HMS Argonaut (F56) was a of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. She was built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company

Hawthorn Leslie and Company

R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:...

 of Hebburn

Hebburn

Hebburn is a small town situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in North East England, sandwiched between the towns of Jarrow and Bill Quay...

. She was launched on 8 February 1966 and commissioned on 17 August 1967.
On 31 March 1993, Argonaut was decommissioned. She was broken up a few years later.

1967–1982

In her first year, Argonaut had the honour of escorting the liner Queen Mary

RMS Queen Mary

RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...

 on her final voyage to the USA where Queen Mary would then become a hotel and museum-ship.

In 1971, Argonaut, like many other RN vessels, took part in the long-running Beira Patrol

Beira Patrol

The Beira Patrol was a blockade of oil shipments to Rhodesia through Beira, Mozambique, resulting from United Nations trade sanctions after Rhodesia declared its independence...

, an operation that was designed to prevent oil reaching Rhodesia

Rhodesia

Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...

 via the Portuguese colony of Mozambique

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...

, due to Rhodesia having declared unilateral independence under the rule of Prime Minister Ian Smith

Ian Smith

Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...

 in 1965, a move that was widely condemned across the world.

In 1974, Argonaut had to evacuate British civilians after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

Turkish invasion of Cyprus

The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...

. Argonaut underwent Exocet

Exocet

The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...

 modernisation between 1976-80, giving her a potent anti-ship capability. In 1981, Argonaut deployed as the Armilla Patrol

Armilla patrol

The Armilla patrol is the British Royal Navy's permanent presence in the Persian Gulf.The Royal Navy withdrew its forces from the Persian Gulf in 1971 in line with the UK's general retreat from imperial commitments. However, tensions in the area remained high and Royal Navy ships were still a...

 ship in the Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf

The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...

, a deployment that had actually only been created the year before.

Falklands War, 1982

In 1982 the Falkland Islands

Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...

 were invaded by Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

. An advanced group of British vessels began to steam towards Ascension Island

Ascension Island

Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...

 on the 2nd April, a territory that would play a strategic part in the eventual liberation of the Falkland Islands. On the 19th April, Argonaut, along with and two Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...

 ships Regent

RFA Regent (A486)

RFA Regent was an ammunition, explosives, food, stores ship in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Commissioned in 1967. It took part in the Falklands War. Departing from Plymouth to head South on the 19th April, 1982, , arriving in the Total Exclusion Zone on the 9th May...

 and Plumleaf

RFA Plumleaf (A78)

RFA Plumleaf was a Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary of the United Kingdom.She was launched on 29 March 1960. She displaced 26,4080 tons, with a length of 560', a beam of 72' 1" and a draught of 30' 0.25". Her 1 x 6 cylinder Doxford diesel gave the ship a top speed of 15...

 finally headed for Ascension Island. On the 29th, the group finally arrived at Ascension, and on the 6th May the Argonaut Group departed the island for the Falklands. On the 16th, the Group joined the large Amphibious Group centred around and , and on the 18th the Group met up with the Carrier Battle Group

Carrier battle group

A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...

.

On the 21st May, Argonaut, along with other destroyers and frigates, provided close escort for the amphibious vessels during the successful landing at San Carlos Water

San Carlos Water

Not to be confused with the San Carlos River.San Carlos Water is a bay/fjord on the west coast of East Falkland, facing onto the Falkland Sound.-Name:...

. On that day, Argonaut was attacked twice by Argentinian aircraft. The first attack, by an Argentinian Navy Aermacchi MB-339

Aermacchi MB-339

The Aermacchi MB-339 is an Italian military trainer and light attack aircraft. It was developed as a replacement for the earlier MB-326.-Design and development:...

, flown by Lieutenant Crippa, caused some damage, including to her Type 965 Radar, while the second attack was launched by five A-4 Skyhawk

A-4 Skyhawk

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...

s call sign Leo, which hit Argonaut with two bombs. Neither exploded, although one killed two sailors, Able Seaman Iain M. Boldy and Able Seaman Matthew J. Stuart, when it entered the ship's Sea Cat missile

Sea Cat missile

Sea Cat was a British short-range surface to air missile system intended to replace the ubiquitous Bofors 40 mm gun aboard warships of all sizes. It was the world's first operational shipboard point-defence missile system and was designed so that the Bofors guns could be replaced with minimum...

 magazine, detonating two missiles. came to the assistance of Argonaut and towed her away from immediate danger. Both bombs were still active, and it took a number of days to deactivate them, as this was very risky work, proven on the 24th May when sank after an unexploded bomb detonated while experts were attempting to deactivate it.

On the 20th June, the Falklands were liberated and the war was declared over. On the 26th June, Argonaut finally returned home to Devonport Dockyard

HMNB Devonport

Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...

 after a long journey, where she underwent repairs for her battle damage. During the repairs, new sonar equipment was fitted.

1982–1993

Argonaut came into the spotlight in 1987, when Richard Branson

Richard Branson

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....

, attempting to cross the Atlantic in a hot-air balloon had to ditch. Argonaut rescued Branson, retrieved his balloon and transported it back to safety.

In 1990, Argonaut was present at the 75th Anniversary of the Gallipoli landings

Battle of Gallipoli

The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...

, where many Government officials from a number of countries, as well as Gallipoli veterans, were present to mark the event. Three years later, on 31 March 1993, Argonaut was decommissioned, her long career now over. She was broken up a few years later.