HMS St. Kitts (D18)

HMS St. Kitts was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named in honour of the Battle of St. Kitts which took place in 1782. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name. St. Kitts was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited on the Tyne. She was launched on 4 October 1944 and commissioned on 21 January 1946.

HMS St. Kitts
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS St. Kitts
BuilderSwan Hunter
Laid down8 September 1943
Launched4 October 1944
Commissioned21 January 1946
Decommissioned1957
IdentificationPennant number D18
FateSold for scrap 19 February 1962
General characteristics
Class and typeBattle-class destroyer
Displacement2,315 tons
Length379 ft (116 m)
Beam40.25 ft (12.27 m)
Draught
  • 12.75 ft (3.89 m) (mean)
  • 17.5 ft (5.3 m) (max)
Propulsion
  • Parsons geared turbines
  • 2 shafts. 50,000 shp (37,000 kW)
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Complement250 (peace), 337 (war)
Armament

Service

St. Kitts joined the 5th Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet upon commission. In 1948, St. Kitts deployed to the Arctic to join the aircraft carrier Vengeance, along with a variety of other ships, including other Battle-class destroyers during experiments in that region. In 1953, St. Kitts took part in the large Fleet Review at Spithead to celebration the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. St. Kitts was positioned in the middle of her sister ships Camperdown and Barfleur.[1] St. Kitts was subsequently placed in Reserve.

In 1954, St. Kitts joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, also part of the Home Fleet. In 1955, St. Kitts, still with the 3rd Flotilla, deployed to the Mediterranean, and took part in the Suez Crisis, which had occurred after the nationalisation of the Suez Canal by the Egyptian leader Nasser. During Operation Musketeer, the invasion of Egypt, St. Kitts performed a variety of duties, including escorting the carrier Eagle, as well as participating in the naval bombardment of Port Said. That same year, St. Kitts, along with the rest of the Flotilla, left the Mediterranean to join the Home Fleet.

Decommissioning and disposal

In 1957, St. Kitts was decommissioned, being scrapped in 1962 at Sunderland.

References
  1. Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden

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.
  • Hodges, Peter (1971). Battle Class Destroyers. London: Almark Publishing. ISBN 0-85524-012-1.
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