HMS Duncan (D37)

HMS Duncan is the sixth of the highly-capable Type 45 air defence destroyers and one of the most advanced warships in the world. She sails with a ship's company in excess of 280 personnel and is based at Portsmouth Naval Base.

She is the first of the Type 45 class to be capable of deploying Harpoon and was the star of the Channel 5 documentary 'Warship: life at sea". Series 2 is due to air in February 2020.

In 2019 the Portsmouth-based warship completed one of the most varied – and demanding – deployments by a Royal Navy warship in recent years.

The destroyer joined French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle as part of the multinational Carrier Strike Group GAN 19 operating off Syria on Operation Inherent Resolve; HMS Duncan provided air defence to the group as part of operations against ISIS forces in the region.

May and June saw HMS Duncan committed to various NATO exercises in delivering humanitarian aid and countering human/arms-trafficking before joining Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 for Exercise Sea Breeze in the Black Sea where, once again, she was employed in her air-defence role and hosted the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Little more than two weeks later, she found herself in the Gulf as part of the UK’s response to rising tensions with Iran and the threat to merchant shipping legally plying its trade.

Duncan stepped in while HMS Montrose, which has performed the bulk of the escort duties since July, underwent a short period of maintenance.

In September 2019 she returned home to Portsmouth.

Unit history

1805

The First Duncan

The First Duncan was built in Bombay for the East India Company, and classed as a fifth rate 38-gun frigate. She fought French privateers in the Indian Ocean and later renamed Dover in 1807.

1811

The Second HMS Duncan

HMS Duncan was launched in December 1811 from Deptford. Her first war service was, as befitted her name, as part of the squadron blockading the Dutch coast in 1812.

1812

Harbour service

Post 1812 she saw service in the Mediterranean and South America. In 1834 she was placed on harbour service until she was broken up in 1863.

1859

The Third HMS Duncan

This HMS Duncan was a 101-gun screw-propelled first rate ship of the line and carried over 800 crew. The ship was launched in 1859 and was the flagship of the West Indies Squadron.

1890

HMS Pembroke

In 1890 the Third Duncan was renamed as HMS Pembroke and employed on harbour service. She was renamed again in 1905 to HMS Tenedos and sold in 1910.

1901

The Fourth Duncan

The Duncan class Battleships were a response to French and Russian building. Displacing 14,000 tons and a maximum speed of 19 knots, they were the fastest battleship afloat.

1903

Chatham commission

HMS Duncan was commissioned at Chatham Dockyard in October 1903 for Mediterranean Fleet Service, although she would also serve in the Channel (1905) and Atlantic (1907).

1914

World War I

In August 1914 the Fourth HMS Duncan was still in a refit period. During the war, she bombarded submarine bases off Belgium, guarded against invasions and aided troops landing at Athens.

1919

World War I

In March 1919 the Fourth HMS Duncan was placed on the disposal list and sold for scrapping in February 1920.

1932

The Fifth Duncan

Next was a D-class Destroyer launched from Portsmouth in July 1932. Commissioned in April 1933 and built as a Destroyer Leader, she displaced 25 tons more and carried 30 extra personnel.

1932

The Fifth Duncan

Overall the Fifth HMS Duncan displaced 1400 tons, had a main armament of four 4.7in guns and eight 21in torpedo tubes and a maximum speed of over 36 knots.

1935

Far East

The Fifth HMS Duncan's career started before World War II broke out. She was part of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla and sailed to the Far East where she spent the next few years from January 1935.

1937

Far East

The Fifth HMS Duncan spent two years in Shanghai during the Japanese invasion of 1937, helping to evacuate 1300 British civilians to Woosung.

1939

World War II

At the start of World War 2 in September 1939, accompanied by Dainty, Diana and Daring no 5 was sent to the Mediterranean to conduct embargo operations; then she was on convoy duties.

1940

Battle honours

Spartivento 1940; Malta Convoys 1941; Atlantic 1941-1945; Siego Suarez 1942.

1943

Second World War

In 1943 she joined Escort Group B-7; she was involved in the sinking of 5 U-boats. On 13th May 1945 she was nominated for reduction to Reserve units and finally sold for scrap in 1945.

1957

The Sixth HMS Duncan

A Type 14 Frigate, HMS Duncan commissioned in October 1958. The ship served in the Cod Wars over fishing rights. For this role, she was awarded the Freedom of the City of Hull.

1960

The Sixth HMS Duncan

In 1960 Duncan provided escort to HMY Britannia and in 1964 fired the salute at the opening of the Forth Road Bridge. Visits included Nantes in 1961, Copenhagen in 1965.

1980

The Sixth HMS Duncan

As a Harbour Training ship, HMS Duncan trained Marine engineering Artificer Apprentices from HMS Caledonia. The ship decommissioned in 1984 to be scrapped in 1985.

2007

The Seventh HMS Duncan

HMS Duncan No7 was a Type 45 destroyer built by BAE Systems Surface Fleet, construction began on 26th January 2007.

2010

The Seventh HMS Duncan

The Type 45 Destroyer was launched on 11 October 2010 in Govan and fitted out in Scotstoun.

2015

The Seventh HMS Duncan

In March 2015, HMS Duncan sailed from Portsmouth for her maiden deployment. The Type 45 destroyer spent nine months working with allies in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Gulf to protect allied and merchant shipping and wider British interests in the region.