HMS Diana (D126)
Encyclopedia
HMS Diana was one of the Daring Class
of destroyers planned during the Second World War
by the Royal Navy
. The design therefore reflected developments of the Pacific campaign
, including long range and the ability to efficiently Replenish At Sea (RAS).
was 3,610 tons. Length and beam of the ship are 390 feet (118.9 m) and 43 feet (13.1 m) respectively, she was capable of steaming at over 30 knots (58.8 km/h). The normal peacetime complement of HMS Diana was 297 officers and men.
, Glasgow
, by Yarrow and Co. Ltd. (Yard No 1846 ), laid down 3 April 1947 and launched Thursday 8 May 1952 by Lady McGrigor, wife of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick McGrigor
, and first commissioned 29 March 1954. Originally the name was to be Druid but this changed to Diana during building.
At the time Diana was considered a large destroyer, being nearly as big as a pre-war light cruiser
. The Daring-class was a logical outcome of the Pacific War, where the ability to stay at sea for long periods was of prime importance.
, being completely radar
controlled. The guns were considered, at the time, highly accurate with a high rate of fire.
In summary her armament was: (1960)
and three diesel generators. The current used was 440 volts, 60 cycle Alternating Current
(AC) power.
Interestingly, of the eight Darings, four ships were designed to operate on Direct Current
(DC) for their electrical supply and four to operate on AC. The object was a practical test to determine which form of electrical supply was the most practical. Diana was an AC ship, as were all Royal Navy ships following this 'test'.
. Apart from being the huntress, by the light of the sun she was pure and chaste; by the light of the moon, however, she became abandoned and dark. For a more scholarly article (on the goddess) see Diana (goddess).
, when on 31 October 1956, she torpedoed and sank the Egyptian frigate Domiat, which was engaged in a one sided gun duel with the cruiser HMS Newfoundland in the Red Sea
.
zone of a nuclear weapon
test near the Monte Bello Islands in the South Pacific. The aim of the order, given by British
defence officials, was to discover the effects of atomic fallout, both on the ship itself and upon its 308-strong crew. Since the exposure, around two-thirds of the crew have died, and survivors attest that a variety of fallout-related diseases are responsible. The ship's then-captain, John Gower, who died in 2007 aged 95, wrote after sailing through the fallout zone that he much disliked having to 'continue to serve in a ship, parts of which had been unacceptably radioactive'. As of January 2008, the British Ministry of Defence
has refused to pay compensation to the remaining crew of Diana, citing a legal technicality
that all such claims must be lodged within three years of the diagnosis
to which they refer. According to newspaper
reports, the decision may see the collapse of the claimants' case, or at the least delay the compensation until 2012, at which time more of the ship's crew may have died. This incident is referred to in the SAS
drama Ultimate Force
by Ross Kemp
's character, SSGt
Garvie, who claims his father was a crew member at that time.
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HMS Diana was acquired by the Peruvian Navy
in 1969 together with HMS Decoy
. Renamed BAP Palacios (DM-73)
she served until 1993 when she was stricken.
Daring class destroyer (1949)
The Daring class was a class of eleven destroyers built for the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . Constructed after World War II, and entering service during the 1950s, eight ships were constructed for the RN, and three ships for the RAN. Two of the RN destroyers were subsequently sold to and...
of destroyers planned during the Second World War
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...
by 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...
. The design therefore reflected developments of the Pacific campaign
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, including long range and the ability to efficiently Replenish At Sea (RAS).
Size
Diana's standard displacementDisplacement (fluid)
In fluid mechanics, displacement occurs when an object is immersed in a fluid, pushing it out of the way and taking its place. The volume of the fluid displaced can then be measured, as in the illustration, and from this the volume of the immersed object can be deduced .An object that sinks...
was 3,610 tons. Length and beam of the ship are 390 feet (118.9 m) and 43 feet (13.1 m) respectively, she was capable of steaming at over 30 knots (58.8 km/h). The normal peacetime complement of HMS Diana was 297 officers and men.
Launch
The ship was built at ClydebankClydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, by Yarrow and Co. Ltd. (Yard No 1846 ), laid down 3 April 1947 and launched Thursday 8 May 1952 by Lady McGrigor, wife of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick McGrigor
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
, and first commissioned 29 March 1954. Originally the name was to be Druid but this changed to Diana during building.
