"Could this be the last day of their last commission"
Thats what Im looking for.
The only book at my disposal is Conways All The Worlds Fighting Ships 1947-82.
And it like most Internet sources only provides final fate dates.
Unfortunately I live in the boonies of northern Wisconsin and no Janes much less a complete set of Janes are available.
Im told two other books have some of this info:
Vanguard to Trident
The Decline of British Seapower
But alas I have no access to those either.
Probably should try and buy used copies.
Here is some of the stiuff Im interested in that I have been able to gather:
On July 1st, 1956, the strength of the Fleet was as follows:
A. Ships in commission or preparing for service with it.
2 FLEET CARRIERS Eagle, Ark Royal
6 LIGHT FLEET CARRIERS Centaur, Albion, Warrior; Bulwark flying training); Theseus and Ocean (non-flying training).
9 CRUISERS Ceylon, Jamaica, Glasgow, Superb, Newfound
land, Birmingham, Newcastle, Kenya and
Cumberland (trials).
1 GUIDED WEAPON TRIALS SHIP Girdle Ness.
4 DEPOT SHIPS Tyne, Maidstone, Adamant, Forth.
8 DARING CLASS SHIPS Daring, Delight, Defender, Diana, Duchess, Diamond, Decoy, Dainty.
24 DESTROYERS 2 Weapon Class; 7 Battle Class; 12 C Class;
Vigo, Savage and Obdurate.
53 FRIGATES 18 Destroyer Conversions; 7 Black Swan Class;
9 Bay Class; 7 Loch Class; 3 Castle Class;
1 Grimsby Class; 1 Hunt Class; 5 Blackwood
Class; 2 Whitby Class.
2 FAST MINELAYERS Apollo, Manxman.
1 NETLAYER Protector.
2 COASTAL MINESWEEPER
H.Q. SHIPS Mull of Galloway, Woodbridge Haven.
71 MINESWEEPERS 10 Ocean., 34 Coastal; 27 Inshore.
42 SUBMARINES (include 2 X-Craft).
1 REPAIR SHIP Ranpura.
1 DEEP DIVING VESSEL Reclaim.
1 RESCUE BELL SHIP Kingfisher.
7 SURVEY SHIPS Vidal, Cook, Dalrymple, Owen, Scott, Shackleton,
Dampier.
20 COASTAL CRAFT 17 Fast Patrol Boats; 3 Seaward Patrol Craft.
8 LANDING VESSELS 1 Landing Ship Headquarters; 4 Tank Landing
Ships; 3 Tank Landing Craft.
1 MINELAYER Plover.
5 CONTROLLED MINELAYERS; 22 BOOM DEFENCE VESSELS (6 Civilian manned);
4 DE-GAUSSING VESSELS (3 Civilian manned).
B. Ships undergoing extended refit or modernisation or in Reserve.
3 FLEET CARRIERS Victorious, Illustrious, Indefatigable.
3 LIGHT FLEET CARRIERS Triumph, Glory, Vengeance.
5 BATTLESHIPS Vanguard, Anson, Duke of York, Howe, Kin,,, George V.
12 CRUISERS . Sheffield, Bermuda, Cleopatra, Mauritius, Belfast, Bellona, Dido, Euryalus, Sirius, Swiftsure, Liverpool, Gambia.
1 AIRCRAFT REPAIR SHIP Perseus
1 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE CARRIER Unicorn.
44 DESTROYERS
19 SUBMARINES (including 2 X-Craft)
47 TANK LANDING SHIPS AND CRAFT 8 MAINTENANCE SHIPS
52 BOOM DEFENCE VESSELS (51 Civilian manned'
C. Ships in course of construction.
1 LIGHT FLEET CARRIER Hermes.
3 CRUISERS Tiger, Blake, Defence (Defence became HMS LION)
19 FRIGATES 4 Anti-Aircraft; 4 Aircraft Direction,. (one of these was HMS Chichester) 11 AntiSubmarine.
3 SUBMARINES 'excludes those not yet launched).
69MINESWEEPERS 45 Coastal; 24 Inshore.
17COASTAL CRAFT 15 Fast Patrol Boats; 2 Seaward Patrol Craft.
110 FRIGATES
190 MINESWEEPERS
1 NETLAYER
1 REPAIR SHIP
1 SURVEY SHIP
1 DE-GAUSSING VESSEL
1 FAST MINELAYER
41 COASTAL CRAFT
1 DESTROYER DEPOT SHIP
6 CONTROLLED MINELAYERS
1 RADAR TRAINING SHIP
In 1961-62, the following ships were shown as Operational or Preparing for Service: Ark Royal, Hermes, Victorious, Centaur; Bulwark; Belfast, Bermuda, Lion, Tiger, Blake; 4 Darings, 7 Battles, 4 Weapons, 5C's; 4 Leopards, 1 Black Swan, 1 Bay class AA frigates; 3 Salisbury class AD frigates; 11 Whitby and Rothesay class, 4 Blackwood class, 3 Type 15 and 6 Loch class AS frigates; 2 Despatch Vessels; Ice Patrol Ship Protector; 30 Porpoise, Oberon, A, T and S class submarines; 26 Coastal, 12 Inshore minesweepers; 3 Seaward Patrol Craft; 1 Landing Ship HQ, 3 Tank Landing Ships, 3 Tank Landing Craft.
Ships shown as Engaged on Trials or Training include Girdle Ness, 2 C's; 6 Blackwood class, 10 Type 15 and 1 Hunt class frigates; 1 E and 1 S class submarines; 2 Ocean, 10 Coastal and 2 Inshore minesweepers; 2 Seaward Patrol Craft; 2 Fast Patrol Boats; 1 Tank Landing Craft.
The 80 Fleet was based upon the following premises:
Far East Station reduced to 2 frigates; Persian Gulf frigates reduced from 6 to 4, allowing 2 on station at all times; South Atlantic abandoned, but Protector retained (Protector later replaced by Endurance); America and West Indies Station abandoned; main body of fleet to consist of three carrier task groups, each with 1 carrier, 1 cruiser, 4 destroyers, 4 frigates rotating between Home, Mediterranean, Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean, with the CTG East of Suez augmented by a commando ship and an escort maintenance ship. Remainder of fleet divided between trials and training and a standing Home Fleet (3 destroyers, 3 frigates, 1 fast minelayer, 1 destroyer depot ship); five frigates for Fishery Protection; 20 submarines and 2 depot ships in Home waters; minesweeper support ship, 12 coastal minesweepers 5 submarines, a sub accommodation ship, a heavy repair ship and the amphibious warfare squadron in the Mediterranean with a RM Commando at Malta (2 of Med subs det to provide A/S training for Easter Carrier Task Group). Fleet disposition in 1961/62:
Fleet Carriers - 1 Med, 1 Home or refitting, both in Carrier task groups + 1 in Reserve
Light Fleet Carriers - 1 in East Indies Task Group + 2 in Reserve
Cruisers - 1 in ea carrier task group = 3 + 2 in Reserve
Destroyers - 4 in each carrier task group, 3 in Home Fleet, 1 in Training Squadron = 16 + 24 in Reserve
Frigates - 4 in each carrier task group, 3 in Home Fleet, 4 in Persian Gulf, 2 in Far East, 15 in Training Squadron = 36 + 26 in Reserve
Not much I know.
Tracking the changes of the RN and why fascinates me.
But again alas I dont have acess to nearly enough information.
Thanks for your help!!!!!!
Rick