HMS Plymouth is a ‘Rothesay’ class, type 12, anti-submarine Frigate.   Her keel was laid down in Devonport on 1^st July 1958 and she was launched just over a year later on 20^th July 1959, the ceremony being carried out by Nancy, Viscountess Astor.   Her fitting out was completed two years later in Plymouth, and she was commissioned on 11^th May 1961.   Powered by twin steam turbines, providing propulsion to two screws, she was capable of a top speed of 28knots.   Her dimensions are 373^ft (113m) in length by 43^ft (13m) breadth, with a draught of 17^ft (5m) and a displacement of 2,800 tonnes.   Armament consisted of two 4.5" guns, four 20mm guns. She carried a normal compliment of 250 officers and crew.

Her first commissions as part of the 4^th Frigate Squadron and the 22^nd and 29^th Escort Squadrons were to take her to the Far East, participating in various exercises and operations, before returning in 1966 to the Naval Dockyard at Chatham for a substantial re-fit.   Re-emerging in the January of 1969 the conversion work had entailed:-
The provision of a flight deck for the Wasp helicopter along with the subsequent removal of one of the Mortars.  The installation of a Sea Cat missile system to replace her 40mm guns, and a program of general modernisation work throughout the vessel.

For the next few years she would spend time in the Indian Ocean, Far East, Australia and a number of European ports, before returning home to Devonport, for a re-fit.

The next commission took HMS Plymouth to the West Indies for the first time, returning home eighteen months later in the February 1973.  After a short period in Icelandic waters and the Mediterranean she docked in Gibraltar for further maintenance, returning to Britain on 11th December 1974.  Leaving the UK in 1975 as a member of the 8th Frigate Squadron she participated in exercises in the Mediterranean, South China Sea and Australia, returning via the USA and Caribbean, before further exercises en-route back to Britain whilst crossing the Atlantic.  The remainder of the decade she would be found in more local waters being engaged in coastal patrols as well as work in the Mediterranean and Atlantic.  In 1977 HMS Plymouth was present at Spithead for the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, and in July 1978 HMS Plymouth returned to the UK for a major re-fit, being re-commissioned on 23rd January 1981.

Going South

Falkland Sound - The calm before the storm

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.

HMS Plymouth was then assigned to provide cover for the aircraft carriers and amphibious vessels and was the first vessel to enter San Carlos Water.  On May 21^st she came to the assistance of the bomb damaged Leander Class Frigate HMS Argonaut.  HMS Plymouth was attacked herself on June 8^th by five Mirage aircraft.  Although she managed to destroy two and damage another two, HMS Plymouth 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.  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.  After the surrender of Stanley, HMS Plymouth was the first ship to enter Stanley Harbour and it was in her wardroom that Lieutenant Commander Astiz signed the surrender document on March 20^th.

HMS Plymouth left the Falklands with the County Class Destroyer HMS Glamorgan on June 21^st, and returned to Rosyth on July 14^th where she underwent full repairs.  She had steamed 34,000 miles, fired over nine hundred 4.5 inch shells and destroyed five enemy aircraft.

Uncertainty

Millbay Docks

On 11^th March 1984 HMS Plymouth collided with the German Frigate FGS Braunschweig.  In 1986 she suffered a fire in her boiler room killing two people and requiring repairs at Rosyth.

HMS Plymouth was to spend the bulk of her remaining service in and around the Caribbean along with some time in home waters before returning to port for de-commissioning.

HMS Plymouth decommissioned on April 28^th 1988, and was the last Type 12 in service.

It was likely that HMS Plymouth would have eventually been sunk at sea as a missile or torpedo target, or failing that, been sold for breaking up.  However a dedicated group of volunteers, including Dr David Owen (former Devonport MP) campaigned to have her preserved for public display.  She was opened to the public on an experimental basis for one year at Trinity Pier, Millbay Docks, Plymouth.

HMS Plymouth was saved by the Warship Preservation Trust.   After discussions with various local authorities and spell in the Cammel Laird Shipyard undergoing some essential maintenance she was finally moved to East Float Dock, Birkenhead.  In a joint partnership with Wirral Borough Council she opened to the public for the first time in May 1992.  Accompanied by a growing collection of other historical vessels, including a salvaged German U-boat, HMS Plymouth now plays a central role in this fascinating venture.