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HMS Birmingham (D86)
Encyclopedia
HMS Birmingham (D86) was a Type 42
destroyer
laid down by Cammell Laird and Company, Limited, at Birkenhead
on 28 March 1972, launched on 30 July 1973 by Lady Empson, wife of Sir Derek Empson
and commissioned on 3 December 1976.
She was named for the city of Birmingham
, England
.
"The Brum" spent much of her useful life as Fleet Contingency Ship (FCS 1) and spent considerable time in the post-Falklands conflict
patrol role. In 1984 she patrolled the Falklands and acted as a radar picket ship along with HMS Broadsword
and HMS Ajax
. In 1985 she took part in StanNavForMed (Standing Naval Force Mediterranean), calling at Gibraltar
, Palma de Mallorca
, Naples
, & Messina. On completion of de-ammunitioning at Rosyth
and being sent for a successful refit at Rosyth dockyard, she returned to Portsmouth in 1988 for sea trials and re-acceptance to the fleet. Commanded by Roy Clare, now Director of the Maritime Museum in London, her first deployment post-refit was a tour to the Persian Gulf region, returning in March 1989.
Birmingham paid off at Portsmouth
on 10 December 1999. In early January 2000, and under her own power, she sailed to Devonport
where, for the next two months, she was stripped of all her usable equipment. She was eventually towed back to Portsmouth in May 2000 where she was sold for scrap and left Portsmouth under tow for Spain
on 20 October 2000.
Type 42 destroyer
The Type 42 or Sheffield class, are guided missile destroyers used by the British Royal Navy and the Argentine Navy. The first ship of the class was ordered in 1968 and launched in 1971, and today three ships remain active in the Royal Navy and one in the Argentinian Navy...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
laid down by Cammell Laird and Company, Limited, at Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
on 28 March 1972, launched on 30 July 1973 by Lady Empson, wife of Sir Derek Empson
Derek Empson
Admiral Sir Derek Empson GBE KCB was Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command.-Naval career:Educated at Eastbourne College, Empson joined the Royal Navy as a pilot 1940. He served in the Fleet Air Arm during World War II....
and commissioned on 3 December 1976.
She was named for the city of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
"The Brum" spent much of her useful life as Fleet Contingency Ship (FCS 1) and spent considerable time in the post-Falklands conflict
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
patrol role. In 1984 she patrolled the Falklands and acted as a radar picket ship along with HMS Broadsword
HMS Broadsword (F88)
HMS Broadsword was the lead ship and first Batch 1 unit of the Type 22 frigates of the Royal Navy.-Service:While on sea trials, Broadsword was called into service as the command ship during the large rescue operation required after storms struck the 1979 Fastnet race.Broadsword took part in the...
and HMS Ajax
HMS Ajax (F114)
HMS Ajax was a of the Royal Navy. She was built by the famous Cammell Laird company of Birkenhead. Ajax was launched on 16 August 1962 and commissioned on 10 December 1963...
. In 1985 she took part in StanNavForMed (Standing Naval Force Mediterranean), calling at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
, Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, & Messina. On completion of de-ammunitioning at Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
and being sent for a successful refit at Rosyth dockyard, she returned to Portsmouth in 1988 for sea trials and re-acceptance to the fleet. Commanded by Roy Clare, now Director of the Maritime Museum in London, her first deployment post-refit was a tour to the Persian Gulf region, returning in March 1989.
Birmingham paid off at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
on 10 December 1999. In early January 2000, and under her own power, she sailed to Devonport
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...
where, for the next two months, she was stripped of all her usable equipment. She was eventually towed back to Portsmouth in May 2000 where she was sold for scrap and left Portsmouth under tow for Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on 20 October 2000.
External links
- Photographs of HMS Birmingham (D86):
