HMS Saintes was a 1942 Battle-class fleet destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She and 15 sister ships being ordered under the 1942 defence estimates. The ship was named after the Battle of the Saintes, a Royal Navy victory over a French fleet intending to invade Jamaica in 1782. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name. Saintes was built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company on the Tyne. The vessel was launched on 19 July 1944 and commissioned on 27 September 1946.
When Saintes first commissioned in 1946 she joined the 5th Destroyer Flotilla and was used to trial the new 4.5-inch Mk 6 twin turret which became the standard destroyer main armament until well into the 1970s.[1]
Saintes paid off on completion of the trials and was refitted with the conventional main armament of the class. In 1949, Saintes recommissioned into the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla and deployed to the Mediterranean where she took over as Captain (D)3, the senior officer in command of the flotilla.
In 1954, whilst still in the Mediterranean, Saintes came to the assistance of the merchant vessel Empire Windrush, which had suffered an engine room explosion and fire whilst carrying troops and their families home from the Far East. Saintes took charge of the rescue operation and put fire and towing parties aboard and attempted to tow the ship to Gibraltar but Empire Windrush foundered whilst under tow. Apart from the four engine room staff killed in the original explosion all crew and passengers were rescued unharmed.
Saintes remained Captain of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron until she went for a major refit in 1956 at Rosyth when her crew transferred to her sister ship Armada. On completion of her refit in 1958, Saintes again took over as Captain of the Squadron, this time as part of a General Service commission spending a part of the time with the Home Fleet and part of the time with the Mediterranean Fleet. In 1960, Saintes recommissioned with the 1st Destroyer Squadron, again having spells with the Home and Mediterranean Fleets.[2]
Decommissioning and disposal
Saintes was paid off in May 1962 at Devonport. The ship was then towed to Rosyth by a towing crew of volunteers from her last commission. At Rosyth Saintes became the training ship for Artificer Apprentices from the shore establishment Caledonia. Her armament was mothballed but her engines were maintained in full working order by the trainees. Saintes was broken up at Cairn Ryan in 1972.
Hodges, Peter (1971). Battle Class Destroyers. London: Almark Publishing. ISBN0-85524-012-1.
Marriott, Leo (1989). Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allan Ltd.
February 11, 2023
saintes, saintes, 1942, battle, class, fleet, destroyer, royal, navy, sister, ships, being, ordered, under, 1942, defence, estimates, ship, named, after, battle, saintes, royal, navy, victory, over, french, fleet, intending, invade, jamaica, 1782, been, only, . HMS Saintes was a 1942 Battle class fleet destroyer of the Royal Navy RN She and 15 sister ships being ordered under the 1942 defence estimates The ship was named after the Battle of the Saintes a Royal Navy victory over a French fleet intending to invade Jamaica in 1782 So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Saintes was built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company on the Tyne The vessel was launched on 19 July 1944 and commissioned on 27 September 1946 HMS SaintesHistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS SaintesOrdered1942BuilderHawthorn Leslie and CompanyLaid down8 June 1943Launched19 July 1944Commissioned27 September 1946DecommissionedMay 1962FateBroken up at Cairn Ryan 1972General characteristicsClass and typeBattle class destroyerDisplacement2 325 tonsLength379 ft 116 m Beam40 25 ft 12 27 m Draught13 ft 4 0 m Propulsion2 shaft geared turbines 50 000 shp 37 MW Speed32 knots 59 km h Complement247ArmamentFinal configuration 4 4 5 in 114 mm guns 2 twin Mk4 turrets Bofors 40 mm 5 single Mk7 2 twin Mk5 8 21 inch 533 mm torpedo tubes 2 x 4 1 triple barrel Squid depth charge mortar Contents 1 Royal Navy service 2 Decommissioning and disposal 3 References 4 PublicationsRoyal Navy service EditWhen Saintes first commissioned in 1946 she joined the 5th Destroyer Flotilla and was used to trial the new 4 5 inch Mk 6 twin turret which became the standard destroyer main armament until well into the 1970s 1 Saintes paid off on completion of the trials and was refitted with the conventional main armament of the class In 1949 Saintes recommissioned into the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla and deployed to the Mediterranean where she took over as Captain D 3 the senior officer in command of the flotilla In 1954 whilst still in the Mediterranean Saintes came to the assistance of the merchant vessel Empire Windrush which had suffered an engine room explosion and fire whilst carrying troops and their families home from the Far East Saintes took charge of the rescue operation and put fire and towing parties aboard and attempted to tow the ship to Gibraltar but Empire Windrush foundered whilst under tow Apart from the four engine room staff killed in the original explosion all crew and passengers were rescued unharmed Saintes remained Captain of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron until she went for a major refit in 1956 at Rosyth when her crew transferred to her sister ship Armada On completion of her refit in 1958 Saintes again took over as Captain of the Squadron this time as part of a General Service commission spending a part of the time with the Home Fleet and part of the time with the Mediterranean Fleet In 1960 Saintes recommissioned with the 1st Destroyer Squadron again having spells with the Home and Mediterranean Fleets 2 Decommissioning and disposal EditSaintes was paid off in May 1962 at Devonport The ship was then towed to Rosyth by a towing crew of volunteers from her last commission At Rosyth Saintes became the training ship for Artificer Apprentices from the shore establishment Caledonia Her armament was mothballed but her engines were maintained in full working order by the trainees Saintes was broken up at Cairn Ryan in 1972 References Edit Marriott 1989 p 72 Marriott 1989 p 75Publications EditColledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 Hodges Peter 1971 Battle Class Destroyers London Almark Publishing ISBN 0 85524 012 1 Marriott Leo 1989 Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945 Ian Allan Ltd Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Saintes D84 amp oldid 1089369186, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
