Reproduced with permission of the MOD
Previous name: Contender Bezant
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 384837
Class: Aviation Support and Primary Casualty Reception Ship
Pennant No: A135
Signal Letters: GDSA
Laid down:
Builder: Breda, Marghera
Launched: 28 November 1980
Into Service: 1 June 1988
Crew number: 68
Out of service:
Fate:
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: The only ship in this Class. Was originally built as a container ship for commercial owners and was requisitioned for service during the Falklands Conflict in 1982. She was subsequently purchased and converted for her new role as an aviation support ship. After extensive trials she entered service and replaced the smaller RFA ENGADINE. During the 1990 Gulf War she took on a further role when she was fitted out as a PCRS with a 100-bed emergency medical facility. During 2000/2001 she underwent a major refit of her permanent hospital facilities which were then based over three decks. At one stage it was mooted that her sister CONTENDER ARGENT was to be similarly converted, but this never came to fruition.
28 November 1980 launched by Cantieri Navali Breda S.A, Marghera Yard, Venice as Yard Nr: 293 named CONTENDER BEZANT for Contender 2 Ltd (Sea Containers Ltd, Managers) Hamilton, Bermuda. The Lady Sponsor was Mrs Nigel J Tatham
31 July 1981 completed as a 1108 TEU capacity container ship
May 1982 requisitioned for service during Operation Corporate – the Falklands Conflict – and was sent to Devonport for conversion into an auxiliary aircraft carrier
mv Contender Bezant during Operation Corporate
20 May 1982 sailed Devonport for the South Atlantic
6 June 1982 sailed Charleston, South Carolina enroute to the Falkland Islands
19 June 1982 in Port William, Falkland Islands with HMS DUMBARTON CASTLE berthed alongside to receive stores
19 August 1982 the Liverpool Echo newspaper reported –
November 1982 returned to her owners after a refit to return her to her original role
1 March 1984 purchased for £18m by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast for conversion into an aviation training ship for resale to the MoD (N)
29 March 1984 arrived Belfast to begin her conversion
25 March 1987 formally renamed ARGUS at Belfast by Mrs Pamela Blelloch, the wife of the Second Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence
28 October 1987 initial sea trials
3 March 1988 conversion completed at a cost of £45m
18 March 1988 formally accepted by the MoD (N) to carry out extensive trials
RFA ARGUS
1 June 1988 Service of Dedication and entered service as an aviation training ship to replace RFA ENGADINE
20 July 1988 Lynx Helicopter HAS no: XZ690 – detached to ship – aircraft painted up with name “Miss Lilt – the totally tropical taste” and marked RFA ARGUS
31 August 1988 Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA appointed as Master
Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA
1 October 1988 at Portsmouth
16 December 1988 at Portsmouth
24 January 1989 at Portsmouth
23 May 1989 at Portsmouth
26 June 1989 humanitarian aid – rescued a man lost overboard from the Russian tanker APIE 120 miles east of Madeira
7 July 1989 at Falmouth
17 July 1989 at Middlesborough
25 October 1989 at Portsmouth
29 June 1990 at Portsmouth
18 September 1990 Sea King HC4 helicopter no: ZE426 – from the ship at Namos, engine fire, nose damaged in emergency landing in field NNE Trondheim
19 September 1990 Sea King HC4 helicopter no: ZE426 – recovered to the ship but damaged when tail pylon hit the ship’s superstructure
2 October 1990 allocated for conversion to the role of a Casualty Evacuation Ship following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
16 October 1990 at Plymouth
28 October 1990 Sea King HC4 helicopter no: ZD476 & ZD478 each in desert colour scheme with 826 NAS to Gulf in ship
29 October 1990 sailed Devonport to act as a Primary Casualty Evacuation Ship during Operation Granby – the Gulf War, but suffered a steering gear failure off the French coast.
