RFA Bayleaf (A109)

History
Name:	RFA Bayleaf
Builder:	Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
Laid down:	1975
Launched:	27 October 1981
Completed:	25 March 1982
Commissioned:	26 March 1982
Decommissioned:	20 April 2011
Honours and awards:	Falkland Islands 1982 Kuwait 1991 Al Faw 2003
Status:	decommissioned
General characteristics
Class & type:	Leaf class support tanker
Displacement:	37,390 t (36,799 long tons)
Length:	170.7 m (560 ft 0 in)
Beam:	25.9 m (85 ft 0 in)
Draught:	11 m (36 ft 1 in)
Propulsion:	Two Crossley Pielstick 14PC 2V engines 14,000 hp (10,440 kW) sustained one shaft
Speed:	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement:	56
Armament:	2 × Oerlikon 20 mm guns 4 × 7.62 mm machine guns
Aircraft carried:	None

RFA Bayleaf (A109) was a Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Construction

Bayleaf was one of four ships ordered from Cammell Laird at Birkenhead in 1973, and laid down in 1975 as the Hudson Sound. When the ordering company ran into financial difficulties, the ships were laid up, and later were offered for sale or charter. The ship was finally launched on 27 October 1981, and when completed on 25 March 1982 she was then bareboat chartered to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and renamed Bayleaf.^[1]

Service history

She was almost immediately put into active service, and sailed to Gibraltar and Ascension Island en route for service in "Operation Corporate" – the Falklands War – in company with HMS Intrepid. She arrived in the Total Exclusion Zone on 9 June 1982, finally returning to Devonport on 31 August.^[1]

In January 1991 she sailed from the UK to relieve RFA Orangeleaf during "Operation Granby" – the First Gulf War.^[1]

On 1 March 1997 she collided with the Royal Yacht HMY Britannia while carrying out a replenishment at sea (RAS) off Karachi.^[1]

In 2001 Bayleaf was purchased outright by the MoD.^[1]

RFA Bayleaf (left) with USS Carter Hall (right) in 2006

From January 2003 to April 2003 she was deployed for "Operation Telic" – the Second Gulf War.^[1]

Following the reductions to the Royal Navy fleet outlined in the 2010 "Strategic Defence and Security Review" it was decided that Bayleaf would be paid off in April 2011.^[2] The RFA Ensign was scheduled to be lowered for the final time on 20 April 2011 at HMNB Devonport.^[3]

See also

• Bristol Group

References

Current Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships Tankers Wave class Wave Knight Wave Ruler Rover class Black Rover Gold Rover Tide class (From 2016) Tidespring Tiderace Tidesurge Tideforce Replenishment ships Fort Rosalie class Fort Austin Fort Rosalie Fort Victoria class Fort Victoria Landing ship docks Bay class Cardigan Bay Lyme Bay Mounts Bay Other vessels Aviation training/ casualty-receiving ships Argus Forward repair ships Diligence

British Naval Forces of the Falklands War  Royal Navy Active Alacrity Ambuscade Andromeda Antelope S Antrim Ardent S Argonaut Arrow Avenger Brilliant Bristol Broadsword Cardiff Conqueror Cordella Courageous Coventry S Dumbarton Castle Endurance Exeter Famella Fearless Glamorgan Glasgow Hecla Herald Hermes Hydra Intrepid Invincible Junella Leeds Castle Minerva Northella Onyx Penelope Pict Plymouth Sheffield S Spartan Splendid Valiant Yarmouth  Royal Fleet Auxiliary Appleleaf Brambleleaf Bayleaf Blue Rover Engadine Fort Austin Fort Grange Plumleaf Pearleaf Olna Olmeda Regent Resource Sir Bedivere Sir Galahad S Sir Geraint Sir Lancelot Sir Percivale Sir Tristram Stromness Tidespring Tidepool Ships Taken Up From Trade Alvega Anco Charger Astronomer Atlantic Conveyor S Atlantic Causeway Avelona Star Balder London Baltic Ferry British Avon British Dart British Enterprise III British Esk British Tamar British Test British Trent British Wye Canberra Contender Bezant Eburna Elk Europic Ferry Fort Toronto G.A.Walker Geesport Iris Irishman Laertes Lycaon Nordic Ferry Norland Queen Elizabeth 2 Rangatira Salvageman Saxonia Scottish Eagle St Edmund St Helena Stena Inspector Stena Seaspread Strathewe Tor Caledonia Uganda Wimpey Seahorse Yorkshireman  Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service Goosander Typhoon S - Sunk