RFA Olwen (1)
For details on RFA Olwen (1) please see the entry for RFA British Light
RFA Olwen (2)
Reproduced with permission of the MOD
Lower image RFA Olwen during the Falklands War
© Brian Bilverstone
Previous name: RFA Olynthus
Subsequent name: Kea
Official Number: 307787
Class: OLYNTHUS (later OLWEN) CLASS Large Fleet Tanker
Pennant No: A122
Laid down: 11 July 1963
Builder: Hawthorne Leslie Shipbuilders Ltd, Hebburn
Launched: 10 July 1964
Into Service: 12 June 1965
Out of service: 19 September 2000
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: The 1962 Defence Estimates included plans for “front line support ships” which would be capable of maintaining “fleet speed”, a term which was later defined as sustained steaming at 20 knots. It was noted during the Kuwait Crisis in the summer of 1961 that the four oilers of the TIDE CLASS, together with OLNA (2) were the only RFA’s with this capability. Invitations to Tender were issued during 1962 and on the 4 February 1963, it was officially announced that an order had been placed for three ships in what became known as the OLYNTHUS CLASS. Early official references to the Class suggest that up to six ships were planned. They were designed by the builders to meet specific requirements and this design built on the success of the IMPROVED TIDE CLASS and when they entered service they were the largest and fastest ships in the RFA Fleet. Capable of operating 3 x Sea-King helicopters, they had full hangar facilities too. Two of the Class were renamed in 1967 to obviate confusion with the names of HM ships. When built, the Class cost approx £10½m
4 February 1963 ordered as AO 15
11 July 1963 laid down
1964 her Ship’s Badge was officially presented to her
10 July 1964 launched by Hawthorn Leslie Shipbuilders Ltd, Hebburn as Yard Nr: 755 named OLYNTHUS (2) The Lady Sponsor was Mrs E.J. Braybrook, the wife of the Director of Stores (Navy)
10 August 1964 Mr Hugh C F Sweenie RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
1 March 1965 Captain Iorwerth B Roberts RFA appointed as Master
8 June 1965 ran builders trials
21 June 1965 completed six months after the original planned completion date
26 June 1965 sailed from the Tyne
8 August 1965 to 11 August 1965 took part in the Clyde Royal Review along with RFA‘s BLACK RANGER, RESURGENT, ROWANOL and WAVE PRINCE
24 November 1965 at Portland
December 1965 dry docked at Southampton due to reported ‘teething troubles’ with her engines
13 March 1966 at Portland
13 April 1966 at Portland
7 July 1966 berthed at Newcastle upon Tyne
4 August 1966 berthed at Newcastle on Tyne
1 September 1966 at Plymouth
20 December 1966 in the Singapore Exercise area while flying the flag of the Commander, Far East Fleet (Vice Admiral Sir Frank Twist KCB, DSC) RAS’ed with HMAS PARRAMATTA and took part in a CASEX A17 with RAN units together with HMS/m ANDREW and a Shackleton aircraft from No 205 Squadron, Royal Air Force from RAF Changi
15 January 1967 Captain A S McWilliam RFA appointed as Master
Captain A S McWilliam RFA
15 February 1967 assisted Thai merchant ship MAHA TEUI aground on the insland of Palau Pemanggil off North Borneo with the aid of Wessex HAS1 helicopter No: XM845
3 March 1967 off Singapore refuelled HMAS DUCHESS with FFO
7 March 1967 off Singapore refuelled HMAS DUCHESS with FFO
15 June 1967 Mr Ken Robinson RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
5 August 1967 the Lady Sponsor attended a Renaming Luncheon aboard at Portsmouth
9 August 1967 at Falmouth
28 August 1967 during a refit at Portsmouth was renamed OLWEN (2) to obviate confusion with the submarine HMS OLYMPUS. Name derived from that of the daughter of Ysbadadden who was won by Culhwch, the nephew of King Arthur, who firstly had to fulfill 40 tasks, one of which was the hunting of the boar Tworch Trwyth
Reproduced with permission of the MOD
28 August 1967 the Olynthus Class was redesignated as the Olwen Class
March 1968 Captain George Robson CBE RFA appointed as Master
11 March 1968 at Singapore
