HMS Scarborough
Ships Statistics
Length: 370' overall - Beam: 41' - Draught: 12'
Displacement: 2,150 Tons Standard
2,560 tons Full Load
Armament: 2 x 4.5” (twin turret)
2 x 40mm Bofors Anti-Air (twin)
Anti-Submarine
Weapons: 12 x 21" torpedo tubes (8 single fixed and two twin which could be trained)
2 Limbo three-barreled depth charge mortars
Machinery: 2 Shafts - 2 sets double reduction geared steam turbines SHP = 30,430
2 x Babcock and Wilcox boilers
Speed: 30 Knots
Complement: 189 (9 Officers & 180 Ratings) for Squadron Leaders
152 (7 Officers & 145 Ratings) for all others.
Built by: Vickers Armstrong (Tyne)
Laid down: 11/09/1953
Launched: 04/04/55
Completed: 10/05/57
April 1964 to August 1972 17th Frigate Squadron, Dartmouth Training Squadron. This comprised of the four Whitby class ships SCARBOROUGH (Capt D), TENBY, TORQUAY and EASTBOURNE.
The main task of the squadron was to train officer cadets in basic ship experience. Sea time experience was given also to young Royal Marine officers and Engine Room Artificer apprentices. There were three cruises a year which coincided with the terms at Dartmouth College. These cruises usually alternated between the Mediterranean and the Baltic.
I joined her in 1969 in Gibraltar after flying out on an RAF plane with other trainees from Ganges. On joining the ship we were shown to the messdeck where we were issued with a hammock. Each moring the hammock had to be taken down and stowed. Once it was tied properly it was placed in a large bin in the corner of the mess. It was important it was tied properly because as well as taking up less room it was also to be used to plug any holes in the ship if it was under fire.
We stayed in Gibraltar for a day before sailing for Lisbon in Portugal. On putting into Lisbon we were allowed a days leave ashore and then sailed for Devonport. The Bay of Biscay was very rough but sleeping in a hammock meant that it was easy to get a good nights sleep as the hammock always hung straight regardless of what the ship was doing.
She was de-commissioned in August 1972 and sold to Pakistan in 1975 but not taken over and was then broken up for scrap in 1977.
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