HMAS Vendetta (D08) [Post Modernisation]

HMAS VENDETTA (D 08), the second of the Australian ‘Daring’ Class Destroyers was built at HMA Naval Dockyard, Williamstown, Victoria and launched on 27 October 1956. She was commissioned on 26 November 1958.

Between 1958 and 1969 VENDETTA conducted many exercises and deployments in Australian waters and to South East Asia in support of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve and the South-East Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO). Some of the exercises included SEACUB, SEALION, PONY EXPRESS, TUCKERBOX TWO and REEF KNOT.

On 15 September 1969, VENDETTA departed Sydney and received a detailed handover from HMAS BRISBANE in Subic Bay on 26 September. VENDETTA was the first and only RAN Daring Class Destroyer to go to war and she also made Australian naval history by becoming the first all-Australian ship to serve in a combat zone. During her five tours totaling 93 days, VENDETTA fired 13295 4.5 inch shells, plus over 400 rounds of 40mm, steaming 21000 nautical miles in the process.

On 29 September 1971 VENDETTA paid off for her ‘half life’ refit at Williamstown Naval Dockyard, Melbourne. During the following 20 months, VENDETTA underwent a $10 million refit, which was the same as her original cost some 12 years earlier. The ship was extensively modernized, with a new superstructure, enclosed bridge, new navigation radar, long-range air early-warning radar, action information centre upgraded, communications equipment renewed, messdecks improved, gunnery fire control system updated and updated gun turrets. 
 
VENDETTA recommissioned at Williamstown on 2 May 1973 and continued in service for another 6 years until 9 October 1979 when she was decommissioned.  In her 21 year career, she had steamed 670,952 nautical miles. Following her decommissioning, VENDETTA languished in the ‘mothball’ fleet until 1986 when she was sold to ship breaker’s in Taiwan.

Launched: 3 May 1954
Type: Daring Class Destroyer
Commissioned: 26 November 1958
Decommissioned: 9 October 1979
Displacement: 2,800 tons (standard), 3,600 tons (full load)
Length: 388 feet 6 inches
Beam: 43 feet
Armament: 6 x 4.5 inch guns in 3 twin turrets, 6 x 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun in 3 twin mounts, 5 x 21 inch torpedo tubes in a quintuple mount (removed by late 1960s), 1 triple barreled Limbo anti-submarine mortar
Main Machinery: 2 Foster Wheeler boilers, English Electric geared steam turbines (two shafts)Speed: 30+ knots
Ship's Company: 320

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