HMS Danae

 

~ 1 9 7 4 ~

~ TASK FORCE ONE ~

~ FAR EAST DEPLOYMENT ~

 

BRIAN JOHNSON -- RADIO OPERATOR (TACTICAL)

Please feel free to address any comments or suggestions about this site to my email addresses

All pictures may be copied if you so wish

 

HMS Danae in the mid-1970s

 

HMS Danae was one of the earlier Leander-class frigates, built in Devonport, and launched in October, 1965. She was 113.4 metres long with a 12.5 metres beam (later ships of the class had a beam of 13.1 metres). A general purpose frigate, Danæ was armed with a twin 114mm gun, a triple-barrelled anti-submarine mortar, and a Seacat missle system.  A Wasp helicopter was carried. 263 men formed her crew. Rather than scrap her, the MoD sold her to the Ecuador Navy in 1971 which re-named her Moran Valverde.

During my time aboard Danæ (throughout 1974 and 1975) she was renowned for her sickening roll caused by her inability to keep a stabiliser attached to her port side. Danæ's Captain was Second in Command of the Seventh Frigate Squadron (hence the black funnel-cowling and ring on her funnel in the above picture). Whilst on the Far East Deployment she was a 'White Ensign' ship.

 

 

Until meeting the rest of Task Force One in Singapore, HMS Danæ was a 'White Ensign' ship, showing the flag in some ports not usually visited by Her Britannic Majestey's Warships during the 1970s.

After leaving Plymouth in early January, 1974, Danæ called in at Gibraltar for a few days, and then did a Casex alongside  Minerva before heading south. During that time, something was spotted thrashing about in the water. The safety boat was launched and its crew managed to pull aboard two turtles that had become entwined in a fishing net. After much discussion among the crew (and a democratic vote), the turtles were later released rather than ending up in the hands of the cooks. An afternoon run ashore to a nearby beach was organised in Freetown, Sierra Leone, while the ship refuelled.

Once at sea again, we met up with the Tidespring for a RAS before Crossing the Line. This was quickly followed by an NBC exercise with yours truly stuck on the signal deck, wearing an NBC suit, overboots, hood, rubber gloves and a gas mask, for about two hours -- not something I would recommend when only 150 miles south of the Equator. Simonstown and Capetown beckoned us southward.

 

Equatorial sunset, Atlantic Ocean. Ships on the horizon are (left to right): HMS Fife (Admiral, Task Force One), HMS Scylla (Captain, Seventh Frigate Squadron), and RFA Tidespring

 

Turtles rescued from the stanglehold of fishing nets

 

King Neptune boards the Danæ in mid-Atlantic

 

King Neptune orders the 'Crossing the Line' ceremony to commence

 

The Captain (Michael L'Estrange Tudor-Craig) starts his initiation

 

The culmination of the Captian's initiation

 

Danæ on a Tudor-Craig-type 'fast approach' to RFA Tidespring for Replenishment at Sea (RAS)

 

Diesel fuel-pipe coming over

 

Danæ's helo about to land onboard during a Vertical Replenishment (VerTrep)

 

'Let them fear those belonging to Danæ'

 

In Greek mythology, Danæ was a Princess of Argos, daughter of King Acisius. An oracle told the king that Danæ's son would kill him, so he imprisoned Danæ in a brazen tower. Zeus visted her in a shower of gold and fathered Perseus.

 

PLEASE GO TO TOP LEFT OF PAGE AND CLICK ON Page Two