The Battle Class Destroyers - Service History
 

 
Agincourt HMS Agincourt 1962 1946 Home Fleet, 4th Destroyer flotilla
1959 taken in hand for conversion to radar picket
1962 - 66 served on various stations with 5th Destroyer Squadron, 23 Escort  Squadron and 27 Escort Squadron, also Nato Standing   Force Atlantic
1974 broken up at Sunderland.
Aisne
 
1946 Home Fleet, 4th Destroyer flotilla
1950 temporarily laid up
1951 Home/Mediterranean 4th Destroyer Squadron
1959 taken in hand for conversion to radar picket
1962 Mediterranean, 7th Destroyer Squadron
1963 23 Escort Squadron
1964 Mediterranean, 30 Escort Squadron
1968 Paid off
1970 broken up at Inverkeithing.
Alamein 1946 Home Fleet, 4th Destroyer Squadron
1950 to reserve
1956 Home/Mediterranean, 4th Destroyer Squadron
1957 to reserve
1964 broken up at Blyth
Armada 1946 Far East, 19th Destroyer flotilla
1947 returned to UK and placed in reserve
1949 Mediterranean, 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1954 Returned to UK with 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1955 Mediterranean, 3rd Destroyer flotilla - Suez operation
1956 Home fleet Captain (D) 3rd Destroyer flotilla.
1960 Paid off for last time.
1965 broken up at Inverkeithing
Barfleur 1944 joined British Pacific Fleet and saw action against Japan.
1946 Far East, 19th Destroyer Flotilla.
1947 returned to UK and placed in reserve
1953 Mediterranean, Captain (D) 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1954 Returned to UK with 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1955 Mediterranean, 3rd Destroyer flotilla.  Took part in Suez landings.
1956 Home Fleet, Captain (D) 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1958 placed in reserve, having covered over 250,000 miles.
1960 place on disposal list.
1966 broken up at Dalmuir
Barrosa 1948 Home Fleet, 4th Destroyer flotilla
1950 to reserve
1953 Home/Mediterranean fleet, 4th Destroyer Squadron
1959 In collision with CORUNNA
1959 taken  in hand for conversion to radar picket.
1962 Far East, 8th Destroyer Squadron (later 24 Escort Squadron)
1968 paid off.
1974 used as stores hulk in Portsmouth.
1978 broken up at Blyth.
Cadiz 1946 Home Fleet, 5th Destroyer flotilla
1953 to reserve
1957 transferred to Pakistan Navy as PNS KHAIBAR.
1971 sunk during Indo Pakistan war.
Camperdown 1946 Far East, 19th Destroyer flotilla
1947 returned to UK and placed in reserve
1957 Home Fleet, 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1960 Home/Mediterranean Fleet, 1st Destroyer Squadron
1962 placed on disposal list
1970 broken up at Faslane
Corunna 1948 Home Fleet, 4th Destroyer flotilla
1959 taken in hand for conversion to radar picket
1974 towed Portsmouth to Sunderland for breaking up, but delayed.
1975 towed to Blyth and broken up
Dunkirk 1946 Home Fleet, 4th Destroyer Flotilla
1950 to reserve
1957 Home/Mediterranean 7th Destroyer Squadron
1960 to reserve for disposal
1965 broken up at Faslane
Finisterre 1946 Home fleet
1953 Gunnery Training Ship, Portsmouth
1959 Far East, 1st Destroyer Squadron (replacement for HOGUE)
1962 placed on disposal list.
1967 broken up Dalmuir
Gabbard 1946 Home Fleet, 5th Destroyer flotilla
1953 to reserve
1956 transferred to Pakistan Navy as PNS BADR.
Gravelines 1946 placed in reserve after completion
1949 Mediterranean, 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1954 Returned to UK with 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1955 Mediterranean, 3rd Destroyer flotilla.  Took part in Suez landings.
1956 Home fleet, 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1957 refit commenced Devonport
1958 refit abandoned and placed on disposal list.
1961 broken up at Rosyth
Hogue HMS HOGUE after collision with INS MYSORE1946 Far East, 19th Destroyer flotilla
1947 returned to UK and placed in reserve
1957 Home/Mediterranean Fleet, 1st Destroyer Squadron
1958-59 Far East, 1st Destroyer Squadron
1959 constructive total loss, following collision with INS MYSORE
1962 broken up in Singapore.
Jutland* 1946 Home Fleet, 4th Destroyer flotilla
1950 temporarily laid up
1951 Home/mediterranean, 4th Destroyer flotilla
1953 to reserve.
1957 Home/Mediterranean, 7th Destroyer Squadron
1960 To reserve for disposal
1965 broken up at Faslane.
Lagos 1946 Far East, 19th Destroyer flotilla
1947 returned to UK and placed in reserve
1957 Home /Mediterranean Fleet, 1st Destroyer Squadron
1958 Far East, 1st Destroyer Squadron
1960 paid off.
1967 broken up in Bo'ness
Matapan 1947 to reserve  at Devonport on completion of trials, and just prior to
commissioning.
1970  towed to Portsmouth for conversion to Sonar Trials Ship (only the hull and  engines remained.
1973 commissioned for the first time and attached to AUWE Portland.
1978 laid up at Portsmouth
1979 broken up in Blyth.
St. James 1946 Home Fleet, 5th Destroyer flotilla
1953 to reserve
1957 Refit commenced Devonport
1958 Refit abandoned and ship placed on disposal list, causing questions in  parliament about the cost of the refit.
1961 broken up at Newport
St. Kitts 1946 Home Fleet, 5th Destroyer flotilla
1943 Reserve fleet
1953 Mediterranean Fleet, 3rd Destroyer flotilla (ship's company exchanged ships with that of Gravelines)
1954 Home Fleet, 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1955 Mediterranean, 3rd Destroyer flotilla.  Took part in Suez landings.
1956 Home Fleet, 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1957 paid off
1962 broken up at Sunderland.
Saintes 1949 Mediterranean, 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1953 Gunner Training Ship, Portsmouth.
1953 Captain (D) 3rd Destroyer Flotilla

