The very last warship to come out of Denny's, Dumbarton yard HMS JAGUAR was commissioned on the 10th of December 1959 at the mouth of the River Leven on the Clyde.

She had been launched by HRH Princess Alexandra some two and a half years earlier on the 30th of July 1957 watched then by many anxious shipyard workers at William Denny & Brothers who were beginning to face up to the decline of shipbuilding in the UK.

H.M.S. Jaguar taken from H.M.Y. Britannia - whose mast shadows can be seen - during HM The Queen's West African Tour in November 1961.

She was a fine and good looking ship of all-welded construction defined by the RN as a 'Lynx' class, Type 41, Anti-Aircraft frigate. The RN had three others of the class built. They were 'Lynx'(F27) completed 3/57 at John Brown's, Clydebank. 'Puma'(F34) completed 4/57 at Scotts, Greenock and 'Leopard'(F14)completed 9/58 at HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.
There was also what might be called a half sister as the Admiralty had ordered a further ship to be called 'Panther' but cancelled her. She was later built at John Brown's Clydebank yard for the Indian Navy and named 'Brahmaputra'

'Jaguar' was equipped with two twin 4.5 inch automatic guns and bofors guns that were later replaced by Seacat missiles. There was also a triple barrelled 'Squid' depth charge mortar. She also had Denny/Brown stabilisers that the record says were there to provide stabilisation for the armaments. They certainly made life aboard more comfortable I must say!

To operate this 2,300 ton ship she had a complement of around 200 living within her 340'(103.6M) length, 40'(12.2M) beam and 16'(4.88M) Draught. Propulsion came from eight Crossley built Admiralty standard range diesel engines via two shafts giving 14400bhp producing 24 knots and 'Jaguar' was unique in being the first Royal Navy ship to have variable pitch propellors.

The RN life of HMS Jaguar, after a shaky start of which more later, was to last some 19 years until her sale to the Bangladesh Navy in 1978. She is, in 2001, still in service with them under the name of 'Ali Haider' (F17) but 'Janes Fighting Ships 1999/2000' reports that she is likely to be de-commissioned as a new ship commissions to replace her. Even then she seems destined to become an accommodation ship thus remaining in use into her 43rd year. Whatever happens to her now forty plus years of service blows a very large trumpet for her designers and those Clydeside builders don't you think.

Let us return to Denny's at Dumbarton and their Ship Number 1476 that was to be commissioned as Her Majesty's Ship JAGUAR and play a very big part in my life.

When I returned to Whale Island from Portsmouth Navy Days duties in September 1959 I was handed the 'chit' upon which was printed ..."Jaguar...to commission at Dumbarton...9 December 1959". A brand new ship, fresh from the builders, sounded exciting and she turned out to be that and very much more for me personally!

October and November passed quickly and quietly and it seemed no time at all before I, with about 100 others, was boarding a 'troop' train to head northwards overnight on the 9th of December. All went well until we hauled into Durham (it might have been York) Station at about 0700 on the morning of the 10th and poured onto the platform for fresh air and breakfast. Arguably we found the fresh air but nothing else. The arrangements for providing a train-load of starving matelots with breakfast had, apparently, been 'misunderstood'. As you might expect, we all understood and left no expletive unvoiced in confirming so to anyone in earshot. I seem to remember we had something, but quite what escapes me now so it could it have been BR tea and sarnies! Did that amazon of a woman in a turban scarf behind the big water urn in the Buffet really instil sufficient fear into us to prevent us asking for a second cup? No! It's just my memory.

Within the hour, the rebellion quelled, the steaming and puffing locomotive was hauling us north once more through Newcastle and into Scotland towards our Clydeside destination of Dumbarton and Denny's Yard where laid the ship they had seen grow as Number 1476. Until then my knowledge of shipyards had been limited to Palmers, Hebburn, repair yard and Royal Dockyards and to be amongst the industry, noise, metal, mud and machinery of a real live ship building yard was both exciting and awesome.

HMS JAGUAR commissioned at, or rather between 1500 and 1537 on the 10th of December 1959 in the yard of William Denny Shipbuilders Ltd. The ceremony and the ship were under the command of Commander James Pertwee, Royal Navy and the White Ensign was appropriately hoisted. At 1550 it was lowered again and on the morrow we sailed from the yard under the Red Ensign to swing compass and see what speed we could coax from her.

