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HMS Sluys (D60)
Encyclopedia
HMS Sluys (D60) was a Battle-class
destroyer of the Royal Navy
(RN). She was named in honour of the Battle of Sluys
which occurred in 1340 during the Hundred Year's War, and which resulted in a decisive English victory over a French fleet. Sluys was built by Cammell Laird
of Birkenhead
. She was launched on 28 February 1945 and commissioned on 30 September 1946.
Upon commission, Sluys joined the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, part of the Home Fleet, which was based in the UK
. In 1947, Sluys, along with her sister-ship Cadiz
, escorted the aircraft carrier HMS Vengeance
, which was flying the flag of the First Sea Lord
, to Norway
, where the small group made a variety of fly-the-flag visits to ports, as well as performing other duties.
In 1953, Sluys was decommissioned and subsequently placed in Reserve. She was sold to Iran
in 1967 after a major rebuild which completely changed her outline. After this major refit the ship appeared with a fully enclosed bridge and equipped with a seacat missile system. This despite tensions between the UK and Iran during the 1960s, which was centred around tensions and disputes in the Middle East
. Sluys was renamed Artemiz upon joining the Iranian Navy.
After some years service with the Iranian Navy Sluys underwent another major refit, this time carried out by the Russians, and received amongst other things, a brand new Russian surface to air missile system to replace the British seacat. However, she did keep her original 4.5" mark 4 turrets, albeit with an updated radar and fire control system. It is reported that she remained in service into the 1990s, an astonishing service life, considering that by then, Sluys was very antiquated.
Battle class destroyer
The Battle class were a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . Built in three groups, the first group were ordered under the 1942 naval estimates. A modified second and third group, together with two ships of an extended design were planned for the 1943 and 1944...
destroyer 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...
(RN). She was named in honour of the Battle of Sluys
Battle of Sluys
The decisive naval Battle of Sluys , also called Battle of l'Ecluse was fought on 24 June 1340 as one of the opening conflicts of the Hundred Years' War...
which occurred in 1340 during the Hundred Year's War, and which resulted in a decisive English victory over a French fleet. Sluys was built by Cammell Laird
Cammell Laird
Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...
of 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...
. She was launched on 28 February 1945 and commissioned on 30 September 1946.
Upon commission, Sluys joined the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, part of the Home Fleet, which was based in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 1947, Sluys, along with her sister-ship Cadiz
HMS Cadiz (D79)
HMS Cadiz was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was transferred to the Pakistan Navy in 1956, and commissioned as PNS Khaibar....
, escorted the aircraft carrier HMS Vengeance
HMS Vengeance (R71)
HMS Vengeance was a Colossus class light aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy during World War II. The carrier served in three navies during her career: the Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy , and the Brazilian Navy .Constructed during World War II, Vengeance was...
, which was flying the flag of the First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
, to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, where the small group made a variety of fly-the-flag visits to ports, as well as performing other duties.
In 1953, Sluys was decommissioned and subsequently placed in Reserve. She was sold to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in 1967 after a major rebuild which completely changed her outline. After this major refit the ship appeared with a fully enclosed bridge and equipped with a seacat missile system. This despite tensions between the UK and Iran during the 1960s, which was centred around tensions and disputes in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Sluys was renamed Artemiz upon joining the Iranian Navy.
After some years service with the Iranian Navy Sluys underwent another major refit, this time carried out by the Russians, and received amongst other things, a brand new Russian surface to air missile system to replace the British seacat. However, she did keep her original 4.5" mark 4 turrets, albeit with an updated radar and fire control system. It is reported that she remained in service into the 1990s, an astonishing service life, considering that by then, Sluys was very antiquated.