15 May 1968 Mr E Smeaton RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
27 June 1968 at Newcastle upon Tyne
November 1968 took part in Naval Exercises in the Mediterranean with 17 RN vessels and 33 other ships from Greece, Italy, the USA and France together with RFA’s RESOURCE (2), OLMEDA, LYNESS and TIDEPOOL
12(?) November 1968 off Gibraltar a rating from HMS/m ALLIANCE who received burns during a fire onboard was transferred for treatment onto RFA OLWEN
24 January 1969 together with RFA LYNESS sailed Portsmouth in support of RN ships on a three month cruise circumnavigating South America. RFA LYNESS carried a large and varied assortment of marine and general engineering products from British manufacturers
26 June 1969 followed HMY BRITANNIA to an anchorage 5 cables west of the breakwater at Holyhead as one of the ships involved in the Prince of Wales’ Investiture Tour of the Principality of Wales. Other ships included the frigate HMS LLANDAFF and the minesweepers HMS’s IVESTON, LEWISTON and SHOULTON
30 June 1969 sailed Holyhead and anchored off Llandudno
3 July 1969 sailed Llandudno for an ‘At Sea’ Day with the frigate HMS LLANDAFF on completion of which she anchored off Abersoch in order to refuel the minesweeper HMS SHOULTON early the following morning
23 July 1970 at Falmouth (see note 1)
28 August 1970 at 23°49N 54°45W Donkeyman Greaser Derek Gordon Phillips discharged dead – natural causes – buried at sea
10 September 1970 at Portland (see note 1)
16 September 1970 at Portland
19 November 1970 to 11 December 1970 humanitarian assistance – took part in Operation Burlap – to East Pakistan following extensive damage and flooding caused by a cyclone along with HM ships TRIUMPH, INTREPID and HYDRA and RFA’s RESOURCE (2), SIR GALAHAD (1) and STROMNESS
1 February 1971 during Operation FEBEX between Singapore and Hong Kong RASed with HMAS YARRA
4 February 1971 during Operation FEBEX between Singapore and Hong Kong RASed with HMAS YARRA
10 February 1971 during Operation FEBEX between Singapore and Hong Kong RASed with HMAS YARRA
12 February 1971 during Operation FEBEX between Singapore and Hong Kong RASed with HMAS YARRA
15 February 1971 during Operation FEBEX between Singapore and Hong Kong RASed and night jackstay transfer with HMAS YARRA
24 February 1971 during Operation FEBEX between Singapore and Hong Kong RASed with HMAS’s SYDNEY and YARRA
6 May 1971 at Singapore
21 May 1971 RASed with HMAS’s SYDNEY, DUCHESS and PARRAMATTA while the RAN ships were on passage from Australia to Vung Tau, Vietnam
11 November 1971 Captain Barry H Rutterford RFA appointed as Master
Captain Barry H Rutterford RFA
19 July 1972 Captain Richard M Thorn RFA appointed as Master
1 Feb 1973 at Gibraltar (see note 1)
7 March 1973 at the River Tyne (see note 1)
2 April 1973 berthed on the River Tyne
25 May 1973 at Portland
20 June 1973 at Rosyth Dockyard
24 June 1973 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 2nd Cod War until 10 July 1973
14 July 1973 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 2nd Cod War until 27 July 1973
30 July 1973 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 2nd Cod War until 10 August 1973
17 August 1973 at berthed at Rosyth
10 July 1974 to 30 September 1974 with the Task Force including the carrier HMS HERMES with 41 Commando Royal Marines and RFA’s GOLD ROVER, OLNA(3) and REGENT, she stood by off Cyprus following a coup d’etat attempt and the subsequent Turkish invasion
19 October 1974 arrived from sea and berthed on Yonderbury Pier, Devonport
24 October 1974 berthed on Yonderbury Pier, Devonport
4 November 1974 sailed Devonport to Portland
7 November 1974 off Portland light jackstay transfer with HMS ROTHESAY
8 November 1974 off Portland light jackstay transfer with RFA GOLD ROVER
11 November 1974 off Portland RASed with HMS MINERVA and HMCS HURON
12 November 1974 in the English Channel RASed with HMS NUBIAN and a German naval vessel
15 November 1974 off Portland RASed with HMS NUBIAN and RFA GOLD ROVER