30 October 1990 returned to Devonport for repairs by DML
31 October 1990 finally sailed Devonport for the Gulf with 4 x sand coloured Seaking helicopters from C and D Flights 846 NAS
7 November 1990 arrived at Port Said
8 November 1990 transitted the Suez Canal
15 November 1990 arrived at Jebel Ali, UAE sailing on 21 November 1990
28 November 1990 arrived at Dubai sailing on 2 December 1990
30 November 1990 was visited by C-in-C Fleet in the Gulf Area
6 December 1990 arrived at Jebel Ali sailing the next day
8 December 1990 arrived at Bahrein
13 December 1990 sailed from Bahrein
17 December 1990 arrived at Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia sailing on 21 December 1990
23 December 1990 berthed at Sharjah, Saudi Arabia
28 December 1990 sailed from Sharjah
2 January 1991 berthed at Jebel Ali until 5 January 1991
9 January 1991 berthed at Jebel Ali sailing the same day
23 January 1991 her embarked helicopters were reported to be conducting mine search operations
18 February 1991 in the vicinity of the D’horra Oilfield in the Northern Persian Gulf received three causualties from USS Princeton (CG59) after the warship had been mined
USS Princeton (CG59)
4 March 1991 was visited by the Chief of the Defence Staff
10 March 1991 berthed at Jebel Ali
2 April 1991 Sea King HC4 helicopters no: ZA296, ZA298, ZA314, ZD476, ZD478, ZE422, ZE427, ZE428 ZF118 & ZF 119 – Al Jubayl to UK in ship
11 April 1991 Official Cease Fire comes into force
20 April 1991 to 15 July 1991 Humanitarian relief – served on Operation Haven – humanitarian support to Kurdish refugees in the Turkey/Iraq frontier area – along with RFA RESOURCE
21 April 1991 Sea King HC4 helicopters no: ZA314, ZE425, ZE426, ZE427, ZE428, ZG821 & ZG822 – to Turkey (Operation Haven) in ship.
10 June 1991 Sea King HC4 helicopter no: ZA314 – to UK in ship
7 July 1991 Steward S N Brown discharged dead
1991 was awarded the Kuwait 1991 Battle Honour along with 10 other RFA’s
18 January 1992 moved from Wallsend, River Tyne to North Shields
1 February 1992 sailed the River Tyne on sea trials returning to North Shields later the same day
10 February 1992 sailed from the River Tyne
12 February 1992 arrived at Portsmouth Harbour until 28 February 1992 when moved to Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
2 March 1992 sailed from Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
6 March 1992 arrived at Portsmouth Harbour
13 March 1992 at Portland
25 March 1992 sailed from Portland
10 April 1992 at Portsmouth Harbour
20 June 1992 at Portsmouth
10 August 1992 Captain Anthony Pitt DSC RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
October to December 1992 Supported Operation Grapple – sailed to the Adriatic with 4 x Sea King helicopters embarked to support British elements of the UN Protection Force in the former Yugoslavia – along with RFA’s SIR BEDIVERE and RESOURCE
6 November 1992 at Portsmouth
11 November 1992 Sea King HC4 Helicopters no: ZA313 & ZG820 – shipped to Split in ship
7 January 1993 at Portsmouth
15 June 1993 at Portsmouth
14 July 1993 Captain Anthony Pitt DSC RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Anthony Pitt DSC RFA
20 October 1993 at Devonport and Captain Alan T Roach RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Alan T Roach RFA
11 December 1993 at Portsmouth
11 January 1994 suffered a fire in her Forward Auxiliary Machinery Space while berthed at Portland
2 February 1994 at Devonport
19 February 1994 at Devonport
11 March 1994 at Devonport
6 April 1994 became only the second RFA to fire 105 mm guns of the Royal Artillery from her Flight Deck while in the Ionian Sea. Seven rounds of 105 mm high explosive were fired from six guns The other firing had been aboard RFA SIR PERCIVALE and the first firing on each occasion was performed by the same Commanding Officer
7 June 1994 berthed at Portland
3 September 1994 Humanitarian aid – rescued a family from their yacht which had struck rocks whilst on passage from Brittany to Milford Haven
26 September 1994 berthed at Portland
12 November 1994 berthed at Portland
9 March 1995 at Portland
14 June 1995 berthed at Portsmouth
27 June 1995 at Portsmouth
24 July 1995 berthed at Gibraltar
30 October 1995 berthed at Hebburn on Tyne
4 January 1996 berthed at Hebburn on Tyne
12 February 1996 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour. Mr Kenneth Holder RFA being appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
15 April 1996 sailed from Portland to take part in Exercise Purple Star
RFA Argus alongside at Norfolk, Virginia
11 June 1996 berthed at Portsmouth
16 September 1996 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
19 November 1996 at Portsmouth Harbour while berthed at the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty and during gales pulled the bollards from the jetty and grounded on shingle. The ship was held in place by tugs until the weather abated when she was moved to an alternative berth. Damage was confined to her paint work
2 June 1997 to 10 June 1997 was off West Africa as a contingency covering Operation Tillerin Sierra Leone and at short notice for the possible evacuation of British nationals from the Congo
2 February 1998 three RN helicopters from RN Air Station Culdrose and deployed on Argus rescued 12 members of the crew of a Spanish container ship mv Delfin Meditteraneo and one body when the ship sank 100 miles off Maderia in the North Atlantic when its containers had shifted in heavy seas and in heavy weather. Three of the helicopters crews were later awarded the Air Force Cross, six received Queen’s Commendations for Bravery in the Air and one received a Commander in Chief’s Commendation
27 November 1998 berthed at Southampton
11 January 1999 berthed at Southampton
19 March 1999 berthed at Portsmouth
