HMS Falmouth (F113)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Falmouth.
HMS Falmouth
History
United Kingdom
Name: Falmouth
Namesake: Falmouth
Builder: Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson
Laid down: 23 November 1957
Launched: 15 December 1959
Commissioned: 25 July 1961
Decommissioned: July 1984
Identification: Pennant number: F113
Fate: Sold for scrap, 1989
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: Rothesay-class frigate
Displacement: 2,800 tons
Length: 370 ft
Beam: 41 ft
Draught: 17 ft 4 in
Propulsion:

2 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers

English Electric geared turbines, 2 shafts, 30000 shafts horsepower
Speed: 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement: 235
Armament:

1 × twin 4.5" (114 mm) dual-purpose guns 1 × twin 40 mm on STAAG mounting 2 x Limbo Mortar Mk 10 Mountings

12 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes

HMS Falmouth was a Rothesay-class or "Improved Type 12" anti-submarine frigate built for the Royal Navy during the 1950s. She took part in the Cod War in 1976, ramming one of the Icelandic gunboats.

Description

Falmouth displaced 2,150 long tons (2,180 t) at normal load and 2,560 long tons (2,600 t) at deep load. The ship had an overall length of 370 feet (112.8 m), a beam of 41 feet (12.5 m) and a draught of 17 feet (5.2 m) at deep load. She was powered by a pair of geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft, which developed a total of 30,000 shaft horsepower (22,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph). Steam for the turbines was provided by a pair of Babcock & Wilcox boilers. Falmouth had a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). The ship's complement was 200–35 officers and ratings.[1]

The ship mounted a pair of 4.5-inch (114 mm) Mk 6 guns in a single twin-gun turret forward. Her secondary armament consisted of a twin-gun STAAG mount for the Bofors 40-millimetre (2 in) anti-aircraft gun aft. Falmouth mounted two triple-barrelled mounts for the Limbo anti-submarine mortar. The ship carried eight fixed torpedo tubes and two twin-tube rotating mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[1] The Rothesay-class ships were equipped with a Type 170 sonar for the Limbo as well as a general-purpose Type 174 sonar. They were fitted with a Type 293Q target-indication radar and a Type 277Q surface-search radar.[2]

Construction and Career

Falmouth was laid down on 23 November 1957 by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, launched on 15 December 1959 and was completed on 25 July 1961.[3]

In August 1961 Falmouth joined the 20th Frigate Squadron based at Londonderry Port, Northern Ireland.[4] On 5 December that year, Falmouth collided with the oiler RFA Tideflow in Lyme Bay and was badly damaged.[5][6] From December 1963, Falmouth served as leader of the 30th Frigate Squadron.[7] The 30th Flotilla, including Falmouth, served as part of the Far East Fleet from September 1964 to December 1964, and again from June 1965 until December that year.[8]

On the evening of 6 May 1976, after the outcome of the Third Cod War had already been decided, the Icelandic gunboat V/s Týr was trying to cut the nets of the fishing trawler Carlisle, when Captain Gerald Plumer of Falmouth ordered it rammed. Falmouth rammed the Týr at the speed of 22+ knots (41+ km/h), almost capsizing her. Týr did not sink and managed to cut the nets of Carlisle, after which the Falmouth rammed it again. The Týr was heavily damaged and found herself propelled by only a single screw and pursued by the tug-boat Statesman. As a response Captain Guðmundur Kjærnested gave orders to man Týr's guns to deter any further ramming.[9]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon, pp. 514, 519
  2. ↑ Friedman, Chapter 10
  3. ↑ Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon, p. 519
  4. ↑ Critchley 1992, p. 106.
  5. ↑ Watson, Sam (6 March 2013). "Near Disaster to a New Ship". Maritime Quest. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  6. ↑ White, Christopher J. "RFA Tideflow". Historical RFA. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  7. ↑ Mackie, Colin (July 2016). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments, 1865–". British Armed Forces 1860–. p. 236. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  8. ↑ Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1947–2013". Royal Navy, Post 1945. Naval-history.net. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  9. ↑ Óttar Sveinsson, Útkall : Týr er að sökkva. Útkall. [Reykjavík] 2004. ISBN 9979-9569-6-8 (ib.)

Publications

External links

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