HMS Contest (R12)

HMS Contest was a C-class destroyer of the Royal Navy, built by J. Samuel White, Cowes. She was launched on 1 November 1943 and commissioned on 9 November 1945. She was scrapped in 1960.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Contest.

HMS Contest on the Solent, 8 November 1945
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Contest
Builder:	White, Cowes
Laid down:	1 November 1943
Launched:	16 December 1944
Commissioned:	9 November 1945
Identification:	Pennant number: R12 (later D48)
Fate:	Arrived for breaking up at Thos W Ward Grays, Essex on 2 February 1960
General characteristics
Class and type:	C-class destroyer
Displacement:	1,885 tons (1,915 tonnes) 2,545 tons full (2,585 tonnes)
Length:	362.75 ft (110.57 m) o/a
Beam:	35.75 ft (10.90 m)
Draught:	11.75 ft (3.58 m)
Propulsion:	2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, Parsons single-reduction geared steam turbines, 40,000 shp (29.8 MW), 2 shafts
Speed:	36 knots (67 km/h) / 32 knots (59 km/h) full
Range:	4,675 nmi (8,658 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h) 1,400 nmi (2,600 km) at 32 knots (59 km/h)
Complement:	186
Sensors and processing systems:	Radar Type 275 fire control on director Mk.VI
Armament:	4 × QF 4.5 in (114 mm) L/45 guns Mark IV on mounts CP Mk.V 2 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns on twin mount Mk V 4 × anti-aircraft mountings; Single Bofors 40 mm Mk.III Single QF 2 - pdr Mk.VIII Mk.XVI Single Oerlikon 20 mm P Mk.III Twin Oerlikon 20 mm Mk.V 8 (2x4) tubes for 21 inch (533 mm) torpedoes Mk.IX 4 throwers and 2 racks for 96 depth charges

Operational service

On commissioning Contest served as part of the 8th Destroyer Squadron in the Far East.

In 1947, Contest was ordered to the Solomon Islands as a deterrence against feared violence when the leaders of the Maasina Ruru independence movement were arrested.[1] While on passage back to the UK from the Far East in December 1947, Contest and sister ship Cockade were diverted to Aden in response to anti-Jewish rioting, with men from the two destroyers and the survey ship Challenger being landed to try to restore order.[1] She returned to the UK for a refit in 1948.[2] She was given an interim modernization and was fitted for minelaying.[3] In 1951 she was the Torpedo training ship at Portsmouth. She then served as part of the 6th Destroyer Squadron in the Home Fleet.[4] In 1953 she took part in the Coronation Review of the Fleet to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[5]

Decommissioning and disposal

Contest was paid off in the late 1950s. Following her sale she arrived at the breakers yard for scrapping at Thos W Ward Grays, Essex on 2 February 1960.

References

1. Thursfield 1948, p. 510
2. Marriott, Leo (1989). Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allan Ltd. p. 65.
3. Marriott, 1989. p.66
4. Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 102. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.
5. Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15 June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden

Publications

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Marriott, Leo (1989). Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1817-0.
• Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
• Thursfield, H. G., ed. (1948). Brassey's Naval Annual 1948. New York: The Macmillan Company.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.