Since the creation of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1905 the ships of the Service have, during the month of May
On this day –
01-May | On this day in 2003 RFA Sir Geraint withdrawn from service and laid up at Portsmouth | |
02-May | On this day in 1916 RFA Roseleaf was launched at Middlesborough | |
03-May | On this day in 1962 RFA Tidespring (1) was launched at Hebburn on Tyne | |
04-May | On this day in 1928 RFA Bacchus (1) in collision in fog with the Greek ship Ionnis Fafalos which sank | |
05-May | On this day in 1941 RFA Denbydale was bombed during an air raid on Liverpool | |
06-May | On this day in 1959 RFA Dewdale (1) laid up at Portland for disposal | |
07-May | On this day in 1959 RFA’s Easedale and Wave Emperor offered for sale at Portland in the Times Newspaper | |
07-May | On this day in 1976 RFA Reliant (2) arrived at Rosyth to de-store and be laid up for disposal | |
08-May | On this day in 1945 it was VE day | |
09-May | On this day in 1918 RFA Appleleaf (1) was damaged by fire on the Clyde | |
09-May | On this day in 1927 RFA War Brahmin at Singapore in collision with comercial tanker Pinna (ex RFA Polshannon) | |
10-May | On this day in 1915 RFA Bacchus (1) was launched at Port Glasgow | |
10-May | On this day in 1917 RFA Elderol was launched at Wallsend on Tyne | |
11-May | On this day in 1961 RFA Surf Patrol laid up at Devonport | |
12-May | On this day in 1985 RFA Sir Galahad (2) laid down at Wallsend | |
13-May | On this day in 1945 RFA Olwen (1) sailed Trincomalee as part of Operation Dukedom supporting RN forces | |
14-May | On this day in 1940 RFA Gold Ranger was laid down at Dundee | |
15-May | On this day in 1959 RFA Cherryleaf (2) entered RFA service | |
16-May | On this day in 1948 RFA Wave Commander entered RFA service | |
16-May | On this day in 1967 RFA Regent entered RFA service | |
17-May | On this day in 1955 RFA Tide Austral was completed at Belfast | |
18-May | On this day in 1941 RFA Olna (1) at Suda Bay, Crete was bombed by German aircraft, set on fire, beached and burnt out, One of the crew was killed | |
19-May | On this day in 1959 RFA Derwentdale (1) laid up at Rosyth prior to sale | |
20-May | On this day in 1916 RFA Manica, a Kite Balloon ship, grounded off German East Africa. She was towed off by Royal Naval ships | |
20-May | On this day in 1937 RFA Brambleleaf (1) took part in King George VI Coronation Fleet Review at Spithead – the only RFA to do so | |
21-May | On this day in 1935 RFA’s Burma, Carol, Dredgol, Trefoil and Turmoil (1) offered for sale in the Times newspaper | |
21-May | On this day in 1963 RFA Eddybay offered for sale ‘as lying’ at Gibraltar in the Times newspaper | |
22-May | On this day in 1953 RFA Maine (4) awarded the Presidential Unit Citation of the Republic of Korea for meritorious service in the Korean War | |
22-May | On this day in 1998 RFA Wave Knight (2) was laid down at Barrow in Furness | |
23-May | On this day in 1917 RFA Celerol was launched at Pallion | |
24-May | On this day in 1941 RFA War Nawab was damaged in an air raid at Portsmouth | |
24-May | On this day in 1943 RFA Belgol was damaged in an air raid on Sunderland | |
25-May | On this day in 2009 RFA Sir Bedivere sold out of service to the Brazilian Navy | |
26-May | On this day in 1914 RFA Servitor was launched at Chatham Dockyard | |
27-May | On this day in 1946 RFA Teakol (2) was laid down at Renfrew | |
28-May | On this day in 1973 RFA Blue Rover provided support during the 2nd Cod War | |
29-May | On this day in 1917 RFA Ashleaf torpedoed and sunk in the North Atlantic | |
29-May | On this day in 1953 RFA Eddyreef was launched at Dundee | |
30-May | On this day in 1932 RFA Hickorol grounded on the Ironside Shoal in the St Lawrence Seaway, Canada | |
30-May | On this day in 1941 RFA Cairndale was torpedoed and sunk in the Eastern Atlantic. Four of the crew were killed | |
31-May | On this day in 1942 RFA Dinsdale was torpedoed and sank the following day in the South Atlantic. Five of the crew were killed |