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| ==Service history== | ==Service history== | ||
| === 1980s === | |||
| She was almost immediately put into active service, and sailed to ] and ] en route for service in "Operation Corporate" – the ] – in company with {{HMS|Intrepid|L11|6}}. She arrived in the ] on 9 June 1982, finally returning to Devonport on 31 August.<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | She was almost immediately put into active service, and sailed to ] and ] en route for service in "Operation Corporate" – the ] – in company with {{HMS|Intrepid|L11|6}}. She arrived in the ] on 9 June 1982, finally returning to Devonport on 31 August.<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | ||
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| In December 1982 she sailed Plymouth to ] and entered refit, exiting March 1983, then sailed Liverpool to Plymouth to re equip. ''Bayleaf'' spent two weeks in April undergoing ] (BOST) at ] and spent May in the Mediterranean taking part in Exercise “Distant Drum”. Between June and August, ''Bayleaf'' sailed from ] to ] and back, via ] and ]. By the end of 1983 she was back in Gibraltar.<ref name="historicalrfa Bayleaf"/> | In December 1982 she sailed Plymouth to ] and entered refit, exiting March 1983, then sailed Liverpool to Plymouth to re equip. ''Bayleaf'' spent two weeks in April undergoing ] (BOST) at ] and spent May in the Mediterranean taking part in Exercise “Distant Drum”. Between June and August, ''Bayleaf'' sailed from ] to ] and back, via ] and ]. By the end of 1983 she was back in Gibraltar.<ref name="historicalrfa Bayleaf"/> | ||
| === 1990s === | |||
| In January 1991 she sailed from the UK to relieve {{Ship|RFA|Orangeleaf|A110|6}} during "]" – the First Gulf War.<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | In January 1991 she sailed from the UK to relieve {{Ship|RFA|Orangeleaf|A110|6}} during "]" – the First Gulf War.<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | ||
| On 1 March 1997 she collided with the Royal Yacht {{Ship|HMY|Britannia}} while carrying out a ] (RAS) off ].<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | On 1 March 1997 she collided with the Royal Yacht {{Ship|HMY|Britannia}} while carrying out a ] (RAS) off ].<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | ||
| === 2000s === | |||
| In 2001 ''Bayleaf'' was purchased outright by the MoD.<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | In 2001 ''Bayleaf'' was purchased outright by the MoD.<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | ||
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| ] | ] | ||
| From January 2003 to April 2003 she was deployed for "]" – the Second Gulf War.<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | From January 2003 to April 2003 she was deployed for "]" – the Second Gulf War.<ref name="historicalrfa"/> | ||
| === 2010s === | |||
| Following the reductions to the Royal Navy fleet outlined in the 2010 "]" it was decided that ''Bayleaf'' would be paid off in April 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.hmforces.co.uk/Join_The_Forces/articles/992-more-vessels-of-the-royal-fleet-auxiliary---part-2 |title=More Vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary |first=Peter |last=Padley |work=hmforces.co.uk |year=2011 |accessdate=25 February 2011}}</ref> The RFA Ensign was scheduled to be lowered for the final time on 20 April 2011 at ]. Following this, the ex-RFA Bayleaf was towed out of Portsmouth on 2 August 2012 to Aliaga in Turkey where the ship was broken up. | Following the reductions to the Royal Navy fleet outlined in the 2010 "]" it was decided that ''Bayleaf'' would be paid off in April 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.hmforces.co.uk/Join_The_Forces/articles/992-more-vessels-of-the-royal-fleet-auxiliary---part-2 |title=More Vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary |first=Peter |last=Padley |work=hmforces.co.uk |year=2011 |accessdate=25 February 2011}}</ref> The RFA Ensign was scheduled to be lowered for the final time on 20 April 2011 at ]. Following this, the ex-RFA Bayleaf was towed out of Portsmouth on 2 August 2012 to Aliaga in Turkey where the ship was broken up. | ||
Revision as of 21:02, 4 July 2024
1982 Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary For other ships with the same name, see RFA Bayleaf.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | RFA Bayleaf |
| Builder | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead |
| Yard number | 1366 |
| Laid down | 1 February 1975 |
| Launched | 27 October 1981 |
| Completed | 25 March 1982 |
| Decommissioned | 21 April 2011 |
| In service | 26 March 1982 |
| Out of service | 28 April 2011 |
| Identification |
|
| Honours and awards | |
| Fate | Scrapped 2012 |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Leaf-class support tanker |
| Tonnage | |
| Displacement | 37,390 t (36,799 long tons) |
| Length | 170.7 m (560 ft 0 in) |
| Beam | 25.9 m (85 ft 0 in) |
| Height | 43.85 m (143 ft 10 in) |
| Draught | 11 m (36 ft 1 in) |
| Depth | 15.7 m (51 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power | 14,000 hp (10,440 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 56 |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | None |
RFA Bayleaf (A109) was a Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), the naval auxiliary fleet of the United Kingdom, which served with the fleet for 30 years, tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world.
