The Spirit Live On

Photo Contributed By
Mr TAN Thian Hock

RSS EXCELLENCE was commissioned on 28 Oct 1978. Throughout her 22 years of service with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), she has played many important roles - as a training platform, support and replenishment ship, command platform, and as an ambassador of Singapore. She has kept the RSN Ensign flying high in places as far away as Japan in the North, New Zealand in the South, Timor in the East and India in the West. Though modestly equipped when compared to today's high technology navy ships, her reliability made her an indispensable asset for the many missions performed by the Republic of Singapore Navy. In recent years, her notable contributions included her vital role in the recovery operations of Ops Menolong in Palembang following the crash of Flight MI 185 and Ops Surya Bhaskara Jaya, a socio-economic activity which took her to various parts of the Indonesian archipelago. Towards the end of her illustrious service, RSS EXCELLENCE made Singapore proud through her important and widely publicised mission in East Timor, where she provided logistics support to the INTERFET operations there. In all her deployments, she demonstrated that the men and women who sailed on her are willing and able to complete with distinction any task given to them, and in the process, contribute to the missions of the Republic of Singapore Navy and the regional security of Singapore. As we witness her decommissioning on 23 Nov 2000, we are both moved by her solemn presence and thankful for the rich heritage she leaves behind. She will forever be remembered for her faithful service in the finest traditions of the Republic of Singapore Navy.