Dates: 1957 - 1988
HMS Rothesay (F107) was a Rothesay or Type 12I class anti-submarine frigate of the British Royal Navy
In the spring/summer of 1961 HMS Rothesay was in Halifax, Nova Scotia and was intending to make courtesy at ports on the eastern seaboard of the USA but was instead diverted to Bermuda where she was to stay ready to protect British interests in Cuba.
Between 1966 and 1968 Rothesay was refitted in Rosyth, Among the improvements the 40 mm gun was replaced with Seacat missile system, radar and communication equipment was updated, accommodation improved and perhaps most significantly a helicopter flight deck and hangar were added. Although this required the removal of one of the two triple barrelled anti-submarine mortars, it allowed the Rothesay Class to carry the Westland Wasp helicopter which was a huge asset for anti-submarine operations. This modernisation was a vast improvement over the Whitby Class and brought the Rothesay class up to the standard of the succeeding Leander Class.
On 6 August 1969, together with HMS Minerva, they landed 315 men of The Parachute Regiment on Anguilla to restore order after the islanders objected to being placed under the government of Saint Kitts.
In 1973 HMS Rothesay undertook Cod War Fishery Protection Patrols.
In 1977 She attended the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review with sisterships HMS Plymouth and HMS Berwick.
During the Falklands war in 1982, Rothesay was stationed in the Caribbean.
There was plans to withdraw the ship from service in 1983 but these were abandoned and instead in 1985 she underwent a refit in preparation for her new role in the Dartmouth Training Squadron. She served in this role until she was paid off on 13 March 1988. During her many years of service she clocked up over 800,000 miles. She was sold to Spain to be broken up there.
Memories of HMS Rothesay
HMS Rothesay, in 1975Written by David Harry Faulkner
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"The Navigator Officer was Lt Jonathon Band when in Perth Australia Maratime club he was Liason Officer I was Liason Petty Officer I introduced the wife to him at a Xmas function there he said to her why is someone so beautiful as you with an ugly old git like him we laughed our heads off then she said to him cause he is better looking that you he laughed his head off. I was given a Bottle of Port as a thankyou for the work I did. It was a 1939 bottle with the Royal seal of Oporto on it.
We called into Bodrum in Turkey carried out a full survey of the area as requested during which at a cafe in the centre we held a sing song at lunchtime and into the afternoon. Riot Police turned up armed, I went and told there Captain what was being done and asked to him to put down all their weapons and come and join us they did and we had an english and turkish sing song. Because of the report we produced to uk it became a recommended Holiday resort.
We called into Fiji and was asked to go ashore to an Orphanage and repair the childrens playground which was wooden. We did it then at 1630 their time we were invited to stay for tea then when the Nuns had served it they started singing it was not religious it was more like The Sound of Music."
