RFA Sir Tristram
Farewell good knight
RFA Sir Tristram’s final voyage
RFA Sir Tristram left her base at Marchwood Military Port near Southampton for the last time on Friday the 16th of December 2005. In the Solent on her way to Portsmouth, RFA Sir Tristram was passed by RFA Sir Galahad returning from the first part of her FOST training after refit.
RFA Sir Tristram (L3505) was laid down in Febuary of 1966,and launched in Hebburn on the 12th of December the same year. She was completed on the 14 of September 1967.
In January 1972 RFA Sir Tristram was part of an Anti-invasion task force for British Honduras, along with RFA’s Sir Bedivere and Sir Geraint.
1977 saw RFA Sir Tristram being used as a guest ship for the Queens Silver Jubilee Fleet Review at Spithead in the Solent .
In April of 1982 RFA Sir Tristram was diverted from Belize to the Falkland Islands.
On the 8th of June during the  Falklands War, while transporting men and equipment to Fitzroy Cove she was bombed by an Argentinian aircraft, two crew members were killed, and many crew and passengers were injured, her accommodation was burnt out and temporarily abandoned.
After serving as an accommodation hulk in Port Stanley for almost a year after the war ended, she was brought back to the UK and rebuilt.
Onboard RFA Sir Tristram for her final voyage were retired crew members saying a final good bye to her after 35 years of distinguished service in the RFA. Sir Tristram berthed in Portsmouth, where she will be used as a static training ship.
|
