Reproduced with permission of the MOD
Previous name: Stena Inspector
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 399182
Class: Forward Repair Ship
Pennant No: A132
Laid down: 24 January 1980
Builder: Oresundsvarvet AB, Landskrona, Sweden
Launched: 3 April 1980
Into Service: 12 March 1984
Out of service:
Fate:
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: There is only a single ship of this type which was originally built as one of a Class of Rig Support Vessels for commercial owners. She was requisitioned during the Falklands Conflict and was then purchased the following year and underwent a full conversion for her new role.
March 1979 an order was placed by Rederi AB Concordia, Stockholm for 4 highly sophisticated diving and support vessels which was worth over $100m.
28 January 1980 laid down.
3 April 1980 launched by Oresundsvsrvet AB, Landskrona as Yard Nr: 276 named STENA INSPECTOR for Rederi A/B Concordia, (Stena Line AB, Managers) Stockholm.
12 January 1981 completed
1982 was transferred to Stena Carribean Line Ltd (Stena (UK) Ltd, Managers) London.
8 April 1982 requisitioned for service during Operation Corporate- the Falklands Conflict – and was recalled from her normal duties in the Thistle Oil Field in the North Sea.
16 April 1982 sailed Portsmouth for service during Operation Corporate after conversion into a repair ship.
25 May 1982 chartered by MoD (N) for service as a Fleet Repair Ship.
6 June 1982 sailed Charleston, South Carolina for the Falklands. Her Master was Captain David Ede
mv Stena Inspector during the Falkland’s conflict – IWM Copyright
mv Stena Inspector’s Naval Party 2010 during Operation Corporate
10 July 1982 the Aberdeen Evening Express reported …
August 1982 used at Grytviken, South Georgia to repair jetties and ‘local real estate’. Also used in the recovery of the Argentinian submarine Santa Fe. Later used at the Falkland Islands.
31 October 1983 purchased by MoD (N).
12 November 1983 arrived on the Clyde for full conversion into a Forward Repair Ship by Clyde Dock Engineering, Govan.
3 May 1984 her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her.
29 February 1984 conversion completed at a cost of £28m.
12 March 1984 formally renamed DILIGENCE at Portland and was officially accepted into RFA service. After a very brief work-up she sailed for the Falkland Islands to be based there.
16 March 1984 sailed Portland
17 March 1984 arrived Devonport for stores and sailed again that same evening
29 March 1984 arrived Ascension Island and sailed again that same evening
10 April 1984 arrived East Cove, Falkland Islands and remained there for just over 2½ years before returning home for refit
26 January 1986 at East Cove, Falkland Islands. Mr Kenneth Holder RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
24 May 1986 at East Cove, Falkland Islands
10 June 1986 at East Cove, Falkland Islands
12 June 1986 at East Cove, Falkland Islands
24 June 1986 at East Cove, Falkland Islands
23 September 1986 at East Cove, Falkland Islands
15 December 1986 sailed East Cove for the U.K.
26 December 1986 arrived Ascension Island
28 December 1986 sailed Ascension Island
6 January 1987 arrived Funchal, Madeira
9 January 1987 sailed Funchal, Maderia
13 January 1987 arrived Devonport to destore for refit
30 January 1987 sailed Devonport
1 February 1987 arrived Liverpool
5 May 1987 at Liverpool
23 May 1987 sailed Liverpool on completion of refit to restore and then undergo work-up at Portland
13 July 1987 sailed Portland on completion of work-up
24 July 1987 arrived Ascension Island
25 July 1987 sailed Ascension Island
5 August 1987 arrived East Cove, Falkland Islands
13 August 1987 recalled for service in the Arabian Gulf area to act as support ship for the HUNT CLASS minehunters during the Iran-Iraq War in Operation Cimnel.
15 August 1987 sailed East Cove, Falkland Islands
4 September 1987 arrived Mombasa
7 September 1987 sailed Mombasa for Arabian Gulf area and remained here until March 1989
29 April 1988 at Jebal Ali, UAE
5 September 1988 at Fujayrah, UAE HMS SOUTHAMPTON berthed alongside after she had been involved in a collision in the Strait of Hormuz with the P&O container ship TORBAY and damaged on 3 September 1988. The warship was extensively assisted with temporary repairs including the removal of the 4.5″ Mk8 mounting and the SeaDart launcher which were transfered to RFA DILIGENCE
10 September 1988 to 11 September 1988 towed HMS SOUTHAMPTON which was berthed alongside through the Straits of Hormuz to off Dubai remaining in international waters until diplomatic clearance was obtained.
26 September 1988 HMS SOUTHAMPTON was berthed alongside a ‘santitized’ berth in the port at Jebel Ali
28 September 1988 displomatic clearance was obtained. Damaged ammuntion was back-RASed to RFA Diligence
18 November 1988 berthed at Jebel Ali
4 March 1989 sailed Mina Raysut for Aden then Suez to transit to the Mediterranean
13 March 1989 sailed Port Said
17 May 1989 berthed at Naples
15 June 1989 sailed Gibraltar
19 June 1989 arrived Portsmouth
21 June 1989 sailed Portsmouth for Rosyth to destore for refit
4 August 1989 sailed Rosyth
7 August 1989 arrived North Shields for refit
28 October 1989 sailed North Shields on completion of refit to restore in Rosyth then work-up at Portland.
1989 was awarded an inscribed plaque from the General Council of British Shipping to commemorate her service on Armilla Pastrol between November 1986 and 20 August 1988 when the “Accompanying Policy” was in force. Other recipients were RFA’s APPLELEAF(3), BRAMBLELEAF(3), OLNA (3) ORANGELEAF(3) and TIDESPRING.
10 January 1990 sailed Portsmouth
14 January 1990 arrived Funchal
18 January 1990 sailed Funchal
26 January 1990 arrived Ascension Island and sailed again that same evening.
26 February 1990 arrived East Cove Military Port, Falkland Island
4 April 1990 berthed at East Cove Military Port, Falkland Island
8 August 1990 decision taken to deploy her to the Gulf, along with RFA’s FORT GRANGE and OLNA (3) following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait..
14 August 1990 sailed East Cove Military Port, Falkland Islands for service during Operation Granby – the Gulf War.
3 September 1990 arrived Mombasa for storing and enhancements..
8 September 1990 sailed Mombasa for the Gulf Area.
16 September 1990 arrived Jebel Ali and become the Base Repairship, with NP1600 embarked, stationed there for operations in the Gulf after Iraq invaded Kuwait
1 November 1990 at Jebel Ali
20 February 1991 supported the damaged US Naval ships USS Tripoli and USS Princeton after those ships were hit by mines in the Northern Gulf waters
9 April 1991 at Jebel Ali
11 April 1991 official Cease Fire came into force.
18 April 1991 sailed Jebel Ali on completion of Operation Granby duties
29 April 1991 arrived Port Louis, Mauritius
2 May 1991 sailed Port Louis
26 May 1991 returned to East Cove Military Port, Falkland Islands
1991 was awarded the Kuwait 1991 Battle Honour along with 10 other RFA’s
12 November 1992 sailed East Cove Military Port, Falkland Islands to return home for refit
30 November 1992 arrived Las Palmas
3 December 1992 sailed Las Palmas
9 December 1992 arrived Portsmouth to destore for refit
18 December 1992 sailed Portsmouth for refit in Middlesbrough
20 December 1992 arrived Middlesbrough
7 March 1993 Captain David Gerrard RFA appointed as Commanding Officer – temporary for sea trials
Captain David Gerrard RFA
22 March 1993 sailed Middlesbrough on completion of refit
24 March 1993 arrived Portsmouth to restore then to undergo work-up at Portland
March 1993 Captain Steven Hodgson RFA in command
27 May 1993 sailed Portland to return to the South Atlantic
13 June 1993 arrived Salvador, Brazil
18 June 1993 sailed Salvador
28 June 1993 arrived King Edward Point, Grytviken, South Georgia
1 July 1993 sailed King Edward Point
4 July 1993 arrived East Cove Military Port, Falkland Islands
17 November 1993 at East Cove Military Port, Falkland Islands
19 February 1994 at East Cove Military Port, Falkland Islands
9 May 1994 Captain Peter A Robinson RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Peter A Robinson RFA
20 March 1995 Captain (E) Robert Settle RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
14 June 1995 at Guam
29 June 1995 sailed from Guam
5 July 1995 berthed at Chinhae, South Korea
14 July 1995 sailed from Chinhae, South Korea
24 July 1995 arrived at Singapore
17 August 1995 sailed from Singapore
22 August 1995 arrived at Hong Kong and anchored
30 August 1995 sailed from Hong Kong
6 September 1995 arrived at Singapore
9 September 1995 sailed from Singapore
10 September 1995 anchored off Tioman Island, Malaysia, South China Sea
23 September 1995 sailed from off Tioman Island, Malaysia, South China Sea
24 September 1995 arrived at Singapore
2 October 1995 sailed from Singapore
22 October 1995 in transit through the Suez Canal
23 October 1995 arrived at Limassol, Cyprus
26 October 1995 sailed from Limassol. Cyprus
30 October 1995 berthed at Split
5 November 1995 sailed from Split
10 November 1995 arrived at Gibraltar
11 November 1995 sailed from Gibraltar
15 November 1995 arrived at Portsmouth Harbour
8 December 1995 sailed from Portsmouth Harbour
10 December 1995 arrived at Teesport
21 December 1996 at Portsmouth Harbour
11 March 1997 at Singapore. Mr Kenneth Holder RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
23 May 1997 berthed at Yokosuka, Japan
27 September 1997 Captain Roger Robinson-Brown RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Roger Robinson-Brown RFA
24 October 1997 at Portsmouth Dockyard
12 January 1998 sailed from Faslane for the Persian Gulf together with HMS’s SANDOWN, BRIDPORT and INVERNESS
30 June 2000 Captain Peter Farmer RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Peter Farmer RFA
1 May 2001 to 5 May 2001 berthed at Las Palmas
28 August 2001 to 1 September 2011 berthed at Barcelona
September 2001 engaged on the Argonaut 2001 deployment together with HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, fourteen other Royal Naval Warships and RFA’s FORT VICTORIA, BAYLEAF (3), SIR TRISTRAM, SIR BEDIVERE, SIR PERCIVALE, SIR GALAHAD (2), FORT AUSTIN, OAKLEAF (2) and FORT ROSALIE (2)
4 December 2002 arrived in Colombo from Singapore for a four day visit
January 2004 in refit in Singapore – the ship suffered a fire in the Auxiliary Machinery Space
26 October 2004 Captain (X) Paul Whyte RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain (X) Paul Whyte RFA
26 December 2004 sailed and provided humanitarian assistance to areas which suffered damage from the Asian tsunami
9 March 2005 berthed at Goa, India
20 April 2005 converted into a Forward Deployed Base for Iraqui Patrol Craft
11 July 2005 berthed at Gibraltar
December 2005 on station in the Gulf
19 April 2006 Captain Shaun Jones RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Shaun Jones RFA
26 April 2006 berthed alongside at Cape Town, South Africa
18 May 2006 arrived at Goa as part of the Aquila 06 Deployment which also included RFA FORT VICTORIA
17 June 2006 in dry dock at East London, South Africa
23 July 2006 berthed alongside at Rio De Janerio, Brazil
30 August 2006 at Gibraltar
22 September 2006 Captain Phillip T Hanton RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
8 October 2006 sailed Gibraltar for engine trials and thence to Sierra Leone to meet up with the Vela 06 Deployment
7 November 2006 found 23 migrant refugees drifting in a small boat in the Atlantic 50 miles north of Lanzarote. Spanish search and rescue authorities collected the refugees
11 November 2006 at Casablanca, Morroco
13 November 2006 berthed at Gibraltar – sailed the following day
20 November 2006 arrived Portsmouth after a lengthy deployment
December 2006 at Portsmouth
12 January 2007 sailed Devonport for Birkenhead
15 January 2007 arrived Birkenhead for an extensive life extending refit costing £16m
27 September 2007 Captain Anthony McNally RFA appointed as Commanding Officer until 13 May 2008
27 November 2007 in Plymouth Sound
3 December 2007 at Devonport after refit
21 December 2007 arrived at Portsmouth
10 January 2008 sailed Portsmouth
17 January 2008 exercised with other units prior to the Orion 08 Deployment led by HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, thence to the Med and the Gulf
12 May 2008 Captain (X) David J Buck RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain (X) David J Buck RFA
14 July 2008 took part in Exercise Sea Breeze at Odessa, Ukraine until 26 July 2008
5 August 2008 berthed at Gibraltar for maintenane period and crew change
19 October 2008 Captain (X) Anthony McNally RFA appointed as Commanding Officer until 2 May 2009
8 March 2009 berthed at Karachi, Pakistan
March 2009 participated in Exercise Aman off Pakistan
30 April 2009 Captain (X) Paul S Whyte MBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
6 August 2009 berthed at Gibraltar
9 August 2009 sailed Gibraltar
14 August 2009 berthed alongside at Marchwood Military port after Gulf duties to destore and then refit
26 August 2009 Captain Anthony McNally RFA appointed as Commanding Officer until 1 September 2009
30 August 2009 arrived Bidston, Merseyside
16 October 2009 entered No: 6 dock
4 January 2010 Captain Anthony McNally RFA appointed as Commanding Officer until 21 June 2010
11 February 2010 moved to Tranmere to complete refit
24 February 2010 entered Portsmouth Dockyard post refit
1 March 2010 arrived Portland
4 March 2010 sailed Portsmouth
April 2010 FOST training
23 May 2010 & 24 May 2010 berthed at Gibraltar for bunkers
10 July 2010 delivered Coast Guard launch ‘Fortune’ to the Government of the Seychelles Islands as a gift from the British Government
Seychelles Coast Guard launch ‘Fortune’
© MOD
Ships of the same name
Diligence. (ex Intelligence) renamed 1692 a brigantine of 78 bm, 64 x 17 feet armed with 2 guns built at Deptford and launched on the 23 March 1693. Sold on the 26 November 1708.
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Diligence. A sloop of 236 bm, 88.5 x 24. 5 feet armed with 10 guns launched by Wells of Rotherithe on the 29 July 1756. The ship became a fire ship and was renamed “ Comet” on the 27 August 1779. Sold out of service on the 5 December 1780.
Diligence. (ex Spencer, renamed in 1795). A brig-sloop of 320 bm, 95 x 28 feet armed with 8 guns launched by Parsons of Bursledon on the 24 November 1795. The ship was wrecked on the Honda Bank, Cuba in August 1800.
Diligence. (ex Union) A sloop of 361 bm, 99 x 29 ft armed with 14 x 24 pdr Carronades, 2 x 18 pdr. Purchased on the 5 February 1801. Sold out of service on the 16 April 1812.
Diligence. (ex Thistle) A lugger purchased in 1812. Sold on the 15 December 1818.
Diligence . A transport built by Bailey of Ipswich, 317 bm, 104 x 26 feet, launched on the 30 September 1814. Became a coal hulk in August 1861, later given the pennant number C.72. Sold on the 5 July 1904.
Diligence. A wood screw sloop of 950 bm laid down at Chatham Dockyard in 1862, she was cancelled on the 12 December 1863.
Diligence. (ex Tabristan) of 7,100 tons, 390 x 46 feet launched in 1907 and purchased on the 29 January 1913, converted to a depot ship in 1915. Broken up by Hughes Bolckow at Blyth in November 1926.
Diligence. A repair ship of 4,023 tons, 441.5 x 57 feet built by Bethlehem Steel Corporation and lent to the UK on the 8 July 1944 under the lend-lease programme. Returned to the USN in January 1946.