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HMS Ajax (F114)
Encyclopedia
HMS Ajax (F114) was a of the Royal Navy
. She was built by the famous Cammell Laird
company of Birkenhead
. Ajax was launched on 16 August 1962 and commissioned on 10 December 1963. She was originally intended to be named , and laid down as a Rothesay class
, but instead became part of Batch 1 of the Leander class.
In 1964, Ajax deployed to the Far East
, becoming leader of the 24th Escort Group. It was a long deployment, and Ajax did not return to the UK
until 1968. In 1970, Ajax became the Gibraltar
guard ship, a required deployment at that time due to the tense fears of invasion by General Franco
. Later that year, Ajax began modernisation that lasted to 1973, having her 4.5 inch turret replaced by an Ikara anti-submarine missile system. GWS22 SeaCat (2 x 4) was fitted aft and 40 mm guns were mounted amidships.
In 1974, Ajax assisted in the evacuation of British citizens after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
. In 1976, while on a visit to Canada
, Ajax visited the town of Ajax, Ontario
, which had been named in honour of her predecessor which had been a Leander class
cruiser, which had seen service at the Battle of the River Plate
during the Second World War. The 'new' Ajax was granted the freedom of the city
of Ajax.
In 1977, Ajax underwent a refit at Devonport Dockyard
. In 1979, Ajax deployed to the Mediterranean. In 1980, she underwent a refit at Gibraltar which was completed in 1981. That year, Ajax became leader of the 1st Frigate Squadron. She did not take part in the 1982 Falklands War
, but was deployed as Persian Gulf guard ship. She participated in further deployments that culminated in the highlight of her final year in 1985, when she escorted the HMY Britannia
, which had a number of the Royal Family
on a tour of Italy
. She was decommissioned 31 May, then replaced as a static training ship at Devonport. On 3 August 1988, Ajax arrived at Millom
, Cumbria
to be broken up.
Ajaxs anchor is now located in Ajax, Ontario
.
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...
. She was built by the famous 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...
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...
. Ajax was launched on 16 August 1962 and commissioned on 10 December 1963. She was originally intended to be named , and laid down as a Rothesay class
Rothesay class frigate
The Rothesay class, or Type 12M frigates were a class of frigates serving with the Royal Navy, South African Navy and the New Zealand Navy....
, but instead became part of Batch 1 of the Leander class.
In 1964, Ajax deployed to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, becoming leader of the 24th Escort Group. It was a long deployment, and Ajax did not return to 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...
until 1968. In 1970, Ajax became the Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
guard ship, a required deployment at that time due to the tense fears of invasion by General Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
. Later that year, Ajax began modernisation that lasted to 1973, having her 4.5 inch turret replaced by an Ikara anti-submarine missile system. GWS22 SeaCat (2 x 4) was fitted aft and 40 mm guns were mounted amidships.
In 1974, Ajax assisted in the evacuation of British citizens after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
. In 1976, while on a visit to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Ajax visited the town of Ajax, Ontario
Ajax, Ontario
Ajax is a town in the Durham Region in the Greater Toronto Area.The town is named for the HMS Ajax a Royal Navy cruiser that served in World War II. Ajax is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and the...
, which had been named in honour of her predecessor which had been a Leander class
Leander class cruiser (1931)
The Leander class was a class of eight light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s that saw service in World War II. They were named after mythological figures, and all ships were commissioned between 1933 and 1936...
cruiser, which had seen service at the Battle of the River Plate
Battle of the River Plate
The Battle of the River Plate was the first naval battle in the Second World War. The German pocket battleship had been commerce raiding since the start of the war in September 1939...
during the Second World War. The 'new' Ajax was granted the freedom of the city
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Ajax.
In 1977, Ajax underwent a refit at Devonport Dockyard
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
. In 1979, Ajax deployed to the Mediterranean. In 1980, she underwent a refit at Gibraltar which was completed in 1981. That year, Ajax became leader of the 1st Frigate Squadron. She did not take part in the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, but was deployed as Persian Gulf guard ship. She participated in further deployments that culminated in the highlight of her final year in 1985, when she escorted the HMY Britannia
HMY Britannia
Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia is the former Royal Yacht of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. She was the 83rd such vessel since the restoration of King Charles II in 1660. She is the second Royal yacht to bear the name, the first being the famous racing cutter built for The Prince of Wales...
, which had a number of the Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
on a tour of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She was decommissioned 31 May, then replaced as a static training ship at Devonport. On 3 August 1988, Ajax arrived at Millom
Millom
Millom is a town and civil parish on the estuary of the River Duddon in the southwest of Cumbria, England. The name is Cumbrian dialect for "At the mills". The town is accessible both by rail and an A class road...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
to be broken up.
Ajaxs anchor is now located in Ajax, Ontario
Ajax, Ontario
Ajax is a town in the Durham Region in the Greater Toronto Area.The town is named for the HMS Ajax a Royal Navy cruiser that served in World War II. Ajax is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and the...
.