HMS Intrepid (L11)

HMS "Intrepid" (L11) was a Royal Navy ship which served from 1967 until 1999. One of two from the Landing Platform Dock (LPD) class she was based in HM Naval Base, Devonport, Plymouth, Devon and HM Naval Base Portsmouth and saw service around the world over her 32 year life.

Role

The LPDs provided support to a Royal Marines amphibious assault force and provided a platform for a the Headquarters capability prior to, and during, the assault phase.

ervice

"Intrepid" was the second of her class of purpose built LPDs used by Royal Navy, built in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, at the John Brown & Company yard she was launched in 1964 before undergoing trials and commissioning in 1967. Incidentally, she was the last ship built by John Brown & Co for the Royal Navy.

Intrepid was undergoing decommissioning in 1982 at the outbreak of the Falklands War, however was brought back into commission, with her ships company recalled by Commander Bryn Telfer (the Executive Officer), and Malcolm MacLeod, the crew gladly returned to form part of the task group committed to Operation Corporate, the British effort to recapture the islands. Intrepid was commanded by Captain Peter Dingemans.

With elements of 3 Commando Brigade embarked, "Intrepid" took part in the amphibious landings at San Carlos Water. HMS Intrepid was under attack in San Carlos Water on 25 May 1982, with a few fatalities, mainly Royal Marines (citation?). The "Nordic Ferry" was also under attack. She came under heavy air attack once again during the operation, and was the main participant in the landings at Bluff Cove on 6 June. Margaret Thatcher and Sandy Woodward commended the efforts of the ships involved in the San Carlos attacks.

She [Intrepid] would be the last ship to arrive, the last piece in the jigsaw, and so all the timings depended on her. [citebook|title=One Hundred Days|author=Admiral Sandy Woodward|page=pp 92|isbn=0 00 215723 3]

The ship was also one of the warships used for imprisoning the Argentinian prisoners of war. From 1985 until 1990 she supported the sea training phase of initial officer training, undertaken at Britannia Royal Naval College, as part of the Dartmouth Training Squadron.

Intrepid was placed in reserve status in 1991, laid up at HM Naval Base Portsmouth, being used as a source of spares for her sister ship, HMS "Fearless". She was decommissioned in 1999 and awaited her disposal, by scrapping,cite news | first = Michael | last = Evans |title = Falklands warrior bows out (again) | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1375209.ece | work = The Times | publisher = Times Newspapers | date = 2007-02-13 | accessdate = 2007-02-13] in Fareham Creek, Hampshire.

Replacement LPDs were ordered during the 1990s with HMS "Albion" being commissioned in 2003

On February 12 2007, the MoD announced that HMS "Intrepid" is to be recycled at a British facility. Leavesley International was selected as the preferred bidder, pending license acquisition. [citeweb|url=http://www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item195_hms_intrepid.htm|title=HMS "Intrepid" To Be Broken Up In UK|work=The Shipping Times|date=2007-02-20|accessdate=2008-02-11] The contract aims to ensure that the ship is disposed of responsibly, and in full compliance with international environmental legislation. [citeweb|url=http://www.netnewspublisher.com/former-royal-navy-assault-ship-hms-intrepid-is-to-be-recycled-in-liverpool/ |title=Former Royal Navy Assault Ship HMS Intrepid is to be Recycled in Liverpool|publisher=Net News|date=13 September 2008|accessdate=14 September|accessyear=2008] Having received the required planning permission and environmental licences for disposal, "Intrepid" duly left Portsmouth for her final journey to Liverpool on 13 September 2008.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Michael Clapp & Ewen Southby-Tailyour. "Amphibious Assault Falklands". London (1996). ISBN 0850524202

External links

* http://hmsintrepid.com

ee also