HMS Vigo (D31)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Vigo.
HMS Vigo
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Vigo
Builder: Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
Laid down: 11 September 1943[1]
Launched: 27 September 1945[1]
Commissioned: 9 December 1946[1]
Decommissioned: 1 October 1959
Identification: Pennant number D31
Fate: Sold for breaking up
General characteristics
Class & type: Battle-class destroyer
Displacement: 2,325 tons
Length: 379 ft (116 m)
Beam: 40.25 ft (12.27 m)
Propulsion:
  • Boilers: 2 Admiralty, 3 drum type
  • Turbines: 2 Parsons
  • Horsepower: 50,000 shp (37 MW)
  • Shafts: 2
Speed: 34 knots (63 km/h)
Complement: 247
Armament:
  • 2 × twin 4.5 in guns QF Mark III on mounting BD Mk. IV
  • 1 × single 4 in gun QF Mk. XXIII on mount Mk. III
  • 4 × twin 40 mm Bofors mounts "Hazemeyer" Mk. IV
  • 4-6 × single 40 mm Bofors mounts Mk. VII
  • 2 × quad tubes for 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes Mk. IX
  • Two depth charge rails.
  • Four depth charge throwers.
  • Depth charges later replaced by 1 × Squid A/S mortar

HMS Vigo was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named after the Battle of Vigo, which took place in 1702 during the War of Spanish Succession between a British-Dutch Fleet and the French, and which ended in a victory for the British. Vigo was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Govan. She was launched on 27 September 1945 and commissioned on 9 December 1946.

Service History

Upon commissioning, Vigo was placed in Reserve along with a number of her sister-ships. In 1949, Vigo joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, based in the Mediterranean, which at that time, had quite a large Royal Navy presence. She performed a variety of operations there, at a time when there was much going on in the region and nearby, such as the internal turmoil in Egypt between 1951–1954.

In 1953, while still in the Mediterranean, Vigo suffered a fire onboard her, causing minor damage, though Vigo would suffer another fire in 1954. Also that year, Vigo became the Gunnery Training Ship based at Portsmouth, a duty that a number of her sister ships also performed.

In addition to being the Gunnery Training Ship to HMS Excellent, at Whale Island, Vigo was also Captain (D) of the Portsmouth Squadron.[2]

As well as her Gunnery duties, during the period 1958-59, Vigo also carried out two Icelandic patrols during the first Cod War; took part in NATO exercises, and visited such ports as Vigo, Cuxhaven, Caen and Den Helder, before being paid off in September, 1959, having been relieved as Captain (D) by Wakeful around 17 August 1959. By this date her hull was considered to be beyond economic repair. Her last commanding officer, Captain M P Pollock MVO DSC, went on to become Admiral of the Fleet.

Disposal

Following decommissioning in 1959, she was finally scrapped in 1964 at Faslane.

Commanding Officers

FromToCaptain[2]
19551956Captain Ian M Clegg RN
19561958Captain Oswald N Bailey RN
19581959Captain Michael Pollock RN

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Whitley 2000, p. 138.
  2. 1 2 Mackie, Colin. "II: Royal Navy- Captains Commanding Warships". British Armed Forces (1900–). Retrieved 19 January 2014.

References

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