H.M.S. PLYMOUTH THIRD SHIP OF THE NAME THIRD COMMISSION 1964-1966 Captain Thomas Evelyn Fanshawe, D.S.C., ROYAL NAVY FAR EAST - HOME - FAR EAST Captain Thomas Evelyn Fanshawe, D.S.C., Royal Navy Captain (D) 29th, Escort Squadron. FOREWORD By the Commander, Far East Fleet, Vice Admiral Sir Frank TWISS, KCB, DSC. Since HMS PLYMOUTH, first commissioned in 1961 she has spent much of her time East of Suez; indeed she really qualifies as an `old hand'. During this last commission, her third, HMS PLYMOUTH has been part of a great Commonwealth Fleet which has dominated and kept free the seas around Malaysia and Indonesia. She has played a full part in frustrating aggression (sometimes called confrontation), and to do this has spent long periods at sea with few opportunities for visits and relaxation. I have been fortunate to have HMS PLYMOUTH under my command both in the Home Fleet and the Far East Fleet and I know that the spirit of the ship has matched that of the City whose name she bears. As you complete yet another commission, with a job well and cheerfully done behind you, I wish you, one and all, good fortune and a bright and happy future. Vice Admiral INTRODUCTION By Captain T. E. FANSHAWE, DSC, Royal Navy When I joined the PLYMOUTH, it was twenty one years since I first assumed command of a Frigate as a young Lieutenant. Since then I have had six commands. In this time I have dependability and loyalty of the sailors who man the ships and uphold the highest traditions of our Service in the most resilient manner. During almost two years, steaming over 100,000 miles, I have always been in the happy position of knowing that I could tackle any task I might be called upon to perform with full confidence that I would be well backed by the Ship's Company. The City of PLYMOUTH is proud of the ship which bears the name so honoured and steeped in Naval History, and to me it has been a privilege as well as a pleasure to be her Captain. Thank you for your support and Good Luck wherever you may go. Captain H.M.S. Plymouth The Story of the Commission For most of us, the start was on 17th June "The Clear Trumpet" could be held on board, it's 1964: and while the draft orders said PLYMOUTH, not yet come our way. There was for a few days in fact we joined Devonport Barracks, for the ship some talk of us featuring in a nautical drama was refitting. This, said the signs as people trooped starring Richard Widmark: we were to take the on board every morning, is a Clean Refit: but it part of an American destroyer. Nobody is quite looked very much like any other! Looking back, sure why this plan didn't come off, but it is possible it seems to have been a warm and dusty summer: that the extreme reluctance of some members of or perhaps it was just the haul back to the barracks the ship's company to get crew cuts for the close in the evenings that made the beer taste so good. up shots may have had something to do with it. But out of the chaos came order, and we moved The Christmas leave period had been spent in into the ship on Wednesday, 26th August. We a bitterly cold Portsmouth Dockyard: in February undertook trials, tested and tuned, and generally we returned to Devonport for a further short spell cleaned up and painted, had panics, went on of leave before sailing for the Far East. weekends, and had a commissioning ceremony in in the rain, when Captain T. E. FANSHAWE The First Foreign "Leg" DSC Royal Navy, who had taken over the command earlier in the week from Captain We slipped in the afternoon of 16th February, D. G. KENT the ship's captain in her last com- our departure being watched by a Dockyard cat. mission, read the commissioning warrant on a For many members of a young ship's company, forecastle crowded with the ship's company and this was a first time abroad. First stop, Gibraltar, their friends and relatives, a Royal Marines Band, where we went to the South Mole (where we have the Bishop of Plymouth, and the Lord Mayor and been on all our visits to that delightful port). The representatives of the City of Plymouth. The City ship was floodlit, and a team of volunteers, sent to Council made this the occasion for the presentation the Casino to report, said that she looked well. of a splendid and greatly appreciated silver model Although there were difficulties at the border, of the statue of Sir Francis Drake which stands everybody seemed to enjoy themselves. on Plymouth Hoe. We paused in Malta for a day and a half, old We still remained in and around the Dock- Med, hands being heard to mutter that "things ain't yard: on 13th November, Commander in Chief what they used to be" at the sight of an empty Plymouth Admiral Sir Nigel Henderson KCB OBE Grand Harbour: but a lot of the old haunts still walked round the ship, to be greeted by A. B. survive in spite of the departure of most of the Ward with the remark "Laundry almost ready for Fleet. your inspection, Sir!" this set the note for the rest Two days out from Malta, we met H.M.S. of the inspection. BERWICK and H.M.S. DIDO, on their way back It eventually dawned on even the most ardent from the Far East. We closed them, and were native that R. A. couldn't last for ever, and on given turn-over notes. Members of the ships com- 16th November 1964 we sailed for Portland for a pany near the spud locker exchanged potatoes with winter workup. This was divided into two parts: those similarly situated in H.M.S. BERWICK, but the pre-Christmas leave part, when the weather nobody was hurt in the barrage. So on, through was bad, and we were full of zeal: and the post the Canal, pausing at Port Said for the convoy to Christmas period, when the weather was still bad, assemble, and watch a gully-gully show, in which and we were full of Christmas pudding. The bored looking young chickens were found in the second period contained a week's maintainance, most unlikely places. and Flag Officer Sea Training inspection, which It was widely advertised that we would go we passed successfully, spurred on by the thought into tropical uniform on the day of leaving Suez, that if we didn't we would have to face it all again. but the temperature was such that the sight of an During these winter months the ship had been immense array of white and knobbly knees was much in demand as a film star: an official film postponed for a couple of days. But in the Red called "The Clear Trumpet", all about management Sea the sunbathing addicts first began to take their techniques, was made on board: from time to time vocation seriously, and by the time we were the actors in it can be seen on our television through Aden many people were turning quite a screens, but although we asked if the premiere of respectable shade of brown. A pause at Gan, where the beaches are splendid, and the Royal Air East Station, but "Never on Sunday" doesn't Force helpful and friendly and we proceeded to apply! Hong Kong was bathed in late spring sun- Singapore, about which the poet was doubtless shine: the harbour as beautiful and crowded as thinking when composing the celebrated "Tiger, ever, and the towns on both sides of the water tiger, burning bright, in the forest of the night . ." apparently bursting with people and prosperity. For most people, shopping and just taking life as Singapore and Malaysian Patrols it came played havoc with the budget. Some people went on very worthwhile "Exiled" excursions to We arrived at Singapore in March, 1965, and POK LIU CHAU a large and sparsely inhabited we left to return home in mid August: during that island close to Hong Kong: but even this attempt time we had two main cruises: one to Hong Kong, to get away from it all for a couple of days didn't Manila, and Bangkok: and the other to Fremantle seem to save them from the universal spending and Geraldton, Western Australia: most of the spree. But enough is enough, especially when rest of the time was spent on patrol around the you're out of funds: and so we left for MANILA coast of Malaysia. Indonesians bent on "confront- BAY - a brief pause, a considerable distance from ation", were known to be coming across from the town - and then, together with other British Java and Sumatra trying to land in small groups, warships and ships of the United States, Royal with the aim of committing sabotage and generally Australian, and Royal Thai Navies, we sailed for making nuisances of themselves in Malaysia, and exercise SEAHORSE and subsequently, Bangkok, it was the main preoccupation of the Far East which we reached after some days of the intricate Fleet to stop as much of this traffic as possible. chess moves of a big international naval exercise. Before we set sail to play our part in this, however, We were leading a Commonwealth visit to this we went alongside the maintainance ship, H.M.S.