At the time Diana was considered a large destroyer, being nearly as big as a pre-war light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
. The Daring-class was a logical outcome of the Pacific War, where the ability to stay at sea for long periods was of prime importance.
Armament
The main armament consisted of six 4.5 inches (114.3 mm) dual purpose guns in three totally enclosed turrets, two forward, one aft. At the time of building the control system for the guns was the most advanced in the Royal NavyRoyal 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...
, being completely radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
controlled. The guns were considered, at the time, highly accurate with a high rate of fire.
In summary her armament was: (1960)
- Six 4.5” guns
- Two 40 mm BoforsBoforsThe name Bofors has been associated with the iron industry for more than 350 years.Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammer mill "Boofors" founded 1646. The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget Bofors-Gullspång...
Guns - Five Torpedo TubeTorpedo tubeA torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s - One Triple Anti-Submarine Mortar (Squid).
Electrical Supply
The ship's electrical power was produced by two turbine generatorsSteam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
and three diesel generators. The current used was 440 volts, 60 cycle Alternating Current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
(AC) power.
Interestingly, of the eight Darings, four ships were designed to operate on Direct Current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
(DC) for their electrical supply and four to operate on AC. The object was a practical test to determine which form of electrical supply was the most practical. Diana was an AC ship, as were all Royal Navy ships following this 'test'.
Name, Goddess and Crest
“This Diana of ours is a very demanding person, goddesses tend to be that way” Captain GJ Kirkby, DSC **, Royal Navy, Captain, HMS Diana 1961. The ship's Commission book of 1961 describes Diana (the goddess) has having a distinctly complex personalityPersonality psychology
Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that studies personality and individual differences. Its areas of focus include:* Constructing a coherent picture of the individual and his or her major psychological processes...
. Apart from being the huntress, by the light of the sun she was pure and chaste; by the light of the moon, however, she became abandoned and dark. For a more scholarly article (on the goddess) see Diana (goddess).
Career
Diana saw action during the Suez CrisisSuez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, when on 31 October 1956, she torpedoed and sank the Egyptian frigate Domiat, which was engaged in a one sided gun duel with the cruiser HMS Newfoundland in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
.
South Pacific atomic tests controversy
In 1956 the Diana was ordered into the radioactive falloutFallout
Fallout or nuclear fallout is the residual radiation hazard from a nuclear explosion.Fallout may also refer to:*Fallout , a 1997 post-apocalyptic computer role-playing game released by Interplay Entertainment...
zone of a nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
test near the Monte Bello Islands in the South Pacific. The aim of the order, given by British
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...
defence officials, was to discover the effects of atomic fallout, both on the ship itself and upon its 308-strong crew. Since the exposure, around two-thirds of the crew have died, and survivors attest that a variety of fallout-related diseases are responsible. The ship's then-captain, John Gower, who died in 2007 aged 95, wrote after sailing through the fallout zone that he much disliked having to 'continue to serve in a ship, parts of which had been unacceptably radioactive'. As of January 2008, the British Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
has refused to pay compensation to the remaining crew of Diana, citing a legal technicality
Legal technicality
The term legal technicality is a casual or colloquial phrase referring to a technical aspect of law. The phrase is not a term of art in the law; it has no exact meaning, nor does it have a legal definition. It implies that that strict adherence to the letter of the law has prevented the spirit of...
that all such claims must be lodged within three years of the diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
to which they refer. According to newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
reports, the decision may see the collapse of the claimants' case, or at the least delay the compensation until 2012, at which time more of the ship's crew may have died. This incident is referred to in the SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
drama Ultimate Force
Ultimate Force
Ultimate Force is a British television drama series that was shown on ITV, which deals with the activities of the fictional Red Troop of the SAS...
by Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
's character, SSGt
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
Garvie, who claims his father was a crew member at that time.
Sale to the Peruvian Navy
Peruvian Navy
The Peruvian Navy is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles from the Peruvian littoral...
in 1969 together with HMS Decoy
HMS Decoy
At least four vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Decoy.* Decoy, a gunboat launched in 1871 and sold in 1885.* Decoy, a torpedo boat destroyer launched in 1894 and sunk in a collision in 1904....
. Renamed BAP Palacios (DM-73)
BAP Palacios (DM-73)
BAP Palacios ' was a Daring class destroyer in service with the Peruvian Navy. She was completed for the Royal Navy in 1954 as HMS Diana. After being decommissioned she was sold to Peru in 1969 together with her sistership HMS Decoy...
she served until 1993 when she was stricken.