HMS Diamond (D35)

British Royal Navy destroyer, launched 1950 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

HMS Diamond was a Daring-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland, and launched on 14 June 1950. This ship was John Brown & Company's first all-welded ship (as opposed to the rivetted construction more commonly used up to that time).[1]

NameHMS Diamond
Ordered24 January 1945
Yard number632 [1]
Quick facts History, United Kingdom ...
HMS Diamond, July 1952
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Diamond
Ordered24 January 1945
BuilderJohn Brown & Company, Clydebank
Yard number632 [1]
Laid down15 March 1949
Launched14 June 1950 [2]
Commissioned21 February 1952
IdentificationPennant number: D35
Motto
  • Honor clarissima gemma
  • (Latin: "Honour is the brightest jewel")
FateScrapped at Rainham, Kent, 12 November 1981 [1]
Badge
General characteristics
Class & typeDaring-class destroyer
DisplacementStandard: 2,830 tons, full load: 3,820 tons [1]
Length391 ft (119 m)
Beam43 ft (13 m)
Draught22.6 ft (6.9 m)
Propulsion
Speed30 knots (56 km/h)
Range4,400 nautical miles (8,100 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
ComplementApproximately 300
Sensors &
processing systems
Armament
Close

Service history

In 1953 Diamond took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[3] On 29 September 1953, she sustained severe bow damage in a collision with the cruiser Swiftsure during Exercise Mariner, held off the coast of Iceland.[4][5]

In 1956 Diamond was sent into Port Said to show the flag prior to the Franco-British assault, but the Egyptian government was unmoved and she sailed out to join the main attack force for the Suez landings at Port Said. She underwent a refit in 1959 at Chatham Dockyard. In 1964 she was involved in another collision, this time with the frigate Salisbury, in the English Channel during a naval demonstration.[6]

HMS Diamond leaving Portsmouth for the last time

In 1970, she became one of two Harbour Training Ships moored alongside Priddy's Hard jetty in Gosport and attached to the Marine Engineering School at nearby HMS Sultan and remained in this role until replaced by HMS Londonderry. For most of this time, her steam plant remained maintained and useable for watchkeeping familiarisation purposes. HMS Diamond was scrapped in Rainham in Kent in 1981.[1]

References

Publications

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI