HMS Wizard (R72)

Wizard in May 1945
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Wizard
Ordered:	December 1941
Builder:	Vickers-Armstrong
Yard number:	833
Laid down:	14 September 1942
Launched:	29 September 1943
Commissioned:	30 March 1944
Reclassified:	Converted to Type 15 frigate 1954
Identification:	pennant number R72/F72
Motto:	Endless endeavour
Fate:	Sold for scrap 16 February 1967
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	W-class destroyer

HMS Wizard was a W-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II.

Second World War service

During the war Wizard was adopted by the Borough of Wood Green in London as part of Warship Week. The plaque from this adoption is held by the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.^[1]

Post War service

From 1946 until 1951 Wizard served in the Plymouth local flotilla.^[2] During 1953 and 1954 she was converted at Devonport Dockyard into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F72.^[3]

In 1956 Wizard was part of the 5th Frigate Squadron and was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean as part of the Royal Navy force which took part in the Suez Crisis. On return to UK in May 1957 the frigate refitted at Chatham before joining the Dartmouth Training Squadron for two years before being deployed in the West Indies with the 8th Frigate Squadron until 1964. On return she resumed Cadet training and remained with the Dartmouth Squadron until 1966.^[3]

Decommissioning and disposal

In 1966 she was paid-off and was reduced to Reserve status. She was then placed on the Disposal List and sold to Thos W Ward for demolition on 16 February 1967. Taken in tow to Inverkeithing she arrived at the breaker’s yard on 7 March that year.

Commanding Officers

From	To	Captain
1950	1951
1953	1954	Under conversion to Type 15 Frigate
1956	1956	Commander J Jungius RN
1962	1963	Commander W D Jenks RN

References

1. "Warship Weeks: Adopting Naval Vessels in World War Two". Royal Naval Museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
2. Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 78. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.
3. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2001). Gordon Smith, ed. "HMS Wizard (R 72) - W-class Destroyer". naval-history.net. Retrieved 19 May 2015.

Publications

• Colledge, 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. OCLC 67375475.
• Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.