The Royal Fleet Auxiliaries stand out in the maritime world - merchant navy ships with civilian crews that belong to the Crown and operate under naval orders. This Dictionary presents both the famous and often overlooked ships that supported the Royal Navy during its dominance in the 20th century.

This is an extensively researched reference that provides a detailed guide to the ships that, in times of peace and war, were fundamental in the broad field of British naval history - those that fought in the Atlantic, Arctic, Mediterranean, and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Falklands. This is an account of these ships along with details of maritime and war losses, from the traditional tankers absorbed from trade to today's ships designed for the complex and crucial role of supporting maritime logistics.

The author is a recognized authority on the history and ships of the RFA. The Dictionary includes approximately 430 RFA ships and 53 classes, from the tanker Petroleum and the hospital ship Maine of 1905 to the multi-role vessels Proteus and Stirling Castle of 2023. Additionally, information is provided on 22 planned RFA ships and equipment, including the canceled hospital ship whose material resources were diverted for the construction of the Royal Yacht and the nuclear-powered supply tanker that remained in the plans.

Extensively researched from official records, the ships are technically detailed from Admiralty policy and design to their engineering, flight decks, and defensive armament. Where appropriate, there is a service summary and for the historical researcher, each entry provides a list of sources used by the author. The easily understandable detail is supported by a wealth of photographs and drawings. Uniquely, there is an appendix of 67 reports analyzing those various ships that are commonly but mistakenly considered RFA.

This authentic work fills a significant gap in maritime literature, as no previous publication on these ships has approached this level of detail.

Pages: 432, Year of Publication: 0530, Dimensions: 21x21cm