HMS ''Venus'' was a U and V-class destroyer, V-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, of Govan, Scotland and launched on 23 February 1943.

Service history

Second World War service

She was part of the escorting destroyers of the 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron involved in Operation Dracula from April to May 1945. She participated in the Battle of the Malacca Strait with the destroyers , , , and which culminated in the sinking of the on 16 May 1945.

Post war service

Between 1946 and 1949 ''Venus'' was part of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, based in the Mediterranean. This included work as part of the Royal Navy patrols preventing Aliyah Bet, illegal Jewish immigration into Mandatory Palestine. In June 1946 she intercepted ''Josiah Wedgewood''. On 2 August 1946 the British oil tanker exploded, burned and sank in Port of Haifa, Haifa Roads, Mandatory Palestine, Palestine, killing 25 people. ''Virago'' and ''Venus'' took part in the rescue of survivors. ''Venus'' and ''Virago'' had been dropping depth charges in the area to deter Haganah Frogman, frogmen from planting limpet mines. Between 1949 and 1951 she was held in reserve at Devonport Dockyard. Between 1951 and 1952 she was converted at Devonport into a Type 15 frigate, Type 15 fast anti-submarine warfare, anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F50. Following conversion she became leader of the 6th Frigate Squadron (United Kingdom), 6th Frigate Squadron. In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1955 she was refitted for work as part of the 17th Frigate Squadron (United Kingdom), Dartmouth Training Squadron.

Decommissioning and disposal

In 1964 ''Venus'' went to reserve and in October 1969 was in use as a target to measure the effects of ship to ship use of the Sea Dart missile system. She was sold to Thos. W. Ward for scrapping and arrived at their Briton Ferry yard on 20 December 1972 to be broken up.

References

Publications

* * * U and V-class destroyers of the Royal Navy Ships built in Govan 1943 ships World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom Cold War destroyers of the United Kingdom Type 15 frigates Cold War frigates of the United Kingdom {{UK-destroyer-stub