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HMS Cavalier (R73)
Encyclopedia
HMS Cavalier is a retired C-class
destroyer
of the Royal Navy
. She was laid down by J. Samuel White
and Company at East Cowes
on 28 March 1943, launched on 7 April 1944, and commissioned on 22 November 1944. She served in World War II
and in various commissions in the Far East
until she was decommissioned in 1972. After decommissioning she was preserved as a museum ship and currently resides at Chatham Historic Dockyard
.
ordered between 1940 and 1942. She was one of the first ships to be built with the forward and after parts of her hull welded, with the mid-section rivet
ed to ensure strength. The new process gave the ship additional speed. In 1970 a 64-mile race was arranged between Cavalier and the frigate Rapid
, which had the same hull form and machinery. Cavalier beat Rapid by 30 yards (27.4 m) after Rapid lifted a safety valve
, reaching an average speed of 31.8 knots (62.3 km/h).
. Most notably in February 1945 she was despatched with and to reinforce a convoy from the Kola Inlet in Russia
, which had suffered attacks from enemy aircraft and U-boat
s, and had subsequently been scattered by a violent storm. She and the other escorts reformed the convoy, and returned to Britain with the loss of only three of the thirty-four ships. This action earned Cavalier a battle honour
.
Later in 1945 Cavalier was dispatched to the Far East, where she provided naval gunfire support during the Battle of Surabaya
. In February 1946 she went to Bombay to help quell the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny. After some time in the British Pacific Fleet
she was paid off in May 1946 and was placed in reserve at Portsmouth
.
Cavalier returned to service in 1957 after a modernisation, which included removing some of her torpedo tubes in favour of Squid
anti-submarine mortars. She was again sent to the Far East, and joined the 8th Destroyer Squadron in Singapore
. In December 1962 she transported 180 troops from Singapore to Brunei
to help with a rebellion that became part of the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation
. After disembarking the troops she remained in Brunei as a communications centre for several days until other Royal Navy ships arrived to relieve her.
Cavalier was decommissioned in 1972, the last surviving destroyer of the Royal Navy to have served in World War II.
On 14 November 2007, Cavalier was officially designated as a war memorial to the 142 Royal Navy destroyers sunk during World War II and the 11,000 men killed in their service. The unveiling of a bronze monument created by the artist Kenneth Potts was conducted by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. The monument resides adjacent to the ship at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent.
, she was laid up in Portsmouth
. As a unique survivor, after a five year campaign led by Lord Louis Mountbatten of HMS Kelly
fame, the ship was bought by the Cavalier Trust for £65,000 and handed over on Trafalgar Day
1977 in Portsmouth. By selling the ship to the Trust, the UK Government and the Royal Navy severed all formal connection and responsibility for the ship. A special warrant was issued that allows her to retain the prefix "HMS" (Her Majesty's Ship
) and fly the White Ensign, a privilege normally only enjoyed by commissioned ships of the Royal Navy. A similar privilege is enjoyed by another museum ship, HMS Belfast
.
Moved to Southampton
, Cavalier opened as a museum and memorial ship in August 1982. However, commercially this was not a success, and in October 1983 she was moved to Brighton
, where she formed the centre piece of a newly built yacht marina.
In 1987, the ship was brought to the River Tyne
to form the centrepiece of a national shipbuilding exhibition centre planned by South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council
in the former shipyard of Hawthorn Leslie and Company
, builders of many similar destroyers including HMS Kelly. Unfortunately the ambitious plans for the museum came to nothing, and the borough council, faced with continuing maintenance costs of £30,000pa and a hardening of public opinion against unnecessary expenditure, resolved to sell the ship and wind up the venture in 1996. The ship sat in a dry dock (owing to a previous list) in a rusting condition, awaiting a buyer or scrapping in situ.
After the reforming of the Cavalier Trust, and a debate in Parliament, in 1998 Cavalier was bought by Chatham Historic Dockyard
for display as a museum ship. Arriving on 23 May 1998, Cavalier now resides in No. 2 dry-dock where HMS Victory
was built.
In the Summer of 2009 the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust made available accommodation onboard the ship for youth groups who wish to stay on board and experience life on board a Royal Naval Destroyer.
C class destroyer (1943)
The C class was a class of 32 destroyers of the Royal Navy that were launched from 1943 to 1945. The class was built in four flotillas of 8 vessels, the Ca, Ch, Co and Cr classes, ordered as the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Emergency Flotillas respectively...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
of the Royal Navy
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 laid down by J. Samuel White
J. Samuel White
J. Samuel White was a British shipbuilding firm based in Cowes, taking its name from John Samuel White . It came to prominence during the Victorian era...
and Company at East Cowes
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish to the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina next to its neighbour on the west bank, Cowes....
on 28 March 1943, launched on 7 April 1944, and commissioned on 22 November 1944. She served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and in various commissions in 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,...
until she was decommissioned in 1972. After decommissioning she was preserved as a museum ship and currently resides at Chatham Historic Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
.
Construction
Cavalier was one of 96 War Emergency Programme destroyersWar Emergency Programme destroyers
The War Emergency Programme destroyers were 112 destroyers built for the British Royal Navy during World War II. They were based on the hull and machinery of the earlier J, K and N class destroyer. Due to supply problems and the persistent failure by the Royal Navy to develop a suitable...
ordered between 1940 and 1942. She was one of the first ships to be built with the forward and after parts of her hull welded, with the mid-section rivet
Rivet
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the buck-tail. On installation the rivet is placed in a punched or pre-drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked A rivet...
ed to ensure strength. The new process gave the ship additional speed. In 1970 a 64-mile race was arranged between Cavalier and the frigate Rapid
HMS Rapid (H32)
HMS Rapid was an R-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War. She was part of Force 68, serving in the Indian Ocean, and later the Pacific. In one operation she was damaged by fire from a shore battery, with 11 killed and 23 wounded. She was towed to Akyab for...
