HMAS Vendetta (D08)

For other ships with the same name, see HMAS Vendetta.

HMAS Vendetta alongside HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Voyager in 1959
History
Australia
NameVendetta
BuilderWilliamstown Naval Dockyard
Laid down4 July 1949
Launched3 May 1954
Commissioned26 November 1958
Decommissioned9 October 1979
Motto
  • Vindico
  • I Avenge
Honours and
awards
FateSold for scrap in 1987
General characteristics
Class and typeDaring-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 2,800 tons standard
  • 3,600 tons full load
Length390 ft (120 m)
Beam43 ft (13 m)
Draught
  • 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m) mean
  • 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m) deep
Propulsion
  • 2 × Foster Wheeler boilers
  • 2 × English Electric geared turbines
  • 2 shafts
  • 54,000 hp (40,000 kW)
SpeedOver 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range3,700 nautical miles (6,900 km; 4,300 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement20 officers, 300 sailors
Armament
  • 6 × 4.5-inch guns (3 twin turrets)
  • 6 × 40 mm Bofors (2 twin, 2 single)
  • 5 × 21-inch torpedo tubes (pentad mount)
  • 1 × Limbo mortar

HMAS Vendetta was one of three Daring-class destroyers built for and operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The destroyer was built by Williamstown Naval Dockyard and entered service in 1958. During her early career, Vendetta was deployed to the Far East Strategic Reserve on multiple occasions. In 1965 and 1966, the destroyer undertook deterrence patrols during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. Along with several runs escorting the troop transport HMAS Sydney to South Vietnam, from late 1969 to early 1970 Vendetta was assigned to combat operations and became the only Australian-built warship to serve in a shore bombardment role during the Vietnam War.

The ship underwent a two-year modernisation from 1971 to 1973, and in December 1974 was one of thirteen RAN warships involved in Operation Navy Help Darwin after Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin. Several more deployments were made to the Far East, up until 1978. In October 1979, the destroyer was decommissioned, and served as a parts hulk for sister ship HMAS Vampire. Vendetta was sold for ship breaking in January 1987.