HMS JAGUAR 1966
A Commander in Chief’s Inspection set the scene for farewells at Simonstown and Capetown as the ship prepared to again cross the South Atlantic for South America duties including Antarctic waters before turning north for home via the Panama Canal and Bermuda.
JANUARY
The month arrived without disturbing the runs ashore but the ship care and maintenance was maybe a little more diligent than usual until Friday the 7th when, at 0845 ’Hands muster by Divisions on the Jetty for Commander-in-Chief’s Inspection’. Rear Admiral J M D Gray, CB arrived with due ceremony and on completing the Inspection of the officers and men went on to inspect the ship. Leave was given from 1245. The Admiral stayed for Lunch until 1400 and returned again in the evening to host a Cocktail Party attended by naval officers and civil dignitaries including the Mayors of Capetown and Simonstown.
Warrant No 31 was read on Saturday.
At 0830 on Monday the 10th the Captain landed to make an official call on CinC SASA and returned to the ship at 1040. At 1110 HMS JAGUAR sailed for Tristan da Cunha.
Five days and 1,500 miles later the anchor was let-go off the Island’s settlement, Edinburgh. There supplies were landed and so too was the ship’s Doctor to spend the day tending to the medical needs of the inhabitants until 2000. Meanwhile, for comfort the ship spent the time underway locally. By 2010 on Saturday passage westward had resumed.
The Argentine Naval Base at Puerto Belgrano, Bahia Blanca (2,000 nm from Tristan) was a welcoming place indeed where JAGUAR, on approach embarked Commander in Chief, SASA and berthed soon after 0800 on Monday the 24th exchanging gun salutes as she did so. Leave, the first since leaving Simonstown, was enjoyed enough to prompt a ‘Captain’s Talk’ to the ship’s company on Tuesday.
Many inter-navy visits and parties as well civil courtesies took place during the four-day visit which ended with the ship sailing at 1100 on Friday the 28th. CinC SASA and the Argentine Naval Base Commander were on board for the departure and disembarked together at 1130.
The next stop was Buenos Aires where the CinC was again embarked off the port at 0820 on Monday the 31st for the formal arrival at Dasena ‘A‘ Berth at 0927. He hosted a Lunch Party and in the afternoon the ship was open to the British Community whilst most of the ship’s company investigated their city.
Log: 4364.6 nautical miles during 382 hours at sea.
Many inter-navy visits and parties as well civil courtesies took place during the four-day visit which ended with the ship sailing at 1100 on Friday the 28th. CinC SASA and the Argentine Naval Base Commander were on board for the departure and disembarked together at 1130.
The next stop was Buenos Aires where the CinC was again embarked off the port at 0820 on Monday the 31st for the formal arrival at Dasena ‘A‘ Berth at 0927. He hosted a Lunch Party and in the afternoon the ship was open to the British Community whilst most of the ship’s company investigated their city.
Log: 4364.6 nautical miles during 382 hours at sea.
FEBRUARY
On Tuesday the 1st a Wreath Laying Party landed and so too did a party bound for a visit to the ‘Anglo Meat Packing Company’ (No shouts of ‘Beef’, please!) and another to a shoe factory. On Thursday Warrant No. 35 was read. The CinC hosted a Lunch Party onboard before leaving the ship mid-afternoon for HMS PROTECTOR at Montevideo. ‘Open to visitors’ between 1500 and 1800 on Friday attracted 630 visitors but that was dwarfed by the 1,020 who visited on Saturday.
Sailing at 1130 on Sunday the ship made an overnight run across the River Plate to Uruguay.
At anchor off Punta del Este by 0845 on Monday the 7th the British Consul and Naval Attaché plus a Uruguayan Naval Liaison Officer were on board prior to the Captain going ashore to make calls. Leave was from 1230 to 0815 and with air temperatures between 70 and 80F (21-27C) a high liquid intake was necessary, hopefully not at the price of more Warrants! Four hundred and thirty visitors came to look round on Thursday. Oh dear! Warrants No. 37 and 38, probably accrued from
Buenos Aires, were read on Friday. On Saturday Her Britannic Majesty’s Attaché was present at a Luncheon on board.
At 1105 on Sunday the 13th HMS JAGUAR and the 200 plus men in her bade farewell to Punta del Este.
On Tuesday the 1st a Wreath Laying Party landed and so too did a party bound for a visit to the ‘Anglo Meat Packing Company’ (No shouts of ‘Beef’, please!) and another to a shoe factory. On Thursday Warrant No. 35 was read. The CinC hosted a Lunch Party onboard before leaving the ship mid-afternoon for HMS PROTECTOR at Montevideo. ‘Open to visitors’ between 1500 and 1800 on Friday attracted 630 visitors but that was dwarfed by the 1,020 who visited on Saturday.
