RFA Orangeleaf (A110)
{{Short description|1979 Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary}}
{{other ships|RFA Orangeleaf}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= Orangeleaf.jpg |Ship caption= RFA Orangeleaf during refit at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval-RFA}} |Ship name= RFA Orangeleaf |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=Cammell Laird, Birkenhead |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= 1362 |Ship way number= |Ship laid down=20 December 1973 |Ship launched=12 February 1975 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed=28 June 1979 |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned=1979{{cite web|title=ORANGELEAF|url=http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?mmsi=233304000|publisher=www.marinetraffic.com|accessdate=9 December 2012}} |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= 30 September 2015 |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= 2 May 1984 |Ship out of service= 30 September 2015 |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification=*Pennant number: A110
|Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours=Al Faw 2003 |Ship captured= |Ship fate= Scrapped 2016 |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Leaf-class fleet support tanker |Ship type= |Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|19976}}
|Ship displacement= {{Convert|40860|t|LT|0|lk=out|abbr=on}} |Ship length={{Convert|560|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{Convert|85|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |Ship draught={{Convert|39|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |Ship hold depth= |Ship power={{Convert|14000|bhp|0|abbr=on}} |Ship propulsion=*2 x 14-cylinder Crossley Pielstick PC2 V14 (14PC 2V) diesels
|Ship sail plan= |Ship speed={{Convert|15|kn|km/h}} |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement=56 |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=*2 20mm GAM-BO1
|Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
RFA Orangeleaf was a Leaf-class fleet support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary{{cite web|title=The RFA ORANGELEAF|url=http://www.fleetmon.com/en/vessels/Rfa_Orangeleaf_45735|publisher=www.fleetmon.com|accessdate=9 December 2012}} (RFA), the naval auxiliary fleet of the United Kingdom, and which served with the fleet for over 30 years, tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy and allied naval vessels around the world.
She was used by the RFA in the Falklands War in 1982, but she was then known as MV Balder London. From January 2003 to April 2003 Orangeleaf was deployed for Operation Telic, the codename for the United Kingdom's military operations in Iraq. She had three Leaf-class sisters {{ship|RFA|Oakleaf|A111|2}}, {{ship|RFA|Brambleleaf|A81|2}} and {{ship|RFA|Bayleaf|A109|2}} and all four were originally designed as commercial tankers and underwent major conversions to bring them up to RFA standards and equip them for naval support.
She was the third Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel to bear the name.
Construction
Orangeleaf was one of four ships ordered from Cammell Laird at Birkenhead by Hudson Steamship Co, Brighton, and was laid down in 1973 as Hudson Progress. When the ordering company ran into financial difficulties the builders completed three of the ships but they were then laid up and later offered for charter or for purchase. On 12 February 1975 Hudson Progress was launched and the Lady Sponsor was Mrs J Appleby, wife of John Appleby, managing director of the Hudson Steamship Co. She later ran builder’s trials in July 1975, but then on completion she was laid up at Birkenhead.{{Cite web|date=26 October 2008 |title=RFA Orangeleaf - Historical RFA |url=https://historicalrfa.uk/rfa-orangeleaf-ship-information/ |website=historicalrfa.uk |access-date=7 July 2024}}
In June 1979 Hudson Progress was purchased by Lloyds Industrial Leasing, London and sailed from the Mersey to the Clyde for trials. In July she was leased to Parley Augustsson, Oslo and renamed Balder London.{{Cite web|title=Ship: ORANGELEAF - NAVAL TRANSPORT (IMO: 7342005) |url=https://www.shipvault.com/ships/70154 |website=shipvault.com |access-date=7 July 2024}}
Operational history
As MV Balder London,{{cite web|title=RFA Orangeleaf|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary/Tankers/RFA-Orangeleaf|publisher=www.royalnavy.mod.uk|accessdate=9 December 2012|archive-date=19 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119004954/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary/Tankers/RFA-Orangeleaf|url-status=dead}} before joining the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, she saw action in 1982, carrying aviation fuel to the Falkland Islands from Ascension Island. At the end of the conflict, she entered the bay of San Carlos Water, East Falkland.{{sfn|Puddefoot|2009|p=200}}
She was bareboat chartered on 2 May 1984 by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and was renamed Orangeleaf. Shortly afterwards she arrived in Falmouth, Cornwall for a partial conversion. In September 1985 Orangeleaf arrived on the River Tyne for full conversion which was completed and entered operational service on 2 May 1986.
