RFA Bayleaf

RFA Bayleaf (1)

 

1130_2876_helderline_shell_tanker_pyrula_1

ss Pyrula after her RFA service

 

Previous name:                          Cevic,  HMS Queen Mary,  Bayol
Subsequent name:                     Pyrula

Official Number:                         102126

Class:                                       Emergency Wartime Construction Leaf Class Freighting Tanker

Pennant No:                              Y7.173

Signal Letters:                           JPFS (1919)

Laid down:
Builder:                                      Harland Wollf, Belfast
Launched:                                  23 September 1893
Into Service:                               1916
Out of service:                            1920
Fate:                                         Sold to commercial interests

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  During WW1, eighteen vessels of varying types were acquired second-hand and converted or purchased and converted while on the stocks, or in a few cases building as tankers. Some were converted after serving with the Dummy Battleship Squadron by the insertion of cylindrical tanks in their holds. All were originally intended to operate as RFA’s, however owing to reasons of international law and the operation of the US Neutrality Act, these oilers became Mercantile Fleet Auxiliaries being renamed with the LEAF nomenclature and placed under civilian management although operationally they remained under Admiralty control

 

25 September 1893 launched by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast as Yard Nr: 270 named CEVIC for Oceanic Steam Navigation Co (Ismay, Imrie & Co, Managers) Liverpool. Described in the press at the time as the largest freight steamer in the world

26 September 1893 Lloyds List newspaper reported –

 

26 9 1893 Lloyds List Cevic

 

6 January 1894 she was completed as the livestock carrier CEVIC to convey cattle from the USA to U.K. as Liverpool had special handling facilities at Birkenhead

 

Cevic-c

ss Cevic

 

12 January 1894 sailed on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York – Captain Robert Nichol as Master with 3 passengers

23 January 1894 berthed at New York from Liverpool

30 January 1894 sailed New York for Liverpool via Queenstown

1 February 1894 in position 40°33N; 62°14W in heavy seas rescued seven of the crew of a schooner, the W G Gordon of Halifax, Nova Scotia which was floundering. 

9 February 1894 berthed at Liverpool

16 February 1894 the Cevic’s Captain received a vote of thanks from the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society for the rescue of the crew of seven of the schooner the W G Gordon

17 February 1894 passed the Old Head of Kinsale out bound to New York

27 February 1894 berthed at New York

6 March 1894 sailed New York for Liverpool

16 March 1894 berthed at Liverpool from New York

23 March 1894 sailed Liverpool to New York

2 April 1894 berthed at New York from Liverpool

10 April 1894 sailed from New York for Liverpool

21 April 1894 passed the Old Head of Kinsale sailing east bound

28 April 1894 sailed from Liverpool for New York

14 May 1894 sailed from New York for Liverpool

27 May 1894 arrived at Liverpool from New York

7 July 1894 passed Old Head of Kinsale while on passage from Liverpool to New York

6 September 1894 passed the Old Head of Kinsale sailing east – passing Brow Head later also sailing east

23 September 1894 arrived at New York from Liverpool

11 October 1894 arrived at Liverpool from New York

20 October 1894 sailed Liverpool for New York

31 December 1894 passed Brow Head while on passage from Liverpool to New York

1 January 1895 called at Queentown. Ireland to land the Channel pilot. Sailed the same day for New York

9 January 1895 arrived at New York

15 January 1895 sailed New York

26 January 1895 passed the Old Head of Kinsale when on passage to Liverpool

27 January 1895 arrived at Liverpool

10 May 1895 arrived at Liverpool from New York

27 July 1895 passed the Old Head of Kinsale while on passage to New York

15 October 1895 arrived at New York from Liverpool

27 November 1895 sailed New York for Liverpool

13 December 1895 sailed Liverpool for New York

15 December 1895 passed Brow Head

25 December 1895 arrived at New York from Liverpool

31 December 1895 sailed New York for Liverpool

9 January 1896 passed Brow Head while on passage to Liverpool

10 January 1896 arrived at Liverpool with 830 cattle, 2,008 sheep and 309 sides of beef

17 January 1896 sailed from Liverpool for New York

18 January 1896 passed the Old Head of Kinsale 

6 February 1896 Lloyds List reported –

 

6 2 1896 Lloyds List Cevic 

14 February 1896 passed the Old Head of Kinsale sailing east – passing Brow Head later also sailing east

21 February 1896 sailed Liverpool for New York

20 July 1896 arrived in the Mersey from New York

28 August 1896 sailed Liverpool for New York

29 August 1896 passed Browhead

25 September 1896 berthed at Liverpool from New York

2 October 1896 sailed Liverpool for New York

24 November 1896 sailed from New York

8 January 1897 passed Browhead when on passge from New York arriving Liverpool later in the day with 800 cattle, 1418 sheep and 2,756 quarters of beef

14 January 1897 sailed Liverpool for New York

30 January 1897 arrived at New York from Liverpool

9 February 1897 when on passage from New York to Liverpool was at 40°N 63°W

18 February 1897 passed the Old Head of Kinsale sailing east

Week ending 22 March 1897 arrived Liverpool with 760 cattle, 1445 sheep and 2608 quarters of beef

9 July 1897 arrived at Liverpool from New York

22 October 1897 berthed at Liverpool from New York

21 December 1897 sailed New York

12 February 1898 the Ludlow Advertiser reported …

 

12 2 1898 Ludlow Advertister Civic

 

27 February 1898 passed the Old Head of Kinsale when on passage from Liverpool to New York

30 April 1898 arrived at Liverpool with 809 cattle 1016 sheep and 2758 quarters of beef

3 June 1898 passed Browhead when on passage from New York to Liverpool

12 June 1898 sailed Liverpool to New York

14 July 1898 sailed Liverpool to New York with 4 passengers

26 August 1898 sailed Liverpool for New York with 3 passengers

5 September 1898 arrived New York from Liverpool

2 January 1899 sailed New York

14 January 1899 berthed at Liverpool with 600 cattle and 3,966 quarters of beef

21 January 1899 passed the Old Head of Kinsale

1 April 1899 sailed Liverpool for New York

12 April 1899 arrived at New York from Liverpool

10 June 1899 passed the Old Head of Kinsale when on passage to New York

24 July 1899 berthed at New York from Liverpool with two baby elephants as part of the cargo for a zoo in Bloomington, Indiana

23 September 1899 sailed Liverpool for New York with 1 passenger

24 September 1899 arrived off Roche’s Point later passing the Old Head of Kinsale sailing west bound

22 October 1899 passed the Old Head of Kinsale when on passage to Liverpool

1 December 1899 sailed Liverpool

4 December 1899 passed the Old Head of Kinsale when on passage to New York

20 December 1899 sailed New York for Liverpool

1 January 1900 passed Browhead sailing east bound

2 January 1900 arrived at Liverpool from New York with 800 head of cattle and 4,653 quarters of beef

7 January 1900 sailed Liverpool for New York

20 January 1900 anchored off the bar at New York in thick fog

6 February 1900 passed the Old Head of Kinsale when on passage to Liverpool

7 February 1900 berthed at Liverpool

19 February 1900 sailed from Liverpool

2 March 1900 arrived at New York from Liverpool with a consignment of 129 head of cattle which were shipped to Kansas City. The ship also brought 1,278 bags of mail and 5 passengers

6 April 1900 arrived at New York

27 April 1900 sailed Liverpool for New York

24 May 1900 at sea at 50°38N 15°21W passenger Frank Lawrence Wright (infant) discharged dead – natural causes

19 October 1900 sailed Liverpool to New York with 3 passengers

24 November 1900 sailed Liverpool to New York with 3 passengers

28 December 1900 sailed from Liverpool

31 December 1900 passed the Old Head of Kinsale when on passage from Liverpool to New York

2 August 1901 sailed Liverpool to New York with 8 passengers

15 November 1901 sailed Liverpool for New York

15 April 1902 sailed for New York from Liverpool

26 April 1902 passed Brow Head when on passage from New York to Liverpool

8 September 1902 berthed at New York

16 October 1902 suffered several plates damaged when a steam dredger ran into her at New York

10 January 1903 passed Brow Head when on passage from New York to Liverpool

30 January 1903 arrived at New York

28 March 1903 sailed Liverpool for New York

10 April 1903 arrived at New York

14 April 1903 sailed New York to Liverpool

15 August 1903 sailed Liverpool for New York

3 September 1903 at sea at 41°59N 60°10W passenger William Coleman discharged dead – committed suicide by jumping overboard

