HMS Camperdown (D32)

History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Camperdown
Builder: Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
Laid down: 30 October 1942
Launched: 8 February 1944
Commissioned: 18 June 1945
Identification: Pennant number D32
Fate: Scrapped 1970
General characteristics
Class and type: Battle-class destroyer
Displacement:
  • 2,325 tons standard
  • 3,430 tons full load
Length: 379 ft (116 m)
Beam: 40 ft (12 m)
Draught: 15.3 ft (4.7 m)
Propulsion: 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts, 2 boilers, 50,000 shp (37 MW)
Speed: 35.75 knots (66.21 km/h)
Range: 4,400 nautical miles (8,100 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement: 268
Armament:
Service record
Part of:

HMS Camperdown was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named after the Battle of Camperdown, a naval engagement between the British and Dutch that took place in 1797, and which resulted in a British victory.

She was built by Fairfields and launched on 8 February 1944 and commissioned on 18 June 1945.

Service

Camperdown subsequently joined the British Pacific Fleet, though she did not see action during the Second World War. In 1946, she deployed to the Far East as part of the 19th Destroyer Flotilla, visiting a variety of ports, as well as performing a number of naval exercises on the way. The following year, Camperdown, along with the rest of the 19th Flotilla, after visits to many Far East ports, and a trip through the Mediterranean, returned to the United Kingdom. She was subsequently placed in Reserve.[1]

She was put back into service in 1953 and formed part of the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II[2] on the Solent, a record of which can be found displayed on board the royal yacht Britannia.

In 1953, at Plymouth, Camperdown was accidentally rammed by Coreopsis, a Flower-class corvette (renamed Compass Rose for her role in the film The Cruel Sea), causing damage. In 1957, the ship joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet, and just the following year, suffered a fire. In 1960, Camperdown joined the 1st Destroyer Squadron, with spells with the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. In 1962, Camperdown was placed on the disposal list and in 1970, she was finally scrapped at Faslane.

Commanding officers

FromToCaptain
19451946Lt Cdr James John Simon Yorke DSC RN
19471948
19531953Commander R T Gardiner RN
19551957
19601962 Commander G T Risdon RN}

[3]

References

  1. ↑ Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. pp. 106–7. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.
  2. ↑ Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
  3. ↑ I served onboard at this time as a radio operator

Publications

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