RFA Brambleleaf (A81)

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RFA Brambleleaf (A81) was a Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary of the United Kingdom. It was built as MV Hudson Deep by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. The vessel was laid down on 23 July 1974, launched on 22 January 1976, and commissioned on 20 February 1980. Identification: IMO 7342029, pennant A81. Its full-load displacement was about 40,870 tonnes, length 170.7 m, beam 25.9 m, draft 11 m. It was powered by two Crossley-Pielstick diesel engines, could reach about 15 knots, and had a crew of around 56.

Originally built as MV Hudson Deep, Brambleleaf was chartered by the Ministry of Defence in 1980. In 1982, during the Falklands War, Brambleleaf was diverted from Armilla patrol duties in the Persian Gulf to assist operations in the South Atlantic. Because of severe weather, it transferred its cargo to the RFA Tidespring off South Georgia and returned to the UK for repairs in May, then went back to the South Atlantic in June and again in August. On 18 November 1983, Brambleleaf sailed with the assault ship HMS Fearless to support Operation Offcut, aiding British troops in Lebanon.

In 2003, Brambleleaf was one of 13 RFA ships deployed in support of the second Gulf War. Brambleleaf was out of service in September 2007 and later scrapped. On 18 August 2009 she was towed to Ghent for scrapping, with the process completed by August 2009. Brambleleaf earned the Falklands Islands 1982 Battle Honour, received on 29 August 1984.