HMS Londonderry (F108)

HMS Londonderry off Miami, Florida, in 1964
History
United Kingdom
Class and type:	Rothesay class frigate
Name:	HMS Londonderry
Builder:	J. Samuel White, Cowes
Laid down:	15 November 1956
Launched:	20 May 1958
Commissioned:	18 October 1961
Decommissioned:	29 March 1984
Identification:	Pennant number: F108
Motto:	Non recedam
Fate:	sunk as target, 25 June 1989
General characteristics
Displacement:	As built: 2,150 tons standard 2,560 tons full load As modified: 2,380 tons standard 2,800 tons full load
Length:	370 ft (110 m)
Beam:	41 ft (12 m)
Draught:	17.3 ft (5.3 m)
Propulsion:	Y-100 plant Two Babcock & Wilcox boilers Two English Electric steam turbines 2 shafts 30,000 shp
Speed:	30 knots (56 km/h)
Range:	400 tons oil fuel, 5,200 nautical miles (9,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement:	152, later 225, modified to 235
Sensors and processing systems:	(as built): Radar Type 293Q target indication Radar Type 277Q height finding Radar Type 275 fire control on director Mark 6M Radar Type 974 navigation Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF Sonar Type 174 search Sonar Type 162 target classification Sonar Type 170 attack
Armament:	(as built): 1 × twin 4.5 in (11.4 cm) gun Mark 6 1 × 40 mm Bofors gun Mark 7 2 × Limbo A/S mortar Mark 10 12 × 21-in A/S torpedo tubes (removed or never shipped) (as modified): 1 × twin 4.5 in (11.4 cm) gun Mark 6 1 × Sea Cat GWS-20 SAM 2 × 20 mm Oerlikon guns 1 × Limbo A/S mortar Mark 10 1 × Westland Wasp HAS.1 helicopter 2 × 8-barrel 3 in Knebworth/Corvus countermeasures launchers

HMS Londonderry was a Rothesay or Type 12 class anti-submarine frigate of the British Royal Navy in service from 1961 to 1984.

Fleet service

In 1960 and 1961 Londonderry made cruises in the North Atlantic being assigned to the 8th Frigate Squadron, Home Fleet. Between 1961 and 1964 the frigate was deployed four times to the West Indies, also visiting Argentina.^[1] In October 1961 she was diverted to assist the Italian liner MV Bianca C when she caught fire in the port of St. George's, Grenada.^[2] In August 1965 she was present at Portsmouth Navy Days.^[3] On 31 August 1965 Londonderry left Portsmouth for service in the Far East. She returned in 1967 and was modernised until 1969 at Rosyth. The most distinctive features of her modernization were the helicopter deck and hangar aft for a Westland Wasp helicopter.^[4]

Following her modernization she was sent to Malaysia in 1970. She also took part in the Beira Patrol and was then sent to the Bahamas where she rescued 148 Cuban refugees. In 1973 she replaced Yarmouth in the NATO Standing Naval Force Atlantic.^[5]

Trials ship

Rothesay" Class Type 12M Anti Submarine Frigate "HMS Londonderry" under major conversion to a weapons trials ship with the 4.5-inch gun turret removed, a helicopter pad fitted, and no less than three radar-electronic masts erected (instead of the one as built). At Portsmouth Navy Days, August 1980

In November 1975 she entered the Rosyth Dockyard to be refitted as a trials ship for Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment. Up to October 1979 Londonderry had her armament removed, and an extra mast added for her new role as a trials ship. The original propellers were replaced and new, low-cavitation propellers were installed. Additional navigational equipment and accommodation were installed to provide berths for both midshipmen from Dartmouth and apprentices from HMS Caledonia who were undergoing sea training.

In early 1982, Londonderry accompanied Fearless on a sea training trip to the West Indies and the United States of America, visiting Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands and New Orleans during the Mardi Gras celebrations. Returning home she was paid off into reserve on 31 March 1982. Originally she should have been put on the disposal list, but due to the Falklands War she became the Dartmouth Training Ship of the 6th Frigate Squadron. From 20 January to 29 March Londonderry made her last cruise from Portsmouth for the Dartmouth Training Squadron's deployment to the West Indies and USA. She then became a Harbour Training Ship attached to the shore base HMS Sultan at Gosport. She remained in this role until 1988. On 25 June 1989 Londonderry was finally sunk as a target off Scotland.^[6]

During her service Londonderry steamed approximately 125,500 km, four times crossing the Atlantic and transiting the Panama Canal three times. She visited 50 ports in 35 different countries. Although never deployed in a war the ship's guns fired 1,232 rounds of 11.4 cm (4.5 in) ammunition and 442 rounds of 40 mm ammunition.^[7]

Commanding officers

From	To	Captain
1960	1962	Commander I S Primrose RN
1962	1964
1964	1966	Commander W J Soames RN
1978	1979	Lieutenant Commander H A E Powlett RN

References

1. "HMS Londonderry major events of the Commission 1960 - 1962". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
2. "Royal Navy, including Administration, 1961-1970". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
3. Programme, Portsmouth Navy Days, 28–30 August 1965, HMSO, p 12
4. "HMS Londonderry - 1st Home Cruise". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
5. "HMS Londonderry - What Happened Later". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
6. http://web.archive.org/web/20070621174940/http://www.btinternet.com/~warship/Postwar/Frigates/rothesay.htm[]
7. "HMS Londonderry - Statistics". Retrieved 1 December 2016.

Publications

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
• Marriott, Leo, 1983. Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983, Ian Allen Ltd. ISBN 07110 1322 5

External links

• HMS Londonderry veterans' website