RFA Sir Tristram

RFA Sir Tristram

 

 

 

 

 

Previous name: 
Subsequent name: 

Official Number:               334639                                                                         

Class:                                SIR LANCELOT CLASS Landing Ship Logistics

Pennant No:                      L3505

Laid down:                        14 March 1966  
Builder:                              Hawthorne Leslie, Hebburn
Launched:                         12 December 1966
Into Service:                      1970 
Out of service:                   16 December 2005 
Fate:

 

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

 

February 1966 Laid down as LSL 05

12 December 1966 launched by Hawthorn Leslie Shipbuilders Ltd, Hebburn as Yard Nr 761named SIR TRISTRAM for the Ministry of Transport

14 September 1967 Completed and placed under management of British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London

19 January 1970 at Tobruk loading military stores, ammuntion, 43 vehicles and 76 passengers during the withdrawl of British Forces from Libya

21 January 1970 sailed Tobruk to the UK to discharge

30 January 1970 management transferred to the RFA

13 February 1970 at Tobruk loading military stores and 65 vehicles during the withdrawl of British Forces from Libya

15 February 1970 sailed Tobruk to Cyprus to discharge

21 February 1970 at Tobruk loading military stores and 43 vehicles during the withdrawl of British Forces from Libya

23 February 1970 sailed Tobruk to Malta to discharge

2 March 1970 at Tobruk loading military stores, 64 vehicles and 42 passengers during the withdrawl of British Forces from Libya

5 March 1970 sailed Tobruk to the UK to discharge

14 June 1970 Captain Barry H Rutterford RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Barry H Rutterford RFA

 

27 October 1970 arrived at Malta from Istanbul, Turkey

29 October 1970 sailed Malta for Marchwood Military Port

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 GERAINT she was part of the British Amphibious Task Force patrolling off British Honduras to provide an anti-invasion force

29 August 1973 stood by over a minature submarine unable to surface from a depth of 1,500 feet 150 miles SW of Cork while rescue submarines were flown to Cork City.

8 September 1973 with HMS HECATE she stood by a dramatic 3 day rescue operation of men from  the deep submergence submarine PISCES 111 off the Atlantic coast of Southern Ireland

12 June 1975 sailed from Malta

12 September 1975 in Grand Harbour, Malta with various RN ships and RFA's Bacchus (3), Lyness, Olna (3) and Sir Galahad (1) after naval exercises

15 September 1975 sailed Grand Harbour, Malta for further naval exercises

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

27 March 2001 Captain Shaun Jones RFA appointed as Master

 

Captain Shaun Jones RFA

 

10 June 1981 2nd Officer Roger B Thomas discharged dead

2 April 1982 was diverted from Belize to Ascension Island  to join the Amphibious Landing Group for Operation Corporate - the Falklands Conflict

29 April 1982 Sailed Ascension Island in company with RFA’s SIR GALAHAD(1), SIR GERAINT, SIR LANCELOT, SIR PERCIVALE and PLUMLEAF(2) and HM ships FEARLESS, INTREPID and ANTELOPE

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

21 May 1982 entered San Carlos Water with the Amphibious Landing Force

6 June 1982 sailed San Carlos for Fitzroy Creek

7 June 1982 anchored Fitzroy Creek and commenced discharge

8 June 1982 was bombed and extensively damaged by Argentinian Skyhawk aircraft at Port Pleasant, Fitzroy Creek just south of Bluff Cove. She was hit by three bombs - one bomb entered 25 tank starboard and passed through without detonating. One bomb passed across the tank deck entered 25 tank Port where partial detonation occured blowing out, a large plate on the port quarter and causing damage to the forward bulkhead. The third bomb exploded under 25 and 26 tanks rupturing the ships hull. It is believed this bomb also contributed to the combined effects of the other two bombs. Fires soon started in the steering flat above which were pallets of ammunition and the ship was abandoned. She sent her lifeboats to assist in the evacuation of her sister ship RFA SIR GALAHAD nearby. Her crew were evacuated to the LPD’s HMS FEARLESS and HMS INTREPID.She eventually grounded on her stern door and  was afterwards towed off by  her sister ship RFA SIR GERAINT. She was taken around to Port Stanley to be  used as an accommodation  hulk while a decision was made about her future

 

 

 

 

11 June 1982 her crew were transferred to ATLANTIC CAUSEWAY for onward movement to the STUFT BP tanker BRITISH TRENT which transported them to Ascension Island from where they were flown back to RAF Brize Norton in the U.K

16 May 1983 left Port Stanley aboard the heavy-lift semi-submersible DAN LIFTER for the U.K. for rebuilding

 

 

13 June 1983 arrived Teeside and was refloated

14 June 1983 was towed to the Tyne for inspection

10 August 1984 the contract to rebuild her was awarded to Tyne Shiprepairers Ltd, Wallsend and she entered drydock for a 14 month rebuilding programme

2 October 1985 was awarded her Falkland Islands 1982 Battle Honour at Newcastle by Mr A Kemp DGST (N)

9 October 1985 rebuilding completed and she re-entered service. Dimensions now 442’05”(o.a.) x 58’ 10” x 13’00”. Tonnages now 4775 grt   1930 nrt  2443 dwt.

