Page 10 - BNVTA CAMPAIGN Summer 2020

8
campaign Summer 2020
Reader’s Story by Andi Jones
Operation Mosaic 1956
HMS Diana, Daring Class destroyer, was ordered in February 1945, and built by the shipyard of Yarrow & Co. She was laid down on the 3rd April and finished ready for launching on the 8th of May 1952. The 29th of March 1954 saw her get her commission into Her Majesties Royal Naval Fleet.
Her standard displacement was 2,830 tons, but when loaded this increased to 3,820 tons. She was 390 ft long, 53 ft wide with a draught of 13 1⁄2 ft and a speed of 30 knots (though apparently, she was a wee bit quicker than that). Diana had a range of 4,400 nm and a crew of 308 on Commission 3, for the trip to Australia.
Her Captain for this commission was John R Gower DSC (some may remember his nephew David Gower; a cricketer and Captain of England). HMS Diana was commissioned on the 28th February 1956, and the ship’s company was made up of men from the West Country.
Initially, they travelled to Suez where Capt. Gower notified the crew about onward travels, and the trials at Montebello. They were told to arrive at Montebello by the 3rd May, and made fuelling stops at Aden, Columbo and Singapore. Captain Gower was told that the Ministry of Defence was to carry out two trials,