HMS Broadsword (D31)

HMS Broadsword (D31)
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Broadsword
Builder	Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down	20 July 1944
Launched	4 February 1946
Completed	4 October 1948
Identification	Pennant number G31/D31
Fate	Arrived at Inverkeithing for scrapping in October 1968
General characteristics
Class and type	Weapon-class destroyer
Displacement	1,980 tons standard
Length	365 ft (111 m)
Beam	38 ft (12 m)
Armament	6 x 4-inch DP guns 6 x 40 mm Bofors, 10 x 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 2 x Squid ASW Mortars

HMS Broadsword was a Weapon-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy in service from 1948 and scrapped in 1968.

Service[]

On commissioning in 1948 Broadsword became part of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla (later Squadron), as part of the Home Fleet, along with the other Weapon-class destroyers. In 1953 she went into reserve, being replaced in the by Comet.^[1]

In 1957 all of the Weapon class were taken into refit and conversion to re-equip them as radar pickets, to supplement the new Salisbury-class frigates. Broadsword was converted at Rosyth. The conversion involved the removal of both sets of torpedo tubes and the erection of an additional lattice mast, which carried a large Type 965 Radar (AKE -1 aerial). She re-commissioned in October 1958 and was then allocated to the serving in Home and Mediterranean waters until paying off in 1963.

Decommissioning and disposal[]

Following decommissioning Broadsword was towed on 25 April 1968 to Rosyth for use in target trials. She was scrapped at Inverkeithing, arriving there on 8 October 1968.

In popular culture[]

Broadsword was featured on the Look at Life (film series) shown on BBC Four titled 'Britain on Film' Episode 2:6 Messing About on Boats.^[2] During the short clip, D31 is filmed from a trawler patrolling the fishing limits with Iceland at some time during the 1960s.

References[]

Publications[]

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.
• Marriott, Leo (1989). Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1817-0.

External links[]

• BBC Programmes: Britain on Film

This article about a specific destroyer of the United Kingdom is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

• v
• t