“SIR TRISTRAM”
Pennant No. L 3505 International Callsign GVMA Registered LONDON
Previous Name N/A Lloyds Identity No. 6704373
Builder Hawthorn Leslie (Shipbuilders) Ltd, Hebburn on Tyne.
Launched 12 December 1966 Completed 14th September 1967
Displacement (Light-ship) 3,270 tons (Loaded) 5,674 tons
Measurement Tonnage N.R.T. 2,179 G.R.T. 4,473 DWT 2,404
Dimensions Length O.A. 413 ft. Beam 59 ft. Draft 13ft aft.
Main Machinery 2 x Mirrilees National Ltd 10 cylinder marine diesels. 2 shafts. Bow thruster.
Speed 17 knots.
Ships Badge Granted in 1971. Sir Tristram was a knight born in a forest and famed as a musician and huntsman. His colours were gold and red. Legend states that he saved Palomides from death. The badge depicts a gold hunting horn and a harp, a pair of trees and a hunting spear, all mounted on a red background.
Remarks “SIR TRISTRAM” was one of a class of six Landing Ship Logistic, (LSL’s), all named after Knights of the Round Table. The prototype, “SIR LANCELOT”, had minor differences to the remainder of the class, consisting of Sir’s “GALAHAD”, “GERAINT”, “BEDIVERE” and the “PERCIVALE”. All were transferred from the British India Steam Navigation Co. to RFA manning, between January and March 1970.
They were fitted for loading or discharging vehicles and armour over bow or stern ramps, with drive through facilities and access to the upper “vehicle deck” by internal ramps or by ship’s crane. The two internal vehicle ramps served as hatch covers for the vehicle deck and could be slid clear for crane access to the “tank deck” below.
Helicopters could be landed and refuelled from the vehicle deck and the flight deck by day or night.
“SIR TRISTRAM” was fitted with 1 x 20 ton crane at the rear of the vehicle deck and 2 x 4.5 ton cranes at the forward end. She could carry up to 16 x 50 ton main battle tanks below, plus 34 mixed vehicles on the upper deck, plus fuel and ammunition in a small cargo hold located below the forward end of the tank deck. She had dormitory facilities for 402 troops either side of the tank deck.
“SIR TRISTRAM” was severely damaged and “SIR GALAHAD” lost, both with heavy casualties during the 1982 “Falkland Conflict”. “SIR TRISTRAM” was carried home on a barge, rebuilt and lengthened between 1983-85. She was still in service in 1997. “SIR GALAHAD” was replaced by a new vessel of the same name.
An earlier “HMS Sir Tristram” was an armed trawler, (4” gun), of the Round Table class, built in 1942.
“SIR TRISTRAM”
5th April 1975 to 28th October 1975
Hong Kong Chinese Crew
1st Officer
Promoted Temp. Act. Chief Officer from 18th September
I joined this ship at Devonport, just as she was about to be deployed by MOD(Army) to operate a shuttle service between Liverpool’s Seaforth Dock and Belfast. As 1st Officer I was the 4-8 watchkeeper with responsibilities for navigation and operations.
Our job on this shuttle service was to load the troops and their vehicles which were being drafted to Northern Ireland for peacekeeping duties between the Protestant and Catholic factions of the community. For this unenviable task the allocated regiment would be convoyed through Liverpool to our isolated berth in the docks, located between the container terminal and the timber storage area. We loaded them during the late afternoon and evening, sailed and arrived at Belfast early the following morning. Discharge would be a quick business, no shore leave was granted and we loaded the homecoming troops in the afternoon. Sailing late afternoon, we were back in Liverpool in the middle of the night for discharge the following morning.
The differing moods between the soldiers on the outgoing and homecoming trips were very noticeable. Definitely subdued whilst heading for the unknown and then intense relief to be getting away from that troubled region. They certainly let their hair down once we sailed out of Belfast and on more than one occasion we had to claim damages from units that had got a bit out of hand.
