Timeline
| Date | |
|---|---|
| 1955 | as mv Anita Dan |
| May 1956 | as mv Anita Dan for Lauritzen Lines |
| Dec 1967 | Harland and Wolff purchased by UK and into 11 month refit for Antarctic support operations and installation of a flight deck in Belfast until Oct 1968. Refit |
| Jun 27, 1968 | by Royal Navy as Antarctic Support & Ice Patrol ship. Also known as the Red Plum. |
| Jun 3, 1974 | Refit at HMD Portsmouth, until 9 Sep 1974. Both Endurance Flight Whirlwind HAR.9s were disembarked at HMS Daedalus for the duration, re-embarking on 20 Sep. |
| Oct 3, 1974 | departed HMNB Portsmouth for 5 month deployment to the Antarctic, to be based locally at Port Stanley. Returned to Portsmouth on 20 Mar 1975. |
| Oct 13, 1974 | visited Dakar for 4 days, en route South Atlantic, departing 16 Oct. |
| Feb 19, 1975 | visit to Buenos Aires, until 24 Feb on northbound leg of deployment. |
| Oct 1976 | departed HMNB Portsmouth for 7 month Antarctic support deployment. Returned to Portsmouth 23 May 1977. |
| 1978 | HMD Chatham satellite communications systems added during refit at Chatham. |
| Oct 13, 1981 | Departed HMNB Portsmouth for South Atlantic patrol. |
| Dec 13, 1981 |  St Andrews Bay while operating from the ship Endurance Flt Wasp HAS.1 XT418/435-E, rolled over following beach landing just to the west of the ships positon off South Georgia. Accident |
| Mar 21, 1982 | ordered from her South Atlantic patrol station to South Georgia 21 Mar 1982, leaving theatre on 23 Jul, returning to Chatham on 20 Aug 1982. Operation Corporate |
| Apr 14, 1982 | Grytviken Joined HMS Antrim, HMS Plymouth and RFA Tidespring for recovery of South Georgia. Operation Paraquat |
| Jun 17, 1982 | embarked 848 Sq A Flt Wessex HU.5 XS486/WW from RFA Regent in preparation for Operation Keyhole. Returned to RFA Regent on 24 Jun. |
| Jun 18, 1982 | South Thule ordered to South Thule, in company with HMS Yarmouth and supported by RFA Olmeda for its recovery. Operation Keyhole |
| May 1985 |  Bermuda Dockyard Visited Bermuda |
| 1991 | During the Antarctic Summer of 1991/1992, the mv Polar Circle was chartered for Ice Patrol duties. |