HMS Chichester (F59)

Chichester was first commissioned in 1958, joining the 4th Frigate Squadron, which alternated between duties in Home waters and the Far East.^[15] On 10 September 1958, Chichester rescued the crew of the coaster Concha, which had caught fire off Milford Haven after an explosion in her engine room. The frigate put a firefighting party aboard the blazing coaster, but despite these efforts the fire could not be contained and Concha sank while under tow by the tug Sheila.^[16][17] On 2 November 1958, Chichester, together with the cruiser Ceylon and the frigate Loch Fyne embarked British troops from Aqaba, Jordan. The troops had been deployed to Jordan earlier in the year following a request by King Hussain of Jordan due to instability in the Middle East following the establishment of the United Arab Republic and the overthrow of the Iraqi monarchy.^[18] The commission took her through the Mediterranean to the Far East returning via South Africa and South America. In 1963–4 she was refitted in Chatham with macks (masts and stacks) along with type 965 & 993 radar. In 1968 she deployed for Fishery Protection duties and was accused by the Soviet Union of spying on Soviet naval exercises.^[19] During December 1969, Chichester was deployed on the Beira Patrol, attempting to stop the supply of oil to Rhodesia via the Mozambique port of Beira.^[20]

Towards the end of her career, in 1971, the Type 61 frigate was refitted as a Hong Kong guard ship, to replace an ageing Type 12 frigate believed to be HMS Whitby, due in part to her good range conferred by her diesel machinery. Her radar fit was reduced to radar 978, 993M and the 275, Mk 6 director for the twin 4.5 and a more suitable light arms for patrol off Hong Kong of two single 20mm guns and a single 40mm Bofors.^[21]

The election of the Labour Government in 1974 saw a further reduction of naval forces, east of Suez with the frigate being supplemented by five Ton Class minesweepers converted for Patrol duties, as the largest vessels maintaining a presence for protection of British interests. Chichester left Hong Kong in the spring of 1976 to return to the UK, via Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands in response to RRS Shackleton being fired on by the Argentine destroyer ARA Almirante Storni.

Following decommissioning Chichester arrived for scrapping at Queenborough on 17 March 1981.^[13]

• Blackman, Raymond V.B. (1971). Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. ISBN 0-354-00096-9.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (3rd Rev ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
• Critchley, Mike (1992). British Warships Since 1945: Part 5: Frigates. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Press. ISBN 0-907771-13-0.
• Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen, eds. (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Marriott, Leo (1983). Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1322-5.
• Roberts, John (2009). Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy. Annapolis, Maryland, US: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-812-8.