These vessels were classed as passenger ships for Department of Transport purposes, with accommodation and facilities for more than 400 troops. All the appropriate safety drills and instructions had to be completed for our passengers on every trip. On arrival at the destination port, a full inspection was carried out in all the troop’s dormitories and messrooms to make sure all was clean and in order before they were allowed to disembark.
Whilst on this duty we had two or three round trips, then spent a week or ten days alongside before another series of crossings. Time alongside in Belfast was kept to the absolute minimum for safety and security reasons. The ship had been the target for snipers on one or two occasions as she moved in and out of Belfast in the past. If time allowed we were sometimes diverted south to Marchwood Military Port at Southampton, where we loaded military vehicles and troops for a crossing to Antwerp, Ghent or Rotterdam. From these ports they joined up with the British Army on the Rhine (BAOR). There was always plenty of old or battered vehicles awaiting a return journey.
Vehicles were loaded and unloaded either through the bow or stern doors, or craned on and off. The upper ‘vehicle’ deck hatches could either be slid open for crane access, or one end of each of the hatches could be lowered like a ramp to the ‘tank’ deck below. This then enabled vehicles such as Landrovers and trailers or 3 tonne lorries to be driven from deck to deck. The ramps were quite steep and although studded for extra grip, the unwary driver often got himself into difficulties at some point on the way up, especially if he lost his nerve or stalled, or his vehicle was heavily loaded or towing a heavy trailer. The vehicle would then have to gingerly reverse down to the lower deck again, (difficult with a trailer in tow), and have another run at the ramp.
Our stevedores at all ports in Europe and the U.K., when operating with the Army, were units from the Royal Corps of Transport (RCT). They were hard working and willing teams of men, usually led by a bullish sergeant. If deployed on an exercise we often carried a small team with the ship, to supervise the movement, stowage and lashing of vehicles, all under the watchful eye of the ship’s Chief Officer. We also carried a resident Warrant Officer from the RCT, who acted as the liaison between the embarked troops and the ship’s staff.
After a period on the Liverpool-Belfast run we handed this duty over to another LSL and went down to Devonport to load “3 Commando Brigade” for a major exercise in the Mediterranean. Joining up with other landing ships and warships on passage, we proceeded towards Sardinia where a landing was to be made on the southern coastline.
Our embarked force were to be the referees for the landing exercise, so as we arrived in the waters off Sardinia we detached from the main group and docked at the small harbour of Porto Ponte Romano, near San Antioco, in the south west of the island. The brigade and their vehicles were put ashore, where they took to the hills and set up their encampment. We stayed alongside for a couple of days, where I managed to get ashore to stretch my legs and have a look around. I was also able to visit the brigade campsite, which was about an hour’s drive away in a Landrover, on very bumpy road and tracks. We were well entertained, staying for a good meal cooked in their field kitchen. I found out that army jerricans don’t always carry what you would expect. A resourceful marine had used a clean one and filled it with local wine, which we drank with our meal!
It was during this exercise that the Chief Officer had to be flown home on compassionate leave and I took over his duties. I thoroughly enjoyed this new responsibility on the ship, and working closely with the Army and Royal Marines. The loads were always varied and interesting, including operating with helicopters and the “mexiflote’s” which were lashed on either side of the ship. These were large floating pontoons made up of several inter-connected buoyant sections. One side of the pontoon hooked onto a ledge built onto the side of the ship and the outer side was hoisted vertically so that the pontoon sat flush to the ship’s side. When needed they were either dropped or lowered to the water and fitted with a pair of large “Mariner” outboard engines. They could then be used to either ferry vehicles from the ship to shore, or be linked together to form a floating bridge to span the water between the ship’s bow door and the beach.
Eventually the exercise ended and we returned to the U.K. Our next task was the ferrying of military equipment between Marchwood and the Continent. After a couple of runs I paid off in Marchwood for a bit of leave.