18 November 1974 off Portland RASed with HMS ROTHESAY and two other Allied ships
19 November 1974 off Portland with a TOWEX exercise with HMS ROTHESAY
20 November 1974 off Portland RASed with HMS HARDY – 45 tons of Diesel supplied. A further RAS took place with HMS ROTHESAY and one Allied ship
25 November 1974 sailed from Portland to Portsmouth. Arrived at Portsmouth and anchored off
26 November 1974 berthed alongside at Portsmouth
2 December 1974 sailed Portsmouth
6 December 1974 on passage to Rosyth
8 December 1974 anchored in the Firth of Forth
9 December 1974 berthed alongside at Rosyth and loaded cargo
14 December 1974 sailed Rosyth
16 December 1974 anchored at Spithead
17 December 1974 entered Portsmouth Harbour and made fast on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
7 January 1975 sailed Portsmouth. Later off Start Point RAS’ed with HMS ARK ROYAL
10 January 1975 RAS’ed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and HAMPSHIRE
11 January 1975 17 miles SW of the Azores
13 January 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and HAMPSHIRE
16 January 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and HAMPSHIRE
18 January 1975 berthed at Curacao to load cargo
19 January 1975 sailed Curacao
21 January 1975 RASed with HMS ARK ROYAL
23 January 1975 RASed with HMS FEARLESS – 900 tons of fuel transferred
HMS FEARLESS
24 January 1975 RASed with RFA LYNESS – about 50 tons of diesel transferred followed by a RAS with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and TARTAR and then a RAS with RFA RESOURCE (2) and HMS HAMPSHIRE
29 January 1975 RASed with RFA’s LYNESS and RESOURCE (2) followed by RASes with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and HAMPSHIRE
30 January 1975 RASed with HMS TARTAR
6 February 1975 RASed with HMS ARK ROYAL
10 February 1975 engaged in a pumpover with RFA PEARLEAF (2)
11 February 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and TARTAR
12 February 1975 RASed with HMS FEARLESS
14 February 1975 RASed with HMS TARTAR
15 February 1975 engaged in a pumpover with RFA PEARLEAF (2)
17 February 1975 engaged with a Vertical Replenishment with RFA RESOURCE (2) during which 14 loads were transferred
18 February 1975 RASed with HMS ARK ROYAL followed by HMS HAMPSHIRE and RFA’s LYNESS and RESOURCE (2)
19 February 1975 berthed at Mayport Naval Base, Jacksonville, FL, USA
25 February 1975 sailed from Mayport Naval Base to sea
28 February 1975 heavy jackstay transfer with HMS FEARLESS
2 March 1975 berthed at Mayport Naval Base
6 March 1975 sailed from Mayport Naval Base to sea
7 March 1975 RASed with HMS HAMPSHIRE and RFA LYNESS
10 March 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and HAMPSHIRE and RFA’s LYNESS and RESOURCE (2)
13 March 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and TARTAR
16 March 1975 pumpover with RFA PEARLEAF (2) – some 10,000 tons of fuel transferred
18 March 1975 north of Puerto Rico RASed with USS Luce (DLG7), USS Paul (DE1080) and USS Blakely (DE1072)
19 March 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL and HAMPSHIRE
20 March 1975 RASed with HMS GURKHA
22 March 1975 RASed with HMS ARK ROYAL and RFA LYNESS
25 March 1975 RASed with HMS GURKHA followed with a pump over from RFA PEARLEAF (2) – emergency break away
26 March 1975 RASed with HMS ARK ROYAL
27 March 1975 anchored off Bridgetown, Barbados
31 March 1975 sailed from the anchorage off Bridgetown, Barbados
3 April 1975 off Norfolk RASed with HMS ARK ROYAL
6 April 1975 RASed with RFA RESOURCE (2) and HMS ARK ROYAL and then berthed at Norfolk
20 April 1975 at Norfolk, Virginia the ships softball team played a team from USS Vulcan and lost
21 April 1975 loaded cargo at Craney Island, Norfolk then sailed to RAS with HMS ARK ROYAL and RFA LYNESS
23 April 1975 RASed with RFA’s RESOURCE (fuel) and RELIANT (dry stores)
25 April 1975 at 130 nmiles north of Puerto Rico Able Seaman Thomas Price discharged dead having fallen from a stage while painting the crew’s accommodation
