HMS Cavalier, National Destroyer Memorial Chatham

HMS Cavalier (R73), commissioned 22 Nov 1944 and decommissioned in 1972 has been preserved as a museum ship since 1998 and is part of the National Destroyer Monument. She served in WW2 off Norway and on the Russian convoy routes where she suffered U boat and aircraft attacks. She was then transferred to the Far East where she saw action in the Battle of Surabaya and helped quell the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny in Bombay (Mumbai) in Feb 1946.
In May 1946 she was placed in reserve until extensively modernised in 1955-57 after which she joined the 8th destroyer squadron in Singapore . During her period in the Far East she participated in the British nuclear tests, dealt with civil unrest at Gan Island in the Maldives and delivered troops to Brunei.
In 1971 she won the 'Cock o' the Fleet' trophy after winning a race against HMS Rapid to be proclaimed the fastest ship in the fleet.
In 1972 she was commissioned and there were various unsuccessful attempts at making her a museum piece until she was purchased by the Cavalier Trust in 1998 and displayed in Chatham Dockyard.
On 14th November 2007, HMS Cavalier was officially designated a war memorial with the unveiling of the bronze monument by her gangway by HRH Prince Philip.
In September 2010 a full broadside was fired from all 3 of her restored 4.5 in guns.

For current visiting hours, please contact the museum.

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Source

• Text: Sharky Ward/Memorial
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward