HMS Vidal
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=SeaSurveys Edgell 1965 0022 04.jpg |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag=File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg |Ship name=HMS Vidal |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=Chatham Dockyard |Ship yard number= |Ship laid down=5 July 1950 |Ship launched=31 July 1951 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed=29 March 1954 |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned=1954 |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship captured= |Ship fate=Broken up in June 1976 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Survey ship |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement=1,885 long tons full load |Ship length={{convert|297|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|40|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship hold depth= |Ship ice class= |Ship sail plan= |Ship propulsion=*Four diesel motors
|Ship speed=16 knots |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship complement=161 |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship troops= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=
|Ship armour= |Ship aircraft= 1 × Westland Dragonfly helicopter |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
HMS Vidal was a survey ship of the Royal Navy. She was designed specifically as a surveying vessel, and was the first survey ship to carry a helicopter. In 1955, a group from Vidal formally annexed Rockall in the North Sea to the United Kingdom.
Construction and naming
Vidal was built at Chatham Dockyard,{{cite book |last=Morris|title=Charts and Surveys |page=252}} and was the last surface vessel built at the Dockyard.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} She was also the first survey ship designed to carry a helicopter.[http://www.fleetairarmoa.org/pages/fleet_air_arm_history/history.shtml History of the Fleet Air Arm] Vidal was laid down on 5 July 1950, was launched on 31 July 1951 and completed on 29 March 1954 at a cost of £1,345,000.{{Harvnb|Blackman|1960|p=44}} In common with most of the survey ships of the period, she was named after an influential surveyor or explorer of the Royal Navy. In her case, this was the nineteenth century surveyor Alexander Thomas Emeric Vidal, who had surveyed much of the coast of Africa, and ranged into the Atlantic to survey the tiny islet of Rockall.{{cite book |last=Dawson |title=Memoirs of Hydrography |pages=94–5}} So far she has been the only ship of the Navy to bear the name.{{cite book |last=Colledge |title=Ships of the Royal Navy |pages=374}}
Vidal was {{convert|315|ft|m}} long overall and {{convert|297|ft|m}} between perpendiculars, with a beam of {{convert|40|ft|m}} and a draught of {{convert|13|ft|m}}. The ship was designed to displace {{convert|1565|LT|t}} standard and {{convert|1885|LT|t}} full load, but was heavier as built, with a standard displacement of {{convert|1940|LT|t}} standard and {{convert|2200|LT|t}} full load. She was powered by four Admiralty Standard Range (ASR-1) Diesel engines, giving a total of {{convert|2940|shp|kW}} and driving two shafts, giving a speed of {{convert|15.9|kn|mph km/h}}.{{Harvnb|Blackman|1971|p=366}} The ship was air conditioned to ease operations in extreme temperatures, and was the first Royal Navy ship built with cafeteria messing. Helicopters operated included the Hiller HT.1, the Westland Dragonfly and the Westland Wasp.{{harvnb|Sturtivant|Ballance|1994|p=423}}
The ship was armed with four 3-pounder (47 mm) saluting guns, and could carry depth charges. She had a crew of 161.
Career
File:Rockall Union flag hoisted 1955.jpg over Rockall in 1955]]
Vidal spent her career carrying out surveys for the Navy, and supporting scientific work for the British government. The development of the Cold War led the British government to decide to formally annex Rockall.{{cite book |last=Sharma |title=Territorial Acquisition |pages=63}} This was authorised on 14 September 1955, with orders from Queen Elizabeth II transmitted to the Vidal detailing
On arrival at Rockall you will effect a landing and hoist the Union flag on whatever spot appears most suitable or practicable and you will then take possession of the island on our behalf.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/21/newsid_4582000/4582327.stm BBC.co.uk - 1955: Britain claims Rockall]The Vidal arrived in position the following day, but were unable to land any men as poor weather prevented the helicopter from flying.
On 18 September 1955 at precisely 10.16 am, Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Scott RN, Sergeant Brian Peel RM, Corporal AA Fraser RM, and James Fisher (a civilian naturalist and former Royal Marine), were deposited on the island by a Royal Navy helicopter from HMS Vidal. The team cemented in a brass plaque on Hall's Ledge and hoisted the Union Flag to stake the UK's claim.
The inscription on the plaque read:
By authority of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, and in accordance with Her Majesty's instructions dated the 14th day of September, 1955, a landing was effected this day upon this island of Rockall from HMS Vidal. The Union flag was hoisted and possession of the island was taken in the name of Her Majesty. [Signed] R H Connell, Captain, HMS Vidal, 18 September 1955.
The plaque was still in place in 1997, but was found missing after the rock was visited by Greenpeace protesters.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2011/jan/01/john-vidal-rockall |title='Hello Mum, I'm on Rockall': The £100bn piece of rock |first=John |last=Vidal
|work=The Guardian |date=1 January 2011}}
The formal annexation of Rockall was announced by the Admiralty on 21 September 1955.
In 1964 Vidal carried the Chief Hydrographer, Admiral Sir Edmund Irving to Leningrad for talks with Admiral Anatoliy Rassokho, his counterpart in the Soviet Union.[http://www.hydro-international.com/issues/articles/id415-Whats_in_a_Name_Part___Vidal.html History of the Vidals] In 1967 she transported scientists and personnel to Aldabra Atoll[Circular SZR/7/67 of The Royal Society] ? and Diego Garcia.[http://www.zianet.com/tedmorris/dg/warstories.html Stories about Diego Garcia]
The Vidal was broken up in Bruges in June 1976.
Notes
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References
- {{cite book |editor-last=Blackman |editor-first=Raymond V. B. |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1960–61 |year=1960 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd |location=London }}
- {{cite book |editor-last=Blackman |editor-first=Raymond V. B. |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72 |year=1971 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. |location=London |isbn=0-354-00096-9 }}
- {{Cite Colledge2006}}
- {{cite book |first=Llewellyn Styles|last=Dawson|title=Memoirs of Hydrography: Including Brief Biographies of the Principal Officers who Have Served in H.M. Naval Surveying Service Between the Years 1750 and 1885: Part I: 1750-1830 |access-date=2008-09-13 |publisher=H.W. Keay |pages=94–95 |chapter=Vice-Admiral A. E. T. Vidal, R. N.: 1823–46 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/cihm_68425/page/n113}}
- {{cite book | first= Roger O. | last=Morris | date = | title = Charts and Surveys in Peace and War: The History of the Royal Navy's Hydrographic Service, 1919-1970 | edition = | publisher = H.M. Stationery Office | isbn = 978-0-11-772456-3 | oclc = 1173816600 }}
- {{cite book |last1=Sturtivant |first1=Ray |last2=Ballance |first2=Theo |title=The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm |year=1994 |publisher=Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. |location=Tonbridge, Kent, UK |isbn=0-85130-223-8 }}
- {{cite book |first=Surya Prakash|last=Sharma|title=Territorial Acquisition, Disputes, and International Law: Territorial Acquisition, Disputes and International Law|year=1997 |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers |pages=63}}
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