26 April 1975 berthed at Antigua to load cargo
27 April 1975 sailed Antigua
28 April 1975 RASed with HMS HAMPSHIRE
30 April 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARY ROYAL and HAMPSHIRE
16 May 1975 RASed with HMS’s LEANDER and LOWESTOFT
25 May 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL, DIOMEDE and LOWESTOFT
26 May 1975 pumpover with RFA PEARLEAF (2)
28 May 1975 near Cape Verde RASed with HMS ARK ROYAL – the first attempt resulted in an emergency break away
31 May 1975 RASed with HMS’s ARK ROYAL, LEANDER, DIOMEDE and FALMOUTH
3 June 1975 pumpover with RFA DEWDALE (2)
4 June 1975 RASed with HMS BLAKE
5 June 1975 berthed at Gibraltar
7 June 1975 sailed Gibraltar
9 June 1975 RAS’ed with HMS FALMOUTH
11 June 1975 anchored at Portsmouth
16 June 1975 berthed alongside the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
19 June 1975 berthed alongside the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
26 June 1975 sailed from Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty to Portland
30 June 1975 anchored at Spithead
20 October 1975 at Plymouth
29 October 1975 berthed on Yonderberry Jetty, Plymouth and at anchor in the Sound
3 November 1975 sailed Plymouth to take part in Exercise Moby Dick to the South West of Ireland
4 November 1975 RASed HMS’s HERMES, BACCHANTE and TARTAR
5 November 1975 RASed HMRCS’s FRASER and NIPICON and HMS Sheffield
6 November 1975 RASed HMS’s BLAKE, GALATEA, ESKIMO, TARTAR, BACCHANTE and SKEENA
7 November 1975 RASed HMRCS NIPICON – noon position 310 miles WNW of Fastnet Rock
8 November 1975 RASed HMS HERMES – noon position 100 miles off west coast of Ireland
9 November 1975 RASed HMS’s ESKIMO, TARTAR, BLAKE and GALATEA
10 November 1975 RFA PEARLEAF (2) pumped over to OLWEN and RFA OLNA (3) pumped over to RFA OlMEDA
11 November 1975 RASed USS JOSEPHUS DANIELS (Guided Missile Destroyer), HMS LAKE and GALATEA
12 November 1975 RASed HMS HERMES
13 November 1975 Noon position 200 miles NW of Cape Wrath. heading for the Faroes
14 November 1975 RASed HMS GALATEA and HERMES
15 November 1975 RASed HMS BLAKE and USS Bowen
16 November 1975 RASed GALATEA, USS Ainsworth & Paul. Simulated ammunition RAS with USS Josephus Daniels
17 November 1975 RASed HMS HERMES. Noon position 90 miles west of Norway on NE heading
18 November 1975 Pump over from RFA PEARLEAF (2)
19 November 1975 RASed with USS Paul, Josephus Daniels and HMS GALATEA. Trouble with steering
20 November 1975 Off the Shetlands. RASed HMS’s BLAKE and HERMES
21 November 1975 off Aberdeen. RASed HMS DEVONSHIRE and USS Fletcher. then anchored at Rosyth until 26 November 1975
27 November 1975 went alongside at Rosyth until 9 December 1975
9 December 1975 sailed Rosyth for Icelandic waters and to relieve RFA Tidepool
13 December 1975 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 3rd Cod War until 5 January 1976
15 January 1976 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 3rd Cod War until 23 February 1976
19 January 1976 off Iceland RASed with HMS BACCHANTE
21 February 1976 off Iceland RASed with HMS BACCHANTE
24 March 1976 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 3rd Cod War until 22 April 1976
2 April 1976 off Iceland RASed with HMS BACCHANTE
6 April 1976 off Iceland RASed with HMS BACCHANTE
10 April 1976 Wessex 417 crewed by Lt Cdr Simmons, Lt T MacMahon, Lt A Ross and POACMN Butler left RFA OLWEN and flew to a Norwegian research ship ‘Harmoni’ 46 miles to the north with a crew member who had suffered from bleeding on the brain. This research ship was stuck in pack ice nearly four hundred miles inside the Arctic Circle. A US Air Force Hercules from Keflavik assisted in finding the Harmoni. RFA OLWEN was inside the ice field with the ice being up to 15 feet thick. The sick seaman was brought back to RFA OLWEN and with the assistance of the Hercules exited from the ice pack. She sailed to Jan Mayen Island where the helicopter was again used to transfer the patient ashore and a two engined Norwegian plane was waiting to take him to Norway.
