Sir Bedivere
RFA Sir Bedivere (L3004) was a Landing Ship Logistic of the Round Table (or Sir Lancelot) class. The ship was originally commissioned in 1967 for Army service, and was taken over by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1970. Her home port was Marchwood, Hampshire, which is a major military port on Southampton Water.
Sir Bedivere first saw combat in the Falklands War of 1982. At the start of the war, she was in Vancouver, British Columbia, but started back to the UK immediately. After loading at Marchwood, she left for Ascension Island; she suffered slight damage on 24 May whilst lying in San Carlos Water, when an Argentine Skyhawk dropped a bomb that glanced off the ship. Post-war, she returned from the islands in November 1982, carrying the bodies of 64 men (52 soldiers, 11 Royal Marines, and a Chinese laundryman) whose families had wanted their remains returned. She deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Granby and in 1994 was modernised in a service life extension programme to give her an extra 15 years.
She was lengthened by 12m, had the superstructure altered to a more modern design, the engines replaced, and the bow thrusters changed for more powerful models. After returning to service she was sent to Sierra Leone in 2000 when the UK intervened in the civil war there. Then she operated as the command vessel for British and American MCMVs during Operation Telic in 2003 and then as a troop support ship for the Royal Marines. She was decommissioned on 18 February 2008 and sold to Brazil in December 2008, joining her sister ship Sir Galahad. Sir Bedivere was handed over to the Brazilian Navy on 21 May 2009, after a major refit by A&P Group at Falmouth, Cornwall. She was commissioned into service with the Brazilian Navy, and renamed NDCC Almirante Saboia (G-25).
The Round Table class or Sir class were Landing Ships Logistics (LSL), designed to support amphibious operations. They have both bow and stern doors leading onto the main vehicle deck, making them roll-on/roll-off, combined with ramps that lead to upper and lower vehicle decks. Thanks to their shallow draught, they can theoretically beach themselves and use the bow doors for speedy unloading of troops and equipment, although this was not really practiced. The ships also have landing pads for helicopters on both the upper vehicle deck and behind the superstructure. All of the vessels in this class were replaced in British service by the new Bay class.
The above image, of the unmodified ship, is taken from a ship's postcard.
Sir Bedivere
RFA Sir Bedivere (L3004) was a Landing Ship Logistic of the Round Table (or Sir Lancelot) class. The ship was originally commissioned in 1967 for Army service, and was taken over by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1970. Her home port was Marchwood, Hampshire, which is a major military port on Southampton Water.
Sir Bedivere first saw combat in the Falklands War of 1982. At the start of the war, she was in Vancouver, British Columbia, but started back to the UK immediately. After loading at Marchwood, she left for Ascension Island; she suffered slight damage on 24 May whilst lying in San Carlos Water, when an Argentine Skyhawk dropped a bomb that glanced off the ship. Post-war, she returned from the islands in November 1982, carrying the bodies of 64 men (52 soldiers, 11 Royal Marines, and a Chinese laundryman) whose families had wanted their remains returned. She deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Granby and in 1994 was modernised in a service life extension programme to give her an extra 15 years.
She was lengthened by 12m, had the superstructure altered to a more modern design, the engines replaced, and the bow thrusters changed for more powerful models. After returning to service she was sent to Sierra Leone in 2000 when the UK intervened in the civil war there. Then she operated as the command vessel for British and American MCMVs during Operation Telic in 2003 and then as a troop support ship for the Royal Marines. She was decommissioned on 18 February 2008 and sold to Brazil in December 2008, joining her sister ship Sir Galahad. Sir Bedivere was handed over to the Brazilian Navy on 21 May 2009, after a major refit by A&P Group at Falmouth, Cornwall. She was commissioned into service with the Brazilian Navy, and renamed NDCC Almirante Saboia (G-25).
The Round Table class or Sir class were Landing Ships Logistics (LSL), designed to support amphibious operations. They have both bow and stern doors leading onto the main vehicle deck, making them roll-on/roll-off, combined with ramps that lead to upper and lower vehicle decks. Thanks to their shallow draught, they can theoretically beach themselves and use the bow doors for speedy unloading of troops and equipment, although this was not really practiced. The ships also have landing pads for helicopters on both the upper vehicle deck and behind the superstructure. All of the vessels in this class were replaced in British service by the new Bay class.
The above image, of the unmodified ship, is taken from a ship's postcard.