HMS ''Russell'' was one of a dozen s (also known as the Type 14) of second-rate anti-submarine frigates built for the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

during the 1950s. She was named for

Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford Admiral of the Fleet Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford, (1653 – 26 November 1727) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. After serving as a junior officer at the Battle of Solebay during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, he served as a captai ...

, commander at the

Battle of Barfleur The action at Barfleur was part of the battle of Barfleur-La Hougue during the War of the Grand Alliance. A French fleet under Anne Hilarion de Tourville was seeking to cover an invasion of England by a French army to restore James II to the ...

in 1692.

Service

On commissioning in 1957 ''Russell'' joined the Second Training Squadron, based at

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...

. In January 1958 she joined the Fishery Protection Squadron where she served until April 1963, seeing service in the

Cod Wars The Cod Wars (; also known as , ; ) were a series of 20th-century confrontations between the United Kingdom (with aid from West Germany) and Iceland about Exclusive economic zone, fishing rights in the North Atlantic. Each of the disputes ended ...

. On 4 September 1960, , an Icelandic

patrol vessel A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and they ...

, attempted to take a British

fishing trawler A fishing trawler is a commercial fishing vessel designed to operate fishing trawls. Trawling is a method of fishing that involves actively dragging or pulling a trawl through the water behind one or more trawlers. Trawls are fishing nets tha ...

off the

Westfjords The Westfjords or West Fjords (, ) is a large peninsula in northwestern Iceland and an administrative region, the least populous in the country. It lies on the Denmark Strait, facing the east coast of Greenland. It is connected to the rest of I ...

. The attempt was thwarted when ''Russell'' intervened, and the two vessels collided. On 12 November 1960, ''Þór'' encountered the trawler ''Hackness'' which was fishing in international waters. ''Hackness'' did not stop until ''Þór'' had fired two blanks and one live shell off its bow. Once again, ''Russell'' came to assist the trawler and its

shipmaster A sea captain, ship's captain, captain, master, or shipmaster, is a high-grade licensed mariner who holds ultimate command and responsibility of a merchant vessel. The captain is responsible for the safe and efficient operation of the ship, inc ...

ordered the Icelandic

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

to leave the trawler alone as it was not within the limit recognised by the British government. ''Þór''s captain, Eiríkur Kristófersson, said that he would not do so, and ordered his men to approach the trawler with the gun manned. In response, ''Russell'' threatened to sink the Icelandic boat if it opened fire upon ''Hackness''. More British ships then arrived and ''Hackness'' retreated. Following a refit at

Rosyth Rosyth () is a town and Garden City in Fife, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth. Scotland's first Garden city movement, Garden City, Rosyth is part of the Greater Dunfermline Area and is located 3 miles south of Dunfermline city cen ...

she joined the 20th Frigate Squadron based at

Londonderry Port Londonderry Port, now operating as Foyle Port, is a port located on Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland. It is the United Kingdom’s most westerly port and an important northerly port on the island of Ireland. The current port is at Lisahally, Co ...

. She was also used for anti-submarine training. In 1966 she was present at Portsmouth Navy Days.Programme, ''Navy Days at Portsmouth 27–29 August 1966'', HMSO p. 17

References

Publications

* * * * Blackwood-class frigates 1954 ships Ships built by Swan Hunter Ships built on the River Tyne Ships of the Fishery Protection Squadron of the United Kingdom {{UK-frigate-stub