HMS Saintes (D84)

HMS "Saintes" (D84) was a 1942 Battle-class fleet destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN), she and 15 sister ships being ordered under the 1942 defence estimates. She was named after the Battle of the Saintes, a Royal Navy victory over a French fleet intending to invade Jamaica in 1782. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name. "Saintes" was built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company on the Tyne. She was launched on the on 19 July 1944 and commissioned on the on 27 September 1946.

When "Saintes" first commissioned in 1946 she joined the 5th destroyer flotilla and was used to trial the new 4.5" Mk 6 twin turret which became the standard destroyer main armament until well into the 1970s. In 1947, during live-fire trials of the new armament, "Saintes" accidentally hit and sank the "Brigand"-class tug HMS "Buccaneer" while it was towing the actual target.

"Saintes" paid off on completion of the trials and was refitted with the conventional main armament of the class. In 1949, "Saintes" recommissioned into the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla and deployed to the Mediterranean where she took over as Captain (D)3, the senior officer in command of the flotilla.

In 1954, whilst still in the Mediterranean, "Saintes" came to the assistance of the "Empire Windrush", which had suffered an engine room explosion and fire whilst carrying troops and their families home from the Far East. "Saintes" took charge of the rescue operation and put fire and towing parties aboard and attempted to tow the ship to Gibraltar but "Empire Windrush" foundered whilst under tow. Apart from the four engine room staff killed in the original explosion all crew and passengers were rescued unharmed.

"Saintes" remained Captain (D)3 until she went for a major refit in 1956 at Rosyth when her crew transferred to her sister ship HMS "Armada". On completion of her refit in 1958, "Saintes" again took over as Captain (D)3, this time as part of a General Service commission spending a part of the time with the Home Fleet and part of the time with the Mediterranean Fleet. In 1960, "Saintes" recommissioned with the 1st Destroyer Squadron, again having spells with the Home and Mediterranean Fleets

"Saintes" finally paid off in May 1962 at Devonport. She was then towed to Rosyth by a towing crew of volunteers from her last commission. At Rosyth she became the training ship for Artificer Apprentices from HMS "Caledonia". Her armament was mothballed but her engines were kept in full working order by the trainees.

"Saintes" was broken up at Cairn Ryan in 1972, the last of the Royal Navy's 1942 Battle-class fleet destroyers.

References

*Colledge