HMS Ashanti (F117)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career
Ordered:
Laid down:	15 January 1958
Launched:	9 March 1959
Commissioned:	23 November 1961
Decommissioned:	?
Fate:	Sunk as target
Struck:
Motto:

This is a page about an individual ship, for general information please see: Tribal class frigate

HMS Ashanti (F117) was a Tribal-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was named after the Ashanti people, an ethnic group located in Ghana. Ashanti was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders of Scotstoun. She was launched on the on 9 March 1959 and commissioned on the on 23 November 1961.

In 1962, Ashanti deployed to the Caribbean, and while there, broke down while undergoing sea trials. Ashanti was also used to trial the Westland Wasp helicopter, prior to its introduction to active service in 1964. In 1966, Ashanti deployed to the Persian Gulf and left the following year, visiting Aden a number of times while in that region, though the Withdrawal from Aden would not occur until late 1967.

In 1970, Ashanti deployed on Beira Patrol, which was designed to prevent oil reaching landlocked Rhodesia via the then Portuguese colony of Mozambique. The following year, Ashanti was involved in another highly emotional withdrawal, this time from Malta. In 1974, while on the way home from the Caribbean, Ashanti was struck by tragedy, when she was hit by a large wave, with Ashanti losing two crewmembers, one of whom was P.O. John Taws. In 1977, Ashanti was struck by further tragedy, when three crew died after being trapped in a boiler room which was on fire. That same year, Ashanti was placed in Reserve. In 1981, Ashanti became a Harbour Training Ship. In 1988, Ashanti came to an explosive end, when she was sunk as a target by HM submarines Sceptre and Spartan.

See HMS Ashanti for other ships of the name.

Tribal-class frigate

Ashanti | Eskimo | Gurkha | Mohawk | Nubian | Tartar | Zulu

List of frigates of the Royal Navy