HMS Yarmouth (F101)

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Yarmouth
Operator:	Royal Navy
Builder:	John Brown & Company
Laid down:	29 November 1957
Launched:	23 March 1959
Commissioned:	26 March 1960
Decommissioned:	30 April 1986
Homeport:	Rosyth, Scotland
Identification:	Pennant number: F101
Motto:	Rex et Jura Nostra (Latin: "Our King and Laws")
Nickname(s):	The Fighting 101, The Crazy 'Y', The Rubber Duck
Fate:	Sunk as target practice by HMS Manchester 16 June 1987
General characteristics
Class and type:	Rothesay-class frigate
Displacement:	2800 tons
Armament:	2 x 4.5 inch (113 mm) Mark 6 guns, 1 x quad Seacat SAM launcher, 1 x Limbo mortar, 2 x 20 mm Oerlikon guns

HMS Yarmouth was the first modified Type 12 frigate of the Rothesay class to enter service with the Royal Navy. From her commissioning in 1960, she performed in numerous roles, including the Third Cod War and the Falklands War.

Service history

From 1961 until 1966 Yarmouth was the leader of the 20th Frigate Squadron.^[1] On 13 July 1965 she collided with the submarine Tiptoe, 10 miles south east of Portland Bill. Tiptoe survived, but had to be repaired at the yards of Cammell Laird.^[2] In May 1966 she began a long refit and modernisation at Portsmouth Dockyard. The main alterations were to build a hangar and flight deck for a Wasp Helicopter and to fit Seacat anti-aircraft missiles. She re-commissioned on 1 October 1968 for service in the Western Fleet and then in the Far East Fleet. In 1971 she was present at Portsmouth Navy Days.^[3]

In April 1970 whilst on the Beira Patrol she was diverted to be a long stop for the rescue of Apollo 13. Communications in the Indian Ocean were very poor. The recovery instructions were sent from Houston to Halifax, Nova Scotia where the Royal Canadian Navy sent them by Morse Code to the ship. The recovery manual was taken down by communications ratings, two at a time, with pencil and paper. Luckily the space craft came down amongst a US Navy task force with two aircraft carriers and television cameras in the Pacific Ocean.

In March 1976, in the course of the Third Cod War, Yarmouth was rammed and heavy damaged in her bow by the Icelandic gunboat Baldur. She had to limp away from the patrol area assisted by the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service tug Rollicker. Yarmouth underwent repairs at Chatham, where she was fitted with a new bow section.^[4] The severe damage and pressure on the defense budget, saw HMS Yarmouth, offered to the RNZN later in 1976,^[5] the offer was rejected on account of the frigates age, and the view that it had not really equivalent to the second hand, Leander the RNZN wanted.

Falklands War

She carried out a variety of tasks including shore bombardment, anti-submarine patrols, covert operations and escorting merchant ships to and from the landing area. In the early hours of 23 May 1982, along with Brilliant, she intercepted and shelled the Argentine coaster Monsunen west of Lively Island; the coaster evaded capture by running aground at Seal Cove. After the San Carlos Landings (Operation Sutton) she provided air defence during the Battle of San Carlos for the landing ships in San Carlos Water. On 25 May she shot down an A4C Skyhawk (C-319), flown by Teniente Tomás Lucero, with her Sea Cat missile system. Lucero ejected and was recovered by Fearless.^[6] On 13–14 June, she and Active fired on Argentine positions during the Battle of Mount Tumbledown. During the war she fired over 1,000 shells from her 4.5" guns, mostly during shore bombardment, and 58 anti-submarine Limbo mortar rounds.

She was decommissioned in 1986, and in 1987 towed out to the North Atlantic and sunk by weapons from Manchester in that year's SinkEx on 16 June 1987.

Commanding officers

^[7]

From	To	Captain
1961	1963	Captain Denis Jermain RN
1963	1964	Captain E Gerard N Mansfield RN
1964	1966	Captain Anthony Morton RN
1969	1971	Commander R W F Gerken RN
1971	1971	Commander C J Nicholl RN
1971	1972	Commander D R W Cowling RN
1972	1973	Commander RJF Turner RN
1973	197?	Commander IW Powe RN
1977	1979	Lieutenant Commander D E Western RN

References

1. Royal Navy Senior Appointments, Colin Mackie
2. "The Tiptoe Incident".
3. Programme, Navy Days Portsmouth, 29th-31st August 1971, p17.
4. Yarmouth (1976)
5. Timaru Herald. New Navy Frigate, Wellington ( ex HMS Bachantee) Refit.NZ..Feb 1986. Information supplied in response NZ Freedom of Information Request to NZ MOD, 1985
6. Falklands the Air War. Arms & Armour Press. p. 112. ISBN 0-85368-842-7.
7. Royal Navy Senior Appointments, Colin Mackie

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.
• Marriott, Leo, 1983. Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983, Ian Allen Ltd, Surrey. ISBN 0 7110 1322 5

External links

• HMS Yarmouth - a former crewmembers' website

External video

Lt Lucero rescued after being shot down by HMS Yarmouth (7:10)