HMS RHYL
[u]Information published in the 1980 Program for Chatham Navy Days[/u]
HMS RHYL is a modified Rothesay class frigate of 2900 tons. She is the second ship to be named after the Welsh seaside resort of Rhyl in Clywd, the first being a Bangor Class minesweeper which saw action in the Mediterranean during the Second World War. You can see those battle honours displayed by the present HMS RHYL on the side of her hangar.
HMS RHYL was built.in Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in 1959 by the Prime Minister's wife, Lady Dorothy Macmillan. Her Service since commissioning in 1960 has seen her operating in all oceans of the world and she has visited ports in every continent except Antartica.
In 1974 the ship was extensively modernised with the major alterations involving the removal of one of her two triple barrelled anti-submarine mortars, her torpedo tubes and the anti aircraft bofors gun. A full-sized hangar and flight deck were added to enable her to operate her own anti-submarine helicopter, a Westland Wasp. On her hangar roof you will see the quadruple Seacat missile launcher which has considerably enhanced her anti-aircraft capability.
HMS RHYL returned from the West Indies in the middle of last month. Acting as the Belize Guardship she visited Maderia, St Kitts, Barbados, Aruba, Belize, Florida, Nassau, Monserrat and Bermuda which may explain why her Ship's Company is so tanned! Although by modern Naval standards HMS RHYL is a middle-aged lady, during that 3 I/2 months in the West Indies she steamed for over 40,000 miles on an operational patrol and she can still show a clean pair of heels to her younger sisters and is a great tribute to the excellent refit that she received in her base port of Chatham last year.
[b]Photographed at Chatham on 25 May 1980, HMS Triumph in the background[/b]
HMS RHYL
[u]Information published in the 1980 Program for Chatham Navy Days[/u]
HMS RHYL is a modified Rothesay class frigate of 2900 tons. She is the second ship to be named after the Welsh seaside resort of Rhyl in Clywd, the first being a Bangor Class minesweeper which saw action in the Mediterranean during the Second World War. You can see those battle honours displayed by the present HMS RHYL on the side of her hangar.
HMS RHYL was built.in Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in 1959 by the Prime Minister's wife, Lady Dorothy Macmillan. Her Service since commissioning in 1960 has seen her operating in all oceans of the world and she has visited ports in every continent except Antartica.
In 1974 the ship was extensively modernised with the major alterations involving the removal of one of her two triple barrelled anti-submarine mortars, her torpedo tubes and the anti aircraft bofors gun. A full-sized hangar and flight deck were added to enable her to operate her own anti-submarine helicopter, a Westland Wasp. On her hangar roof you will see the quadruple Seacat missile launcher which has considerably enhanced her anti-aircraft capability.
HMS RHYL returned from the West Indies in the middle of last month. Acting as the Belize Guardship she visited Maderia, St Kitts, Barbados, Aruba, Belize, Florida, Nassau, Monserrat and Bermuda which may explain why her Ship's Company is so tanned! Although by modern Naval standards HMS RHYL is a middle-aged lady, during that 3 I/2 months in the West Indies she steamed for over 40,000 miles on an operational patrol and she can still show a clean pair of heels to her younger sisters and is a great tribute to the excellent refit that she received in her base port of Chatham last year.
[b]Photographed at Chatham on 25 May 1980, HMS Triumph in the background[/b]