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Royal Fleet Auxiliary: A Century of Service

Royal Fleet Auxiliary: A Century of Service
By Tom Adams, James R. Smith

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Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #631279 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-06-15
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 192 pages

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
First full history of a vital but silent service. Most comprehensive fleet list of RFA ships ever published. A tie-in with numerous RFA Centenary celebrations in 2005 In the modern British fleet some of the largest, most important - and most potent - vessels are not technically warships, nor are they commanded by Royal Navy officers. This does not prevent them going 'in harm's way' (indeed, many have been awarded Battle Honours), and their pseudo-civilian status allows them to carry out duties forbidden for diplomatic reasons to recognised warships. Formally classed as merchant ships, these vessels are run like the Navy's own shipping company, by a unique organisation, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which celebrates its centenary in 2005. From humble origins in 1905 with ships that carried coal, and later oil fuel, for the fleet, through hazardous service in two world wars, the RFA has become an absolutely central element in modern naval warfare. This book combines the largely unsung history of this service in peace and war - including a detailed chronology of its activities - with the most comprehensive fleet list ever compiled.

Written by the RFA's official historians, it is illustrated in depth from the archives, and completed by extensive appendices covering topics like losses, medals and honours, flags, colour schemes, badges and pennant numbers.

Customer Reviews

Royal Fleet Auxiliary - A century of Service5
An excellent book which is presented in chronological order, it is filled with facts and figures about the various ships that have seen service with the RFA since 1905, with one of the appendices giving the most comprehensive fleet list I have ever seen.

The other appendices give a wealth of information that can not be found anywhere else. Each time I dip into this book I find more interesting facts about the RFA Service.

Highly recommended.