HMS Wessex (R78)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Wessex.

Wessex at anchor, 10 May 1944
History
United Kingdom
NameWessex
Ordered3 December 1941
BuilderFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan
Laid down25 October 1942
Launched2 September 1943
Commissioned11 May 1944
Decommissioned14 March 1946
FateSold to South African Navy, 29 March 1950
South Africa
NameSAS Jan van Riebeeck
NamesakeJan van Riebeeck
Acquired29 March 1950
Commissioned29 March 1950
Out of serviceLate 1975
ReclassifiedConverted into an anti-submarine frigate, 1964–66
Nickname(s)JVR
FateSunk as target, 25 March 1980
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeW-class destroyer
Displacement
Length362 ft 9 in (110.6 m)
Beam35 ft 8 in (10.9 m)
Draught14 ft 6 in (4.4 m) (deep load)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range4,675 nmi (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement179
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament

HMS Wessex (pennant number: R78) was one of eight W-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during World War II. Completed in 1944, the ship spent most of the war assigned to the Eastern and Pacific Fleets. She screened British aircraft carriers as their aircraft attacked targets in the Japanese-occupied Nicobar Islands, the Dutch East Indies and Okinawa.

Wessex was then reduced to reserve after arriving home in December 1945. She was then transferred to Simon's Town, South Africa in 1947, to form the South Atlantic Reserve Force. The ship was purchased by the South African Navy in 1950 and renamed HMSAS Jan van Riebeeck. She was placed in reserve in 1953 and continuing shortages of manpower kept the ship in reserve for most of the rest of her career even though she was converted into a fast anti-submarine frigate in 1964–66. Jan van Riebeeck was converted to serve as a training ship in 1971–72 and remained in that role until she was decommissioned in 1975. The ship was sunk as a target in 1980.