HMS Hardy (F54)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Hardy.

HMS Hardy (F54), 14 July 1969 (IWM HU 129855)
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Hardy
Namesake	Thomas Masterman Hardy
Builder	Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down	4 February 1953
Launched	25 November 1953
Acquired	8 December 1955
Commissioned	15 December 1955
Identification	Pennant number: F54
Fate	Sunk as target 3 July 1984
General characteristics
Class and type	Blackwood-class frigate
Displacement	1,456 tons (1,479 tonnes) full load
Length	310 ft (94 m)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Draught	15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion	Y-100 plant 2 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers steam turbines on single shaft 15,000 shp (11 MW)
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h)
Range	5,200 nautical miles (9,630 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement	112
Sensors and processing systems	Radar Type 974 navigation Sonar Type 174 search Sonar Type 162 target classification Sonar Type 170 targeting
Armament	3 × 40 mm Bofors gun Mark 7 (quarterdeck mount later removed) 2 × Limbo Mark 10 anti-submarine mortars

HMS Hardy was an anti-submarine warfare frigate of the Blackwood class or Type 14. She was named after Thomas Masterman Hardy, Captain of HMS Victory at Trafalgar. Hardy was the first Type 14 frigate built, completed on 8 December 1955, by Yarrow Shipbuilders.

Operational Service

On commissioning Hardy served in the Third Training Squadron at Londonderry Port before transferring to the Second Training Squadron in Portland in 1957. In 1960 she underwent a major modernisation and refit, before joining the Twentieth Frigate Squadron in Londonderry Port. In 1967 Hardy transferred to the Second Frigate Squadron and attended Portsmouth Navy Days. The after 40 mm guns in these ships were removed early in their careers due to hull strengthening problems.

Icelandic Patrol and the First Cod War.

In January 1977, when the United Kingdom enlarged its Exclusive economic zone to 200 nautical miles (370 km), Hardy was deployed on patrols of the EEZ, protecting fishing stocks and oil fields. Serving mainly in the Londonderry Port and Portland areas, Hardy attended the 1977 Silver Jubilee Fleet Review off Spithead when she was part of the 2nd Frigate Squadron.

"HMS Hardy", Portsmouth Navy days, August 1982. At this time "Hardy" was the last Type 14 frigate in the reserve fleet but unlike other frigates in reserve at that time, was not refitted for the Falklands Relief Fleet, she being deemed of limited value by this time.

She paid off to the Standby Squadron in August 1977, then, after another short spell of operational service at Portland, became a stores accommodation ship in Portsmouth in October 1979.

Hardy by name and hardy by nature: she was used as a target for Exocet and Sea Skua missiles and her bow was blown off by a torpedo. Following being shelled by 4.5" rounds and receiving patterns of anti submarine mortar charges set to shallow depth, both the main portion of the ship and the separated bow section were finally sunk, by the use of 20mm cannons fired from HMS Charybdis, in the Western Approaches 3 July 1984.

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.
• Marriott, Leo (1983). Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983. Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 07110 1322 5.