HMS London (D16)

2025-10-19T10:39:12Z

2A0E:CB01:74:2A00:75CC:41E7:F40C:D4FF: Corrected date of commissioning. I have a newspaper clipping dated 13th November saying commissioning is "tomorrow".

{{Short description|1963 County-class guided missile destroyer of the Royal Navy}}
{{Other ships|HMS London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2013}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=File:HMS London, 1971 (IWM).jpg
|Ship image size=300px
|Ship caption=HMS ''London'' leads ''Antrim'' and ''Norfolk'' in the English Channel after taking part in joint exercises with the RAF in the Atlantic, North Sea and Norwegian Sea, December 1971
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''London''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=6 February 1957
|Ship builder=[[Swan Hunter]]
|Ship laid down=26 February 1960
|Ship launched=7 December 1961
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=14 November 1963
|Ship decommissioned= December 1981
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: D16
|Ship fate= Sold to Pakistan on 24 March 1982
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship captured=
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=Pakistan
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Pakistan|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Babur''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship acquired=March 1982
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 1993
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate= Sold for scrap in 1995
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship captured=
|Ship notes=
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass2|County|destroyer}}
|Ship type=
|Ship displacement= 6,200 tons (6,800 tons full load)
|Ship length= {{convert|158.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|53|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught= {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship propulsion=COSAG ([[Combined steam and gas]]) turbines, 2 shafts
|Ship speed= {{convert|31.5|kn|km/h}}
|Ship range= {{convert|3500|nmi|km}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=470
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1× [[Sea Slug missile|Sea Slug GWS.2]] twin-arm SAM launcher(36 missiles)
*2× [[Sea Cat missile|Sea Cat GWS.21]] twin-arm SAM launcher(60 missiles)
*4× [[QF 4.5 inch naval gun|4.5 in (114 mm) /45 DP]] (2× twin gunned turret)
*2× 20 mm AA
*2× triple-tubes for 12¾ inch (324 mm) ASW torpedo
|Ship armour=
|Ship aircraft=1× [[Westland Lynx|Lynx]] or [[Westland Wessex|Wessex]] helicopter
|Ship aircraft facilities=[[Flight deck]] and enclosed [[hangar]] for embarking one helicopter
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''London''''' was a {{sclass2|County|destroyer|0}} [[destroyer]] of the [[Royal Navy]].

==Construction and design==
{{stack|[[File:HMS London (D16 - unmarked) entering Southampton.jpg|thumb|HMS London (D16 - unmarked) entering Southampton, Summer, 1966]]}}
''London'' was one of two County-class destroyers ordered under the [[British Admiralty]]'s 1956–57 shipbuilding programme.<ref name="Fried p192,330">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|pp=192, 330}}</ref> She was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at [[Swan Hunter]]'s [[Wallsend]], [[Tyne and Wear]] shipyard on 26 February 1960<ref name="Conways47 p508">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chumbley|1995|p=508}}</ref> and [[ceremonial ship launching|launched]] by [[Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester]] on 7 December 1961.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fourth guided missile ship launched: Tenth London Kent Named|newspaper=[[Navy News]] |date=January 1962 |page=1|url=https://issuu.com/navynews/docs/196201 |access-date=31 August 2018}}</ref> The ship was completed on 14 November 1963.<ref name="Conways47 p508"/>

''London'' was {{convert|521|ft|6|in|m}} [[length overall|long overall]] and {{convert|505|ft|m|2}} [[length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]], with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|54|ft|m|2}} and a [[Draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|20|ft|6|in|m}}. [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|6200|LT|t}} normal and {{convert|6800|LT|t}} deep load.<ref name="Conways47 p508"/> The ship was propelled by a combination of [[steam turbine]]s and [[gas turbine]]s in a [[Combined steam and gas]] (COSAG) arrangement, driving two propeller shafts. Each shaft could by driven by a single {{convert|15000|shp|kW}} steam turbine (fed with steam at {{convert|700|psi|kPa}} and {{convert|950|F|C K}} from [[Babcock & Wilcox]] boilers<ref name="jfs71 p346">{{Harvnb|Blackman|1971|p=346}}</ref>) and two Metrovick G6 gas turbines (each rated at {{convert|7500|shp|kW}}), with the gas turbines being used for high speeds and to allow a quick departure from ports without waiting for steam to be raised.<ref>{{Harvnb|Marriott|1989|pp=102, 110}}</ref> Maximum speed was {{convert|30|kn|mph km/h}} and the ship had a range of {{convert|3500|nmi|mi km}} at {{convert|28|kn|mph km/h}}.<ref name="mar p110">{{Harvnb|Marriott|1989|p=110}}</ref><ref name="Conways47 p508"/>