10 July 1999 berthed at Faslane
14 December 1999 at Plymouth. Mr Kenneth Holder RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 – 9 May 2000 Naval Airman Phil Bonnamy reported as missing over the side while the ship was involved in exercises in the North Atlantic off Lisbon
17 June 2000 berthed at Tenerife, Canary Islands
19 July 2000 at Plymouth
August 2000 Captain M T (George) Jarvis RFA in command
11 August 2000 berthed at Falmouth
3 August 2000 at Portland
30 August 2000 off Mounts Bay
12 November 2000 part of the Amphibious Ready Force led by the assault ship HMS OCEAN which arrived off Sierra Leone on Operation Silkman – a high visibility demonstration of the U.K. commitment to Sierra Leone – along with RFA’s FORT AUSTIN, SIR BEDIVERE and SIR TRISTRAM
29 November 2000 Captain (E) Robert Settle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
30 November 2000 at Plymouth
2 July 2001 Captain William Walworth RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
24 August 2001 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard
27 September 2001 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard
12 October 2001 berthed at Devonport Dockyard
2 November 2001 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard
24 November 2001 to 26 November 2001 berthed at Vigo, Spain
29 November 2001 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard
14 December 2001 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard
9 January 2002 berthed at Devonport Dockyard
15 February 2002 to 18 February 2002 berthed at La Coruña, Spain
21 February 2002 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard
19 April 2002 to 22 April 2002 berthed at La Coruña, Spain
26 April 2002 in Plymouth Sound
3 May 2002 berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard
10 May 2002 in Plymouth Sound. Mr Kenneth Holder RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 May 2002 to 26 May 2002 berthed at Valencia, Spain
27 June 2002 berthed at Devonport Dockyard
24 July 2002 at Southampton
16 October 2002 berthed at Devonport Dockyard
8 November 2002 berthed at Devonport Dockyard
13 November 2002 as a Sea King HC4 Helicopter No: ZF123 from 848 Naval Air Squadron was taking off from the ship in Lyme Bay the helicopter struck part of the ship and landed back on deck. The crew managed to escape unhurt from the aircraft but three deck hands were injured and airlifted by a Coastguard helicopter to hospital .The three men, one seriously injured and the other two with minor injuries, were taken to the Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester .The serious casualty was transferred to the Southampton General Hospital in Hampshire
15 January 2003 to 28 May 2003 deployed for Operation Telic – the 2nd Gulf War – along with 13 other RFA’s and had 2 x Sea King HAS5 helicopters from 820 NAS embarked
15 January 2003 Sea King HASA5 helicopters no: ZD630 & ZE422 – to Gulf in ship
28 January 2003 Captain (E) Robert J Smith RFA appointed Chief Engineer Officer
16 March 2003 Sea King HASA5 helicopter no: ZD630 – from Gulf to UK in ship
16 May 2003 Sea King HAS5 helicopters no: ZA133, ZG816 & ZE422 to the UK in the ship
20 May 2003 to 24 May 2003 berthed at Gibraltar
28 May 2003 returned to Plymouth on completion of Operation Telic duties with 4 x RAF Puma’s and 1 x RN Lynx helicopters
17 June 2003 alongside at Southampton
23 July 2003 represented the RFA at the presentation by the Queen of New Colours to the RN aboard the LPD HMS OCEAN in Plymouth Sound along with RFA’s SIR BEDIVERE and WAVE KNIGHT (2)
2 December 2003 at Falmouth during a refit in A & P’s ship yard a fire broke out in the boiler room. Fire applicances from Falmouth, Redruth and Truro attended and quickly extinguished the blaze. No one was injured
19 December 2003 at Falmouth and Captain Peter Farmer RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
4 February 2004 berthed alongside at Devonport
11 May 2004 berthed at Falmouth
18 May 2004 at Falmouth a 22 year old crew member was seen by Police outside a night club. On seeing Police he decampted and jumped into the harbour off Prince of Wales pier. He was found later hiding soaking wet in a yatch
23 July 2004 berthed at Falmouth for an AMP
30 July 2004 at Falmouth
26 August 2004 sailed Falmouth
7 October 2004 arrived on scene to the west of Ireland to assist in supporting helicopters assisting the Canadian submarine HMCS CHICOUTIMI which had suffered a fire on 05/10. Also assisting was given by RFA WAVE KNIGHT (2)
19 October 2004 berthed alongside at Devonport
6 January 2005 berthed at Falmouth for an AMP
2 February 2005 at Falmouth Docks fifty children and their teachers from Troon, Cornwall visited the ship
5 February 2005 sailed from Falmouth for Devonport
24 March 2005 Captain Shaun Jones RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Shaun Jones RFA
3 May 2005 at Plymouth Sound
19 & 20 May 2005 berthed alongside at Lisbon
25 May 2005 Captain S Cant RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
28 June 2005 took part in the International Fleet Review for Trafalgar 200 at Spithead along with RFA’s FORT GEORGE, FORT VICTORIA, ORANGELEAF(3), SIR BEDIVERE, SIR GALAHAD (2), SIR TRISTRAM and WAVE RULER (2)
3 August 2005 at Portsmouth Harbour
20 October 2005 at Portsmouth Harbour
16 December 2005 at Falmouth
2005/6 undertook a 10 month refit at Falmouth costing £37M pounds including carrying out a major conversion of the vessel including one of the vessel’s two helicopter lifts being removed. This area was then modified with 300 tons of fabricated steel, building an extension of the PCRF with new access, two casualty lifts and hospital refit and upgrade, including new CT Scanner, new reception area and, to increase capacity, with wards and intensive care facilities also being refitted.