1956 Refit Rosyth
1958 Home Fleet, Captain (D) 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1960 Home/Mediterranean, 1st Destroyer Squadron
1962 hulked at Rosyth as tender to CALEDONIA
1972 replaced by DUNCAN
1972 broken up at Cairn Ryan
Sluys 1945 Home Fleet, 1st Destroyer Flotilla
1953 to Reserve
1967 transferred to Iranian Navy as ARTEMIZ.
Solebay 1946 en-Route to Far East, turned back at Malta on V.J. Day
1946 Home Fleet, Captain (D), 5th Destroyer flotilla
1953-57 in reserve in Chatham
1957 Home/Mediterranean fleet, Captain (D) 1st Destroyer Squadron
1958-60 Far East, Captain (D) 1st Destroyer Squadron
1960-62 Home/Mediterranean fleet, Captain (D) 1st Destroyer Squadron
1962 placed on disposal list, and used as Harbour Training Ship, Portsmouth
1967 broken up at Troon
Trafalgar 1945 Far East, 19th Destroyer flotilla
1947 returned to UK and placed in reserve
1958 Home/Mediterranean, Captain (D) 7th Destroyer Squadron
1963 paid of into reserve at Devonport.
1970 broken up at Dalmuir
Vigo 1946 placed in reserve after completion.
1949 Mediterranean, 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1954 Returned to UK with 3rd Destroyer flotilla
1954 Portsmouth, Gunnery Training Ship
1964 broken up in Faslane.

*originally built as MALPLAQUET, but was renamed before launching in 1946 following the decision not to complete the original JUTLAND  (see below).

When hostilities ended several ships of the class were building.  Seven of them (MONS, OMDURMAN, SOMME, RIVER PLATE, ST.LUCIA, SAN DOMINGO, and WATERLOO) were broken up before launch.  Five were scrapped immediately after launching (BELLE ISLE, NAVARINO, POICTIERS, TALAVERA, and TRINCOMALEE).  Four were retained as hulks - JUTLAND reverted to her contact number (J4922), and lay with OUDENARDE at Rosyth until the end of 1957;  ALBUERA and NAMUR remained at the builders yards until they too were scrapped  in the early 1950s.

The above histories have been compiled from various documents/conversations/books. Any input/amendments welcome.  email   Malcolm Clarke.
 
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