RFA Sir Lancelot (L3029)
RFA Sir Lancelot. San Carlos Water. 1982
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | Sir Lancelot |
| Namesake: | Lancelot |
| Operator: |
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| Ordered: | December 1961 |
| Builder: | Fairfield S&E |
| Laid down: | March 1962 |
| Launched: | 25 June 1963 |
| Commissioned: | 16 January 1964 |
| Decommissioned: | 31 March 1989 |
| Fate: | Sold commercially, June 1989 |
| History | |
| South Africa | |
| Name: | Lowland Lancer |
| Owner: | Lowline |
| Fate: | Sold to Republic of Singapore Navy, 1992 |
| History | |
 Singapore
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| Name: | RSS Perseverance |
| Owner: | Republic of Singapore Navy |
| Acquired: | 1992 |
| Commissioned: | 5 May 1994 |
| Decommissioned: | 2003 |
| Fate: | Sold commercially |
| History | |
| Singapore | |
| Name: | Glenn Braveheart |
| Owner: | Glenn Defense Marine Asia |
| Acquired: | 2003 |
| Fate: | Sold for breaking, 2008 |
| General characteristics as Sir Lancelot | |
| Class and type: | Round Table class LSL (prototype) |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 412 ft (126 m) |
| Beam: | 60 ft (18 m) |
| Draught: | 13 ft (4.0 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Range: | 9,200 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Capacity: | 2,180 tons |
| Complement: | 68 crew, up to 340 passengers |
| Armament: | 2 x 40 mm Bofors guns |
| Aircraft carried: | Up to 20 Wessex helicopters (1973) |
RFA Sir Lancelot (L3029) was the lead ship and prototype of the Round Table class landing ship logistics, an amphibious warfare design operated by the British Armed Forces.
Sir Lancelot sailed with the British Task Force that took part in the Falklands war. Whilst in San Carlos Water, an Argentine plane dropped a bomb that penetrated her hull, but the bomb failed to explode.
Constructed by Fairfield S&E, the vessel was laid down in March 1962, launched on 25 June 1963, and commissioned on 16 January 1964. As the first of the Round Table class, it also became known as Sir Lancelot class.
The ship was initially operated by the British-India Steam Navigation Company, then was transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1970. Round Table class ships were exclusively manned by Hong Kong Chinese sailors from their introduction in 1963 until 1989, when Sir Lancelot was the last RFA to be crewed in this way.
Sailing out of Singapore, Sir Lancelot delivered 300 tons of relief supplies for the victims of the West Malaysian flood, which had been donated by the Government and people of Singapore.
In 1982, as part of the Amphibious Task Group engaged in the Falklands war, she entered San Carlos Water on 21 May and uniquely remained there for the duration of the conflict. On the 24 May at around 10:15, she was hit by a 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb, which failed to explode, from one of four Argentinian Air Force A-4 Skyhawks. This bomb penetrated her starboard side of the ship and she was temporarily evacuated for eight days, pending its removal. The crew were transferred initially to Red Beach, then RFA Stromness the next day, and RFA Sir Tristram a day later. Thereafter she remained in San Carlos Water providing accommodation and base facilities to a variety of military units.
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Wikipedia