75th Anniversary of Royal Family Visit to South Africa Day 85

 Day 85: 25th April 1947

Captains Diary- whoops he forgot to make any entry for today!

This is the Captain's Diary in full for the 24th April 1947

Another postal cover with the word "First" altered to "Last".

 

The Escort ship for the first part of the trip home was HMS Nigeria

HMS Nigeria was very busy during World War 11 and details can be found here 

HMS Nigeria, British light cruiser, WW2 (naval-history.net)

This is how HMS Nigeria first of all became based in South Africa and its history thereafter

HMS NIGERIA remained in full commission on return to UK from East Indies in 1945. Between 1946 and 1950 she served as Flagship, South Atlantic based at Simonstown. After paying off in 1951 she was placed in Reserve and three years later purchased by the Indian government. This ship was extensively refitted before recommissioning into the RIN as IS MYSORE in 1957. Following Fleet duties until 1975 she was used as a training ship for several years until being scrapped.

 

 

S u m m a r y    o f     P o s t    W a r    S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 6

 

                                Commissioned for service and took passage to Simonstown.

                                Visited Lagos.

 

1 9 4 7

 

                                Deployed for visits and exercises including ships of the newly

                                formed South African Navy

(Note: Supervision of sovereignty of Falkland Islands was part

                                of the responsibility of CinC South Atlantic Station.

 

1 9 4 8

 

                                South Atlantic deployment in continuation

                                (Note: During this period an increase in presence of Argentine warships

                                became evident and whilst in Falklands area and the ship made

                                formal protest to Argentine naval tugs lying at Melchior, 800

                                miles south of Cape Horn.)

 

1 9 4 9    to    1 9 5 0

 

                                South Atlantic deployment in continuation.

 

1 9 5 1

 

                                Returned to UK to pay-off and reduce to Reserve status.

                                Paid-off and destored.

                                Accepted into Reserve.

 

1 9 5 2    to    1 9 5 3

 

                                Laid-up in Reserve and placed on Sales List

.

1 9 5 4

 

                                Sold to the Indian Government for £300,000 and to be refitted with

                                equipment brought up to current standards of an RN cruiser of this Class.

 

1 9 5 5    t o    1 9 5 6

 

                                Under refit and modernisation at Birkenhead by Cammell Laird shipyard.

                                

 

   S e r v i c e    i n    I n d i a n    N a v y

 

1 9 5 7

 

                                Commissioned on 29th August as INS MYSORE for service

                                as Flagship of the Indian Navy.

                                Passage to Bombay for operational service.

 

1 9 5 8

 

                                Flagship duties in continuation including exercises with other

                                Commonwealth Navies of SEATO Powers.

 

1 9 5 9

 

                                Flagship duties in continuation

                                Involved in collision with HM Destroyer HOGUE in Indian

                                Ocean during Exercise JET59.

                                (Note: HMS HOGUE sustained major structural damage and

                                on survey was found beyond economical repair.)

 

1 9 6 0    to     1 9 7 4

 

                                Flagship duties in continuation.

 

1 9 7 5    t o    1 9 8 0

 

                                Redeployed for training duties before being placed on Disposal List

                                Sold for breaking-up.