COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE

Maritime Heritage
Part 4: HMS Plymouth

Issue Date: 27th March 2007







Named after British coastal resorts, H.M.S. Plymouth is a 'Rothesay' class, type 12, anti-submarine Frigate, one of nine built between November 1956 and July 1958. Her keel was laid down in Devonport on 1st July 1958 and she was launched just over a year later on 20th July 1959, the ceremony being carried out by the Right Honourable Nancy, Viscountess Astor, CH. Her fitting out was completed two years later in Plymouth.

Powered by twin steam turbines, providing propulsion to two screws, she was capable of a top speed of 28knots. Her dimensions are 373ft (113m) in length by 43ft (13m) breadth, with a draught of 17ft (5m) and a displacement of 2,800 tonnes. Armament consisted of two 4.5 inch guns, a 40mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft gun, two three barrelled Limbo anti-submarine mortars and twelve 21 inch torpedo tubes (later removed) She carried a normal compliment of 250 officers and crew.

Her first commissions as part of the 4th Frigate Squadron and the 22nd and 29th Escort Squadrons were to take her to the Far East, participating in various exercises and operations, before returning in 1966 to the Naval Dockyard at Chatham for a substantial re-fit. Re-emerging in the January of 1969 the conversion work had entailed the provision of a flight deck for the Wasp helicopter along with the subsequent removal of one of the Mortars, the installation of a Sea Cat missile system to replace her 40mm guns and a programme of general modernisation work throughout the vessel.

For the next few years she would spend time in the Indian Ocean, Far East, Australia and a number of European ports, before returning home to Devonport for a re-fit. The next commission took H.M.S. Plymouth to the West Indies for the first time, returning home eighteen months later in the February of 1973. After a short period in Icelandic waters during the 2nd 'Cod War', and the Mediterranean, she docked in Gibraltar for further maintenance, returning to Britain on 11th December 1974. Leaving the UK in 1975 as a member of the 8th Frigate Squadron she participated in exercises in the Mediterranean, South China Sea and Australia, returning via the USA and Caribbean, before further exercises en-route back to Britain whilst crossing the Atlantic. The remainder of the decade she would be found in more local waters being engaged in coastal patrols, as well as work in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. In July 1978 H.M.S. Plymouth returned to the UK for a major re-fit, being re-commissioned on 23rd January 1981.

1982 was to become the most significant chapter in H.M.S. Plymouth's history. She was to take part in every campaign in the Falklands conflict, fire over 900 4.5 inch shells, destroy 5 enemy aircraft and steam a total of 34,000 miles.

After the recapturing of South Georgia (the surrender document was signed in her wardroom), H.M.S. Plymouth headed north to join the Task Force. One of her many missions was to support the special forces operating around Fox Bay., firing on fuel stores and ammo dumps at specific locations radioed back to her by the SBS and 148 Commando. By the time H.M.S. Plymouth was able to retrieve the team, struggling through the thick kelp, a large amount of blind AAA and machine gun fire was being directed wildly and dangerously out to sea in the hope of finding a target.

Her darkest hour of the conflict came when on 8th June she was attacked, whilst alone, by Argentinean Mirage fighters. Although destroying two of the jets and damaging two others, several bombs and multiple cannon shells hit H.M.S. Plymouth causing considerable damage, but fortunately no fatalities amongst the crew. Emergency repairs were carried out to restore most of her fighting capability and she returned to the action on 14th June. She was to be the first Royal Navy Warship to enter Stanley (Port Stanley in 1982) Harbour on 17th June, when she took on the role of Acting Queens Harbour Master.

Following the Argentinean surrender, H.M.S. Plymouth left the task force returning home to a tumultuous welcome in Rosyth on 11th July 1982. After proper repair she was to spend the bulk of her remaining service in and around the Caribbean before returning to port for de-commissioning on 28th April 1988.

Laid up in the River Tamar, it was likely that she would have eventually been sunk at sea as a missile or torpedo target, or failing that, been sold for breaking up. However, a dedicated group of volunteers, including Dr. David Owen, Member of Parliament for Devonport, campaigned to have her preserved for public display. The Warship Preservation Trust was formed, chaired by Sir Philip Goodhart, and she was saved from her watery grave by donations given by various local businesses and the generosity of the great British public.

She was opened to the public at Trinity Pier, Millbay Docks, Plymouth, on an experimental basis for 14 months, during which time 88,000 visitors paid to visit her. However, a more permanent berth could not be offered and she was towed to Glasgow, where she became part of the Glasgow 1990 celebrations.

Once again no permanent berth was on offer, and following discussions with various local authorities, Wirral Borough Council came to her rescue and in a joint partnership she was opened to the public at East Float Dock, Birkenhead, Merseyside, in May 1992.

Over the years, other vessels were added to the 'fleet', most recently His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales former command, the minesweeper H.M.S. Bronington. However, at the end of 2005 The Warship Preservation Trust was told it would have to move the vessels, at a cost of around £250,000, because of the conversion of nearby corn warehouses into luxury apartments. A temporary berth was identified for the collection, but would have required a second £250,000 move. This was to prove the death knell for the Trust and the collection of vessels was ultimately closed to the public at 4pm on 5th February 2006. H.M.S. Plymouth was laid up in Vittoria Dock, Birkenhead, once again to await her fate.

Despite considerable fundraising, including £20k raised by her former ships company, no suitable berth has been found. It is sad for the team, the city, thousands of potential visitors this summer and most importantly, those whose loved ones are remembered in the chapel onboard. She will doubtless end her days in a scrap-yard abroad if a berth can't be found quickly for her this year, the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War.

25 years on, the lack of a berth could well do what the Argentinean Air Force failed to do … sink H.M.S. Plymouth.

We acknowledge with thanks the assistance of the H.M.S. Plymouth Association and the Naval Historical Branch.

Technical details:

Artist John Batchelor
Printer BDT International Security Printing
Process Lithography
Perforation 14 per 2cms
Stamp size 28.45 x 42.58mm
Sheet Layout 50 (2 x 25)
Release date 27th March 2007
Production Co-ordination Creative Direction (Worldwide) Ltd

H.M.S. Plymouth Badge is A Mark of the Secretary of State for Defence

The gutters of each sheet also carry the official 'Falklands 25' logo with permission.



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