The 11th found us sliding down the Clyde and in hours we went faster and turned tighter as the Denny trails team and the Old Man competed in displaying their respective skills. We hurtled ahead and astern, to port and starboard extended stabilisers checked for leaks and smoke and loose items. Who said ships can't dance! By the next evening all seemed well and at 2150 on the 12th of December we changed the Red Ensign for the White, disembarked the Denny team and left the Firth of Clyde to go south into the Fleet.

We whipped down - and downed a whip aerial through vibration or sheared bolts - through the Irish Sea and up the English Channel to anchor off the South Shingles in the Solent at 1746 on Monday the 14th of December. Unfortunately the dockyard siren had gone so we had to wait until Tuesday morning to enter harbour.

Portsmouth Dockyard, including Royal Clarence Yard and Priddy's Hard, stored and ammunitioned us and we worked our way round the ship - and the finer entertainment centres of Portsmouth - to familiarise ourselves. Before we could draw breath though it was Christmas leave period.

That done we really had to get into a shakedown and sailed on the 7th of January 1960 to do just that. We tried everything out time and time again, entered and left harbour de-gaussed and went off to Devonport on the 30th where we ran measured miles and carried out more engine trails as we made sure the guns worked. Except for a quick run up to 'Pompey' and back to 'Guzz' between the 7th and 10th of February (was it to get specialist engineers?) we continued engine trials!

By now the rumours were strengthening that all was not as it should be in the engine room.
We spent yet another Sunday at sea as we went back to drop the trials team at Portsmouth on the 15th then continued down to Portland to carry out Triplane Target Tracking exercises before returning to go alongside at Portsmouth on the 19th.

Note this Chatham ship, now two months into her first commission, had not yet reached her Home port but that was remedied when Garrison Point, Sheerness came abeam at 0805 on the 22nd of February and just as soon disappeared into fog. That didn't stop us weaving our way up the Medway and into the comforting arms of HM Dockyard Chatham's South Lock. By 1015 we were home, tucked up in No3 Basin.

What we didn't yet know was that we were not going to go anywhere under our own power for almost a year.

While a Court of Inquiry, engineers and others grappled with the engine problems the ship was painted and tidied up as we moved towards Chatham Navy Days over the Easter Weekend. 'JAGUAR' recorded the following visitors: Saturday 4,600; Sunday 6,100 and Monday 5,500 during the open hours of 1130 to 1630.

Following hard on the heels of that we were pleased to welcome on board Sid James, Noel Purcell, Kenneth Connor and many other thespians for the making of that epic of the silver screen 'WATCH YOUR STERN'. What do you mean "I don't remember it" - it was unforgettable!

By May deck houses were being removed and plates taken out while people were being drafted and re-appointed out of the ship in ever increasing numbers. Ships routine nevertheless continued as normal as we cleared lower deck, accompanied by a large group of brown overalled Dockyard maties, to witness the Coxswain, Fred Carlick (another Essex man who hailed from Writtle near Chelmsford) presented with his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Other highlights of life in 'JAGUAR', apart from night and weekend leave of course, was being cold moved round No 3 Basin and logging OTHER SHIPS coming and going.

For those of you with memories and/or an interest of the time those 'other' ships included 'NARVIK' / 'CASSANDRA' / 'DEFENDER' / 'PALADIN' / 'LAGOS' / 'BLACKPOOL' / 'CHICHESTER' / 'MEON' / 'SCORPION' / 'RELENTLESS' / 'SCOTT' / 'REGGIO' / 'HARDY' / 'CROSSBOW' and 'RAME HEAD' amongst others. 'RAME HEAD', although decommissioned, is still (2001) to be seen at a trot in Portsmouth Harbour where she is reportedly used for training purposes.

HMS DEFENDER (1952-1972) 'Daring' Class destroyer

HMS RELENTLESS (1942-1971) Type 15 frigate converted from destroyer

HMS SCOTT (1939-1965) Survey ship

HMS CROSSBOW (1948 - 1972) - 'Weapons' class destroyer

The story of HMS JAGUAR's interrupted first commission will be continued when time permits as will a potted life history of the ship. If you have anything you'd like to see included please get in touch.
 
In the meantime you might find other pages within this site of some interest.