Sailing at 1130 on Sunday the ship made an overnight run across the River Plate to Uruguay.
At anchor off Punta del Este by 0845 on Monday the 7th the British Consul and Naval Attaché plus a Uruguayan Naval Liaison Officer were on board prior to the Captain going ashore to make calls. Leave was from 1230 to 0815 and with air temperatures between 70 and 80F (21-27C) a high liquid intake was necessary, hopefully not at the price of more Warrants! Four hundred and thirty visitors came to look round on Thursday. Oh dear! Warrants No. 37 and 38, probably accrued from
Buenos Aires, were read on Friday. On Saturday Her Britannic Majesty’s Attaché was present at a Luncheon on board.
At 1105 on Sunday the 13th HMS JAGUAR and the 200 plus men in her bade farewell to Punta del Este.
A generally southern heading took the ship to the Falkland Islands and anchor at Port Stanley at 0820 on Wednesday the 16th. The Captain called on HMS PROTECTOR while the ship was fuelled and welcomed on board 40 visitors. On Thursday a party went on a tour round Penguin Island in a MFV, Leave was from 1230 to 0130 and a Children’s Party was held on board.
Soon after 1100 on Friday the 18th the ship was underway south bound for Deception Island (Pic. below) in the Antarctic South Shetland Islands. There, during a brief stop on Sunday, Admiral Gray, transferred from HMS PROTECTOR in Maxwell Bay back to JAGUAR which then turned north for the 550nm passage back up to South America.
Soon after 1100 on Friday the 18th the ship was underway south bound for Deception Island (Pic. below) in the Antarctic South Shetland Islands. There, during a brief stop on Sunday, Admiral Gray, transferred from HMS PROTECTOR in Maxwell Bay back to JAGUAR which then turned north for the 550nm passage back up to South America.
By Monday the 21st temperatures were beginning to rise again as they made their way towards the southern area of Chile National Park and an overnight stop near Alemania Glacier on Tuesday. Underway again at 0730 on Wednesday the passage off Chile continued for another five days.
Gun salutes were echoing as HMS JAGUAR and the CinC approached Valparaiso at 0800 on Monday the 28th to begin official calls and a Lunch Party on board. Leave was from 1230 to 0815 and the month closed with the fuel tanks being filled at the end of the 3,000 nautical mile journey from the Falklands via the Antarctic.
Log: 4210nm / 308hrs.
MARCH
The CinC hosted a Cocktail Party in JAGUAR on Tuesday as well as Chilean Navy officers visits. 1,630 members of the public visited the ship within its three hours ’open’ period on Wednesday and on Thursday a party was held for local children. More visitors came aboard on Friday. The Commander in Chief, Chilean Navy was on board on Sunday when JAGUAR sailed at 1130 and formally saluted when he disembarked an hour later.
As the ship headed north on Monday the 7th another Punishment Warrant was read before junior rates. The next stop was at Guayaquil, Ecuador early on Saturday the 12th. Calls, lunches, cocktail parties, diplomacy, ceremonial guards and some good runs ashore, not to mention a three-goals-to-one football defeat all featured in the short stay.
At 1230 on Tuesday HMS JAGUAR looked her very best with the ship’s company manning the side in white tropical uniforms when Admiral Gray* left the ship for the final time with, perhaps, a lump in his throat and tear in his eye recalling his earlier command of sister ship HMS LYNX! For the Captain, Officers and Ship’s Company, as well as bringing a little relief it also signalled the end of their SASA Station duties and the prospect of a homecoming.
The CinC hosted a Cocktail Party in JAGUAR on Tuesday as well as Chilean Navy officers visits. 1,630 members of the public visited the ship within its three hours ’open’ period on Wednesday and on Thursday a party was held for local children. More visitors came aboard on Friday. The Commander in Chief, Chilean Navy was on board on Sunday when JAGUAR sailed at 1130 and formally saluted when he disembarked an hour later.
As the ship headed north on Monday the 7th another Punishment Warrant was read before junior rates. The next stop was at Guayaquil, Ecuador early on Saturday the 12th. Calls, lunches, cocktail parties, diplomacy, ceremonial guards and some good runs ashore, not to mention a three-goals-to-one football defeat all featured in the short stay.
