Dates: 1966 - 1993
H.M.S. Minerva (F45)
Builder: Alexander Stephen and Sons, Glasgow
Laid down: 3rd June 1963
Launched: 8th July 1964
Commissioned: 15th April 1966
Decommissioned: March 1992
Fate: Sold for scrap July 1993
HMS Minerva (F45) was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built by Alex Stephens of Glasgow. She was launched on the 8th July 1964 and commissioned on the 15th April 1966.
In 1968, Minerva deployed to the West Indies during some troubles there. In 1970, Minerva, like many other British vessels including other Leanders, deployed on Beira Patrol, an operation designed to prevent oil from reaching the landlocked Rhodesia via Mozambique, before visiting various ports around Asia and the Pacific. The following year, Minerva deployed on her second Beira Patrol which proved relatively quiet.
In November 1972, the Prince of Wales joined Minerva. The following year, in February, Minerva, along with the Prince, deployed to the Caribbean. While there Minerva was involved in a number of exercises, including Exercise "Rum Punch" at Puerto Rico, involving British and American forces. The ship returned to the UK in November.
In 1975, Minerva returned to the Caribbean, performing a variety of duties there. Between December 1975 and March 1979, Minerva underwent modernisation, including the addition of Exocet missiles.
While she was undergoing refit Minerva suffered a boiler room fire forcing her to be towed to Chatham Dockyard for repairs. In December the following year, a dockyard crane smashed into Minerva during a storm, causing damage to the ship’s superstructure. In 1980, Minerva deployed to the Mediterranean where she carried out exercises with other NATO warships. While there Minerva got involved in the Cold War when she shadowed the Kiev, the nameship of a three-ship class of large aircraft carriers. In 1981, Minerva was involved in further exercises in the Persian Gulf.
In 1982 during the Falklands War Minerva was part of the ’Bristol Group’ and thus joined the war rather late, not reaching the Falkland Islands until the 26th May. While there, Minerva performed a number of duties, including escort for other vessels. She suffered no damage during her deployment during the Falklands War. She returned to Devonport in September, crowds greeting her upon her return.
In November, Minerva accidentally rammed the Rothesay-class frigate Yarmouth. In late 1984, Minerva returned to the South Atlantic on a deployment that encompassed all British South Atlantic territories, a deployment which lasted into 1985. She continued service throughout the rest of the 1980s, seeing much of the world, including being involved in a number of exercises with NATO allies and acting as patrol ship in a number of deployments. By the early 1990s, Minerva’s age was showing, and in March 1992, her long and eventful career came to an end. The following year Minerva was sold for scrap
Crew Memories
I joined Minerva in Chatham at midnight on 2nd January 1970, having received a telegram at home to come off leave 2 days early. We sailed the next day. The first Soviet carrier, Moskva, had emerged from the Black Sea, and we were required to chase her round the Med. Mine was a pierhead jump to replace Mick Lansley, from whom I had an hour or two’s handover before we sailed.
I believe we called in at Portsmouth to pick up the crew who had failed to return from leave early. Minerva had just completed a long refit, and many of us still had to find our sea legs - I was almost immediately seasick. I was vitalled in the forward PO’s mess, where we had a sergeant of the Black Watch, one of 20 or so soldiers we were transporting to Gibraltar.
It was interesting that he was one of only two people who could stomach being that far forward for the first days at sea. (But his first tot of neat rum was a joy to behold - we thought he was going to explode!)
That commission of Minerva was the best time I’ve had in the RN, mainly because the mess gell
"west indies,
as a very young 15 year old very wet behind the ears lad i joined the royal navy not knowing what to expect but looking for adventure and to be paid whilst doing it.after doing basic i joined the minerva at roosavelt roads an american base in the windies having never been on a plane before that was some flight it took a couple of years to realise that not all planes had you flying backwards. the minerva was a leander class and she looked great laying at her berth in crystal blue water and her paintwork gleaming little did i know at the time i would be helping to keep her looking like this for the next ten months as we had a shipmate on board called prince charles that ten months and the next two years has left an imprint in my mind which is hard to forget. i guess we all say that certain ships companies are the best but we were all young and of free spirit and up for anything and you must realise that the windies was only just starting to become a tourist destination so we had the place to ourselves and the ocasional liner we still meet up now and talk about the time what memories i could write a book on it"