1 June 2006 berthed at Nassau, Bahamas
4 June 2006 berthed at Mayport, Florida
27 June 2006 berthed alongside at Devonport
28 June 2006 on Yonderbury Oil Fuel Jetty, Devonport
26 January 2007 at Falmouth
6 July 2007 at Portsmouth Harbour
23 September 2007 sailed Portsmouth
28 November 2007 at Souda Bay, Crete
26 May 2008 at Abu Dhabi
11 June 2008 berthed at Abu Dhabi
13 July 2008 HMS CHATHAM, HMS MONTROSE, and HMS EDINBURGH supported by RFA ARGUS seized 23 tonnes of narcotics in the Gulf region
9 August 2008 berthed at Gibraltar
14 August 2008 sailed Gibraltar for the UK
17 October 2008 berthed at Glen Mallen. Captain Paul S Whyte MBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
18 October 2008 alongside at Loch Long, Clyde
1 November 2008 berthed at Devonport
3 January 2009 at Plymouth and Captain Paul Kehoe RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Paul Kehoe RFA
19 January 2009 at Falmouth
21 January 2009 entered a SLEP refit at Falmouth – undergoing a number of major structural modifications, including:
- fitting of a new bulkhead in the forward auxiliary machinery space and re-routing of the system
- installation of new casualty ramps and lifts
- fitting of four new hangar watertight doors, accounting for approximately 20 tons of steel per door
- structural bridge extension including new windows and equipment moves
Other major work included:
- extensive hull, hangar and flight deck paint package
- complete strip-out, refurbishment and upgrade of all ship crew and embarked military forces accommodation and communal areas along with fitting of a complete new galley of improved design and layout
- major ship electrical work replacing switchboards and upgrading fire safety systems
- upgrade and installation of communications and weapons systems
- overhaul of main engine machinery, and overhaul and refurbishment of the remaining aircraft lift
- all refrigeration and air conditioning plant changed to comply with the Montreal Protocol
- a new CT Scanner and a new Oxygen Concentrator installed in the PCRF
- installation of new Marine Evacuation System
23 January 2009 moved from Dutchy Wharf, Falmouth to No: 2 dry dock
4 May 2009 firefighters with breathing sets called to a fire in the lower decks of RFA Argus when the ship was in refit at Falmouth. No reported injuries
27 June 2009 moved from No: 2 dry dock, Falmouth to Dutchy Wharf
11 September 2009 moved from Carrick Roads to Falmouth Bay
28 September 2009 Captain (X) Stephen P Donkersley RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
10 October 2009 at Falmouth a fire was discovered in the ship on a switchboard. All on board were evacuated and fire applicances from Falmouth, Truro, Redruth and Camborne attended. The fire was extinguished after some one and a half hours. No injuries were sustained
1 November 2009 alongside at Falmouth
6 November 2009 sailed Dutchy Wharf, Falmouth to sea for trials returning to port later the same day
January 2010 RFA’s ARGUS, LYME BAY, WAVE KNIGHT (2) and WAVE RULER (2) together with RN units have been honoured by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for their work to repress piracy off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden at the 26th Session of the IMO
31 January 2010 at Portland Harbour
28 February 2010 entered dry dock at Falmouth
5 April 2010 sailed Falmouth
22 April 2010 in dry dock on the River Tyne
24 April 2010 on the River Tyne
4 June 2010 entered Toulon Harbour, France – sailed 5 June 2010 for Gibraltar
30 June 2010 anchored outside of Plymouth Breakwater
9 July 2010 entered Portsmouth Harbour
30 July/1 August 2010 open to the public at Portsmouth Navy Days
6 August 2010 entered Portsmouth Harbour
11 August 2010 Deputy Commander in Chief Fleet, Vice Admiral Richard Ibbotson CB DSC visited the ship alongside in Portsmouth Naval Base
12 August 2010 150 Sea, Army, Air and Combined Cadet Force cadets from all over the UK sailed Portsmouth bound for Dartmouth in Devon. The cadets are all working towards their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
15 August 2010 berthed Leith Docks for a 11 day visit to Edinburgh
8 September 2010 Maritime Aviation Support Force (MASF) was formally commissioned on board alongside in Falmouth Docks
10 September 2010 sailed Falmouth
29 September 2010 arrived at Falmouth
17 October 2010 sailed Falmouth
27 October 2010 at Falmouth flooded out of No: 2 dry dock
4 January 2011 at Falmouth
February 2011 at Portland conducting Merlin helicopter flying trials with 824 Naval Air Squadron (NAS)
March 2011 deployed to be ready to assist with the rescue of British nationals from civil war in Libya – off the Liybian coast for 10 days then sailed to Cyprus to load stores and provisions.824 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) relieved by 820 Naval Air Squadron (NAS). In addition members of B Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines joined the ship.
