Dates: 1978 -
HMS Nottingham (D91), is a batch two Type 42 Destroyer of the Royal Navy, named after the city of Nottingham, England. She was launched on February 18, 1980, and commissioned on 8 April 1983 and is the sixth ship to bear the name.
Her Commanding Officer at commissioning was Commander Nigel Essenhigh (in his first major command role) went on to become First Sea Lord. On her first cruise to Oporto, Portugal and then Gibraltar she sadly lost 4 sailors to a drowning incident in Oporto. "The Notty" was the last of the short Type 42s and suffered from the usual stressing of the flexible joint amidships.
In November 2000, HMS Nottingham completed a major refit, which extended her operational life to 2012.
Nottingham took part in a NATO exercise near Scotland and in RN exercises near Oman in the Middle East during 2001. On 21 March 2002 she left Portsmouth for a nine-month trip to several countries in Asia.
On 7 July 2002, Nottingham ran aground on the submerged but well-charted Wolf Rock near Lord Howe Island, 200 miles off the coast of Australia. A 160 ft (50 m) hole was torn down the side of the vessel from bow to bridge, flooding five of her compartments and nearly causing her to sink. The accident happened in poor weather after a wounded sailor was evacuated to the island, involving some late course changes. The captain was not on the ship at the time, but was having dinner with the harbourmaster Clive Wilson. Emergency repairs were made to make it possible to move the ship. On 6 August, Nottingham set out on her journey to the port of Newcastle, north of Sydney, Australia, towed stern-first because of the damage to her bow. In Newcastle, her Sea Dart missiles were removed and further repairs are carried out.
It was decided Nottingham would be repaired in the UK. (Nottingham had recently undergone major modifications to her radar and other electronics, and it would be less expensive to repair her than to bring another Type 42 destroyer up to the same specification.) After arriving in Sydney on 15 October, the damaged ship was lifted on board the heavy lifting vessel MV Swan and welded to her deck for transport. On 28 October, Nottingham left Sydney harbour on board the MV Swan for the journey back to the UK. By 9 December, she had arrived at Portsmouth Harbour for repairs at Fleet Support Limited. Meanwhile, the destroyer HMS Glasgow was reactivated to cover for Nottingham while she was being repaired.
On 7 July 2003, the anniversary of the collision, Nottingham was refloated. In April 2004 she sailed again following the ?39m repair and refit. The ship was expected to return to normal duties in July 2004. On 23 August 2004, Nottingham met the SAS Mendi, a Valour class frigate at the site where the SS Mendi, a World War I troopship, sank to lay wreaths in remembrance to those who died in service for their country.
Nottingham maintains a close relationship with the city which it is named for and the Nottingham public are said to be very proud of ’their ship’. The crew of the ship have the freedom of the city and the ship is affiliated to several Nottingham based charities and organisations.
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Nottingham
" Aircraft Carriers. Ship Name, Launch Date, Displacement, Total Crew. HMS Invincible 1977--22,000--1051. HMS Illustrious 197--22,000--1051. HMS Ark Royal 1981--22,000--1051. Amphibious Assault Ships Ship. HMS Ocean 1995--20,700--265. HMS Albion 2001--18,500--363. HMS Bulwark ..."
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" I might be wrong, but isn’t a Court Martial automatic in the RN when a ship is lost regardless of circumstance? Wasn’t the Captain of HMS Nottingham court martialled, and exonerated, after his ship hit the only rock between Australia and South America a few years ago? He wasn’t even on board at the time! "
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" Another destroyer is headed to the scrap yard after MoD quietly decided to condemn a Type 42 class despite tens of millions of pounds in repairs and upgrades over the last few years. HMS Nottingham is predicted to be scrapped ahead of its planned decommissioning date of 2010. The ship hit ..."
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" Sailors have been feeling the cold on an accident-prone warship after the heating broken down. HMS Nottingham, which suffered £45m worth of damage when it hit rocks off Australia in 2002, is mothballed in Portsmouth until it is decommissioned. But about 60 crew living on board have ..."
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" Good morning all from the land of Ozz. Just gone 0530 and another cool morning. Still dark outside so cannot give you the visuals, but the birds are getting into voice for the welcome for the dawn. Lovely letter from Teresa in CF. Good that you are enjoying the hangovers gal. That is what ..."
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