Some History
HMS Plymouth is a ‘Rothesay’ class, type 12, anti-submarine Frigate. Her keel was laid down in Devonport
on 1st July 1958 and she was launched just over a year later on 20th July 1959.
HMS Plymouth participated in the 1982 Falklands Conflict. She sailed with Tide Class Tanker
RFA Tidepool and County Class Destroyer HMS Antrim to South Georgia with Royal Marines and SAS aboard.
Plymouth in better days
HMS Plymouth was assigned to provide cover for the aircraft carriers and amphibious vessels and was the
first vessel to enter San Carlos Water. On May 21st she came to the assistance of the bomb damaged Leander
Class Frigate HMS Argonaut. HMS Plymouth was attacked herself on June 8th by five Mirage aircraft and was hit by four bombs and numerous shells.
One shell hit her flight deck, detonating a depth charge and starting a fire. Another bomb entered her funnel and
failed to explode, whilst the other two destroyed her anti-submarine mortar but also failed to explode. Five men were
injured in the attack and HMS Plymouth was assisted in putting the fires out by HMS Avenger.
At approximately 1715hrs. Lt. Cdr Alfredo Astiz signed the Argentine surrender document in the Wardroom of HMS Plymouth on the 26th April.
She then underwent
emergency repairs from the Stena Seaspread before rejoining the fleet. She then provided naval gunfire bombardment
during the retaking of the island. HMS Plymouth left the Falklands with the County Class Destroyer HMS Glamorgan on June 21st, and returned to Rosyth on July 14th where she underwent full repairs. She had steamed 34,000 miles,
fired over nine hundred 4.5 inch shells and destroyed five enemy aircraft.
AND PRESENT DAY
Hms Plymouth is sat in a peel port dock in Birkenhead and has just been sold (may 2012) to a Turkish scrap company to be deconstructed so her fate is sealed despite many rescue attempts the game is sadly up for her.
She has in the past been opened to the public as a historic warship museum and in this year which is the 30th anniversary of the Falklands conflict she will be no more
here is a video of my visit to this beautiful old Girl
http://youtu.be/n7a_-9VqyjI
and some pictures
Today tatty outside but still beautiful here sat at her Berth in Birkenhead
Depth charge deployment
Plymouths 4.5" guns, these were kept busy during the Falklands conflict firing some 900 rounds
The poop deck is in disarray
Inside was eerie and the main corridor was called "Armada Way" looking in great condition, on the floor is a smoke mask
A Comms room..fabulous
Naafi were we found loads of foriegn packs of ****
Magazine system that feeds the 4.5 inch shells up to the huge guns at the froward end
Accommodation is not 5 star
The main corridor is called Armada Way
The mast
Rope and bow
My video of the visit here
http://youtu.be/n7a_-9VqyjI
.
HMS Plymouth is a ‘Rothesay’ class, type 12, anti-submarine Frigate. Her keel was laid down in Devonport
on 1st July 1958 and she was launched just over a year later on 20th July 1959.
HMS Plymouth participated in the 1982 Falklands Conflict. She sailed with Tide Class Tanker
RFA Tidepool and County Class Destroyer HMS Antrim to South Georgia with Royal Marines and SAS aboard.
Plymouth in better days
HMS Plymouth was assigned to provide cover for the aircraft carriers and amphibious vessels and was the
first vessel to enter San Carlos Water. On May 21st she came to the assistance of the bomb damaged Leander
Class Frigate HMS Argonaut. HMS Plymouth was attacked herself on June 8th by five Mirage aircraft and was hit by four bombs and numerous shells.
One shell hit her flight deck, detonating a depth charge and starting a fire. Another bomb entered her funnel and
failed to explode, whilst the other two destroyed her anti-submarine mortar but also failed to explode. Five men were
injured in the attack and HMS Plymouth was assisted in putting the fires out by HMS Avenger.
At approximately 1715hrs. Lt. Cdr Alfredo Astiz signed the Argentine surrender document in the Wardroom of HMS Plymouth on the 26th April.
She then underwent
emergency repairs from the Stena Seaspread before rejoining the fleet. She then provided naval gunfire bombardment
during the retaking of the island. HMS Plymouth left the Falklands with the County Class Destroyer HMS Glamorgan on June 21st, and returned to Rosyth on July 14th where she underwent full repairs. She had steamed 34,000 miles,
fired over nine hundred 4.5 inch shells and destroyed five enemy aircraft.
AND PRESENT DAY
Hms Plymouth is sat in a peel port dock in Birkenhead and has just been sold (may 2012) to a Turkish scrap company to be deconstructed so her fate is sealed despite many rescue attempts the game is sadly up for her.
She has in the past been opened to the public as a historic warship museum and in this year which is the 30th anniversary of the Falklands conflict she will be no more
here is a video of my visit to this beautiful old Girl
http://youtu.be/n7a_-9VqyjI
and some pictures
Today tatty outside but still beautiful here sat at her Berth in Birkenhead
Depth charge deployment
Plymouths 4.5" guns, these were kept busy during the Falklands conflict firing some 900 rounds
The poop deck is in disarray
Inside was eerie and the main corridor was called "Armada Way" looking in great condition, on the floor is a smoke mask
A Comms room..fabulous
Naafi were we found loads of foriegn packs of ****
Magazine system that feeds the 4.5 inch shells up to the huge guns at the froward end
Accommodation is not 5 star
The main corridor is called Armada Way
The mast
Rope and bow
My video of the visit here
http://youtu.be/n7a_-9VqyjI
.