March/April 2011 tasked to conduct counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden
6 June 2011 Gulf of Aden – a RN Merlin HM MK 1 helicopter carrying a medically evacuated sailor from the German-flagged motor vessel Baltic Island lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The sailor was initially transported from Baltic Island to the Republic of Korea navy destroyer ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun-Shin (DDH 975) before being moved to the Argus. After being evaluated aboard Argus he was transferred to Enterprise for advanced treatment
25 June 2011 berthed at Gibraltar
29 June 2011 sailed Gibraltar for Falmouth
21 July 2011 at Falmouth
15 August 2011 at Falmouth and Captain Gerard A Patterson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
25 October 2011 berthed at Portland
7 November 2011 the Royal Navy’s new Wildcat Helicopter touched down on the flight deck of the RFA aviation trials ship Argus off England’s south coast, at the start of four weeks of tough trials for air and ground crew. The Wildcat is the 21st century variant of the Lynx helicopter which has served the Navy since the 1970s
2 December 2011 at Falmouth
26 January 2012 at Portland
30 January 2012 at Portland
16 February 2012 at Loch Striven
24 March 2012 berth at Portsmouth after exercises in the Channel
28 March 2012 eight miles south of Portland Bill the skipper of the yatch Kato fell and broke his shoulder. He sent two emergency flares upwards. He was rescued by the ships rigid boat and landed ashore by helicopter The yacht was taken in tow by the RNLI lifeboat into Weymouth
1 April 2012 berthed at Falmouth
27 April 2012 sailed County Wharf, Falmouth to sea
12 May 2012 sailed Falmouth
23 May 2012 arrived at New York
6 June 2012 at Norfolk, Virginia
13 June 2012 at Baltimore
16 June 2012 Captain Gerard A Patterson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer and at Patterson Park, Baltimore the ships football team played a match against a football team from USS Donald Cook (DDG75). RFA Argus’s team won 3 -1
Royal Marine Band on RFA Argus at Baltimore, USA
29 June 2012 to 5 July 2012 at Boston, MA
8 July 2012 berthed at Kings Wharf, Bermuda with RFA FORT ROSALIE (2)
10 July 2012 sailed from Kings Wharf, Bermuda
13 July 2012 berthed at Freeport, Bahamas
2 August 2012 sailed Freeport, Bahamas
7 August 2012 berthed alongside at the Container Terminal, Kingston, Jamaica
8 August 2012 sailed Kingston Jamaica to sea
29 August 2012 berthed at Port of Spain, Trinidad
3 September 2012 sailed Port of Spain, Trinidad
5 September 2012 to 7 September 2012 at Monserrat
28 September 2012 to 1 October 2012 at Martinique
RFA Argus entering Martinique
10 October 2012 at Guantanamo Bay
15 October 2012 sailed past Brazian Navy ship Greenhalgh (the former HMS BROADSWORD)
16 October 2012 berthed at Freeport, Bahamas
3 November 2012 sailed from St Johns, Antigua
11 November 2012 at sea a Rememberance Day Service was held
22 November 2012 berthed at Kingston, Jamaica and landed 200 shelter kits for 73 schools across the 9 parishes on the island which had been affected by Hurricane Sandy on 24 October 2012
27 November 2012 to 3 December 2012 berthed at Barbados to take part in the islands 46th year celebration of independence from the UK
19 December 2012 at Portland
3 January 2013 sailed Portland
4 January 2013 arrived at Plymouth
18 January 2013 arrived at Famouth for refit which commenced on 21 January 2013 and included upgrading lifeboats and davits, overhaul of the main engines, installation of an incinerator and shredder, new engine control systems, refurbishment of the ship’s hospital and a five-year paint and preservation package. The refit included the instalation of Philips Ingenuity CT 64 scanner in the ship’s hospital which provides low-dose, high-quality imaging, with excellent 4cm coverage and also the ability to personalise image quality, patient-by-patient.
