HMS Plymouth (F126)

HMS Plymouth is a Rothesay-class frigate, which served in the United Kingdom Royal Navy from 1959 to 1988. She was named after the English city of Plymouth. Since decommissioning as a warship, Plymouth has been preserved, and opened to the public at various United Kingdom ports.

Construction
Plymouth was built at Devonport Dockyard, in her namesake city of Plymouth, and was launched by Viscountess Astor on 20 July 1959.

Active service
During her lifetime, Plymouth served in a variety of locations, including the Far East and Australia. She attended the 1977 Silver Jubilee Fleet Review off Spithead when she was part of the 8th Frigate Squadron. She saw action in the Cod Wars between the United Kingdom and Iceland and also the Falklands War in 1982.

Plymouth took part in the Cook Bicentennial celebrations held in Sydney Harbour in 1970. Prior to arriving in Sydney she called into Albany (Western Australia), Port Adelaide (South Australia) and Port Kembla (New South Wales). Whilst in Port Kembla members of the ship's company participated in the Anzac Day march through the streets of Wollongong. Going north the ship called into Brisbane to refuel, and then went on to Manila in the Philippines, and on to a short stay in Hong Kong. From Hong Kong she returned to base in Singapore. A spell inside the floating dock where her bottom was cleaned and repainted saw her ready to depart the Far East station to return home. She sailed across the Indian Ocean to refuel in the Seychelle Islands before heading for a six-week stint on Beira Patrol. The crew had few distractions and the local ferry was a chance to show off the ship turning in tight circles to make her presence known. The other distraction was the approach of the RAF Shackleton mail aircraft. The mail canisters appeared bomb-like as they fell into the sea off the starboard quarter. Finishing this duty Plymouth headed south to Simonstown. Before reaching port she was hit by a strong storm and the bow equipment was damaged. The crew enjoyed the stay in Simonstown but two members of the crew disgraced themselves there, bringing drugs on board which were confiscated on arrival in Plymouth later. The next time Plymouth left harbour it was to conduct a recruiting drive as she sailed around the UK. She visited Stornoway, Middlesbrough, and other ports.

Plymouth was one of the first Royal Navy ships to arrive in the South Atlantic following the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Plymouth alongside Antrim, Brilliant and Endurance took part in the recapturing of South Georgia on 28 April during Operation Paraquet. Plymouth landed Royal Marines from her Westland Wasp helicopters and bombarded Argentine troop positions on the island. Later her Wasp helicopter took part in an attack on the Argentinian submarine Santa Fe, which was badly damaged and later captured by Royal Marines.

Plymouth rejoined the task force and supported troops on the ground by bombarding Argentine troop positions with her 4.5 in guns.

On 8 June, Plymouth was attacked by Dagger fighter bombers of FAA Grupo 6. Able Seaman Phil Orr fired her Sea Cat missile at them,destroying two aircraft and was awarded a Task Force 317 Commendation with LS Alan Whitehead.

Plymouth was hit by four bombs and several cannon shells. One bomb hit the flight deck, detonating a depth charge and starting a fire, one went straight through her funnel and two more destroyed her Limbo anti-submarine mortar. MEM's John Fearon, David Rance, Gary Borthwick, Robin Cunningham, Alan Harsent, Ray Potts and Kevin Gallagher were part of the damage control and fire fighting teams crucial to saving the ship. All of the bombs failed to explode. Five men were injured in the attack.

The wardroom of the Plymouth was where the surrender of Argentine Forces in South Georgia was signed by Lieutenant commanderAlfredo Astiz. She returned to Rosyth Dockyard after the war for full repair and refit

The following year, Plymouth served as the West Indies guard ship. On 11 April 1984 Plymouth was involved in a collision with the German Köln-class frigate Braunschweig and in 1986 she suffered a boiler room fire, killing two sailors.

Preservation
Plymouth was decommissioned on 28 April 1988, and was the last Type 12 in service. After decommissioning, the Warship Preservation Trust acquired the ship for preservation. In 1990 she was towed to Glasgow and placed on display at a berth on the River Clyde. Subsequently she was relocated to Birkenhead's Great Float, for display alongside other ships and submarines. On 6 February 2006 the Warship Preservation Trust closed, citing financial difficulties and, by default, Plymouth is currently owned by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company following the demise of the trust. Plymouth's future as a museum ship is now uncertain. Immediately after the demise of the trust, rumours began circulating the Plymouth would be sold off to an independent company to be transformed into either a floating restaurant or floating hotel.

Plymouth City Council had expressed an interest in Plymouth, and the HMS Plymouth Preservation Trust undertook to raise the £250,000 needed to bring the warship back to her home city. It had been hoped that the frigate could be berthed at Millbay Docks, but the offer of a berth was withdrawn in January 2007 by Associated British Ports. A petition, on 10 Downing Street's E-petitions web site sought to encourage the UK government to provide a berth for the ship, but it was announced in 2012 that Plymouth has been sold for scrapping.

General

 * The history of HMS Plymouth
 * Souvenir guide to HMS Plymouth, entitled HMS Plymouth, Falklands Veteran, Her Story, no publisher or publication date declared, but dating from the period the ship was on display in Glasgow.
 * Souvenir guide to HMS Plymouth, entitled HMS Plymouth, Falklands Veteran, Her Story, no publisher or publication date declared, but dating from the period the ship was on display in Glasgow.