10 November 1903 sailed New York to Liverpool

14 January 1904 berthed at New York from Liverpool

3 September 1904 sailed Liverpool for New York

4 September 1904 passed the Old Head of Kinsale

14 September 1904 berthed at New York from Liverpool

1 October 1904 arrived off Hollyhead inbound

3 January 1905 sailed New York for Liverpool

30 September 1905 sailed Liverpool for New York

24 July 1906 arrived at New York

9 August 1906 passed Brow Head while on passage from New York for Liverpool

1 October 1907 sailed New York

23 November 1907 sailed Liverpool for New York arriving on 4 December 1907

15 January 1908 at Liverpool loading 810 cattle and 800 sheep together with 2,900 quarters of beef for transportation to New York

24 January 1908 passed Browhead

1908 switched to her owners’ Australian service. Also carried a handful of passengers at  times

20 June 1908 sailed Liverpool

 

Cevic before Bayleaf 1

ss Cevic in Australian waters

15 August 1908 berthed at Sydney, NSW

26 October 1908 berthed at Port Adelaide

18 February 1909 hit a buoy in the Crosby Channel, Liverpool and then grounded

18 November 1909 arrived at Adelaide, Australia from Liverpool

29 November 1909 Fireman G B Reith was reported missing from the ship when it arrived at Melbourne. It is not known if he had ‘jumped ship’ or had been lost over the side.

24 January1910 sailed Sydney NSW for Melbourne

4 February 1910 sailed Melbourne for the UK

10 March 1910 while in transit of the Suez Canal struck an obstruction and holed her hull. Her cargo was unloaded and repairs were effected

1 April 1910 continued her voyage after reloading her cargo

5 May 1910 sailed from Liverpool for Australian ports

12 May 1910 passed Teneriffe

15 July 1910 in collision with steam ship Duranbah in Sydney Cove. The Duranbah was alone damaged. The accident was the subject of proceedings in the Court of Marine Enquiry, Sydney, NSW on 24 November 1910 before His Honour Judge Backhouse with Assessors. The Duranbah was found totally to blame

 

Bayleaf 1 and Duranbah 1910

ss Duranbah

 

20 December 1910 sailed Melbourne with a cargo of wool

4 February 1911 berthed at London from Australian ports

3 October 1911 at Sydney NSW the ship was berthed at Miller’s Point when two of the crew became involved in an altercation. Donkeyman William Campbell was stabbed in the chest and Fireman Thomas Davis was arrested by the local Police and taken to Water Police Station. The Donkeyman was taken to hospital

12 December 1911 sailed from Dunkirk for London

19 April 1912 at sea at 40°39N 56°31W Seaman James Quinn discharged dead – accident

25 May 1912 sailed from New York for Liverpool

28 June 1913 at sea Fireman Edward McCormick discharged dead – heart disease

20 Mar 1914 sailed Brisbane to Sydney NSW

28 Mar 1914 sailed Sydney NSW to Durban

25 April 1914 arrived Durban

23 May 1914 arrived Port of London

28 May 1914 arrived at Liverpool. Captain R G Smith was the ships Master

18 September 1914 sailed Melbourne for the UK – suffered an engine defect and returned to Hobson’s Bay to effect repairs

21 September 1914 engne repaired – sailed for the UK

October 1914  hired by the Admiralty

1 December 1914 arrived Belfast for conversion into the Dummy Battle Cruiser HMS QUEEN MARY

 

Cevic_as_HMS_QM2

ss Cevic as the Dummy Battleship HMS Queen Mary – with two dummy fore and aft funnels

 

11 February 1915 sailed Belfast on completion of conversion

13 February 1915  hit rocks and had to return to Belfast for repairs

10 April 1915  sailed Belfast

11 April 1915 grounded on Rathlin Island in fog

12 April 1915 refloated, arrived at Loch Ewe the following day, sailing almost immediately again to commence her patrol of the North Atlantic.

25 April 1915 she arrived off New York on the same day as the German liner KRONPRINZ WILHELM which was interned the following day

 

Kronprinz Wilhelm 1915

German liner KRONPRINZ WILHELM  

 

February 1915 to June 1916  based in the Aegean

September 1915 paid off as a Dummy Battle Cruiser at Belfast after the disbandment of the DBS Squadron.

8 September 1915 was purchased by the Admiralty for conversion into an oiler

1916 renamed RFA BAYOL

1917 she was transferred to the Shipping Controller, under management of Lane and MacAndrew and was renamed BAYLEAF (1)

2 July 1917 at Hampton Roads sailed in a convoy under the guard of HMS ROXBURGH to the UK – speed of advance 9kts

 

HMS Roxburgh

HMS ROXBURGH

 

7 September 1917 while in the North Atlantic challenged by HMS ISIS which was on patrol between Liverpool and Bermuda – allowed to proceed

 

HMS ISIS

HMS ISIS

 

18 February 1918 damaged by heavy weather off Oban and was out of commission for nearly 3 months

11 May 1918 re-entered service on completion of repairs to weather damage

17 May 1918 sailed from Lamlash in a convoy escorted by HMS COLOMBELLA

28 May 1918 the convoy arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia

1920 purchased by British Tanker Co., London

9 June 1920 was promptly resold to Anglo Saxon who renamed her PYRULA

11 June 1920 sailed the River Tyne for Port Arthur, Texas

27 July 1920 berthed at Gibraltar from St Thomas with fuel oil cargo to discharge

20 August 1920 arrived at Gibraltar from Alexandria in ballast for orders

11 September 1920 sailed Barbados for Gibraltar

29 September 1920 berthed at Gibraltar from Curaçao with fuel oil cargo to discharge and for orders

13 October 1920 sailed Port Said

21 October 1920 arrived at Gibraltar from Port Said in ballast for orders

23 November 1920 sailed Tampico for Gibraltar

7 December 1920 sailed Newport News for Gibraltar

1 January 1921 arrived at Port Said from Tampico for Alexandria

14 January 1921 arrived at Gibraltar from Port Said for orders

7 February 1921 sailed St Thomas for Dartmouth

4 October 1921 sailed Gibraltar for Newport News

19 October 1921 passed Key West for Tampico

November 1921 sent to New York and anchored in the Harbour as a floating depot ship with Chief Officer Hubert Sivell in command

21 August 1925 sailed New York for Curaçao with a skeleton crew of 16 sailors. The Acting Master was still Chief Officer Hubert S Sivell. The Chief Engineer Officer was Mr George Andrew.

8 September 1925 she arrived and was hullked at Curaçao as a bunker ship

25 July 1933 sold for demolition by Henrico Haupt at Genoa.

 

RFA Bayleaf (2)

 

RFA Bayleaf 1

sBAYLEAF

 

Previous name:                         London Integrity
Subsequent name:                    London Integrity

Offficial Number:                       186211

Class:                                       SECOND LEAF CLASS Support Tanker

Pennant No:                             A79

Laid down:                                28 September 1953
Builder:                                     Furness Shipbuilding, Haverton Hill

Launched:                                28 October 1954
Into Service:                             16 June, 1959

Out of service:                          22 March, 1973
Fate:                                         Returned to owners and took up her original name

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  In June 1956 the London Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference discussed Britain’s future naval strategy and the vulnerability of static bases in the face of world-wide change. Consideration was given to the provision of Fleet Trains to supply warships at sea and the Admiralty announced plans to build up a force of such ships. So began a period of major Fleet modernisation with the bare-boat chartering of eight motor tankers for freighting duties that reintroduced the LEAF names to the Fleet. These eight vessels were all broadly similar and were bare-boat chartered as replacements for the DALE and WAVE Classes. Although primarily intended for freighting duties, most of them were also capable of replenishment at sea

 

28 October 1954 launched by Furness Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Haverton Hill as Yard Nr: 460 named LONDON INTEGRITY for London and Overseas Freighters Ltd, London her Lady Sposor was Mrs A.S.C. Hulton

9 March 1955 ran trials

2 April 1955 sailed the River Tees for Curaçao

28 April 1955 completed

 

London_Integrity-01

MV London Integrity before entering RFA Service

 

10 May 1955 berthed at Dakar 

14 June 1955 at Green Cross Hospital, Curaçao Topas Minguel J D’Costa discharged dead – dysentery

28 December 1955 passed the Lloyds Signal Station at Dover sailing east bound

27 January 1956 at sea at 40°N 69°W Chief Cook and Baker F Rodrigues discharged dead – heart attack

13 August 1956 arrived at Beira

9 June 1957 sailed Curaçao for Sewaren, New Jersey

26 July 1957 sailed Punta Cardon, Venezuela for New York

27 July 1958 sailed Punta Cardon, Venezuela

19 September 1958 sailed Boston for Curaçao

13 February 1959 sailed New York for Las Piedras

2 June 1959 London and Overseas Freighters Ltd,  London advertised the ships change of name to Bayleaf in the Times of this day

 

BAYLEAF 2 name changed

 

9 June 1959 Mr T J W Humphrey RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

16 June 1959 bareboat chartered by the Admiralty and renamed BAYLEAF (2)

12 September 1959 passed Dover sailing west bound

9 October 1959 moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Pier, Devonport passing RFA AMHERST

10 October 1959 moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Pier, Devonport to No: 9 Buoy

12 October 1959 moved from No: 9 Buoy to No: 8 Wharf, Devonport Dockyard

14 October 1959 moved from No: 8 Wharf, Devonport Dockyard to Plymouth Sound. Captain T G Hill RD RFA (Lieut-Commander RNR) appointed as Master

20 November 1959 moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Pier, Devonport

23 November 1959 moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Pier, Devonport to No: 9 Buoy

26 November 1959 moved from No: 9 Buoy to Plymouth Sound

24 December 1959 berthed at Malta from Gibraltar

24 January 1960 berthed at Malta from the Persian Gulf

28 January 1960 sailed Malta for the Persian Gulf

7 April 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

8 April 1960 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound

4 June 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

5 June 1960 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound

3 July 1960 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

4 July 1960 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound

6 July 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

10 July 1961 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound

14 July 1960 Captain A H McKenzie RFA appointed as Master

9 January 1961 sailed Malta for Abadan

4 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

5 April 1961 at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to No: 6 buoy

9 April 1961 at Devonport moved from No:6 buoy to Plymouth Sound

7 June 1961 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

8 June 1961at Devonport moved from Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty to Plymouth Sound

23 September 1961 visited Auckland, New Zealand

16 February 1962 at Rosyth

17 March 1962 became the first of this Class of Leaf’s to berth alongside at Portland to discharge a full cargo of FFO and diesol

2 April 1962 Mr Charles H Gurr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 April 1962 Captain T G Hill RD RFA (Lieut-Commander RNR (ret)) appointed as Master

13 August 1962 at Devonport moved from Plymouth Sound to Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty

16 August 1962 at Devonport on Yonderberry Oil Fuel Jetty with RFA BLACK RANGER alongside

17 August 1962 at Swansea

1 September 1962 at Swansea

5 October 1962 at Greenock

15 December 1962 berthed at Singapore

25 December 1962 at 26°25N 56°15E Chief Cook Chan Yew Sang discharged dead – drowned having jumped overboard

1 April 1963 visited Auckland, New Zealand

28 May 1963 at Plymouth

1 October 1963 in refit at Immingham

15 October 1963 Captain Charles E C Phipps RFA appointed as Master

28 November 1963 Mr J Edge RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

13 January 1964 arrived at Invergordon

February 1964 involved in a collision with a tug at Ras Tanura

16 April 1964 Mr J P Mair RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 April 1964 at Plymouth

18 April 1964 at Plymouth

9 October 1964 Captain C G D Barker RFA appointed as Master

12 October 1964 at Newscastle on Tyne

18 October 1965 Captain O J Coulthard RFA appointed as Master

19 January 1966 berthed at Malta from Port Said

25 April 1966 Captain David P Kindersley RFA appointed as Master

June 1966 had the distinction of being the first Support tanker to refuel the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA by the astern method

20 October 1967 Captain A H Tarr RFA appointed as Master

29 October 1967 Mr C H Gurr RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

29 July 1968 Captain M G Brace RFA appointed as Master

20 August 1968 stood by the Japanese ship Yawatasan Maru which had an engine breakdown off the Sumatran coast until her engineers could effect temporary repairs

1969 after a long refit, suffered a reoccurrence of an engine defect at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and she was towed to Bombay by RFA PLUMLEAF (2) for repairs

2 May 1969 in collision with a Greek ship Kerkls in Bombay harbour – both ships suffered damage

3 May 1971 berthed at Malta from Curacao to discharge

12 September 1971 berthed at Simonstown Dockyard, South Africa

24 February 1972 at Plymouth

April 1972 with the evacuation of the base at Malta, she freighted stocks of oil fuel from there to U.K. storages

11 September 1972 at Portsmouth

8 October 1972 while berthing in Grand Harbour, Malta was blown very close to rocks just inside the breakwater when high north easterly winds struck the Island. She later berthed at Palatorial Wharf and discharged her cargo. Reported in the Times of Malta, 9 October 1972

20 October 1972 at Freetown, Sierra Leone

22 February 1973 completed her last voyage as an RFA

March 1973 was returned to her owners on expiry of her charter and her name reverted to  LONDON INTEGRITY

9 February 1975 laid up at Maliakos

7 January 1977 purchased for scrap through B.V. Intershitra

25 January 1977 arrived at Burriana, Spain for breaking up by Aguilar y Peris

 

Notes:

 

Was one of 17 tankers employed in the Mozchan on Beira Patrol duties

 

 

 

RFA Bayleaf (3)

 

Bayleaf_1968

Reproduced with permission of the MOD 

 

RFA Bayleaf 3

 

Leaf_Class_Drawing

 

Previous name:                      Hudson Sound

Official Number:                     399072   

Class:                                    THIRD LEAF CLASS Support Tanker

Pennant No:                          A109

Laid down:                            1 February 1975
Builder:                                 Cammel Laird, Birkenhead

Launched:                             27 October 1981

Into Service:                          26 March 1982
Out of service:                       28 April 2011
Fate:                                      Broken up in Turkey 2012

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:   On 27 October 1978 it was announced that the MoD (N) was to charter two laid up STaT 32 standard product tankers which had originally formed part of a four-ship order for commercial owners. After three of the ships had been laid down, the owners ran into financial difficulties and found that they were unable to accept the new ships. As they were the only mercantile order then in hand, the builders completed the three ships, and after running trials, they were laid up, two at Liverpool and one at Birkenhead. After some time had elapsed, the builders took over ownership of the ships by forming three subsidiary companies which then offered the ships for sale or charter. These eventually became RFA’s APPLELEAF (3), BRAMBLELEAF (3) and ORANGELEAF (3). Some years later, the fourth ship from this original order was built as RFA BAYLEAF (3). All four ships had additional accommodation and full RAS capabilities fitted and became useful units in the Fleet. Later on, a fifth vessel was chartered and was renamed RFA OAKLEAF (2), but she differed considerably from the earlier four Leafs

 

30 April 1973 ordered as part of a 4-ship order valued at around £20 million

September 1973 a loan of £4,356,169 was secured with Williams and Glynn Bank for her construction costs

14 February 1975 laid down as HUDSON SOUND

1976 when her owners refused delivery, work was halted and what little work had been done on the slipway  was removed to storage along with other items such as her engines which had already been ordered by the Yard. Owners became Bluecross Ltd. a subsidiary of the builders

December 1980 was reordered by a finance company for charter to MoD (N) and work was resumed

9 October 1981 the Liverpool Echo newspaper reported –

 

9 10 1981 Liverpool Echo Bayleaf

 

27 October 1981 launched by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd, Birkenhead as Yard Nr: 1366 named BAYLEAF for Lombard Leasing Services, London. The Lady Sponsor was Mrs Angela  Pritchard, the wife of Mr K Pritchard, DGST (N)

 

Bayleaf-Bell

RFA Bayleaf’s bell

 

5 January 1982 Captain A E Hunter RFA appointed as Master

20 March 1982 to 23 March 1982 ran trials

 

Bayleaf_1

Bayleaf_2

Bayleaf_3

Bayleaf_4

Bayleaf_5

General Arrangement Plans at the time of the builders trials – the MOD
changed the ships layout during her service

 

25 March 1982 completed and bareboat chartered to the MoD (N). She was the last conventional merchant ship by her builders as they then changed to warship and semi-submersible drilling rigs construction

1 April 1982 at Birkenhead in dry dock

5 April 1982 moved out of the flooded up dry dock into the fitting out basin by tugs Collingwood and Canada

10 April 1982 sailed from Eastham to Portland

12 April 1982 arrived at Portland 

13 April 1982 loaded 240 M³ of FFO and 12,591 M³ of diesel oil

15 April 1982 sailed Portland returning to the same berth the same day. RFA PLUMLEAF (2) berthed outboard of her

19 April 1982 at Portland RFA PLUMLEAF (2) cast off and sailed

20 April 1982 and 21 April 1982 at Portland loading drums of lub oil into her hold

22 April 1982 and 23 April 1982 at Portland loaded bunkers from RMAS barge 1507. Also loaded 4,875 M³ tons of AVCAT from mv Orionman

24 April 1982 at Portland loaded a further 5,719 M³ of Diesel oil as cargo

26 April 1982 sailed Portland Harbour with assistance of the tug RFA CONFIDENCE to Ascension Island

30 April 1982 was off Punto de Rogue Bermgo, Grand Canaria

1 May 1982 stopped to repair a fuel leak on the engines at 31°23.1N 12°03.7W

3 May 1982 arrived Gibraltar on berth 48 loading stores and cargo until 11 May 1982

11 May 1982 sailed Gibraltar to Ascension Island

19 May 1982 anchored off Ascension Island

25 May 1982 at Ascension Island with HMS DUMBARTON CASTLE alongside loading 74.2 tons of Fresh Water. On slipping HMS DUMBARTON CASTLE starboard quarter hit Bayleaf’s port side midships causing no damage to the tanker

26 May 1982 at Ascension Island with HMS DUMBARTON CASTLE alongside loading 75 tons of fresh water

27 May 1982 sailed Ascension Island for service during Operation Corporate – the Falklands Conflict – in company with the LPD HMS INTREPID

19 May 1982 arrived at Ascension Island

27 May 1982 sailed Ascension Island

2 June 1982 during the Falklands War RASed with the RMS QE2

 

Bayleaf_RAS_QE2_6

Bayleaf_RAS_QE2_5

RFA Bayleaf RAS’s with RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 during the Falklands War

 

5 June 1982 in the South Atlantic taking seas over the tank deck causing the gratings on the catwalk to be damaged

9 June 1982 entered the TEZ (Total Exclusion Zone) around the Falkland Islands. Transfered 360 M³ of diesel oil from the cargo to the bunkers

10 June 1982 arrived in the TRALA (Tug, Repair and Logistics Area)

24 June 1982 pump over with STUFT Shell tanker Eburna between 07:18hrs and 19:19 hrs

28 June 1982 pump over with STUFT Shell tanker Eburna between 08:15hrs and 13:20 hrs

3 July 1982 attempted pump over with STUFT Shell tanker Eburna but due to very bad weather the operation was aborted

4 July 1982 alongside RFA OLNA (3) which was at anchor at Port William – pumped over 5,550 M³ of FFO, 9,860 M³ of Diesel oil to her

5 July 1982 sailed Port William

6 July 1982 pump over with STUFT Shell tanker Eburna

11 August 1982 detached from South Atlantic duties

31 August 1982 arrived at Devonport on completion of Operation Corporate duties

31 August 1982 at Devonport engaged in a maintenance period

30 September 1982 sailed Devonport in support of the Dartmouth Training Squadron Mediterranian deployment. Arriving at Gibraltar on 4 October 1982

4 October 1982 sailed Gibraltar for Naples with the Dartmouth Training Squadron arriving 8 October 1982

8 October 1982 to 18 October 1982 at the Naples anchorage with the Dartmouth Training Squadron

18 October 1982 sailed Naples to Brindisi arriving 21 October 1982 with the Dartmouth Training Squadron

26 October 1982 sailed Brindisi to Salonika srriving 29 October 1982 with the Dartmouth Training Squadron

2 November 1982 sailed Salonika to Istanbul arriving 5 November 1982 with the Dartmouth Training Squadron

7 November 1982 sailed Istanbul to Trieste arriving 10 November 1982 with the Dartmouth Training Squadron

19 November 1982 sailed Trieste to Plymouth arriving 24 November 1982 with the Dartmouth Training Squadron

14 December 1982 sailed Plymouth to Liverpool arriving the next day and entered refit

21 March 1983 sailed Liverpool post refit to Plymouth arriving 23 March 1983 to restore

8 April 1983 to 21 April 1983 BOST at Portland

21 April 1983 sailed Portland for Invergordon to load cargo arriving 24 April 1983

24 April 1983 sailed Invergordon to Rotterdam arriving 2 May 1983

3 May 1983 sailed Rotterdam to Gibraltar arriving 9 May 1983 

13 May 1983 sailed Gibraltar to take part in Exercise Distant Drum

1 June 1983 sailed Pireaus at the end of the Exercise to Portsmouth arriving 13 June 1983

18 June 1983 sailed Portsmouth to Port Said arriving 25 June 1983

27 June 1983 sailed Port Said to Bahrain to load cargo arriving 5 July 1983

7 July 1983 sailed Bahrain to Singapore to discharge arriving 18 July 1983

24 July 1983 sailed Singapore to Bahrain arriving to load cargo on the 3 August 1983

6 August 1983 sailed Bahrain to Portland and then on exercise to Portsmouth and Plymouth

12 September 1983 Captain D J Boyden RFA appointed as Master

28 November 1983 sailed to Rotterdam arriving 29 November 1983 freighting

1 December 1983 sailed Rotterdam to Devonport arriving 2 December 1983

8 December 1983 sailed Devonport to Milford Haven arriving the same day

10 December 1983 sailed Milford Haven to Plymouth arriving the next day

15 December 1983 sailed Plymouth to Rotterdam arriving the next day

19 December 1983 sailed Rotterdam to Gibraltar arriving 22 December 1983

3 January 1984 sailed Gibraltar to Plymouth arriving 6 January 1984

9 January 1984 sailed Plymouth to Rotterdam arriving the next day

10 January 1984 sailed Rotterdam to Plymouth 

19 January 1984 sailed Plymouth to Norfolk, Virginia on exercises arriving 4 February 1984

16 February 1984 sailed Norfolk, Virginia to Portsmouth 

6 April 1984 to Gibraltar arriving 9 April 1984 for refit

8 June 1984 sailed Gibraltar for Portsmouth to restore arriving 11 June 1984

22 June 1984 sailed Portsmouth for Portand and BOST until 18 July 1984

19 July 1984 sailed Portland to Gibraltar arriving 23 July 1984

24 July 1984 sailed Gibraltar to Port Said arriving 31 July 1984

1 August 1984 transit Suez Canal to Dujibouti arriving 6 August 1984

8 August 1984 sailed Dujibouti to Muscat arriving 22 August 1984

23 August 1984 sailed Muscat on the Armilla Patrol returning to Muscat on 11 September 1984

12 September 1984 sailed Muscat to Mogadishu arriving on 18 September 1984

21 September 1984 sailed Mogadishu to Muscat arriving on 30 September 1984

1 October 1984 sailed Muscat to Karachi arriving on 5 October 1984

6 October 1984 at Karachi for a maintenance period until 18 October 1984

19 October 1984 sailed Karachi to Bahrain arriving on 31 October 1984

31 October 1984 sailed Bahrain to the Seychelles arriving 7 November 1984

12 November 1984 sailed the Seychelles to Damman arriving on 19 November 1984

21 November 1984 sailed Damman to Muscat arriving on 23 November 1984

23 November 1984 sailed Muscat for exercises until arriving at Doha on 12 December 1984

12 December 1984 Captain A W Stanley RFA appointed as Master

15 December 1984 sailed Doha to Colombo arriving 22 December 1984

3 January 1985 sailed Colombo via Suez to Rosyth arriving 26 January 1985

4 February 1985 took part in Exercise JNC851 until 15 February 1985

18 February 1985 sailed Rosyth to Invergordon and then to Rotterdam arriving on 23 February 1985

24 February 1985 sailed Rotterdam to Invergordon arriving 28 February 1985

1 March 1985 sailed Invergordon to Rotterdam arriving on 4 March 1985

4 March 1985 sailed Rotterdam to Portsmouth arriving on 5 March 1985

14 March 1985 sailed Portsmouth to Rotterdam arriving 15 March 1985

16 March 1985 sailed Rotterdam to Invergordon arriving 18 March 1985

19 March 1985 sailed Invergordon to Portland and then Gibraltar arriving on 30 March 1985

5 April 1985 sailed Gibraltar to Portsmouth arriving 10 April 1985

12 April 1985 was officially presented with the Falkland Islands 1982 Battle Honourby Mrs Angela Pritchard, wife of Mr K Pritchard DGST (N)

 

Bayleaf_Battle_Honour

 

19 April 1985 sailed Portsmouth to Loch Ewe arriving 22 April 1985

22 April 1985 sailed Loch Ewe to Devonport arriving 25 April 1985 for a SMP

1 May 1985 sailed Devonport for Portsmouth arriving on 3 May 1985

22 May 1985 Captain James W Pratt RFA appointed as Master

26 May 1985 involved with BOST at Portland until 8 June 1985

9 June 1985 sailed Portland to Gibraltar arriving on 12 June 1985

13 June 1985 sailed Gibraltar to Port Said arriving 19 June 1985

20 June 1985 transit of Suez Canal and then to Djibouti arriving on 24 June 1985

25 June 1985 sailed Djibouti to Muscat arriving 6 July 1985

7 July 1985 sailed Muscat to Bahrain arriving 15 July 1985

15 July 1985 sailed Bahrain to Muscat arriving 20 July 1985

20 July 1985 sailed Muscat to Colombo, Ceylon arriving 26 July 1985

30 July 1985 sailed Colombo, Ceylon to Karachi arriving 4 August 1985

7 August 1985 sailed Karachi to Muscat arriving 11 August 1985

12 August 1985 sailed Muscat to Mombasa arriving 24 August 1985

9 September 1985 sailed Mombasa to Muscat arriving 22 September 1985

23 September 1985 sailed Muscat to Dubhai arriving 1 October 1985

5 October 1985 sailed Dubhai to Muscat arriving 7 October 1985

8 October 1985 sailed Muscat to the Seychelles arriving 16 October 1985

21 October 1985 sailed the Seychelles to Muscat arriving 29 October 1985

30 October 1985 sailed Muscat to Suez arriving 10 November 1985

12 November 1985 sailed Suez, through the Canal and arrived at Akrotiri 17 November 1985

17 November 1985 sailed Akrotiri to Gibraltar for refit arriving 23 November 1985

21 January 1986 Captain Rex A Cooper RFA appointed as Master

4 February 1986 at Gibraltar

25 February 1986 sailed Gibraltar to Plymouth arriving 3 March 1986

11 March 1986 at Plymouth

19 March 1986 BOST at Portland until 10 April 1986

14 April 1986 sailed Portsmouth as part of Task Group 318.4 – the Global 86 Deployment led by the aircraft carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS – along with RFA’s OLMEDA and FORT GRANGE

6 May 1986 transit Panama Canal

7 May 1986 sailed Panama City to San Francisco arriving 16 May 1986

19 May 1986 sailed San Francisco to Vancouver arriving 22 May 1986

27 May 1986 sailed Vancouver to Pearl Harbour 18 June 1986 – took part in Exercise Rimpac 1986

15 June 1986 sailed Pearl Harbour

13 July 1986 to 14 July 1986 humanitarian aid – rescued 15 crew from the Taiwanese cargo vessel HWA LIE which sank 60 miles east of Hong Kong

14 July 1986 arrived at Hong Kong for an AMP

2 August 1986 sailed Hong Kong to Singapore arriving 18 August 1986

24 August 1986 sailed Singapore to Darwin, Australia arriving 30 August 1986

2 September 1986 whilst on passage from Sydney to Melbourne, she conducted a RAS with the   battleship USS MISSOURI which was the first complete RAS of a battleship by an RFA for many years

11 September 1986 arrived at Suva

15 September 1986 sailed Suva to Nuku Aloofa  arriving the next day

20 September 1986 sailed Nuku Aloofa to Sydney, NSW arriving 29 September 1986

4 October 1986 TG 318.4 participated in the Australian Fleet Reviewat Sydney

6 October 1986 sailed Syndey, NSW to Melbourne arriving 8 October 1986

15 October 1986 sailed Melbourne to Fremantle arriving 25 October 1986 – taking part in Naval Exercise enroute.

16 October 1986 RASed with USS Missouri – 4,500 cubic metres of diesel fuel were pumped across during the RAS that lasted nearly six hours.

31 October 1986 sailed Fremantle to Mombasa arriving 17 November 1986

23 November 1986 sailed Mombasa to Aquasa arriving 2 December 1986

2 December 1986 sailed Aquasa to Suez arriving 4 December 1986

6 December 1986 – transit Suez Canal to Gibraltar arriving 12 December 1986

18 January 1987 sailed Gibraltar on exercise returning there on 22 January 1987

26 January 1987 sailed Gibraltar to Martinique on Southlant Deployment arriving 27 February 1987

1 March 1987 sailed Martinique to Norfolk, Virginia arriving 6 March 1987

11 March 1987 sailed Norfolk, Viginia to Portsmouth arriving 23 March 1987

24 March 1987 Captain J B Dickinson OBE RFA appointed as Master

10 April 1987 sailed Portsmouth to the Exercise areas off Portland arriving 21 April 1987

21 April 1987 sailed Portland for Gibraltar arriving 24 April 1987

27 April 1987 sailed Gibraltar to Valparaiso arriving 25 May 1987

27 May 1987 sailed Valparaiso to Calaao, Peru arriving 1 June 1987

3 June 1987 sailed Calaao, Peru to Panama arriving 7 June 1987

8 June 1987 sailed Panama to Gibraltar arriving 3 July 1987

3 July 1987 at Gibraltar for refit until 26 November 1987

26 November 1987 sailed Gibraltar for Portland arriving 29 November 1987

29 November 1987 to 16 December 1987 BOST

5 January 1988 sailed Portland to Cambleton arriving 7 January 1988

12 January 1988 sailed Cambleton to Portsmouth arriving 22 January 1988

22 January 1988 sailed Portsmouth to Tilbury arriving the same day

30 January 1988 sailed Tilbury to Devonport arriving 3 February 1988

10 February 1988 sailed Devonport to Invergordon arriving 17 February 1988

19 February 1988 sailed Invergordon to Antwerp arriving 20 February 1988

22 February 1988 sailed Antwerp to Portsmouth arriving 24 February 1988

24 February 1988 sailed Portsmouth to Antwerp arriving the next day

25 February 1988 sailed Antwerp to Fawley arriving 27 February 1988

29 February 1998 sailed Fawley to Invergordon arriving 2 March 1988

4 March 1988 sailed Invergordon to Antwerp arriving the next day

5 March 1988 sailed Antwerp to Gare Loch Head arriving 9 March 1988

9 March 1988 sailed Gare Loch Head to Cambletown arriving 12 March 1988

14 March 1988 sailed Cabletown to Gosport arriving 18 March 1988

22 March 1988 sailed Gosport to Namsenfjord arriving 26 March 1988

29 March 1988 sailed Namsenfjord to Rosyth arriving 30 March 1988

5 April 1988 sailed Rosyth to Invergordon arriving the next day

12 April 1988 sailed Invergordon to patrol and arrived at Devonport 5 May 1988

13 May 1988 sailed Devonport to Gosport arriving the next day

14 May 1988 sailed Gosport to Milford Haven arriving 20 May 1988

20 May 1988 sailed Milford Haven to Plymouth arriving 25 May 1988

25 May 1988 sailed Plymouth to Europort arriving 27 May 1988

27 May 1988 sailed Europort to Gare Loch Head arriving 31 May 1988

31 May 1988 sailed Gare Loch Head to Loch Striven arriving 3 June 1988

3 June 1988 sailed Loch Striven for exercises arriving at Invergordon on 25 June 1988

27 June 1988 sailed Invergordon on exercises arriving Rosyth 4 July 1988

8 July 1988 sailed Rosyth operation Lobsterpot arriving Gosport 22 July 1988

27 July 1988 sailed Gosport to Cambleton arriving 3 August 1988

4 August 1988 sailed Cambleton to Loch Striven arriving 9 August 1988

9 August 1988 sailed Loch Striven to Gosport arriving 11 August 1988

17 August 1988 sailed Gosport to Fawley and return to Gosport

1 September 1988 Captain R M Guy RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

5 September 1988 sailed Gosport for exercise Teamwork 88  arriving Europort  1 October 1988

2 October 1988 sailed Europort to Invergordon arriving 4 October 1988

6 October 1988 Captain G R Green RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

10 October 1988 sailed Invergordon to Cambelton arriving 12 October 1988

12 October 1988 sailed Cambeltown to Fawley arriving 19 October 1988

24 October 1988 berthed at Portsmouth and then sailed to Portalnd and areas as FOST tanker

2 December 1988 sailed to Fawley and then Portmouth arriving 5 December 1988

13 December 1988 sailed Portsmouth to Falmouth for refit

13 March 1989 sailed Falmouth  to Devonport to restore

7 April 1989 sailed Devonport to Portland and area for BOST

30 April 1989 sailed Portland to Invergordon and Rosyth arriving 2 May 1989

15 May 1989 sailed Rosyth to Portand and exercise areas arriving on 17 May 1989

19 May 1989 sailed Portland to Gibraltar and exercise areas arriving 26 May 1989

29 May 1989 sailed Gibraltar to Suez arriving 4 June 1989

4 June 1989 transitted Suez Canal and then sailed to Djibouti arriving 10 June 1989

11 June 1989 sailed Djibouti to Dubai arriving 19 June 189

11 June 1989 sailed Dubai on the Armilla patrol arriving Jebel Ali 19 July 1989

25 July 1989 sailed Jebel Ali on the Armilla patrol arriving Dubai on 8 August 1989

13 August 1989 sailed Dubai on the Armilla patrol arriving Muscat on 26 August 1989

2 September 1989 sailed Muscat on the Armilla patrol arriving Dubai 7 September 1989

11 September 1989 sailed Dubai on the Armilla patrol arriving Jebel Ali 5 October 1989

9 October 1989 sailed Jebel Ali on the Armilla patrol returning to and arriving  Suez on 22 October 1989

24 October 1898 sailed Suez to Barcleona arriving 29 October 1989

3 November 1989 sailed Barcleona to Devonport arriving 8 November 1989

29 November 1989 sailed Devonport to Europort arriving on 2 December 1989

4 December 1989 sailed Europort to Milford Haven arriving 6 December 1989

7 December 1989 sailed Milford Haven to Devonport arriving the next day

9 December 1989 sailed Devonport to Fawley and Portsmouth arriving 14 December 1989

12 January 1990 sailed Portsmouth for Portland arriving 14 January 1990

15 January 1990 at Portland weapons training in exercise areas until 18 January 1990

19 January 1990 sailed Portland for Gibraltar arriving 25 January 1990

29 January 1990 sailed Gibraltar for Suez arriving 5 February 1990

6 February 1990 sailed Suez for Djibouti arriving 10 February 1990

12 February 1990 sailed Djibouti for Jebel Ali arriving on 25 February 1990 on the Armilla Patrol

1 March 1990 sailed for Bahrain arriving 7 March 1990 on the Armilla Patrol

11 March 1990 sailed for Muscat arriving on 14 March 1990 on the Armilla Patrol

19 March 1990 sailed for Port Victoria, Seychelles arriving 2 April 1990 

8 April 1990 sailed for Muscat arriving on 19 April 1990 on the Armilla Patrol

23 April 1990 sailed for Jebel Ali arriving on 5 May 1990

24 September 1990 Captain J Summers RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

17 October 1990 Captain R W M Wallace RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

23 January 1991 sailed UK to relieve RFA ORANGELEAF(3) during Operation Granby-the Gulf  War

1991 awarded the Kuwait 1991 Battle Honouralong with 10 other RFA‘s

29 May 1991 Captain S Hodgson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

19 February 1992 Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

 

Captain_Shane_Redmond_OBE_crop

Captain Shane Redmond

 

23 May 1992 Captain G D Wilson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

4 December 1992 sailed Gosport OIl Jetty to Cambletown arriving the next day

9 December 1992 sailed Cambletown to Devonport to destore and refit arriving 18 December 1992

2 April 1993 sailed Devonport at the end of the refit for sea trials returning the next day

7 May 1993 sailed Devonport to Portland arriving 9 May 1993

20 May 1993 at Portland BOST until 3 June 1993

4 June 1993 sailed Portland for exercises until 18 June 1993 berthed at Crombie

21 June 1993 sailed Crombie to Portland arriving 25 June 1993

30 June 1993 sailed Portland to Lisbon arriving 2 July 1993

3 July 1993 sailed Lisbon to exercises arriving Rotterdam arriving 15 July 1993

16 July 1993 sailed Rotterdam to Devonport arriving 18 July 1993

24 July 1993 sailed Devonport to various but arrived Bari on 13 August 1993

16 August 1993 sailed Bari to various but arrived at Portland on 29 August 1993

6 September 1993 sailed Portland for exercises and to Portsmouth arriving and anchored off on 19 September 1993

20 September 1993 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty

4 October 1993 sailed Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty to Portland arriving the same day

8 October 1993 sailed Portland to Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty arriving the same day

11 October 1993 sailed Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty to Fawley oil refinery arriving the same day

13 October 1993 sailed Fawley to Devonport arriving the same day

22 October 1993 sailed Devonport to Fawley arriving the next day

25 October 1993 sailed Fawley to Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty arriving the same day

28 October 1993 moved from Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty to Portmouth Dockyard

8 November 1993 sailed Portsmouth Dockyard to Brindisi, Italy arriving 16 November 1993

20 November 1993 sailed Brindisi. Italy to Toulon, France arriving 3 December 1993

6 December 1993 sailed Toulon, France to the Suez Canal arriving 11 December 1993

12 December 1993 in transit Suez Canal and then to Dubai arriving 21 December 1993

4 January 1994 sailed from Dubai

19 January 1994 arrived at Bahrein

26 January 1994 sailed from Bahrein

28 January 1994 berthed at Jebel Ali, UAE

30 January 1994 sailed from Jabel Ali, UAE

2 October 1994 to 6 October 1994 berthed at Dubai

6 October 1994 sailed Dubai to  Jebel Ali

18 October 1994 deployed Jebel Ali returning there on 29 October 1994

7 November 1994 sailed Jebel Ali to Abu Dhabi arriving 13 November 1994

3 December 1994 to 9 December 1994 berthed at Dubai

9 December 1994 sailed Dubai to Port Victoria, Seychelles arriving on 18 December 1994

2 January 1995 sailed Port Victoria, Seychelles to Bahrain arriving on 14 January 1995

16 January 1995 to 17 January 1995 sailed Bahrain and took part in Exercise Neon Spark 

18 January 1995 to 24 January 1994 at Dubai

19 January 1995 Mr Kenneth Holder RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

15 July 1995 at Dubai

28 July 1995 at Dubai

7 December 1995  Captain Shane Redmond OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

4 February 1996 in refit at Appledore Yard, North Shields, River Tyne

20 February 1996 Captain O Yeomans RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

18 March 1996 sailed North Shields for Devonport to restore

17 September 1996 Captain R L Williams RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

22 April 1997 Captain I E Johnson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

1 March 1997 in collision with the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA during a RAS off Karachi

21 October 1997 Captain J Stones RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

27 November 1997 suffered a fire in the engine room

4 May 1998 to 17 July 1998 in refit

15 July 1998 Captain Peter Farmer RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

 

Captain Peter Farner

Captain Peter Farmer RFA

 

5 January 1999 Captain David M Pitt RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

July 1999 at Garelochead

14 July 1999 at Gibraltar

14 November 1999 at Portsmouth

14 April 2000 Captain Brian J Waters OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

Captain Brian Waters

Captain Brian J Waters OBE RFA

 

2 May 2000 sailed U.K. as part of Task Force 2000 – the Eastern Adventure Deploymentled by the frigate HMS CORNWALL which circumnavigated the globe – along with RFA’s DILIGENCE and FORT VICTORIA

2001 purchased by MoD (N) name unchanged

6 April 2001 Captain Dale J M Worthington RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

 

d. worthington

Captain Dale Worthington RFA

 

19 April 2001 berthed at Portsmouth

25 April 2001 sailed Portsmouth to Devonport Yonderberry Jetty arrived 26 April 2001

22 May 2001 sea training undertaken until 31 May 2001

9 June 2001 sailed Portsmouth to Suez via Portland and Devonport – arriving Port Said 23 June 2001

23 and 24 June 2001 transit of Suez Canal

24 June 2001 sailed Suez

25 June 2001 main engines stopped requiring essential repairs

26 June 2001 main engine repairs completed – sailed.

28 June 2001 relieved RFA Orangeleaf (3) on deployment

7 July 2001 anchored at Sharjah

8 July 2001 sailed Sharajah anchorage to Dubai arriving the same day

12 July 2001 sailed Dubai to RAS with various RN, HMCS, US and other Allied ships returning to anchor off Dubai on 23 July 2001

24 July 2001 sailed Dubai returning to No 1 berth at Port Rashid on 20 August 2001

23 August 2001 sailed Port Rashid to RAS with various RN and US ships returning to Dubai on 9 September 2001

September 2001 engaged on the Argonaut 2001 deployment together with HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, fourteen other Royal Naval Warships and RFA’s FORT VICTORIA, FORT ROSALIE (2), SIR TRISTRAM, SIR BEDIVERE, SIR PERCIVALE, SIR GALAHAD (2), FORT AUSTIN, OAKLEAF (2) and DILIGENCE

13 September 2001 sailed Dubai to RAS with HMS Kent and then berthing at Fujayrah on 15 September 2001

21 September 2001 sailed Fujayrah to Jebel Ali arriving on 22 September 2001

24 September 2001 sailed Jebel Ali to RAS with various RN and RFA ships and then to berth at Masirah Anchorage on 1 October 2001

1 October 2001 to 6 October 2001 sailed Masirah to take part in Operation Saif Sareea II returning to Masirah – RASed with HMS Southampton

7 October 2001 sailed Masirah RASed with several RN and RFA until 13 October 2001 berthed alongside Salalah – Berth 30

15 October 2001 sailed Salalah and RASed with several RN and RFA ships until 21 October 2001

22 and 23 October 2001 maintenance days

24 October 2001 sailed to RAS with other RN, RFA, RCN and US ships – berthed at Dubai on 4 November 2001

15 November 2001 sailed Dubai to RAS with various RN and RFA ships returning to Dubai on 24 November 2001

29 November 2001 sailed Dubai to RAS with various RN, RAN and USSN ships to Bahrain arriving on 7 December 2001

8 December 2001 sailed Bahrain to RAS with HMS Kent. Anchored off Qatar on 11 December 2001

12 December 2001 sailed Qatar to Dubai arriving on 15 December 2001

16 December 2001 to 2 January 2002 self maintenance period at Dubai

3 January 2002 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN and other Allied naval units  berthing at Dubai on 7 January 2002

8 January 2002 deployed Dubai to RAS with RFA and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 19 January 2002

18 January 2002 RASed with USS Lake Champlain (CG57)

26 January 2002 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN  and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Salalah on 10 February 2002

17 February 2002 deployed Port Salalah to RAS with RN, RFA and other Allied naval units berthing at Salalah on 4 March 2003

14 March 2002 deployed Salalah to RAS with RN and USNS naval units berthing at Fujayrah on 22 March 2002

22 March 2002 sailed Fujayrah to Dubai and then Qatar arriving on 25 March 2002

25 March 2002 sailed Qatar to r/v with HMS Portland returning to Dubai on 28 March 2002

21 April 2002 sailed Dubai – engine trials arriving Bahrain 24 April 2002 returning to Dubai 26 April 2002

27 April 2002 deployed Dubai to RAS with Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 4 May 2002

5 May 2002 deployed Dubai to RAS with HMS Portland anchoring at Wudham Anchorage on 8 May 2002

10 May 2002 deployed Wudam Anchorage to RAS with RN, RCN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 19 May 2002

29 May 2002 deployed Dubai to RAS with RCN and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 9 June 2002

11 June 2002 Captain Shaun Jones RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

 

Shaun Jones

Captain Shaun Jones RFA

 

14 June 2002 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, RCN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 6 July 2002

16 July 2002 sailed Dubai returning to Dubai long term anchorage on 7 August 2002

10 August 2002 sailed Dubai returning to Dubai long term anchorage on 6 September 2002

September 2002 humanitarian aid – rescued 5 crew from the Guinean cargo ship FALCON which sank in the Indian Ocean while on passage to Iraq with a cargo of sugar and landed them at   Dubai. The ship’s crew had a whip round and raised £350 – £70 each for the shipwrecked mariners and also donated clothes and toiletries

23 September 2002 Captain (E) Edward M Quigley RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

2 October 2002 sailed Dubai to RAS with RN, RAN and US Naval units arriving Bahrain 9 October 2002

10 October 2002 sailed Bahrain undergoing Operational RAS’s to DUbai arriving 14 October 2002 2002

22 October 2002 sailed Dubai undergoing Operational RAS’s back to Dubai arriving 8 November 2002

13 November 2002 sailed Dubai undergoing Operational RAS’s to Jebal Ali arriving 30 November 2002

7 December 2002 sailed Jebal Ali to Fujaran, UAE to Jebel Ali arriving 14 December 2002

15 December 2002 sailed Fujaran, UAE to Jebal Ali arriving 19 December 2002

19 December 2002 Captain Trevor Iles RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

 

Capt Trevor Iles

Captain Trevor Iles RFA

 

30 December 2002 at Jebal Ali

4 January 2003 deployed Jebal Ali to RAS with RN, RCN, RNZN, and US and other Alied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 25 January 2003

15 January 2003 to 12 April 2003 deployed for Operation Telic the Second Gulf War – along with 13 other RFA’s

25 January 2003 Captain (E) Robert Settle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

30 January 2003 deployed Jebal Ali to RAS with RN naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 5 February 2003

17 February 2003 deployed Jebal Ali to RAS with RN, RFA, RAN and US naval units berthing at Bahrain on 12 March 2003

17 March 2003 sailed Bahrain to Jebal Ali arriving 19 March 2003

20 March 2003 deployed Jebal Ali returning 6 April 2003

11 April 2003 deployed Jebal Ali returning 25 April 2003

28 April 2003 sailed Jebal Ali to Singapore arriving 12 May 2003 to destore

2 June 2003 commenced refit at Singapore

23 June 2003 Captain Alistair Swatridge RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

11 August 2003 to 12 August 2003 and 17 August 2003 post refit sea trials

8 September 2003 to 10 September 2003 FOST in South China Sea

17 September 2003 deployed Sembawang to RAS with RN, RAN US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 29 September 2003

4 October 2003 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, RAN US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 27 October 2003

28 October 2003 Captain (E) Robert Settle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 November 2003 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, RAN US  naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 21 November 2003

25 November 2003 sailed Jebel Ali to Dubai arriving on 27 November 2003

30 November 2003 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RAN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 20 December 2003

3 January 2004 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 20 January 2004

22 January 2004 Captain Robert H Allan OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

28 January 2004 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RAN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Salalah on 22 February 2004

25 February 2004 deployed Salalah to RAS with RN and another Allied naval units berthing at Salalah on 2 March 2004

6 March 2004 deployed Salalah to RAS with RN, RAN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 3 April 2004. Suffered engine defect on 22 March 2004 – stopped for 3 hours while repairs undertaken 

15 April 2004 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RNZN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 4 May 2004

14 May 2004 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RNZN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Rashid on 10 June 2004 – Took part in exercise Hunjar Hadd between 5 and 9 June 2004

20 June 2004 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Rashid, Dubai on 13 July 2004 

19 July 2004 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 1 August 2004

6 August 2004 Captain (X) Nigel A Budd RFA appointed as Commanding Officer until 10 September 2004

 

Captain Nigel Budd

Captain (X) Nigel A Budd RFA

 

10 August 2004 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 4 September 2004

8 September 2004 Captain R G Ferris OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

15 September 2004 deployed Dubai to RAS with US, USNS and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 9 October 2004

19 September 2004 in the Gulf of Oman RASed with USS Preble (DDG88)

 

Bayleaf USS Preble DDG88 19 9 2004

RFA Bayleaf from USS Preble (DDG88)

 

14 October 2004 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Rashid on 2 November 2004

6 November 2004 deployed Port Rashid to RAS with RN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Rashid on 24 November 2004

6 December 2004 deployed Port Rashid to RAS with RN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 20 December 2004

8 January 2005 deployed Port Rashid to RAS with RAN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Rashid on 24 January 2005

29 January 2005 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RFA Diligence, RFA Fort George twice and US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 23 February 2005

24 February 2005 Captain Peter M Farmer RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

28 February 2005 sailed Dubai to Jebel Ali arriving the same day

1 March 2005 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Rashid on 21 March 2005

22 March 2005 Captain W G Tait RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

28 March 2005 at Dubai

4 April 2005 deployed Dubai to RAS with US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 24 April 2005

2 May 2005 deployed Dubai to RAS with US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 25 May 2005

31 May 2005 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RCN, US, USNS and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 18 June 2005 

21 June 2005 Captain (E) Robert Smith RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

28 June 2005 at Dubai

4 July 2005 deployed Dubai to RAS with RCN, RFA, US naval units berthing at Port Rashid on 27 April 2005

28 July 2005 at Dubai

2 August 2005 deployed Dubai to RAS with RCN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Rashid on

31 August 2005 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 15 September 2005 

19 September 2005 Captain (X) Kim Watts RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

 

Capt Kim WattsCaptain (X) Kim Watts RFA

 

6 October 2005 deployed Port Rashid to RAS with RN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 26 October 2005

29 October 2005 at Dubai

1 November 2005 deployed Dubai to RAS with Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 20 December 2005

5 January 2006 deployed Dubai to RAS with Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 28 January 2006

4 February 2006 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with US naval units berthing at Port Rashid on 25 February 2006

19 February 2006 in the Persian Gulf RASed with USS Nassau (LHA4) and USS Carter Hall (LSD50)

 

