RFA Sir Tristram

Last updated

RFA Sir Tristram & MV Dan Lifter late 1982.JPG
Sir Tristram being carried home by the heavy lift ship MV Dan Lifter in 1983
History
British-Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary-Ensign.svg United Kingdom
NameSir Tristram
Namesake Tristan
Builder Hawthorn Leslie
Laid downFebruary 1966
Launched12 December 1966
Commissioned14 September 1967
Decommissioned16 December 2005
Identification IMO number:  6704373
Status Training ship
General characteristics
Class and type Round Table-class landing ship logistics
Displacement6,407 t (6,306 long tons)
Length135.8 m (445 ft 6 in)
Beam17.1 m (56 ft 1 in)
Draught3.9 m (12 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement51
Armament
Aircraft carriedOne spot for Westland Sea King or Westland Lynx aft, one spot for Boeing Chinook, Sea King or Lynx on main vehicle deck

TV Sir Tristram (L3505) formerly RFA Sir Tristram, is a Round Table-class landing ship logistics that was converted to a Special Forces Training Vessel in 2008. [1] She was launched in 1966, and accepted into British Army service in 1967. As with others of her class, she was transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1970, and was crewed by British officers and Hong Kong Chinese sailors. [2] The ship saw service in the Falklands War of 1982, and was badly damaged at Fitzroy on 8 June.

Contents

Early service

From completion to early 1970 Sir Tristram was managed by British India Steam Navigation Company. In January 1972 Sir Tristram was part of an anti-invasion task force off British Honduras, together with HMS Fearless, RFA Sir Bedivere and RFA Sir Geraint. In 1977 Sir Tristram was used as a guest ship for the Queens Silver Jubilee Fleet Review at Spithead in the Solent. [3]

Falklands War

In April 1982 Sir Tristram was diverted from Belize to the Falkland Islands to take part in Operation Corporate, the British effort to retake the Falkland Islands.

On 8 June, while transporting men and equipment to Fitzroy Cove alongside the Sir Galahad, Sir Tristram was attacked by Douglas A-4 Skyhawks of the Argentine Air Force's V Brigada Aérea (FAA), each loaded with three 500 lb (230 kg) Mark 82 bombs. [4] At approximately 14:00 local time the decks were strafed and two crew were killed. A 500 lb bomb penetrated the deck, but failed to explode immediately, allowing the remaining crew to be evacuated. Following the later explosion, Sir Tristram was abandoned. Immediately following the end of the conflict, Sir Tristram was towed to Port Stanley, where she was used as an accommodation ship. [5] [6] Sir Tristram then returned to the United Kingdom in 1983 on a heavy lift ship and was extensively rebuilt. [5]

Rebuilt

Sir Tristram, 2016 RFA Sir Tristram (L3505) (28685493662).jpg
Sir Tristram, 2016

Following the rebuild, Sir Tristram re-entered active service in 1985, and saw service in the Gulf War, and the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s. The ship supported relief operations for Hurricane Mitch off Central America. In 2000 the ship was deployed to Sierra Leone in support of British operations there, followed by a cruise to the Baltic Sea in support of mine countermeasure vessels. In early 2001 Sir Tristram returned to Sierra Leone to take over from RFA Sir Percivale as the ship supporting British forces ashore there. In 2003 the ship was deployed as part of the largest British fleet for 20 years in support of the invasion of Iraq.

The ship was decommissioned on 17 December 2005 but continues to be used for training purposes by the Special Boat Service and other elements of the UK Special Forces group. She is now based at Portland Harbour. [7]

Related Research Articles

RFA <i>Sir Galahad</i> (1966) 1966 Round Table class landing ship logistics vessel

RFA <i>Sir Bedivere</i> Round Table-class landing ship logistics of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Brazilian Navy

RFA Sir Bedivere (L3004) was a Landing Ship Logistic of the Round Table class. She saw service in the Falklands War, the Persian Gulf and Sierra Leone. In 2009, she was commissioned into the Brazilian Navy and renamed NDCC Almirante Saboia (G-25), where she saw service in Haiti.

RFA <i>Sir Percivale</i> 1968 Round Table-class landing ship logistics of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Sir Percivale (L3036) was a Round Table class landing ship logistics (LSL) vessel belonging to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary of the United Kingdom.

This is a list of the naval forces from the United Kingdom that took part in the Falklands War, often referred to as "the Task Force" in the context of the war. For a list of naval forces from Argentina, see Argentine naval forces in the Falklands War.

RFA <i>Argus</i> (A135) Aviation Support and Littoral Strike Ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Argus is a ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary operated by the Ministry of Defence under the Blue Ensign. Italian-built, Argus was formerly the container ship MVContender Bezant. The ship was requisitioned in 1982 for service in the Falklands War and purchased outright in 1984 for a four-year conversion to an Aviation Training Ship, replacing RFA Engadine. In 1991, during the Gulf War, she was fitted with an extensive and fully functional hospital to assume the additional role of Primary Casualty Receiving Ship. In 2009, the PCRS role became the ship's primary function. Argus is due to remain in service beyond 2030. In July 2022 it was reported that the future Littoral Strike Role would be assumed by Argus after a refit to convert her to this role. As of October 2023, Argus had started her deployment to serve as part of Littoral Response Group (South) based out of the UK Joint Logistics Support Base in Oman.

RFA <i>Fort Austin</i> 1979 Fort Rosalie-class replenishment ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Fort Austin is a retired British Fort Rosalie-class dry stores ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

RFA <i>Gold Rover</i> 1974 Rover-class small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Gold Rover was a small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and one of five Rover-class ships that were designed by the Admiralty, all of which were built at the Swan Hunter shipyard.

RFA <i>Fort Rosalie</i> (A385) Lead ship of her class of replenishment ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Fort Rosalie was the lead ship of her class of Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet replenishment ships. Fort Rosalie was originally named RFA Fort Grange, but was renamed in May 2000 to avoid confusion with the now-decommissioned RFA Fort George. On 31 March 2021, the ship was withdrawn from service.

RFA <i>Olna</i> (A123)

RFA Olna (A123) was the third and final of the three Ol-class "fast fleet tanker" of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Olna saw service in the Falklands War.

RFA <i>Sir Lancelot</i> Lead ship of Round Table-class landing ship logistics of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Sir Lancelot (L3029) was the lead ship and prototype of the Round Table class landing ship logistics, an amphibious warfare design operated by the British Armed Forces.

RFA <i>Sir Geraint</i> 1967 Round Table-class landing ship logistics of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Sir Geraint (L3027) was a Landing Ship Logistic of the Round Table class. She saw service in the Falklands War and Sierra Leone.

RMAS <i>Typhoon</i> (A95)

RMAS Typhoon (A95) was an ocean-going tug of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS). She was designed for ocean towing, rescue, salvage and fire-fighting. She was the first ship to leave the United Kingdom ahead of the task force for the South Atlantic during the 1982 Falklands War. She had a fishery protection role in the Cod Wars.

Round Table-class landing ship logistics 1962 class of British landing ships

The Round Table class, also known as the Sir Lancelot class, was a British ship class designed for amphibious warfare missions in support of the main amphibious warfare ships. They were designated landing ship logistics (LSL). The class was almost certainly so named on account of the phonetic similarity between the abbreviation LSL and Lance-'S'-Lot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standing Royal Navy deployments</span>

Standing Royal Navy deployments is a list of operations and commitments undertaken by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy on a worldwide basis. The following list details these commitments and deployments sorted by region and in alphabetical order. Routine deployments made by the Navy's nuclear-powered submarines and their location of operations is classified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">His Majesty's Naval Service</span> Maritime service of the British Armed Forces

His Majesty's Naval Service is the United Kingdom's naval warfare and maritime service. It consists of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve and Naval Careers Service. The Naval Service as a whole falls under the command of the Navy Board, which is headed by the First Sea Lord. This position is currently held by Admiral Sir Ben Key. The Defence Council delegates administration of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence.

SS <i>Atlantic Causeway</i> British merchant navy ship

Atlantic Causeway was a container ship, operated by Cunard, and one of the merchant vessels requisitioned by the British government to support British forces in the Falklands War in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluff Cove air attacks</span> Aerial bombing of British ships by the Argentine Air Force during the Falklands War (1982)

The Bluff Cove air attacks occurred 8 June 1982, during the Falklands War. British troop transport ships were bombed by the Argentine Air Force (FAA) while unloading at Bluff Cove, with significant damage and casualties.

In 1989 the Royal Navy was under the direction of the Navy Department in the UK Ministry of Defence. It had two main commands, CINCFLEET and Naval Home Command.

MS <i>Europic Ferry</i> Car ferry built in 1967

MS Europic Ferry was a roll-on/roll-off car ferry built in 1967 by Swan Hunter for the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (ASN). She was acquired by European Ferries in 1971 when they took over the ASN and served with them under the Townsend Thoresen branding. The Europic Ferry was requisitioned by the British government in April 1982 and transported stores, equipment and troops to the South Atlantic during the Falklands War. After the war she returned to service with European Ferries until that company was sold to P&O in 1987. She was sold again to Namora Shipping in 1993 and served on routes in the Mediterranean until sold for scrapping in 2004.

Junella was a fishing trawler, best known for her service with the Royal Navy during the Falklands War. She was built in 1975 for J Marr & Son, a Hull-based fishing company. On 11 April 1982 she was taken up from trade by the British government and commissioned into the Royal Navy. She was fitted with Second World War era minesweeping gear at Rosyth Dockyard, manned by Royal Navy sailors and allocated to the 11th Mine Countermeasures Squadron. She sailed on 26 April but was unable to commence sweeping until after the 14 June Argentine surrender. In the meantime she was utilised to transfer troops and stores between ships and landed special forces troops at San Carlos. Demining operations commenced on 21 June. Junella returned to the United Kingdom on 11 August, carrying a defused Argentine mine.

References

  1. ↑ "RFA Sir Tristram".
  2. ↑ Puddefoot, Geoff (2010). Ready For Anything: The Royal Fleet Auxiliary 1905-1950 pp. 69-70. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN   978-1-848-32074-1.
  3. ↑ "RFA Sir Tristram". Unofficial Royal Fleet Auxiliary Site: Toys Out Of The Pram. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  4. ↑ Moro, Rubén Oscar (1985). La guerra inaudita: historia del conflicto del Atlántico Sur. Pleamar, p. 462. ISBN   9505830432. (in Spanish)
  5. 1 2 "RFA Sir Tristram".
  6. ↑ Bijl, Nicholas Van der; Aldea, David (29 April 2019). 5th Infantry Brigade in the Falklands 1982. Leo Cooper. ISBN   9780850529487.
  7. ↑ "Ex RFA Sir Tristram". A&P Group. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011. In 2006 it was decided to regenerate the ex LSL Sir Tristram for a new role as a special forces training platform to replace the aged Rame Head and relocate the facility from Portsmouth Harbour to Portland in Dorset under a project name of Project Newman.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.