RFA Sea Salvor (A503)

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Career RFA Ensign
Ordered: Goole Shipbuilding & Repair Co Ltd, Goole as Yard Nr 391 25 December 1941
Laid down: 9 August 1942
Launched: 22 April 1943
Commissioned: February 1944
Decommissioned: April 1971. Laid up at Devonport.
Fate: Arrived Grays, Essex for demolition on 18 January 1973.
Struck: 1973
General characteristics
Displacement: 1780 tons full load
Length: 218'00"
Beam: 39'10"
Draught: 15'07.25"
Propulsion: 2 x 3 cyl triple expansion steam.
Speed: 12 knots
Range:
Complement: Between 52 and 72
Armament: 4 x 20mm AA. (4 x 1)
Aircraft: None
Motto:

RFA Sea Salvor (A503) was a salvage vessel of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She also served as a support ship for Mine Counter Measures Vessels.

She spent from February - May 1954 recovering the wreckage of the British Overseas Airways Corporation's De Havilland Comet G-ALYP "Yoke Peter" which crashed on the 10 January 1954 after taking off from Rome, Italy, was commandeered for service during Operation Musketeer - the Suez Crisis in December 1956

Crew: CRESDEE - Diver John Richard - Died 30 October 1957. Buried at Kalkara Naval Cemetery. Divers name is actually Jack Richard Cresdee, his head stone bears the name John. He was born in Gosport Hampshire, UK on the 8 July 1918.