She was involved in the Falklands War in 1982, the Gulf War in 1991, and from January 2003 to April 2003 she was deployed for Operation Telic (Op TELIC), the codename for the United Kingdom's military operations in Iraq. Bayleaf had three Leaf-class sisters Oakleaf, Brambleleaf and Orangeleaf and all four were originally designed as commercial tankers and underwent major conversions to bring them up to RFA standards and equip them for naval support.
She was the third Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel to bear the name.
Construction
Bayleaf was one of four ships ordered from Cammell Laird at Birkenhead in 1973, and laid down in 1975 as the Hudson Sound. When the ordering company ran into financial difficulties, the ships were laid up, and later were offered for sale or charter. The ship was finally launched on 27 October 1981, the Lady Sponsor was Mrs Angela Pritchard, the wife of Mr K Pritchard, Director General of the Naval Stores and Transport, Ministry of Defence (MoD). In January 1982 Captain A.E. Hunter, RFA, was appointed as Master and between 20 to 23 March she ran trials and when completed on 25 March she was then bareboat chartered to the MoD and renamed Bayleaf.
Service history
1980s
She was almost immediately put into active service, and sailed to Gibraltar and Ascension Island en route for service in "Operation Corporate" – the Falklands War – in company with HMS Intrepid. She arrived in the Total Exclusion Zone on 9 June 1982, finally returning to Devonport on 31 August.
On 30 September 1982 Bayleaf sailed from HMNB Devonport in support of the Dartmouth Training Squadron's Mediterranean deployment. She arrived at Gibraltar on 4 October and then throughout the months of October and November she called at the italian city of Naples, followed by Brindisi in Southern Italy, then onto Salonika in Greece, next to Istanbul in Turkey and then the city and seaport of Trieste in Italy, before returing to the United Kingdom, arriving at Plymouth 24 November.
In December 1982 she sailed Plymouth to Liverpool and entered refit, exiting March 1983, then sailed Liverpool to Plymouth to re equip. Bayleaf spent two weeks in April undergoing Basic Operational Sea Training (BOST) at Portland and spent May in the Mediterranean taking part in Exercise “Distant Drum”. Between June and August, Bayleaf sailed from HMNB Portsmouth to Singapore and back, via Port Said and Bahrain. By the end of 1983 she was back in Gibraltar.
1990s
In January 1991 she sailed from the UK to relieve RFA Orangeleaf during "Operation Granby" – the First Gulf War.
On 1 March 1997 she collided with the Royal Yacht HMY Britannia while carrying out a replenishment at sea (RAS) off Karachi.
2000s
In 2001 Bayleaf was purchased outright by the MoD.
_and_RFA_Bayleaf_(A109).jpg)
From January 2003 to April 2003 she was deployed for "Operation Telic" – the Second Gulf War.
2010s
Following the reductions to the Royal Navy fleet outlined in the 2010 "Strategic Defence and Security Review" it was decided that Bayleaf would be paid off in April 2011. The RFA Ensign was scheduled to be lowered for the final time on 20 April 2011 at HMNB Devonport. Following this, the ex-RFA Bayleaf was towed out of Portsmouth on 2 August 2012 to Aliaga in Turkey where the ship was broken up.
See also
References
- ^ White, Christopher J.; Robinson, Peter (2011). "RFA Bayleaf". historicalrfa.org. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^ "RFA Bayleaf - Historical RFA". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- Padley, Peter (2011). "More Vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary". hmforces.co.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- Navy News (22 March 2011). "Trusty tanker Bayleaf bows out". Archived from the original on 26 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
| Leaf-class tankers | |
|---|---|
 Royal Navy | |
 Royal Australian Navy |
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