HMS Diomede built at Yarrows Shipbuilders yard, Glasgow

She was launched in 1971, had a length of 360’ and an enhanced beam of 43’. Her armament was a twin turret 4.5” gun – an Ahead Throwing Mortar Mk 10 anti submarine weapon – A Seacat anti aircraft missile launcher over the rear hangar. She had a top speed in excess of 25 knots and a crew of 252 Officers and men.

Sir Alfred Yarrow (1842-1932) established a small marine works on the Isle of Dogs in 1866 where he built some 350 steam launches before producing, in 1876, their first torpedo boat for the Argentinean Navy, Given the contract for the RN’s first torpedo boat destroyers, the first of these, the Havock, was launched in 1893. In 1907 the works were transferred to the Clyde. Although Lord Yarrow retired before WW1, he collaborated with Lord Fisher in developing the methods for the rapid construction of destroyers and river gunboats.

HMS Diomede was never converted and carried the same defence system, except for her Seacat missiles, with her all her life. She saw proud service with the Pakistan Navy and was known as the Shamsher – a type of ceremonial sword.

She was transferred in December 1988 and extensively refitted between 1991 and 1993 replacing Seacat with twin 25mm gun mountings. She was scrapped early in the 21st Century