HMS Comus (R43)

	HMS Comus, 28 June 1946
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Comus
Builder	John I. Thornycroft & Company
Laid down	21 August 1943
Launched	14 March 1945
Commissioned	8 July 1946
Homeport	Portsmouth
Identification	Pennant number: R43 (later D20)
Fate	Scrapped 12 November 1958
General characteristics
Class and type	C-class destroyer
Displacement	1,885 tons (1,915 tonnes); 2,545 tons full (2,585 tonnes);
Length	362.75 ft (110.57 m) o/a
Beam	35.75 ft (10.90 m)
Draught	11.75 ft (3.58 m)
Propulsion	2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers,; Parsons single-reduction geared steam turbines,; 40,000 shp (29.8 MW), 2 shafts;
Speed	36 knots (67 km/h) / 32 knots (59 km/h) full
Range	4,675 nmi (8,658 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h); 1,400 nmi (2,600 km) at 32 knots (59 km/h);
Complement	186
Sensors and ; processing systems	Radar Type 275 fire control on director Mk.VI
Armament	4 × QF 4.5 in (114 mm) L/45 guns Mark IV on mounts CP Mk.V Later reduced to three 4.5s and armed with anti submarine mortars in place of Y turret; 2 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns on twin mount Mk V; 4 × anti-aircraft mountings;; Single Bofors 40 mm Mk.III; Single QF 2 - pdr Mk.VIII Mk.XVI; Single Oerlikon 20 mm P Mk.III; Twin Oerlikon 20 mm Mk.V; 8 (2x4) tubes for 21 inch (533 mm) torpedoes Mk.IX; 4 throwers and 2 racks for 96 depth charges removed when armed with anti-submarine mortars;

HMS Comus was a C-class destroyer of the Royal Navy, built by John I. Thornycroft & Company at Woolston, Southampton. She was launched on 14 March 1945 and commissioned on 8 July 1946.

Operational service

Comus served in the Far East between 1947 and 1957 as part of the 8th Destroyer Squadron.^[1]

On 22 August 1950, engaged in the Korean War, she was damaged in the Yellow Sea by two North Korean Ilyushin Il-10.^{[citation needed]} On 4 July 1951, Comus went to the assistance of the British cargo ship Peterstar, which had ran aground on the Pratas Reef and had been boarded by pirates.^[2]^[3]

In 1955 she was engaged in the bombardment of Communist forces as part of the Malayan Emergency.^[4]

Decommissioning and disposal

Comus was withdrawn from active service and listed for disposal in 1955. Following her sale Comus arrived at the breakers yard of John Cashmore Ltd for scrapping at Newport, Wales on 12 November 1958.

References

^ Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 102. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.
^ "British Ship Aground off China". The Times. No. 52045. London. 5 July 1951. col D, p. 6.
^ "Grounded British Ship Reported Safe". The Times. No. 52046. London. 6 July 1951. col E, p. 3.
^ Marriott, Leo (1989). Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allan Ltd. p. 66.

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 (1989). Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1817-0.
Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.

[1] Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 102. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.

[Times050751-2] "British Ship Aground off China". The Times. No. 52045. London. 5 July 1951. col D, p. 6.

[Times060751-3] "Grounded British Ship Reported Safe". The Times. No. 52046. London. 6 July 1951. col E, p. 3.

[4] Marriott, Leo (1989). Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allan Ltd. p. 66.

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