28 February 2013 fire fighters from Falmouth, Truro and Redruth were called to the ship which was refitting at Falmouth to a fire in the engine room. The fire had been extinguished prior to their arrival
21 June 2013 a US film entitled “World War Z” released in the UK which parts were filmed on RFA Argus and in which the ship purports to be the USS Madison
RFA Argus purporting to be USS Madison
30 June 2013 sailed Falmouth after refit
1 July 2013 arrived at Plymouth
12 July 2013 sailed Devonport
15 July 2013 arrived at Portland
27 July 2013 at Falmouth
14 August 2013 alongside at Falmouth
9 October 2013 sailed Portland
15 October 2013 arrived at Portland
29 October 2013 sailed Portland
31 October 2013 berthed at Portland
7 November 2013 Captain (X) David J Buck RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain (X) David J Buck RFA
12 November 2013 sailed Portland
26 November 2013 sailed Falmouth
14 February 2014 berthed at Portland
18 February 2014 sailed Portland
25 March 2014 sailed Portland
16 April 2014 sailed Falmouth
25 April 2014 berthed at Falmouth
19 May 2014 sailed Falmouth
29 May 2014 berthed at Portland
3 June 2014 sailed Portland
9 June 2014 sailed Portland
13 June 2014 arrived at Portland
14 June 2014 Captain David A Eagles RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain David A Eagles RFA
17 June 2014 sailed Portland
20 June 2014 arrived at Portland
23 June 2014 sailed Portland
4 July 2014 berthed at Brest, France with 702 NAS embarked for a 3 week Operation Conversion Phase (OCP) package
5 July 2014 Captain David Eagles RFA with other members of the ship’s company layed a wreath on the Mers-El-Kebir memorial which commemorates the attack on the French Fleet at Mers-El-Kebir during which 1,297 French servicemen were lost
Hosted by Monsieur Herve Grall, President of the Mers-EL-Kebir Association and Commander Marc Rollet, Marine Nationale Liaison Officer. Those in uniform in the image above are – right to left – Cdr Marc Rollett, CPO (AH) Nigel Bickley, Captain David Eagles RFA, AET Richard York and MASS Steven Robertson
6 July 2014 sailed Brest, France. Chief Officer (E) Nicholas S P Pilling RFA appointed as Acting Captain (E) and as Chief Engineer Officer
11 July 2014 berthed at Portland
14 July 2014 sailed Portland
26 July 2014 moored at Falmouth
18 August 2014 sailed Falmouth
23 August 2014 berthed at Portland
26 August 2014 sailed Portland
29 August 2014 anchored off Bournemouth
23 September 2014 berthed at Falmouth
3 October 2014 sailed Falmouth
8 October 2014 the Ministry of Defence announced in a statement to-day that RFA ARGUS would deploy to Sierra Leone next week as a forward base for Army medics and with three Merlin Helicopters with aircrew and engineers from 820 Squadron NAS to facilitate the rapid movement of key personel to areas where they are required
11 October 2014 berthed at Falmouth
17 October 2014 sailed Falmouth for Operation Gritrock
21 October 2014 berthed at Gibraltar and loaded thirty off-road vehicles from Toyota Gibraltar Stockholders. The ship then sailed from Gibraltar
© MOD
“During her deployment to Sierra Leone Argus has made a significant contribution to the UK’s effort to halt the spread of Ebola.
She has helped to establish the crucial medical treatment centres and has provided vital transport capability allowing medical workers to reach the areas most affected by the disease and by providing medical reassurance to the British personnel deployed to the region.
As the chairman of the Admiralty Board it gives me great pleasure to award RFA Argus with a Letter of Commendation, recognising her overall contribution to defence over her 33 years’ service.
From delivering helicopters and Harrier jets to the Falklands conflict in 1982, to acting as a casualty receiving ship in the first Gulf War in 1991 and Adriatic in 1993, Argus has made her mark in a significant way.”