26 May 1976 deployed in support of RN units off Iceland during 3rd Cod War until 1 June 1976
6 July 1976 the Coventry Evening Telegraph reported –
5 April 1977 with RFA REGENT and RN units anchored at Marsaxlokk, Malta
26 April 1977 moored in Grand Harbour Malta
12 June 1977 in the English Channel RASed with HMAS’s Brisbane and MELBOURNE together with HMNZN CANTERBURY
29 August 1977 at Portsmouth
31 October 1977 at Portsmouth
25 November 1977 to 19 December 1977 along with RFA RESOURCE (2), the frigates HMS ALACRITY and HMS PHOEBE and the nuclear powered submarine HMS DREADNOUGHT was secretly despatched from Devonport to a holding area 1000 miles NE of the Falkland Islands on Operation Journeyman- to prevent a possible Argentinian invasion – after 50 Argentine “scientists” landed on South Thule
3 September 1978 while on passage from Malta to Portland, she ran aground at 0858 on the Shambles Bank to the east of Portland Bill in Dorset. RFA TYPHOON, which was undergoing trials off Falmouth, was directed to make full speed to Portland and was accompanied by the civilian tug Guardsman. HMS NORFOLK had a line of Olwen’s bow. She was re-floated at 1949 that same evening with the additional assistance of the Dockyard tugs FOXHOUND and SHEEPDOG
4 September 1978 the South Dorset Echo reported …
courtesy of Stephen Arnold
13 September 1978 15 miles off Portland Bill Wessex HAS1 Helicopter no: XP110 ditched and sank. Recovered by RFA OLWEN (2) to Portland. The Helicopter crew were picked up by SAR
21 October 1978 off Naples received two helicopters from 824 Squadron NAS on an “aquaint detachment” from HMS ARK ROYAL. Also with RFA’s LYNESS and RESOURCE (2) engaged in a RAS with HMS ARK ROYAL
25 October 1978 the two helicopters from 824 Squadron NAS on detachment returned to HMS ARK ROYAL
2 November 1978 together with RFA’s LYNESS and RESOURCE (2) and HMS ARK ROYAL sailed Phaleron Bay
16 November 1978 to the west of Malta together with RFA’s LYNESS and RESOURCE (2) RASed with HMS ARK ROYAL
25 November 1978 sailed Mallorca with two Sea King helicopters from 824 Squadron NAS for Gibraltar
29 November 1978 rejoined deployment with the two Sea King helicopters from 824 Squadron NAS which were re-embarked on HMS ARK ROYAL
7 September 1979 berthed at Norfolk, Virginia
11 September 1979 sailed Norfolk to take part in Exercise United Effort. RASed with HMS BRISTOL
22 September 1979 RASed with RFA PEARLEAF (2)
23 September 1979 anchored at the Firth of Lorne prior to Exercise Ocean Safari
5 October 1979 end of Exercise Ocean Safari anchored off Bergen, Norway
8 October 1979 sailed Bergen
10 October 1979 anchored at Spithead
11 October 1979 alongside at Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
22 October 1979 sailed Portsmouth
23 October 1979 RAS’ed with HMS HERMES off Anglesey who was involved with Sea Harrier trials
25 October 1979 anchored Caernarforn Bay together with RFA REGENT
27 October 1979 RAS’ed with HMS HERMES and then returned to Caernarforn Bay
30 October 1979 off Rosyth
1 November 1979 anchored off Rosyth
4 November 1979 embarked 2 Sea King Helicopters
6 November 1979 sailed Rosyth for start of JMC (joint maritime course)
11 November 1979 start of the Ocean phase of JMC 79
16 November 1979 anchored at Invergordon due to a commercial tank on the jetty. Later berthed alongside to take on cargo
18 November 1979 sailed Invergordon
19 November 1979 anchored at Rosyth
22 November 1979 at Rosyth
30 November 1979 Police Officers boarded at 0200hrs and searched the ship. Three crew members arrested
4 December 1979 sailed Rosyth for the River Tyne arriving the same day
5 April 1980 carried out 12 successful Sea Harrier landings on her Flight Deck. This was the first time that a Sea Harrier had landed on the deck of an RFA at sea
16 May 1980 in Plymouth Sound
19 May 1980 sailed Plymouth Sound with 2 Sea King Helicopters from D flight 814 Naval Air Squadron
23 May 1980 anchored off Gibraltar
27 May 1980 sailed Gibraltar
6 June 1980 berthed alongside at Iskenderum, Turkey
9 June 1980 Iskenderum, Turkey
11 June 1980 pump over with RFA BLUE ROVER
12 June 1980 arrived at Port Said
13 June 1980 transit of Suez Canal
23 June 1980 arrived at Mombasa, Kenya
30 June 1980 sailed Mombasa, Kenya
10 July 1980 arrived off Karachi, Pakistan unable to enter port due to draught
14 July 1980 sailed Karachi, Pakistan. Shortly after sailing suffered damage to the sea water inlet pipe and taking in water.
