1943 BATTLE-Class destroyer ordered from John Brown at Clydebank on 10th March 1943
and laid down on 28th December that year. The ship was launched on 17th January
1945 and given this name which commemorates 1811 British victory in the
Peninsular War. It was first sued for a 5th Rate built at Deptford in 1912 and
last used for a 3rd Class Cruiser built at Portsmouth in 1889. Her build as the
4th RN warship to bear the name was completed on 14th February 1947 having been
delayed by late delivery of fire control equipment due to design changes made
since the original order.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
BENIN 1897 - SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1901
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Red, within a wreath of palm Gold, a dappled grey horse’s head,
erased
regardant Proper, gorged with a band Black charged
with a rose
between
two escallops Gold.
M o t
t o
Tout bien ou rien: “All good or nothing”
S u m m
a r y o f S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search)
1 9 4 7
February Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials
Nominated for service in 4th Destroyer
Flotilla, Home Fleet.
March On completion of trials and
work-up deployed with Flotilla in Home waters.
to
September
October Placed in Care and maintenance because of manning crisis
to
December
1 9 4 8
January Complement rejoined ship and
deployed for shakedown
to
October
November Deployed with Flotilla for Home Fleet
duties
to
December
1 9 4 9
Home Fleet
deployment including Fleet and Flotilla exercises and Fleet visits programme.
1 9 5 0
January Home Fleet deployment in
continuation
to Nominated for
reduction to Reserve
March
April Paid-off and reduced to
Reserve status
May Laid-up in Reserve
to
December
1 9 5 1 to 1 9 5 2
Laid-up in Reserve
1 9 5 3
Recommissioned and rejoined 4th Flotilla for Home Fleet
duties
Replaced HMS
JUTLAND.
1 9 5 4 to 1 9 5 8
Home Fleet
duties in continuation
Transferred to
General Service Commission in 1954
Deployed in
Mediterranean December 1954 to October 1955
1 9 5 9
Involved
in collision with sister destroyer HMS
CORUNNA in Bay of Biscay on 15th March.
Paid off into
Dockyard Control for repair
Selected for
conversion into Radar Picket
1 9 6 0 to 1 9 6 1
Under
conversion by HM Dockyard, Devonport
Completion and
Re-commissioning forecast for March 1962
1 9 6 2
Recommissioned in April and nominated for service in the
8th Destroyer Squadron, Far East Station.
Passage to
Singapore on completion of Post Refit trials and work-up for operational
service.
Deployed with
Squadron based at Singapore.
1 9 6 3 to 1 9 6 5
Deployed in
Far East with Squadron
Took part in
support operations to military defence of Borneo against incursions by Indonesian forces.
In February
1963 whilst carrying out patrol intercepted craft suspected of piracy.
During
subsequent chase by ships whaler shots were fired and one of the whaler’s crew was mortally
wounded.
In addition
to these KONFRONTASI operations ship carried out Fleet and SEATO exercises as
well as
visits to
ports in the Far east. Dockyard Refits and maintenance support was
provided at
Singapore and Hong Kong.
1 9 6 6
Returned to UK
and deployed in Home waters
1
9 6 7
Nominated for
further service in Far East with 24th
Escort Squadron.
Whilst in Home
waters ship was deployed as part of the extensive clean-up operations after the
tanker TORREY CANYON ran aground off
the Scillies
on 18th March.
Passage to
Singapore September.
1 9 6 8
Returned to UK
for Home waters service in July
Nominated for
reduction to Reserve
Paid-off and reduced to
Reserve status in December.
1 9 6 9 to 1 9 7 0
Laid-up at
Plymouth
1 9 7
1
Transferred to
Portsmouth to lay-up with Reserve Fleet.
Final Note
HMS BARROSA was placed on the
Disposal List by 1978 and sold to BISCO for demolition at Blyth
by Hughes Bolcow. She arrived in tow at the shipbreakers on 2nd August that year to be broken-up.
Special
Note
This record is not intended to be
comprehensive and it is suggested that further information may be
available through the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla Association. The
recommended contact is: Terry Parker, 54C Cheriton Road, FOLKESTONE, CT20 2DD
It is
suggested the name Eric Smith be referred to as the source. Mr Smith
served in the Flotilla and believes more information may be available through
Mr Parker.