Michael Fallon – Defence Secretary
15 June 2015 at Portsmouth
24 July 2015 at Falmouth
18 August 2015 sailed from Falmouth
19 August 2015 anchored off Bournemouth
26 August 2015 berthed at Portland
7 September 2015 sailed Portland and berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard later the same day
10 September 2015 at Portsmouth on board RFA ARGUS HRH the Earl of Wessex, Commodore in Chief of the RFA presented seven RFA Long Service Medals and four clasps for 30 years service to RFA crew members
12 September 2015 Captain Karl R Woodfield RFA appointed as Commanding Officer and sailed Portsmouth for Portland
14 September 2015 sailed Portland
26 September 2015 berthed at Gotto Wharf, Belfast
5 October 2015 sailed Belfast
9 October 2015 arrived at Plymouth Sound
31 October 2015 sailed from Plymouth Sound
2 November 2015 berthed at Falmouth
4 January 2016 Captain (E) Nicholas S P Pilling RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
5 February 2016 Captain (X) David A Eagles RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
9 February 2016 at Falmouth alongside Duchy Wharf during Storm Imogen with the tugs Morgawr and Ankorva keeping her at her berth for 22 hours
5 March 2016 sailed Falmouth
11 April 2016 arrived at Plymouth
15 April 2016 Captain (X) Gerard A Patterson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
2 May 1916 Captain (X) Jeremy A Maccanley RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
3 May 2016 sailed Plymouth Sound
5 May 2016 arrived at Plymouth Sound
20 May 2016 sailed Plymouth and berthed at Falmouth later the same evening
24 May 2016 Captain (E) Maurice O Ambrose RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
8 June 2016 sailed Falmouth
12 June 2016 arrived at Plymouth
15 June 2016 sailed Plymouth berthing at Portland later the same day
19 June 2016 sailed Portland arriving at Plymouth later the same day
20 June 2016 sailed Plymouth returning to Plymouth Sound later the same day
19 July 2016 at Plymouth
25 July 2016 Captain (X) Karl R Woodfield RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
16 August 2016 sailed Plymouth
22 August 2016 berthed at Falmouth
9 September 2016 youngsters suffering from poor eyesight in Nicaragua show their thanks to the sailors of aviation training ship/floating medical facility RFA Argus
Some 40 crew from the Falmouth-based ship dipped into their pockets to pull names out of a hat during a Euro 2016 sweepstake, with the proceeds going to Global Brigades Nicaragua to buy reading glasses for children in rural communities with eyesight problems
25 September 2016 sailed from Falmouth
29 September 2016 at Portland
3 October 2016 berthed on Yonderberry Pier
7 October 2016 sailed from Yonderberry Pier to Plymouth Sound
10 October 2016 sailed from ‘C’ Buoy, Plymouth Sound to sea
17 October 2016 arrived at Plymouth Sound from sea sailing again later the same day
20 October 2016 arrived at Plymouth Sound from sea sailing again later the same day
21 October 2016 arrived at Plymouth Sound and made fast to ‘C’ Buoy
24 October 2016 sailed Plymouth Sound
28 October 2016 arrived at Plymouth Sound and made fast to ‘C’ Buoy
1 November 2016 arrived at Plymouth
3 November 2016 arrived at Plymouth
4 November 2016 sailed Plymouth arriving at Portland Harbour the same day
6 November 2016 Captain (X) Karl R Woodfield RFA appointed as Commanding Officer and Captain (E) Paul A Jenkins RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 November 2016 sailed Portland Harbour
14 November 2016 sailed Portland Harbour
28 November 2016 berthed at Portland Harbour
5 December 2016 sailed Portland Harbour
6 December 2016 in the House of Lords to a question by Lord West the Earl Howe advised in a written reply that according to current plans, the out of service date for RFA ARGUS is 2024. The consideration of options to deliver the capability provided by ARGUS remains on-going
9 December 2016 berthed at Portland Harbour
12 December 2016 sailed Portland Harbour
24 December 2016 berthed at Falmouth
27 December 2016 Captain (X) Peter N Selby RFA appointed as Commanding Officer and Captain (E) Brian A King RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1 February 2017 arrived off Dunkirk
5 February 2017 berthed at Portland Harbour
8 February 2017 sailed Portland Harbour
10 February 2017 berthed at Portland Harbour
13 February 2017 sailed from Portland Harbour
24 February 2017 berthed at Portland Harbour
27 February 2017 sailed from Portland Harbour
3 March 2017 arrived at Plymouth
7 March 2017 sailed Plymouth
10 March 2017 berthed at Falmouth
13 March 2017 sailed Falmouth
8 April 2017 berthed at Falmouth
11 April 2017 sailed Falmouth
18 April 2017 berthed at Lisbon
RFA Argus berthed alongside at Lisbon
20 April 2017 sailed from Lisbon
28 April 2017 berthed at Falmouth
9 May 2017 sailed from Falmouth
12 May 2017 berthed at Den Helder, Netherlands
15 May 2017 sailed Den Helder, Netherlands
19 May 2017 berthed at Falmouth
17 June 2017 Captain (X) Nigel A Budd RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
21 June 2017 sailed from Falmouth to Falmouth Anchorage
23 June 2017 sailed Falmouth Anchorage
24 June 2017 berthed at Greenwich, River Thames
RFA Argus at sunset at Greenwich
26 June 2017 one hundred Sea Cadets from London, Kent and Essex visited the ship while berthed at Greenwich at the start of Seafarers Awareness Week
RFA Argus crew clean beach to help save endangered sea turtles
LOCAL | By Press release Aug. 3, 2020
WILLEMSTAD – The crew of a British Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship have cleaned a Curaçao beach on a mission to save the lives of endangered sea turtles.
