RFA Sir Lancelot (L3029)

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RFA Sir Lancelot. San Carlos Water. 1982
RFA Sir Lancelot. San Carlos Water. 1982
History
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ensign.United Kingdom
Name: Sir Lancelot
Namesake: Lancelot
Operator:
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
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 & type: Round Table class LSL (prototype)
Displacement:
  • 3,370 tons standard
  • 5,550 tons fully loaded
Length: 412 ft (126 m)
Beam: 60 ft (18 m)
Draught: 13 ft (4.0 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 Denny Sulzer (later B&W) diesels.
  • Power: 9,520 bhp (7,099 kW)
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. Commissioned in 1964, the ship was initially operated by the British-India Steam Navigation Company, then was transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1970. Sir Lancelot was decommissioned and sold in 1989 to the South African company Lowline; she was renamed Lowland Lancer, and was used as a Channel ferry, then a floating casino. The vessel was purchased by the Republic of Singapore Navy in 1992, and was commissioned as RSS Perseverance (L206) in 1994. She was sold again in 2003, to Glenn Defense Marine Asia, which renamed the ship Glenn Braveheart. In early 2008, the ship was sold for breaking up as scrap, and taken to Bangladesh.

Design and construction

Constructed by Fairfield S&E, the vessel was laid down in March 1962, launched on 25 June 1963, and commissioned on 16 January 1964.

Operational history

United Kingdom

The ship was initially managed for the British Army by the British-India Steam Navigation Company, then was transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1970.

In 1982, as part of the Amphibious Task Group, 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 A-4 Skyhawks. This bomb penetrated her starboard side and she was temporarily evacuated pending its removal. Thereafter she remained in San Carlos Water providing accommodation and base facilities to a variety of military units. Following the cessation of hostilities and some repairs, she operated around the Falklands until 26 July, returning to Portsmouth on 18 August.

Lowline

Sir Lancelot was decommissioned on 31 March 1989, and sold in June 1989 to the South African company Lowline, which renamed the vessel Lowland Lancer. She initially operated as a cross-channel ferry on the Weymouth, Dorset to Cherbourg route. This was followed by a spell as the replacement Royal Mail ship while RMS St Helena was undergoing repairs. On arrival in Cape Town, the vessel stayed in South Africa and opened as a floating casino.

Singapore

The ship was sold on in 1992 to the Republic of Singapore Navy, was renamed RSS Perseverance (L206), and was commissioned on 5 May 1994 following a two-year refit.[1] Perseverance was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 9 January to 17 February 2000.[2]

Glenn Defense

In December 2003, the ship was sold to Glenn Defense Marine Asia, which renamed the ship Glenn Braveheart.[1] The ship was used as a protection vessel for those ships believed to be under terrorist threat.

Fate

In early 2008, the ship was sold for breaking.[1] She was taken to Chittagong, Bangladesh, to be broken up for scrap.

References

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  • Raymond Blackman, Ships of the Royal Navy (Macdonald and Jane's, London, 1973)