Bayleaf USS NASSAU 19 2 2006

RFA Bayleaf preparing to RAS with USS Nassau (LHA4)

 

4 March 2006 deployed Port Rashid to RAS with RN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Port Rashid on 25 March 2006

9 April 2006 deployed Port Rashid to RAS with RN,  US and other Allied naval units berthing at Sembawang on 8 May 2006 for refit

28 August 2006 Captain (X) Kim Watts RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

14 September 2006 sailed Kepple Yard, Singapore for sea trials and then to Sembawang arriving 15 September 2006

19 October 2006 sailed Sembawang,  RASed with HMS Sunderland – berthing at Salalah on 9 November 2006

11 November 2006 sailed Salalah to rendevous with RFA Brambleleaf – RASed (dry) with RFA Brambleleaf arriving at Salalah on 18 November 2006

20 November 2006 sailed Salalah to rendevous with RFA Brambleleaf for a pump over and RAS with other Allied ships.

27 November 2006 sailed for the Red Sea to rendevous with MCM Group to RAS with them 

11 December 2006 return passage to Muscat arriving on 15 December 2006

16 December 2006 sailed Muscat to Jebel Ali – arrival delayed until 19 December 2006

8 January 2007 loaded cargo at Star Terminal and then deployed to RAS with RN, RAN, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 25 January 2007 As part of this deployment on 10 and 20 January 2007 RASed with USS Boxer (LHD4) in the Persian Gulf – Boxer was the flagship for Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group operating in the Persian Gulf conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in support of US 5th Fleet

 

BAYLEAF Boxer 10 1 2007

USS Boxer (LHD4) prepares to RAS with RFA Bayleaf

30 January 2007 loaded cargo at Star Terminal and then deployed to RAS with RN,  US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 19 February 2007

24 February 2007 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 13 March 2007

19 March 2007 Captain K Rimell RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

28 March 2007 sailed Dubai to Jebel Ali to load and then deploy to RAS with RN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 17 April 2007

23 April 2007 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, RFA, US and Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 7 May 2007

15 May 2007 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, US and French naval units berthing at Dubai on 31 May 2007

14 June 2007 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RAN, US naval units berthing at Dubai on 1 July 2007

7 July 2007 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RAN, US naval units berthing at Dubai on 23 July 2007

27 July 2007 Captain (X) Kim Watts RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

31 August 2007 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, US and Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 25 September 2007 – on 5 September 2007 suffered engine problems resulting in the engines having to be stopped – repaired later in the day.

29 September 2007 deployed Dubai to RAS with US and Allied naval units berthing at Muscat on 23 October 2007

16 October 2007 in the Indian Ocean RASed with USS Porter (DDG78)

27 October 2007 deployed Muscat to RAS with RN, US and Allied naval units berthing at Jebel Ali on 9 November 2007

10 November 2007 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, RFA, US and Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 22 November 2007 

28 November 2007 Captain K Rimell RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

8 December 2007 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, RCN, US and Allied naval units berthing alongside at Dubai on 28 December 2007

2 January 2008 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, RCN, US naval units berthing at Dubai on 24 January 2008

23 January 2008 Captain (X) Kim Watts RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

3 February 2008 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, RCN, US naval units berthing at Dubai on 23 February 2008

8 March 2008 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 28 March 2008

1 April 2008 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RFA, US and other Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 22 April 2008

27 April 2008 sailed Dubai to RAS with RN, US and other Allied naval units

11 May 2008 transitted the Suez Canal and berthed at Souda Bay, Crete on 14 May 2008

18 May 2008 sailed Souda Bay, Crete to RAS with RN and US naval units and arrived at Portland on 30 May 2008

23 June 2008 sailed Portland to Loch Striven arriving 25 June 2008

26 June 2008 sailed Loch Striven to Gosport arriving 29 June 2008

30 June 2008 commenced duties as FOST tanker in the Plymouth areas

22 August 2008 at Plymouth

28 August 2008 at Devonport

1 September 2008 sailed Plymouth to Gibraltar arriving on 5 September 2008

19 September 2008 sailed Gibraltar to Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty arriving 23 September 2008

24 September 2008 sailed Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty to Loch Striven arriving 29 September 2008

14 October 2008 sailed Loch Striven to Devonport arriving 16 October 2008

27 October 2008 at Devonport

1 November 2008 sailed Devonport to Liverpool

4 November 2008 entered Cammell Laird, Merseyside for refit

March 2009 until 11 April 2009 in No: 5 dock at Birkenhead

7 April 2009 Captain Charles F Simmons RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

 

Capt_Simmons

Captain Charles F Simmons RFA

 

15 May 2009 Captain (E) Robert Smith RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

5 June 2009 sailed Birkenhead on completion of refit to Devonport arriving 9 June 2009

15 June 2009 at Devonport

18 June 2009 sailed Devonport to Loch Striven arriving 20 June 2009

27 June 2009 undertook various trials in the Loch Striven area

July 2009 berthed at the Admiralty Pier at Loch Striven

17 July 2009 Captain (X) Nigel Budd RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

3 August 2009 arrived at Portland

27 August 2009 alongside at Portland

30 August 2009 sailed Portland

3 and 4 September 2009 RASed with RFA Wave Ruler

5 September 2009 on ‘C’ Buoy, Plymouth Sound

18 September 2009 engaged with FOST to 9 October 2009 at Portland

18 October 2009 sailed Portland to Soudha Bay, Crete arriving on 29 October 2009

31 October 2009 sailed Soudha Bay, Crete to Port Said arriving 2 November 2009

3 November 2009 in transit Suez Canal and then sailed to Bahrain arriving 18 November 2009

21 November 2009 deployed Bahrain on various duties returning to Jebel Ali 8 December 2009

15 December 2009 deployed Jebel Ali on various duties returning to Dubai 21 December 2009

28 December 2009 deployed Dubai on various duties returning there on 28 January 2010

January 2010 Gulf Tanker deployment

29 January 2010 Captain (E) Robert Smith RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

10 February 2010 deployed Dubai on various duties returning to Bahrain 25 February 2010

3 March 2010 deployed Bahrain on various duties returning to Dubai 6 April 2010

13 April 2010 berthed at Dubai

21 April 2010 Captain Stephen P Donkersly RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

5 May 2010 deployed Dubai to RAS with RN, RAN,  US and various Allied naval units berthing at Bahrain on 19 June 2010

25 June 2010 deployed Bahrain to RAS with RN, RAN,  US and various Allied naval units berthing at Dubai on 17 July 2010

30 July 2010 sailed Dubai to Jebel Ali arriving the same day

31 July 2010 deployed Jebel Ali to RAS with RN, RFA and US ships returning to Baharin on 21 August 2010

30 August 2010 sailed Barhain

1 September 2010 RASed RFA Lyme Bay

11 September 2010 berthed at Bahain

19 September 2010 deployed Bahrain on various duties returning to Dubai on 12 October 2010

20 October 2010 Captain Charles F Simmons RFA appointed as Commanding Officer

22 October 2010 at Dubai

25 October 2010 deployed Dubai on various duties returning to Bahrain on 20 November 2010

23 November 2010 Captain (E) Robert Smith RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

26 November 2010 sailed Bahrain to Jebel Ali arriving the next day

28 November 2010 deployed Jebel Ali on various duties arriving at Dubai 20 December 2010

4 January 2011 deployed Dubai on various duties returning there on 23 January 2011

27 January 2011 deployed Dubai on various duties returning there on 7 February 2011

13 February 2011 sailed Dubai

5 March 2011 transit Suez Canal

6 March 2011 sailed Port Said to Barcelona arriving 12 March 2011

17 March 2011 sailed Barcelona to Portland arriving 23 March 2011

25 March 2011 sailed Portland to Devonport arriving 26 March 2011 to destore

14 April 2011 sailed Devonport to Portsmouth arriving 15 April 2011

 

Bayeaf

RFA Bayleaf entering Portsmouth Harbour on 15 April 2011 to be laid up

 

21 April 2011 her Colours were lowered for the last time – ship removed from the RFA Flotilla
 
8 June 2011 at Portsmouth
 
2 August 2012 at Portsmouth sailed under tow of the Spanish registered tug Vehinitiseis to the ship breakers in Turkey
 
22 August 2012 arrived at the ship breakers at Aliaga, Turkey
 
 
Copy of Bayleaf Aliaga 22Aug 
Bayleaf alongside at the ship breakers yard in Aliaga, Turkey
Courtesy of the Disposal Services Authority

 RFA BAYLEAF 3 disposal

Bayleaf being broken up at Aliaga, Turkey
Courtesy of the Disposal Services Authority