HMS Beckford
 HMS Beckford in renamed guise as HMS Dee, 1972
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 UK | |
| Name | list error: <br /> list (help) HMS Beckford HMS Dee 1969-1982 Robert Cive 1982-2014 |
| Ordered | 4 April 1950 |
| Builder | Yarrow |
| Laid down | 10 May 1953 |
| Launched | 27 April 1953 |
| Commissioned | 11 July 1953 |
| Out of service | 1982 |
| Status | Sold to Pounds Marine Shipping on 2 July 2014 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Ford class seaward defence boat |
| Displacement | list error: <br /> list (help) 120 tons standard 160 tons full load |
| Length | 117 ft 3 in (35.74 m) |
| Beam | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
| Draught | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Propulsion | list error: <br /> list (help) 1 × Foden diesel (Centre shaft) 2 × Paxman 12YHAX 550hp Diesels (Outer shafts) |
| Speed | 20 knots |
| Complement | 19 |
| Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) 1 × 40 mm anti-aircraft gun 2 × 20 mm anti aircraft guns |
HMS Beckford (P3104) was one of 20 Ford-class patrol boats built for the Royal Navy in the 1950s.[1]
Their names were all chosen from villages ending in -ford. This boat was named after Beckford, Worcestershire.
Beckford was launched on 27 April 55. She was later renamed HMS Dee whilst serving as the training tender to the Mersey Division of the Royal Naval Reserve. [2][3] In 1968 the vessel was chartered by the Plessey Group and renamed Robert Clive, then returned as HMS Dee to the RNR in January 1969. She was placed on the disposals list in 1982 and sold to Pounds Marine Shipping in 1984 [3] She was fitted with schooner rig and (as of 2014) has been anchored off Shotley, Suffolk[4] in Harwich harbour for "a very long time."[3]
In popular culture
HMS Beckfoot
Beckford was a prototype for fictional vessel HMS Beckfoot (also called Hispaniola and Pride of Macau) in the Strong Winds trilogy of children's books by Julia Jones.[4]
References
- ^ 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. OCLC 67375475
- ^ Blackman, Raymond V. B. Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1971. ISBN 0-354-00096-9
- ^ a b c Beckford page on shipspotting.com website, viewed 2012-12-09
- ^ a b Author's endnote, Julia Jones, Ghosting Home (Strong Winds Trilogy 3) ISBN 978-1899262069 July 2, 2012
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