Personnel from RFA Argus are in the region as part of a task group, providing hurricane relief, maritime security and counter illicit trafficking operations.
During a maintenance stop in Curaçao, Argus’ crew members volunteered to assist local authorities to clear waste from the shoreline.
An increase in plastic litter is threatening the island’s famous sea turtle population. The animals can get trapped inside containers, and the debris makes their nesting sites uninhabitable.
The helpers headed for San Pedro on the northern shore – an area particularly badly hit – to help the Curaçao Turtle Sanctuary.
Lieutenant Annie Sykes, 845 Naval Air Squadron, said: “I was shocked to see all the plastic that had washed up. We were all tired at the end of the clean but it was rewarding too. It was good to assist with conservation of the local environment and it made me think about the plastic I use – even the straw in my next drink. We did what we could, but I will remember the sad state of that beach forever.”
In addition to removing dangerous items such as nets or bottles, personnel identified items which could be recycled.
They also filled up containers with fresh sea water, which were taken to a local vet’s practice where injured or vulnerable turtles are being treated.
The Curaçao Turtle Sanctuary works with a local organization called Green Phenix, which aims to deal with the plastic problem through education and reducing usage.
They also sort and recycle collected plastic for use in 3D printing machines.
More recently, they have produced PPE equipment for the island and wider region, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Andy Moorehouse, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary Cadet, said: “It was hard work at the beach, there was so much plastic but I was glad to get stuck in. “It was really interesting to hear how much of the plastic can be sorted and re-used.”
Following the work in Curaçao, RFA Argus headed back out to sea to continue working with the Royal Navy task group in the region.
6 August 2020 rendevouz with HMS MEDWAY for OOW maneuvers and transfer of stores
A Merlin Helicopter from 845 Squadron RNAS landing on RFA ARGUS
Ships of the same name
Argus. A Sloop of 10 guns and 326 bm, she was a French Privateer of 103 x 27 feet, captured in 1799. The ship was broken up in April 1811.
Battle Honours for this vessel: GROIX ISLAND 1795
Argus. Brig-sloop of 18 guns, launched by Hill of Sandwichon the 11 September 1813 as a “Cruizer” class Sloop. Sold on the 11 July 1827 ,but the sale was cancelled, she was re-sold on the 26 March 1828 to a Mr Ledger.
Argus. A 5th Rate of 36 guns to be built by Sheerness Dockyard, she was ordered in 1812 and cancelled the same year.
Argus. A sloop of 480 bm and 18 guns, she was laid down by Portsmouth Dockyard in March 1831 and cancelled in June 1831.
Argus. A Wood Paddle Sloop of 981 bm, launched by Portsmouth Dockyard on the 15 December 1849, 190 x 33 feet. Broken up in October 1881.
Battle Honours for this Vessel: ASHANTEE 1873-74
Argus. A Coastguard vessel of 357 tons, 136 x 22 feet, launched by Green of Blackwell in 1851. The ship was armed with 2 x 32 pdr guns, she was re-named ‘Amelia’ on the 16 April 1872 and then ‘Fanny’ in April 1889. The ship was hulked in 1899, before being transferred to Boom Defence Duties in 1902. She was sold for breaking up in 1907.
Argus. A Coastguard vessel of 380 tons, 130 x 23 ft launched by Bow McLachlan on the 6 December 1904, she was armed with 2 x 6 pdr. Renamed ‘Argon’ in 1918 and sold out of service in February 1920.
Argus. Ex ‘Conte Rosso’ purchased in August 1916 and renamed ‘Argus’, she was converted to an Aircraft Carrier of 14,150 tons, 505 x 68 feet armed with 4 x 4 inch guns and 20 aircraft by Beardmores in December 1917. The ship was reduced to harbour service in December 1944 and sold on the 5 December 1946 for breaking up at Ward’s Inverkeithing.
Battle Honours for this Vessel: ARCTIC 1941, ATLANTIC 1941-42, MALTA CONVOYS 1942, NORTH AFRICA 1942.