HMS Ajax (F114)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Ajax.
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Ajax
Operator: Royal Navy
Builder: Cammell Laird
Laid down: 12 October 1959
Launched: 16 August 1962
Commissioned: 10 December 1963
Decommissioned: 31 May 1985
Identification: Pennant number: F114
Fate: Scrapped 1988
General characteristics
Class & type: Leander-class frigate
Displacement:
  • 2,450 tons standard
  • 2,860 tons full load
Length: 372 ft (113 m)
Beam: 41 ft (12 m)
Draught: 18 ft (5 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range: 5,300 nmi (9,800 km; 6,100 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement: 251 as built, 257 after Ikara refit
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 × Wasp helicopter

HMS Ajax was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built by the famous Cammell Laird company of Birkenhead. Ajax was launched on 16 August 1962 and commissioned on 10 December 1963. She was originally intended to be named HMS Fowey, and laid down as a Rothesay class, but instead became part of Batch 1 of the Leander class.

Service history

In 1964, Ajax deployed to the Far East, becoming leader of the 24th Escort Group. It was a long deployment, and she did not return to the UK until 1968.[1] In 1970, Ajax became the Gibraltar guard ship,[1] a required deployment at that time due to the tense fears of invasion by General Franco.

In September 1970, Ajax began a modernisation at Devonport Dockyard that lasted to 1973,[1] having her 4.5 inch turret replaced by an Ikara anti-submarine missile system. A pair of quadruple GWS22 SeaCat launchers were fitted aft and 40 mm guns were mounted amidships.[2]

Following her conversion she became leader of the 8th Frigate Squadron.[3] In 1974, she assisted in the evacuation of British citizens after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. In 1976, while on a visit to Canada, Ajax visited the town of Ajax, Ontario, which had been named in honour of her predecessor, the Leander-class cruiser Ajax made famous by the Battle of the River Plate during the Second World War. The 'new' Ajax was granted the freedom of the city.

In 1977, Ajax underwent a refit at Devonport Dockyard,[1] deploying in 1979 to the Mediterranean. In 1980, she underwent a refit at Gibraltar which was completed in 1981. That year, Ajax became leader of the 1st Frigate Squadron. She did not take part in the 1982 Falklands War , but was deployed as Persian Gulf guard ship; she later completed a 4 month deployment around the Falklands as part of the South Atlantic Protection Force in 1984. She participated in further deployments that culminated in the highlight of her final year in 1985, when she escorted the HMY Britannia, which took a number of the Royal Family on a tour of Italy.

Fate

She was decommissioned 31 May 1985, then replaced HMS Salisbury as a static training ship at Devonport. On 3 August 1988, Ajax arrived at Millom, Cumbria to be broken up. Her anchor is now located in Ajax, Ontario.

Commanding officers

[4]

FromToCaptain
19631965Captain The Hon D P Seely RN
19651966Captain Gordon Tait DSC RN
19661968Captain George A de G Kitchin RN
19681969Captain David Hepworth RN
19691970Captain Harry R Keate RN
19701973Refit (Ikara Conversion)
19731974Captain Richard J Bates RN
19741976Captain David J MacKenzie RN
19761977Captain Robert R Squires RN
19771978Captain Peter Cobb RN
19781980Captain M J F Rawlinson RN
19801981Captain Timothy M. Bevan RN
19811983Captain Jeremy Michael Porter RN
19831984Captain Peter Abbott RN
19841985Captain John F S Trinder RN

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Critchley 1986, p. 116.
  2. ↑ Marriott 1986, pp. 80, 82.
  3. ↑ Mackie, Colin. "I: Royal Navy Senior Appointments". British Armed Forces (1900–). p. 187. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Mackie, Colin. "II: Royal Navy- Captains Commanding Warships". British Armed Forces (1900–). Retrieved 19 January 2014.

Publications

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