A twin launcher for the [[Seaslug (missile)|Seaslug]] anti-aircraft missile was fitted aft.<ref name="mar p110"/> The Seaslug GWS1 was a [[beam riding]] missile which had an effective range of about {{convert|34000|yd|km|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Fried p192">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|p=192}}</ref> Up to 39 Seaslugs could be carried horizontally in a magazine that ran much of the length of the ship.<ref name="Fried p188">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|p=188}}</ref><ref name="mar p102">{{Harvnb|Marriott| 1989|p=102}}</ref> Close-in anti-aircraft protection was provided by a pair of [[Seacat (missile)|Seacat missile]] launchers, while two twin [[QF 4.5-inch Mk I – V naval gun|QF 4.5 inch Mark V]] gun mounts were fitted forward. A helicopter deck and hangar allowed a single [[Westland Wessex]] helicopter to be operated.<ref name="Conways47 p508"/>

A [[Type 965 radar|Type 965 long-range air-search radar]] and a Type 278 height-finding radar was fitted on the ship's [[mainmast]], with a Type 992Q navigation radar and an array of [[Electronic warfare support measures|ESM]] aerials were mounted on the ship's [[foremast]]. [[Type 901 radar|Type 901 fire control radar]] for the Seaslug missile was mounted aft.<ref name="mar p105">{{Harvnb|Marriott|1989|p=105}}</ref> Type 184 [[sonar]] was fitted.<ref name="Fried p192"/>

==Royal Navy service==
===Early service===
''London'' commissioned at Swan Hunter's yard in [[Wallsend]] on 14 November 1963 under [[Józef Bartosik|Captain J.C. Bartosik]] and was initially fully employed setting her armament to work, successfully firing her [[Sea Slug missile|Sea Slug]] surface-to-air missile for the first time off [[Aberporth]] in April 1964. After working up, during which she entertained [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|the Duke of Edinburgh]] on board, she crossed the Atlantic in September 1964. She visited Bermuda and Houston before joining a special squadron led by Vice-Admiral Sir [[Fitzroy Talbot]] on a round of visits to the South American part of his command. Passing through Panama, she visited Peru, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil before proceeding via Tristan da Cunha to Simonstown, where she spent Christmas. New Year's was spent at sea ''en route'' to Mauritius, where the ship's helicopter was used to build a TV mast. She then deployed to the Far East, visiting Hong Kong, Bangkok, Subic, Singapore and ports in Malaya. During this time she was part of a powerful fleet whose presence acted as a deterrent to President [[Sukarno]] of Indonesia's attempt to intimidate the infant Federation of Malaysia through '[[Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation|Confrontation]]'.<ref>Programme, ''Navy Days Portsmouth, 28th-30th August 1965'', p13.</ref> She then returned to the UK via Aden and assisted the ''Adrian Augusta'' adrift in the Red Sea before entering Suez, proceeding to [[Gibraltar]], then Portsmouth and took part in Navy Days at Portsmouth in 1965.<ref>Programme, ''Navy Days Portsmouth, 29th-31st August 1971'', p13.</ref>

===More world travel===
On Easter Monday 1969 ''London'' sailed for the Far East; she had onboard Admiral of the Fleet Sir Varyl Begg GCB., DSO., DSC. who was taking passage to take up his appointment as Governor and C-in-C Gibraltar. The ship sailed into Gibraltar on 17 April flying the flag of an Admiral of the Fleet. After that, she continued her passage, calling in at Simonstown and then onto Beira Patrol before heading for Gan and Singapore. She accordingly spent the period from June to late September in the South China Sea visiting Hong Kong, Manila and Subic Bay as well as spending two weeks in Japan as well as spells in her base port of Singapore. In September, she sailed in company with {{HMNZS|Otago|F111|6}}, into New Zealand visiting Auckland, Gisborne where she led a group of ships celebrating Captain Cook's first landing in New Zealand in October 1769. After three days of exceptional hospitality, ''London'' sailed for Wellington and Lyttelton. She then crossed the Tasman Sea to Hobart and after that up to Melbourne, where the ship's company were pleased to experience the [[Melbourne Cup|Gold Cup]].

The ship spent two weeks in Sydney before steaming back to Singapore for Christmas and the New Year. She subsequently sailed across the Indian Ocean to carry out a short stint of Beira patrol; she then sailed round the [[Cape of Good Hope]] and on across the Atlantic to carry out Sea Slug missile firings in a tactical setting with the US Navy. A short visit to St Vincent and Puerto Rico allowed the ship's company a few days ashore before ''London'' headed back to Portsmouth, having completed an extremely busy 12 months. There ensued docking and repairing defects in Portsmouth before carrying out workup in October and visits to Greenock before Christmas leave, prior to sailing in early February 1971 for a nine-month tour of duty in the Mediterranean. This period allowed for a wonderful opportunity for cultural visits in Leghorn (for Pisa and Florence, Civitia Vecchia for Rome and Pompeii and Naples as well as Trieste from where a visit to Venice was possible). The ship called in at Crete for the 30th anniversary of the [[Battle of Crete|battle]] in May 1941. She also called in at Cyprus and Istanbul from where a trip round the Black Sea included a visit to Samsun. The ship gave station leave in Gibraltar and Naples; returning to Portsmouth in early November 1971. In 31 months she had carried out two deployments lasting 21 months, had spent six weeks working up between deployments as well as visits to Scotland and missile firing practice at Aberforth.