14 October 1985 visited the Pool of London after rebuild

25 October 1985 Captain Peter J Lannin RFA appointed as Master

14 October 1988 Captain Pat Thompson RFA appointed as Master

4 November 1988 Captain Anthony Pitt DSC RFA appointed in command while also Marine Superintent RFA HQ at Empress State Building

 

Captain A F Pitt DSC RFA

 

22 August 1989 Captain Peter Robinson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

6 September 1990 her deployment, and that of RFA SIR GALAHAD(2), to the Gulf area was authorised following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait

26 November 1990 Captain Brian J Waters RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

28 September 1990 sailed Marchwood for service during Operation Granby - the Gulf War - carrying armoured repair and  recovery vehicles as well as machinery and supplies for the 7th Armoured Brigade

9 December 1990 sailed Marchwood bound for Al Jubayl

26 December 1990 suffered heavy weather damage but continued on passage to the Gulf Area

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

24 June 1992 Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

29 September 1992 Captain Peter Robinson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

9 March 1996 Captain Anthony F Pitt DSC RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

November 1996 Captain James Murchie RFA was in command

17 December 1998 Humanitarian relief - arrived Marchwood following a West Indies Deployment which included Operation Tellar - relief operations off the coasts of Honduras and Nicaragua following destruction and floods caused by Hurricane Mitch. She shared  the Wilkinson Sword of Peace award with RFA BLACK ROVER for their outstanding  contribution to humanitarian aid engaged with RN units in Operation Caribbean Fury off the coast of Honduran-Nicaraguan border. An estimated that 20,000 were feared to have died. More than 400 Royal Marines prepared to search for up to 900 people, including many children, stranded on the roofs of flooded villages along the Honduran-Nicaraguan border for the past ten days without food or water

May 2000 to April 2003 Provided alongside support to British forces in Sierra Leone in Operation Palliser along with RFA’s SIR GERAINT and SIR PERCIVALE at different times. She  arrived at Freetown in 04/01

12 November 2000 Part of the Amphibious Ready Group led by the assault ship HMS OCEAN which arrived off the coast of Sierra Leone on Operation Silkman - a high visibility demonstration of the U.K. commitment to Sierra Leone

24 January 2001 Captain (E) E M Quigley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 March 2001 Captain Shaun Jones RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

7 April 2001 berthed at Las Palmas

3 September 2002 to 6 September 2002 berthed at Cartagena with RFA's Fort Austin and Sir Galahad (2)

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

4 August 2003 returned to Portsmouth on completion of Operation Telic duties

24 June 2003 Humanitarian aid - rescued 27 crewmen from the Egyptian bulk carrier GREEN GLORY on passage from Bombay to Leixoes in Portugal which sank in the Indian Ocean approximately 240 miles off the coast of Oman.and landed them at Djibouti. The survivors were airlifted to her by the Knightrider helicopter from USNS CONCORD also in the area

12 March 2004 Suffered an engine room fire during the annual Royal Marines exercises in northern Norway. The Royal Marines were evacuated to her nearby sister ship RFA SIR PERCIVALE. No injuries reported

13 March 2004 docked Harstad for damage assessment and repairs

8 February 2005 Captain Peter Farmer RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

23 March 2005  Captain Peter Farmer RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

28 June 2005 took part in the International Fleet Review for Trafalgar 200 at Spithead along with RFA’s ARGUS, FORT GEORGE, FORT VICTORIA, ORANGELEAF(3), SIR BEDIVERE, SIR GALAHAD(2) and WAVE RULER(2)

7 July 2005 entered dry dock at Inchgreen, Greenock for repairs

22 August 2005 Captain (E) Robert Settle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

7 September 2005 sailed Liverpool after refit

16 December 2005 final voyage from Marchwood to Portsmouth to lay up. At Portsmouth to destore prior to disposal

March 2006 removed from the Operational List

1 May 2007 sailed Portsmouth in tow of the Spanish-registered tug RED WOLF

2 May 2007 arrived Falmouth Ship Repairers for conversion for her new role as Training Ship for Maritime Special Forces to replace the former escort maintenance ship RAME HEAD, which was moved from her moorings in Portsmouth Harbour to the Dockyard on 23/05/07 so that the Mooring and Salvage Vessel SALMAID could start work on the moorings for the return of  SIR TRISTRAM in her new role

9 June 2007 moorings’ work completed and SALMAID sailed for Devonport

25 June 2007 left Dry Dock

23 August 2007 arrived Portland at start of new career

 

Her name and lifeboat live on - seen at at Ouseburn on the River Tyne

© Mark Nugent – RFAHS member

 

 

Notes:

Was named after one of the 35 Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend who was the nephew of King Mark of Cornwall.