BATTLE-Class Group 1 Fleet
destroyer ordered from Hawthorn Leslie,
Newcastle on 27th April 1941 and
laid down on
29th December 1942. The ship was launched on
9th December 1943 as the 2nd RN ship to bear
this name, introduced in 1810
for a 3rd Rate sold in 1863. Due to
difficulties in completion and delivery of
the new Mark VI Director for control of main
armament completion of build was delayed
until 2nd July 1945.
B a t t l e H o n o
u r s
None
C
r e s t
Field:
Blue
Badge:
A Lion statant guardant within a chaplet
of laurel, all gold.
S
u m m a r y o f S
e r v i c e
(for more
ship information,
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1 9 4 5
June
Commissioned
for trials.
Nominated for service with 19th Destroyer
Flotilla in British Pacific Fleet.
July
2nd
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
trials.
August On
completion of Acceptance trials took passage
to Home Port to complete complement and
prepare
to
for equipment trials.
September Deployed
in Home waters and Mediterranean for trials
and wok-up for operational Service.
To join
Flotilla at Hong Kong on completion.
October
Worked-up in Mediterranean.
to
November
December
Passage to Hong Kong to join Flotilla
1 9 4 6
January
Passage to Australia
24th
At Melbourne
February
Deployed with Flotilla with British Pacific
Fleet for screening duties and the support
of the
to
repatriation and relief operations in the
Far East. Visits were paid by the Flotilla
to ports in
September
Japan and to Australia. Patrols were
established to ensure safe passage for
British flagged
Ships of the coasts of China and
Indo-China. He continuation of war in
China presented
many unpredictable situations for RN ships
deployed in the Far East.
(Note: The British Pacific Fleet was based
at Hong Kong as the Dockyard in Singapore
was
not
ready for support of warships. Facilities in
Hong Kong were also limited but a
Depot
Ship was available.).
October
Nominated for return to UK to pay off into
Reserve.
November
Passage to UK via Mediterranean.
26th
Arrived at Portsmouth.
December Paid-off
and destored.
Began to reduce to Reserve status.
1 9 4 7
January
Reducing to Reserve in continuation.
February
Laid up in Reserve at Portsmouth.
to
December
1 9 4 8
Laid up in Reserve.
1 9 4 9
January
Nominated for service with 3rd Destroyer
Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet.
to
Other ships of the Class to be brought
forward for this Flotilla were:
June
HM
Destroyers SAINTES (Leader), GRAVELINES and
VIGO
July
Brought forward from Reserve and prepared
for operational use.
to
Commissioned for service and carried out
trials in Home waters.
August
September Passage
to Malta with other ships of Flotilla to
relieve V-Class destroyers.
October Deployed
with Flotilla based in Malta and part of
Destroyer Command.
to
Flotilla was supported by HM Depot Ship
FORTH on board which
Flag Officer
December
(Destroyers) flew his Flag.
Ships of the Flotilla took part in
Mediterranean Fleet training exercises and
also
carried
out duty as Guardship at Alexandria and at
Trieste.
1 9 5 0
Mediterranean
Fleet duties with 3rd Destroyer Flotilla in
continuation.
Took part in Spring and Summer Fleet
Exercises and visits to ports in
Mediterranean
Maintenance and refits were carried out in
Malta.
1 9 5 1
January Mediterranean
Fleet deployment with Flotilla in
continuation.
to
Fleet visits, exercises and Guardship
duties in continuation
August
September
Nominated
for detached service at Abadan with Flotilla
in August
(Note: The Flotilla was to relieve HM
Destroyers CHEQUERS, CHEVRON, CHIEFTAIN
and
CHIVALROUS to protection British
interests after
Dr. Mossadeq , the Iranian
Leader
began moves to nationalise the Anglo Iranian
Oil Company. Mediterranean
Fleet
ships were also deployed in the eastern
Mediterranean after demands by Egypt
that
British forces should leave the Canal Zone.
These requirements followed increase
in RN
deployments in the Far East to support the
UN in Korea and
stretched all the
Fleet
resources and limited other deployments
Passage to Abadan with Flotilla.
(Note: The Flotilla was relieved in the
Mediterranean by
HM Destroyers AGINCOURT,
AISNE,
CORUNNA and JUTLAND.)
October
Deployed at Abadan until evacuation of
British nationals who were taken to
Basra
by the
Cruiser
HMS MAURITIUS.
Took passage to Malta
November
Resumed Flotilla duties at Malta.
Nominated for return to UK.
December
Deployed for Fleet duties with Flotilla at
Malta.
1 9 5 2
January Flotilla
deployment at Malta in continuation.
to
Took part in joint exercises with Home Fleet
during Mediterranean Fleet Spring cruise.
March
(Note: 3rd Destroyer Flotilla redesignated
as 3rd Destroyer Squadron.)
April
At Athens with HM Fast Minelayer MANXMAN, HM
Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier THESEUS
HM Cruiser GLASGOW and destroyers of the
Mediterranean Fleet.
May
Mediterranean
Fleet deployment with 3rd Destroyer Squadron
in continuation.
to
Took part in exercise and visits programme
with ships of the Fleet and also those of
other NATO
December countries
– France, Italy. Greece, Turkey and the USA.
(Note: A NATO Command was set up in the
Mediterranean with Headquarters in Naples.
CinC
Mediterranean remained in Malta.
1 9 5 3
1 9 5 4 t
o 1 9 5 5
Taken in hand for refit to update equipment
to latest standards required for Fleet use.
Commissioned for trials and
paid-off on completion.
Nominated for service in 3rd Destroyer
Squadron
1 9 5 6
January
Commissioned for General Service
and replaced HMS SAINTES in 3rd Destroyer
Squadron.
to
Squadron comprised HM Destroyers BARFLEUR,
ST KITTS and VIGO.
September Deployed
for Fleet duties in Home waters including
visits programme.
October Detached
with Fleet units for service in
Mediterranean after nationalisation of Suez
Canal by
Egypt. Passage to Malta to prepare for
support of Anglo-French operations against
Egypt.
November Took
part in Operation MUSKETEER.
(Note: Operation was terminated after United
Nations intervention.
December
Return passage to UK to resume duties in
Home waters.
1 9 5 7 t
o 1 9 5 9
Deployed
with 3rd Flotilla as part of Home Fleet and
took part
in Home Fleet exercise and visits programmes
as well as NATO Exercises.
(Note: During 1957 and 1958 Home Fleet ships
were deployed off Iceland for
the
protection of British fishing vessels after
the dispute with Iceland
over
fishing limits (“Cod War”).
There
was also a marked increase in Soviet
surveillance of NATO ship
movements.)
1 9 6 0
January Deployment
with Squadron in continuation with Home
Fleet.
to
On the amalgamation of the 1st and 3rd
Destroyer Squadrons nominated for reduction
to Reserve.
March
April
Paid off and reduced to Reserve.
May
Destored and laid-up in Reserve Fleet.
F i n a l P h a s e
HMS ARMADA remained in Reserve
until 1965 when she was placed on the
Disposal List. The ship was sold to BISCO on
12th November 1965 for breaking up by T W
Ward at Inverkeithing where she arrived in
tow on 18th December that year for
demolition.