RFA Sir Bedivere
RFA Sir Bedivere (L3004) is a Landing Ship Logistic in the RFA. She was laid down on the 28th of October 1965 and launched on the 20th of July the following year. RFA Sir Bedivere was completed on the 18th of May 1967, and operated under commercial management of British India Steam Navigation Company. Built for army service, she was taken over by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service in January of 1970.
In January 1972 RFA Sir Bedivere was part of an Anti-invasion task force for British Honduras, along with RFA’s Sir Tristram and Sir Geraint.
At the beginning of April 1982, RFA Sir Bedivere was recalled from Canada. By the 29th of April she had been loaded and sailed from her home port of Marchwood for the Falklands. The next day the total exclusion zone around the Falklands came into effect. Some two weeks later Sir Bedivere sailed form Acension, and four days later on the 18th of May Active Service declaration in the South Atlantic is formally announced.
Six days after that while in San Carlos water, RFA Sir Bedivere was hit and her 20 ton crane was badly damaged, when an Argentine Skyhawk dropped a 1000lb bomb. The bomb cut through the cranes steel plating and bounced into the sea before exploding.
RFA Sir Bedivere finally returned to the United Kingdom on the 16th of November 1982, carrying the remains of 64 British Servicemen killed in the Falklands War for burial at home.
On the 25 of September 1984, Falkland Island battle honours were presented to RFA Sir Bedivere along with RFA Sir Geraint and Sir Percivale at Marchwood Military Port.
In 1994, the ship was modernised in a SLEP program to give it 15 more years of service life. The ship was lengthened by 12 metres, and a totally new superstructure added. The engine room was totally replaced along with nearly all ships equipment.
The SLEP of RFA Sir Bedivere started in November 1994 and was completed in June of 1998, at a cost of £68.8 million!
In the light of the experience gained from the SLEP of Sir Bedivere, the decision was taken not to pursue similar SLEP’s on either RFA Sir Geraint or on RFA Sir Percivale.
