Retainer Class Armament Support Ships (AE)

Retainer and Resurgent were built for the China Navigation Co. as passenger and cargo liners named Chungking and Chungchow. Retainer was purchased in 1952 and converted into a Stores Support ship between autumn 1954 and April 1955 by Palmers Hebburn Co . These facilities were extended in another refit by Palmers between March and August 1957- extra cargo handling gear, lifts and new bridge wings were added. She was sold for breaking up in Spain in 1979. Resurgent was taken over upon completion.

Both vessels displaced 14,000 tons and measured 477ft in length, 62ft in breadth and 29ft in draught. They were powered by Droxford Diesel engines.

Ship	Pennant No.	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned
Retainer	A329	Scotts, Greenock	October 11th 1948	January 19th 1950	1950
Resurgent	A280	Scotts, Greenock	June 7th 1949	July 31st 1950	1951

RFA Resurgent (A280)

Above: RFA Resurgent (A280). Thanks to Dan Muir for providing this picture.

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