RFA Retainer

History
RFA EnsignUnited Kingdom
Laid down11 October 1948
Launched19 January 1950
CommissionedJuly 1954
DecommissionedApril 1978
IdentificationIMO number: 5293470
FateDemolished at Barcelona on 29 October 1979
General characteristics
Displacement14,400 tons full load
Length477 ft 2 in (145 m)
Beam62 ft 2 in (19 m)
Draught25 ft .75 in (8 m)
Propulsion6-cylinder Scott-Doxford diesel engine
Speed15 knots
Aircraft carriedFitted with a small landing platform

RFA Retainer (A329) was an armament support ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Built by Scotts of Greenock as Chungking, a cargo/passenger liner for the China Navigation Co. Both Chungking and her sister vessel Changchow (later RFA Resurgent lost their initial purpose due to the Communist revolution. Chartered for a year and a half to the French Messageries Maritimes, they were purchased by the British Admiralty in 1952.[1]

In 1959, Retainer was used with the missile trials ship HMS Girdle Ness for trials of replenishment at sea with the new Seaslug missile.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Le paquebot Chungking, futur Retainer, affrété par les Messageries Maritimes". messageries-maritimes.org (in French).
  2. ^ "Seaslug transfer". RFA Nostalgia. 1959. Imperial War Museum A 34233.


Stub icon

This article about a specific naval auxiliary ship or boat of the United Kingdom is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.