, which had the same hull form and machinery. Cavalier beat Rapid by 30 yards (27.4 m) after Rapid lifted a safety valve
Safety valve
A safety valve is a valve mechanism for the automatic release of a substance from a boiler, pressure vessel, or other system when the pressure or temperature exceeds preset limits....
, reaching an average speed of 31.8 knots (62.3 km/h).
Service history
After commissioning she joined the 6th Destroyer Flotilla, part of the Home Fleet, and took part in a number of operations off NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Most notably in February 1945 she was despatched with and to reinforce a convoy from the Kola Inlet in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, which had suffered attacks from enemy aircraft and U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s, and had subsequently been scattered by a violent storm. She and the other escorts reformed the convoy, and returned to Britain with the loss of only three of the thirty-four ships. This action earned Cavalier a battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
.
Later in 1945 Cavalier was dispatched to the Far East, where she provided naval gunfire support during the Battle of Surabaya
Battle of Surabaya
The Battle of Surabaya was fought between pro-independence Indonesian soldiers and militia against British and Dutch troops as a part of the Indonesian National Revolution. The peak of the battle was in November 1945. Despite fierce resistance, British and Indian troops managed to conquer Surabaya,...
. In February 1946 she went to Bombay to help quell the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny. After some time in the British Pacific Fleet
British Pacific Fleet
The British Pacific Fleet was a British Commonwealth naval force which saw action against Japan during World War II. The fleet was composed of British Commonwealth naval vessels. The BPF formally came into being on 22 November 1944...
she was paid off in May 1946 and was placed in reserve at Portsmouth
HMNB Portsmouth
Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the British Royal Navy...
.
Cavalier returned to service in 1957 after a modernisation, which included removing some of her torpedo tubes in favour of Squid
Squid (weapon)
Squid was a British World War II ship-mounted anti-submarine weapon. It consisted of a three-barrelled mortar which launched depth charges. It replaced the Hedgehog system, and was in turn replaced by the Limbo system....
anti-submarine mortars. She was again sent to the Far East, and joined the 8th Destroyer Squadron in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In December 1962 she transported 180 troops from Singapore to Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
to help with a rebellion that became part of the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation during 1962–1966 was Indonesia’s political and armed opposition to the creation of Malaysia. It is also known by its Indonesian/Malay name Konfrontasi...
. After disembarking the troops she remained in Brunei as a communications centre for several days until other Royal Navy ships arrived to relieve her.
Cavalier was decommissioned in 1972, the last surviving destroyer of the Royal Navy to have served in World War II.
On 14 November 2007, Cavalier was officially designated as a war memorial to the 142 Royal Navy destroyers sunk during World War II and the 11,000 men killed in their service. The unveiling of a bronze monument created by the artist Kenneth Potts was conducted by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. The monument resides adjacent to the ship at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent.
After decommissioning
After decommissioning at Chatham DockyardChatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
, she was laid up in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. As a unique survivor, after a five year campaign led by Lord Louis Mountbatten of HMS Kelly
HMS Kelly (F01)
HMS Kelly was a K-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy, and flotilla leader of her class. She served through the early years of the Second World War; in Home Waters, off Norway and in the Mediterranean. Throughout her service, Kelly was commanded by Lord Louis Mountbatten. She was lost in...
fame, the ship was bought by the Cavalier Trust for £65,000 and handed over on Trafalgar Day
Trafalgar Day
Trafalgar Day is the celebration of the victory won by the Royal Navy, commanded by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. The formation of the Navy League in 1894 gave added impetus to the movement to recognise...
1977 in Portsmouth. By selling the ship to the Trust, the UK Government and the Royal Navy severed all formal connection and responsibility for the ship. A special warrant was issued that allows her to retain the prefix "HMS" (Her Majesty's Ship
Her Majesty's Ship
Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time...
) and fly the White Ensign, a privilege normally only enjoyed by commissioned ships of the Royal Navy. A similar privilege is enjoyed by another museum ship, HMS Belfast
HMS Belfast (C35)
HMS Belfast is a museum ship, originally a Royal Navy light cruiser, permanently moored in London on the River Thames and operated by the Imperial War Museum....
.
Moved to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Cavalier opened as a museum and memorial ship in August 1982. However, commercially this was not a success, and in October 1983 she was moved to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, where she formed the centre piece of a newly built yacht marina.
In 1987, the ship was brought to the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
to form the centrepiece of a national shipbuilding exhibition centre planned by South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council
South Tyneside
South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear in North East England.It is bordered by four other boroughs - Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, and North Tyneside to the north. The border county of Northumberland lies further north...
in the former shipyard of Hawthorn Leslie and Company
Hawthorn Leslie and Company
R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:...
, builders of many similar destroyers including HMS Kelly. Unfortunately the ambitious plans for the museum came to nothing, and the borough council, faced with continuing maintenance costs of £30,000pa and a hardening of public opinion against unnecessary expenditure, resolved to sell the ship and wind up the venture in 1996. The ship sat in a dry dock (owing to a previous list) in a rusting condition, awaiting a buyer or scrapping in situ.
After the reforming of the Cavalier Trust, and a debate in Parliament, in 1998 Cavalier was bought by Chatham Historic Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
for display as a museum ship. Arriving on 23 May 1998, Cavalier now resides in No. 2 dry-dock where HMS Victory
HMS Victory
HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
was built.
In the Summer of 2009 the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust made available accommodation onboard the ship for youth groups who wish to stay on board and experience life on board a Royal Naval Destroyer.