RFA Sir Galahad (1966)

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Career

Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:	1966
Commissioned:
Fate:	destroyed 8 June 1982 during Falklands War and sunk as a war grave post-war
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:	5675 tonnes full, 3270 tonnes standard
Length:	125.1 metres
Beam:	19.6 metres
Draught:	4.3 metres
Speed:	17 knots
Complement:	68
Propulsion:	Two Mirrless National ALSSDM10 diesels powering two shafts
Range:	9,200 miles at 15 knots
Armament:	two 40 mm Bofors AA in two single mountings
Aviation:	helicopters on aft platform, no hangar

See also: RFA Sir Galahad (1987)

Sir Galahad (L3005) was the name of a LSL (landing ship logistic) belonging to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, part of the British fleet. She was a 3,270 ton LSL built by Stephens and launched in 1966. She could carry 340 troops comfortably or 534 in austere conditions. Beaching cargo capacity was 340 tons, and could include 16 tanks, 34 mixed vehicles, 120 tons of petroleum produce and 30 tons of ammunition. Landing craft could be carried in place of lifeboats, but unloading was mainly handled by three cranes.

Galahad was active during the Falklands War. On May 24, 1982 in San Carlos Water she was attacked by A-4Bs of the Argentine Air Force (FAA) and was hit by one 1000 pound bomb which did not detonate and strafed in a following wave of attack aircraft. On June 8 in Bluff Cove, together with Sir Tristram, she was hit again by two or three bombs and was very badly damaged, while unloading soldiers from the 1st Welsh Guards. 48 were killed in the explosions and subsequent fire. Later the hulk was towed out to sea and sunk by HMS Onyx (S21); it is now an official war grave, designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act.

Simon Weston, a survivor of the Sir Galahad who suffered 46% burns, had his story widely reported, including a number of BBC documentaries.

Contrary to popular reporting, a significant proportion of the casualties (e.g. one third of the deaths) were not from the Welsh Guards. See Casualties of the Battle of Bluff Cove for further details.

For example, 3 Troop (of 20 Field Squadron, 36 Engineer Regiment) was temporarily attached to 9 Independent Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers and was being transported on the Galahad to provide engineering support following the landings. Engineers feature prominently in contemporary footage showing two whalers landing survivors, with Captain Foxley (commander of 3 Troop) directing the rowers and Sapper Parslow being one of the first men to jump out to pull the boats on shore. 3 Troop comprised approximately 40 men and lost 2 dead and about 10 wounded in the attack on the Galahad.

Round Table-class landing ship logistics