrived Ascension Island

29 April 1982 Sailed Ascension Island in company with RFA’s SIR GALAHAD (1), SIR LANCELOT, SIR PERCIVALE , SIR TRISTRAM and PLUMLEAF(2) and HM ships FEARLESS, INTREPID and ANTELOPE with troops and stores for the Falkland Islands

8 May 1982 entered the TEZ around the Falkland Islands

11 May 1982 RASed with RFA Plumleaf at 41 52S 32.31W receiving 312 tons of fuel

21 May 1982 arrived San Carlos Water with the Amphibious Landing Group

8 June 1982 assisted in the salvage of her sister RFA SIR TRISTRAM which had grounded damaged in Fitzroy Creek after an Argentinian air attack

30 June 1982 sailed from the Falkland Islands at the end of her Operation Corporate service

23 July 1982 berthed at Marchwood

25 September 1984 was awarded her Falkland Islands 1982 Battle Honour at Marchwood by Mr A Kemp DST (SF)

7 July 1987 Captain Brian J Waters RFA appointed as Master

12 September 1988 during Exercise Teamwork with a full load of troops embarked, she ran aground about 2245 local time near Kvalholmen at the entrance to the Hemnefjorden in Norway. German and Dutch minesweepers tried to pull her  off, but only succeeded in turning her through 180 degrees. The tide fell and left her stuck fast. A decision was made to wait for high tide, but new attempts the following morning again proved unsuccessful

13 September 1988 2 Nato minesweepers and a tug finally pulled her clear about 1400 local time and she anchored nearby. Divers were sent down to inspect her and they found bottom damage and a bent propeller. Further participation in the Exercise was cancelled and a few days later she entered the floating dry dock at Fiskerstrand near Alesund for  temporary repairs before proceeding to the Tyne for refit and permanent repairs

11 December 1990 Captain Pat Thompson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

10 July 1992 Captain Pat Thompson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

1 May 1993 Captain David Gerrard RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

 

Captain David Gerrard RFA

 

6 December 1993 Captain (E) E M Quigley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 June 1994 Captain Pat Thompson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

8 December 1994 whilst on passage from Antwerp to Marchwood, she had to divert to Dover to carry out emergency repairs to her bow doors

January 1995 Captain Richard L Williams RFA was in command

June 1995 Captain N A Jones RFA was in command

January 1997 sailed U.K. as part of Task Group 327.01 - the Ocean Wave 97 Deployment to the Far East led by the carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS - along with RFA’s DILIGENCE, FORT AUSTIN, FORT GEORGE, OLNA (3), SIR GALAHAD (2) and SIR PERCIVALE

February 1997 Captain Nigel Jones RFA was in command

August 1997 Captain Jeremy R J Carew OBE RFA was in command

1998 during a voyage from the UK to Texas she encountered very heavy weather which allowed water to enter her bow door space through a hole in the top. As a result all of  the Class were fitted with CCTV

May 2000 to July 2002 during this period she was part of Operation Palliser - support to British forces in   Sierra Leone - along with RFA’s SIR TRISTRAM and SIR PERCIVALE at different times. She arrived at Freetown in 04/01

18 May 2000 berthed at Grand Harbour, Malta. Temporary Acting Captain (E) Mike New RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 May 2001 to 24 May 2001 berthed at Santa Cruz, Spain

19 July 2001 Temporary Acting Captain (E) Mike New RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

25 January 2002 Captain (E) Robert Settle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 July 2002 finally sailed from Freetown at the end of Operation Silkman

6 August 2002 arrived Marchwood for the very last time

16 September 2002 arrived Portsmouth for lay up at extended readiness

1 May 2003 was officially withdrawn from service and was handed over to DRSO for disposal

January 2005 purchased by Babcock Support Services

9 April 2005 laid up at Southampton along with RFA SIR PERCIVALE awaiting disposal

9 July 2005 purchased by Malvern Shipping Corporation (Regency Projects Ltd, Managers) Panama and renamed SIR G. Was repaired by new owners to bring her back into Class

11 October 2005 sailed Marchwood to Middlesborough

16 October 2005 at Middlesbrough to load scrap prior to sailing to Indian breakers

22 December 2005 arrived at Gadani Beach, Balochistan, Pakistan for breaking up by Bismillah Maritime Breakers

 

Notes:

 

Was  named after one of the 35 Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. The son of Erbin, he became King of Dumnonia (Devon) and was finally killed by the Saxons