15 July 1980 anchored off Bombay, India
16 July 1980 unable to enter Bombay due to industrial dispute. Cement transported out to the ship
18 July 1980 no more cement coming out to the ship due to a leak in the barge. Sailed Bombay
24 July 1980 alongside at Sembawang, Singapore for one hour then moved to a buoy
28 July 1980 sailed Singapore
30 July 1980 RASed with RFA RESOURCE (2)
1 August 1980 arrived at Hong Kong moored to A51 Buoy
RFA Olwen moored to A51 Buoy, Hong Kong
18 August 1980 sailed Hong Kong and RASed with RFA RESOURCE (2)
19 August 1980 RASed with RFA RESOURCE (2) – hose burst
21 August 1980 RASed with RFA RESOURCE (2)
22 August 1980 arrived at the US Naval Base, Subic Bay, Philippines
25 August 1980 unable to sail due to engine trouble
26 August 1980 sailed Subic Bay
28 August 1980 RASed with RFA RESOURCE (2)
2 September 1980 RASed with RFA RESOURCE (2)
4 September 1980 berthed alongside Sasebo, Japan
8 September 1980 sailed Sasebo, Japan
9 September 1980 caught up in Typhoon Orchid
11 September 1980 arrived at Yokosuka, Japan US Naval Base
15 September 1980 sailed Yokosuka, Japan US Naval Base and RASed with RFA RESOURCE (2)
18 September 1980 berthed at Sasebo together with RFA BLUE ROVER and HMS ALACRITY
22 September 1980 sailed Sasebo for Hong Kong but diverted to Singapore with HMS COVENTRY
30 September 1980 arrived Sembawang, Singapore
2 October 1980 sailed Sembawang, Singapore
7 October 1980 along with RFA STROMNESS were the first RFA’s to be deployed on Operation Armilla – the Gulf Patrol
10 October 1980 in the Persian Gulf RAS’ed with HMS COVENTRY
3 November 1980 sailed from Hormuz Straits, Arabian Gulf with HMS COVENTRY
6 November 1980 anchored 3 miles off Bombay
10 November 1980 sailed from anchorage off Bombay
21 November 1980 arrived at Suez
22 November 1980 joined north bound convoy to transit the Suez Canal
23 November 1980 anchored off Alexandria, Egypt
25 November 1980 sailed anchorage off Alexandria, Egypt
2 December 1980 arrived at Gibraltar
4 December 1980 sailed Gibraltar
6 December 1980 anchored in Mounts Bay
7 December 1980 D flight, 824 Naval Air Squadron disembarked
8 December 1980 berthed on Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty. During the deployment sailed 41,200 nmiles conducted 240+ RAS’s, had 450+ deck landings and visited 15 different ports
August 1981 together with RFA REGENT deployed on the Armilla Patrol supporting HMS’s DIOMEDE and EURYALUS until December 1981
18 December 1981 at Plymouth
7 January 1982 at Plymouth
1 July 1982 at Falmouth
1982 did not see service in the Falklands Conflict as she was in refit at Gibraltar at the time. Her refit was completed ahead of schedule but she did not arrive in the South Atlantic until July 1982
13 August 1982 RASed with HMS BRISTOL
HMS BRISTOL
16 August 1982 RASed with HMS BRISTOL
23 August 1982 RASed with HMS BRISTOL
28 August 1982 RASed with HMS BRISTOL
31 August 1982 RASed with HMS BRISTOL
9 August 1984 while serving some 700 miles NE of the Falklands Islands she was hit by a rogue wave which killed two and injured four of her crew. Those killed were Chief Petty Officer (Deck) John Hocking RFA and SG1A Ronald Rowsell RFA. The injured men – Chief Officer David Pursall RFA, Fourth Engineer Officer Ian Orpe RFA, Chief Petty Officer (Deck) Frank Ginger RFA and SG1A Eric Gamble RFA were flown to the British Military Hospital at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
21 August 1984 SG1A Ronald Rowsell RFA was buried at sea 46 miles north east of Port Stanley in the presence of the Commander, British Force, Falkland Islands and the Senior Naval Officer Falkland Islands
28 August 1984 the funeral of Chief Petty Officer John Hocking RFA took place at Horrabridge, near Plymouth
6 October 1986 humanitarian aid – airlifted 2 fishermen from the Irish fishing vessel STARDUST off Northern Ireland to Kilmarnock after they had been overcome by methane gas poisoning. A third crew member was also overcome when he entered the compartment and on discovering the tragedy, raised the alarm.
