HMS Venus was a V-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, of Govan, Scotland and launched on 23 February 1943.

Venus in August 1943
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Venus
Ordered1 September 1941
BuilderFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, Scotland
Laid down12 January 1942
Launched23 February 1943
Commissioned28 August 1943
Identification
Honours and
awards
FateSold for scrap in 1972
BadgeOn a Field Blue, the symbol of the planet Venus Gold.
General characteristics V-class destroyer
Class and typeV-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 1,777 long tons (1,806 t) standard
  • 2,058 long tons (2,091 t) full load
Length363 ft (111 m)
Beam35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Draught10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers
  • Geared steam turbines, 40,000 shp (29,828 kW)
  • 2 shafts
Speed37 knots (43 mph; 69 km/h)
Range4,860 nmi (9,000 km) at 29 kn (54 km/h)
Complement180 (225 in flotilla leader)
Armament
General characteristics Type 15 frigate
Class and typeType 15 frigate
Displacement2,300 long tons (2,337 t) standard
Length358 ft (109 m) o/a
Beam37 ft 9 in (11.51 m)
Draught14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers,
  • steam turbines on 2 shafts,
  • 40,000 shp
Speed31 knots (36 mph; 57 km/h) (full load)
Complement174
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar
  • Type 293Q target indication (later Type 993)
  • Type 277Q surface search
  • Type 974 navigation
  • Type 262 fire control on director CRBF
  • Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF
  • Sonar:
  • Type 174 search
  • Type 162 target classification
  • Type 170 attack
Armament

Service history

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Second World War service

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She was part of the escorting destroyers of the 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron involved in Operation Dracula from April to May 1945.

She participated in the Battle of the Malacca Strait with the destroyers Saumarez, Verulam, Vigilant, and Virago which culminated in the sinking of the Japanese cruiser Haguro on 16 May 1945.

Post war service

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Between 1946 and 1949 Venus was part of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, based in the Mediterranean. This included work as part of the Royal Navy patrols preventing illegal Jewish immigration into Mandatory Palestine. In June 1946 she intercepted Josiah Wedgewood.

On 2 August 1946 the British oil tanker Empire Cross exploded, burned and sank in Haifa Roads, Palestine, killing 25 people.[1] Virago and Venus took part in the rescue of survivors. Venus and Virago had been dropping depth charges in the area to deter Haganah frogmen from planting limpet mines.[2]

Between 1949 and 1951 she was held in reserve at Devonport Dockyard. Between 1951 and 1952 she was converted at Devonport into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F50. Following conversion she became leader of the 6th Frigate Squadron. In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[3] In 1955 she was refitted for work as part of the Dartmouth Training Squadron.[4]

Decommissioning and disposal

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In 1964 Venus went to reserve and in October 1969 was in use as a target to measure the effects of ship to ship use of the Sea Dart missile system. She was sold to Thos. W. Ward for scrapping and arrived at their Briton Ferry yard on 20 December 1972 to be broken up.

References

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  1. ^ "Haifa Tanker Explosion". The Times. No. 50521. London. 5 August 1946. col E, p. 3.
  2. ^ Mitchell, WH; Sawyer, LA (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.[page needed]
  3. ^ Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
  4. ^ Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 72. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.

Publications

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