|
RFA Argus Visits Merseyside Photographs © John H. Luxton 2005 |
||||
| As pert of the RFA Centenary celebrations RFA ARGUS is undertaking a summer tour of ports around the British Isles. These photographs were taken during a World Ship Society visit on August 13, 2005. RFA began life in 1981 being built by Cantieri Navali Breda, Venezia, Italy for Sea Containers as CONTENDER BEZANT a member of a new class of self discharging container ships. She only had a very short career with Sea Co being requisitioned by the MoD in 1982 on the outbreak of the Falklands War. After the war following a continued charter she was eventually purchased by the MoD and extensively rebuilt at Harland and Wolff in Belfast and renamed ARGUS. | ||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| RFA ARGUS berthed at Canada #3 Branch Dock on Saturday, August 13, 2005 | ||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Flight Deck | RFA Ensign | Flight Deck signals | ||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Flight Control | Flight Deck | Main accommodation block. | Flight Deck from Flyco | Flyco |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Forward to Bridge | Bridge | Engine Controls | Ballast Controls | RFA Crew Mess |
 |
 |
ARGUS Honours (left) two recall her brief life as Sea Containers' CONTENDER BEZANT during the Falklands War. She had a very short lift as a container ship, being requisitioned the year after construction in 1982. She was soon purchased by the Ministry of Defence and rebuilt as an Aviation Training and Primary Casualty Reception Ship. |
||
| The hospital facilities on board the RFA ARGUS are very impressive. She can accommodate up to 100 casualties and has a full range of facilities | ||||
 |
 |
Casualties arrive from the flight deck on an aircraft lift into the hangar area. A door opens directly into the casualty reception area. [left] Off this area are X-Ray and Scanner Facilities [right]. |
 | |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Operating Theatre | Recovery Room | Intensive Care | High Dependency Unit | |
 |
 |
RFA ARGUS is crewed by both Merchant and Royal Navy personnel. The deck crew being Merchant Navy, whilst medical, flight and gunnery crew are provided by the Royal Navy. Most of the medical crew work ashore in NHS Hospitals when not required for service on board the ship. |
||
| One of two wards | Dental Surgery | |||
|
|
||||