On 13 June 1988 she sailed from HMNB Portsmouth as part of Task Group 318.1, the 'Outback 88' Deployment led by the {{sclass|Invincible|aircraft carrier|1}} {{HMS|Ark Royal|R07|2}}, along with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s {{sclass|Fort Rosalie|replenishment ship}} {{ship|RFA|Fort Grange|A385|2}} and Ol-class "fast fleet tanker" {{ship|RFA|Olwen|A122|2}}.{{cite magazine |url= https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/images/navynews/archivepdfs/1980s/1988/navy-news-july-1988-issue-408.pdf |title=Praise for RN Envoys |magazine=Navy News|access-date=8 July 2024}}
Orangeleaf saw action in the Gulf War. On 9 August 1990 she was deployed in support of the Royal Navy's Type 42 destroyer {{HMS|York|D98|2}}, following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait,{{Cite web|title=Recycling of Ex-RFA Orangeleaf |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80535b40f0b62305b8a7d8/DSA_ship_recycling_orangeleaf_Web.pdf |website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |access-date=8 July 2024}} and whilst on Armilla Patrol in the Gulf, when Operation Granby – the Gulf War – was approved.{{Cite news|date=29 June 1991 |title=Supplement to the London Gazette |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/52589/supplement/38/data.pdf |website=The London Gazette |access-date=8 July 2024}}
Between 14 and 28 August 1992 she was deployed to support a humanitarian relief effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, in the West Indies, alongside the Royal Navy's Type 42 destroyer {{HMS|Cardiff|D108|2}} and the Type 22 frigate {{HMS|Campbeltown|F86|2}}.
During early-to-mid-2004, the ship took part in a deployment with a French carrier battle group, centred on the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, to the Indian Ocean. She also appeared in the International Fleet Review 2005.
On 23 October 2009, she was moved from Birkenhead dry-docks into the River Mersey and so to the Cammell Laird shipyard to continue a major refit.
In 2011, she conducted a light jackstay transfer with {{HMS|Dragon|D35|6}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2012/March/27/120327-Light-Jackstay-Transfer|title=Dragon notches up another first as she conducts a Light Jackstay|work=Royal Navy|date=27 March 2012|accessdate=8 November 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405054308/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2012/March/27/120327-Light-Jackstay-Transfer|archivedate=5 April 2012}}
Decommissioning and fate
Orangeleaf was decommissioned on 30 September 2015.Falling Leafs, incoming Tides Ships Monthly January 2016 page 14
In February 2016, she was towed to Aliağa, Turkey to be broken up for scrap.{{cite web|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2015/september/29/150929-orangeleaf-retires-from-rfa-service|title=Royal Fleet Auxiliary bids farewell to RFA Orangeleaf|work=Royal Navy|date=29 September 2015|accessdate=2 November 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930214940/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2015/september/29/150929-orangeleaf-retires-from-rfa-service|archivedate=30 September 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://navaltoday.com/2015/09/29/last-of-the-rfa-leaf-class-tankers-to-retire/|title=Last of the RFA Leaf Class Tankers to Retire|work=Navaltoday.com|date=29 September 2015|accessdate=2 November 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102164347/http://navaltoday.com/2015/09/29/last-of-the-rfa-leaf-class-tankers-to-retire/|archivedate=2 November 2015|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title = Farewell to Orangeleaf|url = https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/13345|website =Navy News|accessdate = 2015-12-15}}{{Cite web | url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/583144/DSA_ship_recycling_orangeleaf_Web.pdf | title=Recycling of Ex-RFA Orangeleaf | website=www.gov.uk}}
See also
References
= Citations =
{{reflist}}
= Bibliography =
- {{cite book |last=Puddefoot |first=Geoff |title= The Fourth Force The Untold Story of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary since 1945|year=2009 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location= Barnsley, England |isbn= 978-1-84832-046-8 |language=en}}
External links
{{commons category-inline}}
- [http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary/Tankers/RFA-Orangeleaf Official Webpage]
{{Leaf-class tanker}}
{{Falklands War British ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orangeleaf (A110)}}
Category:Ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary