HMS Upton

Ship: HMS UPTON 
Pennant No: M1187
Laid Down: 1st May 1955
Built by: J I Thorneycroft & Co, Southampton. Yard Number 4160
Completed: 25th July 1956
Time to Build: 15 months
Commissioned: August 1956 for 105th Minesweeping Squadron (MSS) based Harwich
Years Fully Operational: 33

Outline of Operational Career:

• 16 Aug 56 Joined 105th MSS at Harwich
• 23 Aug 7 Sep 56 Escorted Inshore Minesweepers to Malta
• 31 Oct-12 Nov 56 Operation MUSKETEER
• 7-17 Dec 56 Passage to UK. Paid off to reserve on arrival.
• 8 Nov 57 Commissioned for 100th MSS based VERNON
• 15-26 Sep 58 Passage to Malta with 100th MSS for Cyprus.
• 1-11 Dec 58 Passage to UK
• 1959 Exercises and Visits in N. European Waters
• 1 Jun 59 100th MSS transferred from VERNON to Port Edgar
• 20 Feb 65 2nd MSS Paid Off at Port Edgar to man 11th MSS ships at Singapore for Confrontation
• 3 Sep 65 Commissioned for 5th MSS based VERNON
• 5 Jan 66 Transferred to new 1st MCMS based Port Edgar
• 18 Feb 72 Transferred to new 2nd MCMS based VERNON
• 5 Sep 73 Rejoined 1st MCMS based Port Edgar
• Jan-Apr 74 Attached to STANAVFORCHAN
• 27 Feb 75 Transferred to FPS based Port Edgar
• 19 Sep 75 Transferred to 10th MCMS
• 10 Apr 76-21 Mar 77 Extended Refit at Gibraltar.
• 22 Apr 77 Joined SW Group of 10th MCMS based Bristol
• 5 Nov 78 Transferred to NE Group 10th MCMS based Dundee
• 20 Aug 80 Transferred to 1st MCMS based Rosyth
• 1 Jan 84 Transferred to new 3rd MCMS based Rosyth
• 30 Mar 84 Transferred to FPS based Rosyth
• 1984-90 Fishery Protection Patrols in UK waters

Significant Events:

• 5-6 Nov 56 Took part in Operation MUSKETEER - Wire sweeping Group
• 13–16 Nov 56 Both Main Engines failed. Towed Port Said to Malta.
• 1-30 May 68 Took part in Op ‘NEW BROOM’ based Den Helder.
• Oct-Dec 68 & 70 Took part in ‘Meet the Navy’ cruises round UK
• Sep 69 Assisted shipping in Gothenburg during severe gale.
• 30 Jun 75 Assisted in fighting fire in FV ‘Bracoudene’
• 24 Jun 77 Attended Jubilee Review at Spithead
• 1981 Carried out 7 GRENADA Patrols (84 days) in year
• Apr-Aug 1982 Crew manned HMS CORDELLA in South Atlantic
• 4 & 5 Dec 88 Assisted MV ‘Bowsprit’. 4 C-in-C Commendations
• Jul-Nov 89 7 successful arrests of foreign FV for infringements

Paid Off: 21st September 1990
Disposal: 21st October 1991 Sold to Brugse Scheepssloperij for break-up.