6 November 1986 humanitarian aid – assisted in the search and rescue attempt for survivors from a ditched Chinook helicopter 2 miles east of Sumburgh Head in the Shetlands in which 45 people died. The ship scrambled her two helicopters to help in the search for the Chinook and any survivors.
13 November 1986, humanitarian aid – received a distress call from the yacht ”Burleigh” and proceeded at best speed to the last known position of the yacht, which was 95 miles from where Olwen was operating. On reaching the now upturned yacht, Olwen launched her rescue boat with two RN divers from HMS Gannet onboard, after searching the upturned vessel, no bodies were found
13 February 1987 during the Caribtrain 1987 deployment fired six Petrel rockets as ‘targets’ for Royal Navy Canadian Navy and US Navy ships from ‘tubs’ on her flight deck
31 October 1987 Captain Rex A Cooper RFA appointed as Master
29 May 1988 at Portsmouth
13 June 1988 sailed Portsmouth as part of Task Group 318.1 – the Outback 88 Deployment led by the carrier HMS ARK ROYAL- along with RFA’s FORT GRANGE and ORANGELEAF (3)
22 December 1988 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty
4 April 1991 Captain Anthony F Pitt DSC RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain A F Pitt DSC RFA
29 September 1991 Steward Glen Lawrence discharged dead
1 April 1992 at Plymouth
12 April 1992 at Portland
10 July 1992 berthed at Singapore
23 August 1992 Captain Brian J Waters OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Brian J Waters OBE RFA
January 1993 was part of Task Force 612 led by the carrier HMS ARK ROYAL in Operation Grapple – Adriatic operations
6 August 1993 at Trieste, Italy
22 November 1993 at Trieste, Italy
December 1993 Captain Derek N L Yeomans RFA in command
21 December 1993 sailed from the River Tyne
31 March 1994 at Trieste, Italy
11 April 1994 sailed from Trieste, Italy
25 April 1994 arrived at Souda Bay, Crete
28 April 1994 sailed from Souda Bay, Crete
9 May 1994 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth
10 June 1994 sailed from Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth
28 June 1994 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth
1 July 1994 moved from the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth to Portsmouth Dockyard
7 July 1994 moved from Portsmouth Dockyard to the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth
18 July 1994 berthed on the Gosport Oil Fuel Jetty, Portsmouth
8 December 1994 Captain Brian J Waters OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
24 June 1996 at Crombie
28 June 1996 humanitarian aid – provided a Boarding Party to assist to control flooding in the Russian cruise liner ALLA TARASOVA off Fraserburgh, Scotland
28 September 1996 Captain David Gerrard RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain David Gerrard RFA
11 June 1996 at Crombie
30 April 1998 berthed at Glen Mallen and Captain Pat Thompson OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
Captain Pat Thompson OBE RFA
17 July 1998 arrived at Plymouth
22 December 1998 at Portland
21 April 1999 to 14 June 1999 routine docking at Newcastle
1999 wthdrawn from service as an economy measure and was laid up at Portsmouth
19 September 2000 handed over for disposal; purchased by Eckhardt Organisation, Germany for scrap
January 2001 was renamed KEA for the delivery run to the breakers
2 February 2001 sailed Portsmouth in tow of the Honduras registered tug VALIANT NADER for Aliaga, Turkey
19 February 2001 broke adrift from her tug in a storm off Gibraltar when the tug lost all power. A Spanish rescue tug from Algeciras came to her aid
26 February 2001 tow was passed to the Honduras registered tug SIR MICHAEL
May 2001 reported that she and her sister ship RFA OLNA (3) had been banned from Turkish yards owing to high asbestos content. Diverted to Greece. Finally sailed via the Suez Canal for Indian breakers
21 July 2001 beached at Alang, India for demolition by Shree Saibaba Ship Breaking Co
Notes:
1. Locations kindly provided by Bosun George Collings RFA (Retired) from his Discharge Book
2. Was one of the 17 tankers employed in the Mozchan on Beira Patrol duties