HMS Cleopatra (F28)

HMS Cleopatra (F28) was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy (RN). Cleopatra was built at HMNB Devonport. She was launched on 25 March 1964 and commissioned on 4 January 1966.

Operational Service
Upon Cleopatra's commissioning, she joined the 2nd Destroyer Squadron, Far East Fleet and then participated in the Beira Patrol, which was designed to prevent oil reaching the landlocked Rhodesia via the then Portuguese colony of Mozambique (Lorenzo Marques).

In 1969, Cleopatra was present at the Evans-Melbourne collision.

In 1971, HMS Cleopatra's helicopter crash landed into the sea.

In 1972, Cleopatra took part in escort duties during the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's South East Asia tour. In 1973, Cleopatra was dispatched to protect British trawlers against the Icelandic Coast Guard in the Second Cod War. Afterwards, Cleopatra began her modernisation, becoming the first Batch Two Leander to do so, which included the removal of her one twin 4.5-in gun to allow the addition of the Exocet anti-ship missile system. In 1977, Cleopatra, like many other Leanders, took part in the Fleet Review of the RN in celebration of HM the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Cleopatra was positioned in the middle of HM ships Zulu and Arethusa. At this time she was part of the 4th Frigate Squadron.

The National Archives records that MOD has on file details of intelligence collection activities by Cleopatra in January–March 1978. The original document is still closed, but the bare fact of the activity itself is available.

In 1981, Cleopatra deployed to the Mediterranean, which still had a large RN presence at the time. The following year, Cleopatra was fitted with the new towed array sonar. Further duties were undertaken but by the late 1980s, Cleopatra's age was beginning to show and her time was coming to an end. On 31 January 1992, Cleopatra was decommissioned. The following year, Cleopatra was sold for scrap.

Publications

 * Marriot, Leo, 1983. Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983, Ian Allen Ltd.  ISBN 07110 1322 5
 * Marriot, Leo, 1983. Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983, Ian Allen Ltd.  ISBN 07110 1322 5