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Daring class Destroyer – 1952

This was a large and expensive class of escort destroyers commissioned 1952 – 1954, the design being loosely based on the wartime ‘Battle’ and ‘Weapon’ class. Several were modified in the 1960s. HMS Decoy was temporarily fitted with Seacat missile launcher, but rest of the class was not so fitted although it had originally been intended.

In March 1967 Daring was involved with the Torrey Canyon oil tanker sinking, being tasked to keep shipping well away from the tanker. She served later with the Far East Destroyer Squadrons and also in UK waters as one of a pool of destroyers and frigates available to C-in-C Western Fleet. She also served with the Beira Patrol off Rhodesia.

By the mid 1960s Daring Class vessels were being disposed of to other navies. Duchess was loaned to Royal Australian Navy from 1964. This service had three others of the class from new 1957-59 (Voyager, Vendetta and Vampire) She served alongside HMS Delight in the Indonesian Confrontation and with Vendetta during the Vietnam War in 1970. Decoy and Diana were sold to Peru 1969.

The last survivor of this class is HMAS Vampire which served until 1987; now being displayed at Sydney’s National Maritime Museum. Other RN vessels disposed of 1969-71, Diamond serving as an Engineering Training Ship at Portsmouth from 1970 until 1979, being scrapped in 1981.