RFA Sir Lancelot (L3029)

RFA Sir Lancelot. San Carlos Water. 1982
History
United Kingdom
Name: Sir Lancelot
Namesake: Lancelot
Operator:
Ordered: December 1961
Builder: Fairfield S&E
Laid down: March 1962
Launched: 25 June 1963
Commissioned: 16 January 1964
Decommissioned: 31 March 1989
Identification: IMO number: 5413642
Fate: Sold commercially, June 1989
History
South Africa
Name: Lowland Lancer
Owner: Lowline
Identification: IMO number: 5413642
Fate: Sold to Republic of Singapore Navy, 1992
History
Singapore
Name: RSS Perseverance
Owner: Republic of Singapore Navy
Acquired: 1992
Commissioned: 5 May 1994
Decommissioned: 2003
Identification: IMO number: 5413642
Fate: Sold commercially
History
Singapore
Name: Glenn Braveheart
Owner: Glenn Defense Marine Asia
Acquired: 2003
Identification: IMO number: 5413642
Fate: Sold for breaking, 2008
General characteristics as Sir Lancelot
Class and type: Round Table class LSL (prototype)
Displacement:
  • 3,370 tons standard
  • 5,550 tons fully loaded
Length: 412 ft (126 m)
Beam: 60 ft (18 m)
Draught: 13 ft (4.0 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 Denny Sulzer (later B&W) diesels.
  • Power: 9,520 bhp (7,099 kW)
Speed: 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Range: 9,200 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Capacity: 2,180 tons
Complement: 68 crew, up to 340 passengers
Armament: 2 x 40 mm Bofors guns
Aircraft carried: Up to 20 Wessex helicopters (1973)

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.

Sir Lancelot sailed with the British Task Force that took part in the Falklands war. Whilst in San Carlos Water, an Argentine plane dropped a bomb that penetrated her hull, but the bomb failed to explode.

Design and construction

Constructed by Fairfield S&E, the vessel was laid down in March 1962, launched on 25 June 1963, and commissioned on 16 January 1964. As the first of the Round Table class, it also became known as Sir Lancelot class.

Background

The ship was initially operated by the British-India Steam Navigation Company, then was transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1970. Round Table class ships were exclusively manned by Hong Kong Chinese sailors from their introduction in 1963 until 1989, when Sir Lancelot was the last RFA to be crewed in this way.[1]

Operational history

United Kingdom

1971

Sailing out of Singapore, Sir Lancelot delivered 300 tons of relief supplies for the victims of the West Malaysian flood, which had been donated by the Government and people of Singapore.[2]

Falklands War

In 1982, as part of the Amphibious Task Group engaged in the Falklands war, she entered San Carlos Water on 21 May and uniquely remained there for the duration of the conflict. On 24 May at around 10:15, she was hit by a 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb, which failed to explode, from one of four Argentinian Air Force A-4 Skyhawks. This bomb penetrated her starboard side of the ship and she was temporarily evacuated for eight days, pending its removal. The crew were transferred initially to Red Beach, then RFA Stromness the next day, and RFA Sir Tristram a day later.[2] Thereafter she remained in San Carlos Water providing accommodation and base facilities to a variety of military units.

Following the cessation of hostilities and some repairs, she operated around the Falklands until 26 July, returning to Portsmouth on 18 August, and dumping 25 tons of Argentine munitions into the ocean en route.[2]

Lowline

Sir Lancelot was decommissioned on 31 March 1989, and sold in June 1989 to the British company Lowline, which renamed the vessel Lowland Lancer. She initially operated as a cross-channel ferry on the Weymouth, Dorset to Cherbourg route. This was followed by a spell as the replacement Royal Mail ship while RMS St Helena was undergoing repairs. On arrival in Cape Town, the vessel stayed in South Africa and opened as a floating casino.

Singapore

The ship was sold on in 1992 to the Republic of Singapore Navy, was renamed RSS Perseverance (L206), and was commissioned on 5 May 1994 following a two-year refit.[3] Perseverance was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 9 January to 17 February 2000.[4]

Glenn Defense

In December 2003, the ship was sold to Glenn Defense Marine Asia, which renamed the ship Glenn Braveheart.[3] According to US Court records relating to the extensive corruption scandal and convictions of very senior US Navy officers and other personnel involving bribery, fraud and "Sex-for-secrets" on the part of Glenn Defense relating to the service and resupply of Navy ships at Asian ports, the vessel would often deploy alongside the USS Blue Ridge, the 7th Fleet’s flagship. When in port, the Braveheart would serve as "a giant party boat, with prostitutes in the wardroom to entertain US officers."[5][6]

Fate

In early 2008, the ship was sold for breaking.[3] She was taken to Chittagong, Bangladesh, to be broken up for scrap.

References

  1. ↑ Puddefoot, Geoff (2010). Ready For Anything: The Royal Fleet Auxiliary 1905-1950 pp. 69-70. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-848-32074-1.
  2. 1 2 3 "RFA Sir Lancelot". RFA Historical Society. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Sir Lancelot goes to breakers". The Shipping Times. 12 February 2008. Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  4. ↑ Stevens, David (2007). Strength Through Diversity: The combined naval role in Operation Stabilise (PDF). Working Papers. 20. Canberra: Sea Power Centre - Australia. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-642-29676-4. ISSN 1834-7231. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  5. ↑ Whitlock, Craig The Man Who Seduced the 7th Fleet The Washington Post, 28 May 2016
  6. ↑ Whitlock, Craig Highest-ranking Navy Officer Yet Sentenced in Sex-for-secrets Scandal The Washington Post, 25 March 2016
  • Raymond Blackman, Ships of the Royal Navy (Macdonald and Jane's, London, 1973)


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