==='Lasts and decommissioning===
[[File:HMS London D16 1982.jpeg|left|thumb|HMS London in 1981]]
''London'' was chosen to represent Great Britain for the celebrations in [[New York City]] for the American Bicentennial celebrations in July 1976. The crew went to great lengths to make the ship clean and 'ship-shape' for the visit, and ''London'' hosted several diplomatic and social functions while she was there. Her crew enjoyed an extended liberty period out on the town.

''London'' was the last ship to leave Malta when the Maltese government [[Freedom Day (Malta)|closed the base]]. She attended the 1977 Silver Jubilee [[Fleet Review]] off [[Spithead]] when she was part of the First Flotilla.<ref>Official Souvenir Programme, 1977. ''Silver Jubilee Fleet Review'', HMSO</ref>

The ship was the last RN vessel capable of firing Mark 1 Sea Slug missiles, firing the last 17 Mk 1 seaslugs on 9 December 1981 as targets for {{HMS|Cardiff|D108|2}} and {{HMS|Glasgow|D88|2}} [[Sea Dart]]s <ref>N.McCart. County GMD. Maritime Books. (2014) Liskeeard, p 120</ref> and 4.5 shells as targets for {{HMS|Brilliant|F90|2}} Seawolf and on the 10 December 1981, the ship had the distinction of being the ship that carried out the Navy's final twin turret broadside when all four of her 4.5-inch guns were fired at once <ref>N. McCart. County class GMD. Maritime.(2014) Lisekeard, p 120</ref>

''London'' was decommissioned in late December 1981 after completing a three-month deployment to the West Indies as Belize Guardship, during which her crew were involved in the granting of independence to [[Antigua]].

==Pakistan naval service==

{{Other ships|PNS Babur}}

''London'' was sold to Pakistan on 23 March 1982 and recommissioned ''Babur'' under Captain Mukhtar Azam. ''Babur'' was decommissioned from Pakistani service in 1993 and sold for scrap in 1995.

==Commanding officers==
Notable commanding officers include [[Józef Bartosik|J C Bartosik]] between 1963-1966 and [[Ronald Forrest]] during 1970-1972.

== Legacy ==
[[File:HK_ALC_鴨脷洲_Ap_Lei_Chau_大街_Main_Street_January_2021_SS2_076.jpg|thumb|Street sign of London Lane]]
''London'' berthed [[Hong Kong]] in August 1969 during her first commission.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1969-08-24 |title=新界學生九十名　參觀英艦倫敦號 |work=華僑日報 ([[Wah Kiu Yat Po]])}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Simm |first=John |title=HMS London D16 in Hongkong |date=2012-01-21 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/jtsretired/6737063495/in/pool-2037452@N21/ |access-date=2025-04-26}}</ref> Her seamen built a pier with concrete and wooden boards on a beach on the island of [[Ap Lei Chau]], facing [[Aberdeen Harbour, Hong Kong|Aberdeen Harbour]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Alan |date=2021-01-10 |title=口述歷史-潤記與倫敦里 |url=https://alanchan-43476.medium.com/%E5%8F%A3%E8%BF%B0%E6%AD%B7%E5%8F%B2-%E6%BD%A4%E8%A8%98%E8%88%87%E5%80%AB%E6%95%A6%E9%87%8C-23ee8284d5db |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Poca |first=Yiu |date=2020-10-11 |title=【港日常】請記住我，倫敦里 |url=https://pocaonboard.wixsite.com/explorewithme/post/%E3%80%90%E6%B8%AF%E6%97%A5%E5%B8%B8%E3%80%91%E8%AB%8B%E8%A8%98%E4%BD%8F%E6%88%91%EF%BC%8C%E5%80%AB%E6%95%A6%E9%87%8C |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=Poca Yiu |language=zh}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Kong |first=Streets of Hong |date=2023-07-02 |title=Asia’s World City |url=https://dianapang.net/4p2/asias-world-city |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=Diana Pang |language=en}}</ref> The pier was then named London Pier (Cantonese: 倫敦碼頭) and the lane connected to it was named as London Lane (Cantonese: 倫敦里), after the name of the destroyer.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ap Lei Chau: Island of Plenty |url=https://www.urbandiarist.com/en/story/Ap-Lei-Chau--Island-of-Plenty |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=Urban Diary |language=en-US}}</ref> The pier was later demolished but the lane remains.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Blackman|first=Raymond V. B.|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72|year=1971|publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd|location=London|isbn=0-354-00096-9}}
*{{Cite Colledge2006}}
*{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After|year=2008|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-84832-015-4}}
*{{cite book|last1=Gardiner|first1=Robert|last2=Chumbley|first2=Stephen|title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995|year=1995|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland, USA|isbn=1-55750-132-7}}
*{{cite book |last=Marriott |first=Leo |title=Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945 |year=1989 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton, UK |isbn=0-7110-1817-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/royalnavydestroy0000marr }}
*{{cite book|last= McCart |first=Neil |title=County Class Guided Missile Destroyers|year=2014|publisher= Maritime Books|isbn=978-1904459637}}

{{County class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:London (D16)}}
[[Category:County-class destroyers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:1961 ships]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:County-class destroyers of the Pakistan Navy]]
[[category:Ships built by Swan Hunter]]

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HMS London (D16)