RFA Sea Salvor (A503)

History
United Kingdom
Name	Sea Salvor
Operator	Risdon Beazley
Ordered	25 December 1941
Builder	Goole Shipbuilding & Repair Co Ltd, Goole
Yard number	391
Laid down	9 August 1942
Launched	22 April 1943
Commissioned	February 1944
Decommissioned	April 1971
Fate	Arrived Thos. W. Ward, Grays, Essex, for scrapping, 18 January 1973
General characteristics
Class and type	King Salvor class salvage vessel
Displacement	1,780 long tons (1,809 t) full load
Length	218 ft (66 m)
Beam	39 ft 10 in (12.14 m)
Draught	15 ft 7 in (4.75 m)
Propulsion	2 × 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engines
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	Between 52 and 72
Armament	4 × 20 mm AA guns (4×1)

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

Built by the Goole Shipbuilding & Repair Co. Ltd., Goole, the ship was launched on 22 April 1943, and commissioned in February 1944. Decommissioned in April 1971, the ship was laid up at HMNB Devonport, and arrived at Grays, Essex for scrapping on 18 January 1973.

Service history

From February to May 1954 she recovered wreckage of the British Overseas Airways Corporation's de Havilland Comet G-ALYP "Yoke Peter" which crashed on 10 January 1954 after taking off from Rome, Italy. Sea Salvor deployed for service during "Operation Musketeer" – the Suez Crisis – in December 1956.

In April 1961 Sea Salvor was in the Persian Gulf. On 9 April she took the burning passenger and cargo ship Dara in tow, to try to beach her to prevent her from sinking. However, within 3 nautical miles (6 km) of the beach, Dara rolled over and sank.^[2]

In January 1968 Sea Salvor, together with the minesweepers Ashton, Crofton, Stubbington and Walkerton took part in relief efforts following the 1968 Belice earthquake that struck Sicily on 14–15 January.^[3]

References

^ Coastal Class salvage vessel on trials, the HELP?
^ Mason, Geoffrey B (2007). "Salvage operations by Royal Navy frigates 1950–1964". Royal Navy post-World War 2. NavalHistory. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
^ "Minesweeper crews' aid to earthquake victims". Navy News. February 1962. p. 22. Retrieved 29 October 2018.

External links

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[1] Coastal Class salvage vessel on trials, the HELP?

[2] Mason, Geoffrey B (2007). "Salvage operations by Royal Navy frigates 1950–1964". Royal Navy post-World War 2. NavalHistory. Retrieved 30 December 2023.

[3] "Minesweeper crews' aid to earthquake victims". Navy News. February 1962. p. 22. Retrieved 29 October 2018.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e King Salvor-class salvage vessels
Royal Navy	King Salvor Ocean Salvor Prince Salvor Salverdant Salvage Duke Salvalour Salveda Salventure Salvestor (ex-Assistance) Salvictor Salvigil Salviking Salviola Sea Salvor
Royal Navy	Reclaim Kingfisher (ex-King Salvor)
Argentine Navy	Tehuelche / Guardiamarina Zicari (ex-Kingfisher)
Turkish Navy	Imroz II / Cemil Parman (ex-Salviola)
List of miscellaneous ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

History

United Kingdom
Name	Sea Salvor
Operator	Risdon Beazley^[1]
Ordered	25 December 1941
Builder	Goole Shipbuilding & Repair Co Ltd, Goole
Yard number	391
Laid down	9 August 1942
Launched	22 April 1943
Commissioned	February 1944
Decommissioned	April 1971
Fate	Arrived Thos. W. Ward, Grays, Essex, for scrapping, 18 January 1973
General characteristics
Class and type	King Salvor class salvage vessel
Displacement	1,780 long tons (1,809 t) full load
Length	218 ft (66 m)
Beam	39 ft 10 in (12.14 m)
Draught	15 ft 7 in (4.75 m)
Propulsion	2 × 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engines
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	Between 52 and 72
Armament	4 × 20 mm AA guns (4×1)