At 1230 on Tuesday HMS JAGUAR looked her very best with the ship’s company manning the side in white tropical uniforms when Admiral Gray* left the ship for the final time with, perhaps, a lump in his throat and tear in his eye recalling his earlier command of sister ship HMS LYNX! For the Captain, Officers and Ship’s Company, as well as bringing a little relief it also signalled the end of their SASA Station duties and the prospect of a homecoming.
*Vice Admiral J M D Gray, CB, became a Knight of the British Empire in 1967 prior to retirement. He was also the last Commander in Chief of the South Atlantic South America Station which was disbanded in 1967. The Royal Navy had maintained a Commander in Chief in South Africa since 1857.
Pictured in 1962 when Captain of HMS Victorious
The homeward journey began in earnest on Wednesday the 16th when the ship left Guayaquil at 1100 taking a few favoured guests for a twenty-minute ride down river before disembarking. The Equator was crossed at 0240 on Thursday and by 1130 the next day the ship was alongside at the Rodman Naval Base, Panama where Leave was granted from 1230 to 0815. Calls were exchanged and a Lunch Party was held on board.
Moving into Miraflores Locks at 1250 on Sunday the 20th the transition from Pacific to Atlantic Ocean was begun. It ended on leaving Gaton Locks to secure at San Christobal at 1900 to embark fuel and oil before sailing at 2300 for Bermuda.
The 1,600nm passage to Ireland Island, Bermuda was made at an average speed around 15 knots. Leave from 1215 Friday the 25th to 0815 Saturday was given to Starboard Watch and the 2nd Part of Port Watch leaving the 1st of Port to look after the ship. The ship sailed the next morning, Saturday the 26th, at 1100 thus depriving anyone who had not been to Bermuda before - and was unable to arrange a swop - the opportunity to enjoy Bermuda.
The destination now was home but as the month ended that was still a thousand miles ahead.
Log: 6395nm / 440hrs.
Moving into Miraflores Locks at 1250 on Sunday the 20th the transition from Pacific to Atlantic Ocean was begun. It ended on leaving Gaton Locks to secure at San Christobal at 1900 to embark fuel and oil before sailing at 2300 for Bermuda.
The 1,600nm passage to Ireland Island, Bermuda was made at an average speed around 15 knots. Leave from 1215 Friday the 25th to 0815 Saturday was given to Starboard Watch and the 2nd Part of Port Watch leaving the 1st of Port to look after the ship. The ship sailed the next morning, Saturday the 26th, at 1100 thus depriving anyone who had not been to Bermuda before - and was unable to arrange a swop - the opportunity to enjoy Bermuda.
The destination now was home but as the month ended that was still a thousand miles ahead.
Log: 6395nm / 440hrs.
APRIL
The homeward passage was, almost, at an end when the ship arrived in Portsmouth Harbour at 0655 on Monday the 4th of April. I say almost because JAGUAR stayed only to disembark her ammunition and present a cheque from the Welfare Fund to a representative of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association before sailing again at 1830 on Tuesday.
Home, Chatham Dockyard, was reached at Noon on Wednesday the 6th of April 1966.
Log 1128.3 nm / 90hrs.
The homeward passage was, almost, at an end when the ship arrived in Portsmouth Harbour at 0655 on Monday the 4th of April. I say almost because JAGUAR stayed only to disembark her ammunition and present a cheque from the Welfare Fund to a representative of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association before sailing again at 1830 on Tuesday.
Home, Chatham Dockyard, was reached at Noon on Wednesday the 6th of April 1966.
Log 1128.3 nm / 90hrs.
Long Leave began for the vast majority who would also go their separate ways to other ships upon expiry of their Leave.
On Thursday Sea Cadet Officers and Cadets from TS JAGUAR at High Wycombe were welcome and final visitors.
By the end of the month the ship would be almost unmanned with leave defined as ‘for those not required for duty’. In the place of a ship’s company dockyard mateys with their tool boxes were accruing in corners here and there to work on updating, additions, alterations and refitting this now six-year-old AA frigate.
It would be AUGUST 1967 before JAGUAR would again see the first semblance of a ship’s company and October by the time she re-commissioned.
On Thursday Sea Cadet Officers and Cadets from TS JAGUAR at High Wycombe were welcome and final visitors.
By the end of the month the ship would be almost unmanned with leave defined as ‘for those not required for duty’. In the place of a ship’s company dockyard mateys with their tool boxes were accruing in corners here and there to work on updating, additions, alterations and refitting this now six-year-old AA frigate.
It would be AUGUST 1967 before JAGUAR would again see the first semblance of a ship’s company and October by the time she re-commissioned.
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This HMS JAGUAR 1966 section first published 2016.