RFA GOLD ROVER A 271 was a small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and one of five Rover class ships that were all built at the Swan Hunter Shipyard based on Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England.
She was commissioned on 22 nd March 1974. From 10 July 1974 until 30 September 1974 she stood by off Cyprus following a coup d’etat attempt and subsequent Turkish invasion during the partition of Cyprus with a Task Force including the carrier HMS HERMES with 41 Commando Royal Marines and RFA’s OLNA , OLWEN and REGENT. On the 13th July 1974 she sailed from Elba destination to Malta arriving 15th July and then sailed on the 16th July.
During the Falklands War, she was in Singapore at the time of which she arrived at Portland, UK on the 25th July 1982 and 4 days later she assisted a Special Forces demonstration in Poole Bay
The class were phased out as part of a worldwide effort to replace single-hulled tankers with more environmentally safe double-hulled vessels infact GOLD ROVER herself was decommissioned in a sunset ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base on 6 March 2017. On 29th August 2017 the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA) invited expressions of interest from companies interested in receiving an invitation to tender in respect to the proposed sale for the sole purpose of recycling of the vessel.
So far she was used for Pilot Training 3 times – 21st August, 29th August and 5th September
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
