Appendix II 
ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARIES
Note on Tonnage
The two measurements given for the RFAs and for the merchant vessels which follow are the ‘Gross’ and ‘Deadweight’ tonnages. The former is derived from the volume of enclosed revenue-earning capacity, being the cubic footage divided by 100. Deadweight tonnage is often a better indication of load-lifting capacity, being the weight of cargo, passengers, fuel, ship’s stores and fuel when the ship is loaded to the maximum summer loadline.
FLEET OILERS
‘O’ Class
OLMEDA Oct 65 Captain A. P. Overbury [OBE]
OLNA Apr 66 Captain J. A. Bailey
Tonnage
10, 890 Light Displacement
33, 240 Full Load
18, 600 Gross Register
22, 350 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
648×84 [197.5 × 25.6]
Machinery
2 sets geared steam turbines
26, 500 shp = 19 knots (service speed)
Armament
Improvised – machine-guns and rifles
Aircraft
2 Sea King Mark 2
‘Tide’ Class
TIDEPOOL Jun 63 Captain J. W. Gaffrey
TIDESPRING Jan 63 Captain S. Redmond [OBE]
Tonnage
8, 530 Light Displacement
25, 930 Full Load
14, 130 Gross Register
18, 900 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
583×71 [177.6×21.6]
Machinery
1 set geared steam turbines
15, 000 shp = 17 knots (service speed)
Armament
Improvised
Aircraft
2 Wessex Mark 5
‘Rover’ Class
BLUE ROVER Jul 70 Captain J. D. Roddis
Tonnage
4, 700 Light Displacement
11, 520 Full Load
7, 510 Gross Register
6, 800 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
461×63(140.5×19.2)
Machinery
2 diesel engines (1 propeller)
16, 000 shp = 19 knots
Armament
Improvised
Aircraft
Helo Deck – no embarked aircraft
SUPPORT OILERS
(Modified Commercial Tankers chartered by RFA)
PEARLEAF 1960 Captain J. McCulloch
Tonnage
12, 353 Gross Register
18, 797 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
568×72 [173.1×22]
Machinery
1 diesel engine
8, 000 bhp = 15 knots
PLUMLEAF 1960 Captain R. W. M. Wallace
Tonnage
12, 549 Gross Register
19, 200 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
560×72 [170.7×21.9]
Machinery
1 diesel engine
9, 500 bhp = 15 knots
| APPLELEAF | Nov 79 | Captain G. P. A. MacDougall |
| BAYLEAF | Mar 82 | Captain A. E. T. Hunter |
| BRAMBLELEAF | Mar 80 | Captain M. S. J. Farley |
Tonnage
19, 975 Gross Register
33, 750 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
560×85 [170.7×25.9]
Machinery
2 diesel engines (1 propeller)
14, 000 bhp = 16 knots
FLEET REPLENISHMENT SHIPS
REGENT Jun 67 Captain J. Logan
RESOURCE May 67 Captain B. A. Seymour
Tonnage
| Light Displacement | |
| 23, 000 | Full Load |
| 18, 030 | Gross Register |
| Deadweight |
Dimensions (feet [metres])
640×77 [195.1×23.5]
Machinery
1 set geared steam turbines
20, 000 shp = 19 knots
Armament
Improvised
Aircraft
1 Wessex Mark 5
STROMNESS Mar 67 Captain J. B. Dickinson [OBE]
Tonnage
9, 010 Light Displacement
16, 800 Full Load
12, 360 Gross Register
7, 780 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
524×72 [159.8×22]
Machinery
1 diesel engine
11, 520 bhp = 17 knots
Armament
Improvised
Aircraft
Helo Deck – no embarked Flight
‘Fort’ Class
| FORT AUSTIN | May 79 | Commodore S. C. Dunlop CBE [DSO] |
| FORT GRANGE | Captain D. G. M. Averill CBE |
Tonnage
15,300 Light Displacement
22,750 Full Load
16,000 Gross Register
8,300 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
603×79 [183.8×24.1]
Machinery
1 diesel engine
23, 200 bhp = 20 knots
Armament
Improvised
Aircraft
2 Sea Kings (designed)
3 helicopters of various
types actually embarked
HELICOPTER SUPPORT SHIP
ENGADINE Dec 67 Captain D. F. Freeman
Tonnage
3, 640 Light Displacement
8, 960 Full Load
6, 380 Gross Register
Dimensions (feet [metres])
424×58[129.3×17.9]
Machinery
1 diesel engine
5, 500 bhp = 16 knots
Armament
Improvised – 14×7.62mm machine-guns
Aircraft
4 × Wessex 5
LANDING SHIPS (LOGISTIC)
| SIR BEDIVERE | May 67 | Captain P. J. McCarthy [OBE] |
| SIR GALAHAD | Dec 66 | Captain P. J. G. Roberts [DSO] |
| SIR GERAINT | Jul 67 | Captain D. E. Lawrence [DSC] |
| SIR LANCELOT | Jan 64 | Captain C. A. Purtcher-Wydenbruck [OBE] |
| SIR PERCIVALE | Mar 68 | Captain A. F. Pitt [DSC] |
| SIR TRISTRAM | Sep 67 | Captain G. R. Green [DSC] |
Tonnage
3, 270 Light Displacement
5, 674 Full Load
4, 473 Gross Register
2, 400 Deadweight
Sir Lancelot
3, 370 Light Displacement
5, 550 Full Load
4, 400 Gross Register
2, 180 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
366×60 [126.5×17.7]
Machinery
2 diesel engines
9, 400 bhp = 17 knots
Armament
2 × 40mm AA guns (only 1 installed in Percivale and Galahad)
Assault Load
402 troops
340 tons of stores/vehicles
2 Mexeflote sections
Aircraft
3 × Light helicopters (Gazelle or Scout)
2 Helo decks (amidships and aft)
ROYAL MARITIME AUXILIARY SERVICE
TUG
TYPHOON 1960 Captain J. N. Morris
Displacement
800 Standard
1, 380 Full Load
Dimensions (feet [metres])
200 × 40 [60.5 × 12.3]
Machinery
2 diesel engines (1 propeller)
2, 750 bhp = 17 knots
Mooring Vessel
Employed at Ascension from late May, 1982, in laying buoys and moorings.
GOOSANDER 1973 Captain A. MacGregor
Displacement
750 Standard
1, 200 Full Load
283 Deadweight
Dimensions (feet [metres])
186 × 36.5 [55.4 × 12.2]
Machinery
2 diesel engines
550 bhp = 10 knots