HMS Relentless (H85)

R-class destroyer converted to Type 15 frigate of the Royal Navy

HMS Relentless was an R-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was later converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F185.

History

HMS Relentless (F185) after her conversion to a Type 15 frigate.

Commissioned at Greenock on 30 November 1942, Relentless performed anti-submarine escort duties and patrolling activities in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean for the balance of the war.^[2]

From 1946 until 1949 Relentless was held in reserve at Chatham and then Harwich. From 1949 until 1951 she underwent conversion to a Type 15 Anti-Submarine Frigate.^[3] In 1951–1952 she was the leader of the 3rd Training Squadron.^[4] In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.^[5]

In 1954 she was involved in a serious collision with the destroyer Vigilant.^[6] From October 1956 until 1964 she was held in reserve at Gareloch, Chatham and Rosyth.

On 27 June 1964 she was re-commissioned to serve as part of the 29th Escort Squadron, to replace the destroyer Diana.

Decommissioning and disposal

Relentless was placed on the disposal list in August 1965 and was sold to Thos. W. Ward for scrapping at Inverkeithing in 1971.

Commanding officers

The Commanding Officer from 1951 to 1952 was Captain Michael Le Fanu RN.^[7]

References

1. Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. p. 47.
2. "HMS Relentless – Operational movements" (PDF). Retrieved 28 August 2016.
3. Critchley, Mike, "British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers", Maritime Books: Liskeard, UK, 1982. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2, page 52
4. Mackie, Colin. "II: Royal Navy- Captains Commanding Warships". British Armed Forces (1900–). Retrieved 19 January 2014.
5. Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
6. Critchley, Mike, "British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers", Maritime Books: Liskeard, UK, 1982. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2, page 52
7. Mackie, Colin. "II: Royal Navy- Captains Commanding Warships". British Armed Forces (1900–). Retrieved 19 January 2014.

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.
• English, John (2001). Obdurate to Daring: British Fleet Destroyers 1941–45. Windsor, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 978-0-9560769-0-8.
• Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-86176-137-6.
• Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
• Marriott, Leo, Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allan, 1989. ISBN 0-7110-1817-0
• Raven, Alan & Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
• Richardson, Ian (August 2021). Osborne, Richard (ed.). "Type 15 Frigates, Part 2: Ship Histories". Warships: Marine News Supplement. 75 (8): 381–391. ISSN 0966-6958.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.