C-Class Destroyer ordered from Vickers Armstrong,
Newcastle on 12th September 1942 and laid down on 11th March 1943. She was launched on 22nd June
1944 as the 7th RN ship to carry this name, introduced for a 6th Rate captured off Brest from
the French in 1979 but retaken nine years later. It was previously used for a Light Cruiser built in
1915 and sold in 1936. Build was completed on 6th June 1945 and she commissioned for service in the
British Pacific Fleet. This destroyer was not adopted by a civil community in
UK after a WARSHIP WEEK between 1941 and 1942 as she had not been ordered.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
JUTLAND 1916 - KOREA 1951-52
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a field Blue, a
Dragon Red on three wavelets Gold
M o t t o
Desirmais “Thereafter”
S u m m a r y o f S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
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and type name in Site Search)
1 9 4 5
May
Contractors Trials
June
6th Build completion and
commissioned for service in 8th Destroyer Flotilla
On completion of trials
and storing took passage to work-up
July
Deployed for working-up in Home waters
to
August
September
Home waters deployment in continuation
to December
(Note: Passage to Far East was delayed by manning problems.)
1 9 4 6
January
Passage to Hong Kong to join Flotilla as Tender to HMS TAMAR
to
June
July
Deployed on Far East Station
to (Note: The Eight ships
of the Flotilla did not join together.
December Other ships in
Flotilla were HM Destroyers COSSACK (Leader),
COMET, COMUS, CONCORD, CONSORT, CONTEST and
COCKADE.)
1 9 4 7
Deployed with
Flotilla and carried out patrols to protect British Flagged shipping,
Fleet and
Squadron exercises and visits to ports in Japan, Malaya and Indo China.
Based at Hong
Kong with routine dockings at Hong Kong and refits at Singapore.
1 9 4 8 to 1
9 4 9
Far East duties
with Flotilla including support of military operations against
Communist
insurgents which threatened stability in Malaya
1 9 5 0
January
Flotilla duties in continuation,
to
May
June Deployed in support of UN
operations in Korea in addition to Fleet duties
to During UN service
based in Japan at Sasebo with Rest and Recreation at
December
(Note: Ships of Flotilla spent about two months on UN service and on
return to Hong Kong continued Fleet duties and patrols to protect
British Flagged shipping which were frequently intercepted by
Chinese
warships whilst leaving or entering ports.
1 9 5 1 t o
1 9 5 2
Far East service
including UN duties in continuation.
Support of
Malaya military operations were carried out with patrols off
east and west
coasts of Malaya.
1 9 5 3 t o
1 9 54
Following
Korean War armistice in June continued UN service in addition to
Flotilla duties for exercises
and patrols off Malaya
1 9 5 4
Flotilla and UN
duties in continuation
Nominated for
return to reduce to Reserve status
1 9 5 5
Took passage to UK and returned
to Chatham
Paid off at
Chatham and reduced to Reserve.
1 9 5 6
Laid-up in
Reserve
Placed on
Disposal List.
F i n a l P ha s e
HMS CONSTANCE was sold to BISCO in arrived in tow at
Inverkeithing near Rosyth for demolition by T W Ward on 8th March 1956.