HMS Defiance: Devonport's Submarine Base

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HMS Defiance (1675) was a 64-gun third rate launched in 1675. She was rebuilt in 1695, reduced to a fourth rate in 1716, hulked in 1743 and broken up in 1749. The Lords Commissioners of Your Majesty's Treasury have signified their concurrence in the above proposal: At more than two tonnes and four metres high, the 14th figure, William IV (King Billy), is too hefty to be hung from the ceiling of the Box and has instead been given a prominent position at ground level.

Personally, I believe that he made every effort to get it right and any error re- 'mates/mechanics' could only have arisen from the information provided by his 'official sources'. As for correcting any perceived 'errors' I'd hesitate to suggest that course be pursued unless a dependent felt so strongly about it.I have bought a few badges from your selection, all of a very high standard. The delivery time was first rate, overall an excellent service.

At this time Defiance had a number of tenders including the gunboat Scourge which was fitted with an 18" aluminium torpedo tube (the only one in the service), two torpedo boats (one was torpedo boat No. 98) and a destroyer. These ships were used to carry out torpedo exercises in Plymouth Sound where there was a ‘Whitehead’ torpedo range from the Breakwater jetty along with a permanently moored tender HMS Falcon. Live firings with mine laying and recovery exercises usually took place in Whitesands Bay.

Armament

The decision was made to bring them out into the light and airy spaces of the Box. “As we worked with the architects on the layout of the new building, we began to realise the potential of the atrium,” said Coombs. “The space is triple-height and filled with light, and this gave us the idea of positioning the figureheads up high, as though they were still on the prows of a flotilla of great ships.” At the Gosport Memorial inauguration service we heard heart warming testimonies from some widows and dependents of the long-term support they had received from the large public fund (initiated IIRC by the Daily Mirror) following the disaster, especially so in those years of austerity. Plus their sincere gratitude that these Memorials now perpetuate their lost loved ones English ship Defiance (1588) was an 8-gun pinnace that took part in the action against the Spanish Armada in 1588.

But Conway also has a personal reason for being keen on the figurehead as his mother, Joan Harvey, served during the second world war on a ship that inherited Defiance’s proud name. “It’s a nice connection,” he said. Defiance was the last ship to use the midsection design that Isaac Watts created for HMS James Watt. [3] Career [ edit ] HMS Defiance was the last wooden line-of-battle ship launched for the Royal Navy. She never saw service as a wooden line-of-battle ship. In 1884 she became a school ship.

Lambert, Andrew Battleships in Transition, the Creation of the Steam Battlefleet 1815-1860, Conway Maritime Press, 1984. ISBN 0-85177-315-X When the documents were made available by the Public Record Office in 1966, this office asked for the records of ships in three categories. The first, and by far the largest, consists of ships registered in Southampton. Secondly, we claimed vessels which had been built in Southampton and, thirdly, ships which mainly used this port, especially the passenger liners which were so important to Southampton but few of which were registered here. In the first category, the attempt was made to obtain all available records except for those of vessels known to be yachts under 40 tons or dumb barges. In the second and third categories, the ships had first to be identified, and these sections are by no means comprehensive; in any case, we could only have the documents if they were not required by the port of registry. Badge arrived today and is just the job... Thanks for all your help... I've passed you details onto other veterans.