HMS Mohawk (F125)

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Mohawk
Builder:	Vickers
Laid down:	23 December 1960
Launched:	5 April 1962
Commissioned:	29 November 1963
Decommissioned:	1980
Identification:	Pennant number F125
Fate:	Sold for scrap
General characteristics
Class and type:	Tribal-class frigate
Service record
Part of:	Naval On-call Force of the Mediterranean (1977)
Operations:	Beira Patrol (1973)

HMS Mohawk was a Tribal-class frigate of the Royal Navy in service from 1963. She was named after a tribe of Native Americans located in southeast Canada and New York State. Mohawk was scrapped in 1983.

Mohawk was built by Vickers, of Barrow-in-Furness,^[1] at a cost of £4,705,000.^[2] She was launched on 5 April 1962 and commissioned on 29 November 1963.^[1] Her construction had been disrupted by a labour dispute.^[3]

Operational Service

In 1965, Mohawk deployed to the Persian Gulf.^[4] She joined the Beira Patrol, intended to enforce an oil blockade of Rhodesia, in 1966. The following year, Mohawk deployed to the West Indies and the Mediterranean, becoming the Gibraltar guardship in 1968. By 1969, Mohawk had returned to the West Indies.

Mohawk underwent a conversion to accommodate her planned utilisation as a training ship. The refit entailed the removal of Mohawk's aft 4.5-inch gun, but the process was abandoned. In 1973, Mohawk and the destroyer Antrim relieved the destroyer Devonshire and frigate Lincoln in the Far East Squadron. Mohawk contributed to the Beira Patrol before returning to Britain in 1973. Later that year she embarked on a tour of the Norwegian coast. She was called onto assist in the search for Gaul, a fishing vessel that went missing in the Barents Sea.

In 1974, Mohawk served in the West Indies and the Mediterranean. In 1977, Mohawk joined Naval On-call Force of the Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED), a NATO multi-national squadron. Later that year, Mohawk formed part of a task force designated "Group 6", led by the cruiser Tiger, that toured the Middle and Far East.^[5] During the group's return journey the following year, Mohawk suffered hull damage in the port of Valletta, Malta after slipping her moorings early.

In 1979, Mohawk was reduced to the reserve and allocated to the Standby Squadron. After being placed on the disposal list in 1981.^[6] Mohawk was sold for scrap and broken up at Cairnryan.^[7]

Commanding officers

From	To	Captain
1964	1965	Captain I G W Robertson DSC RN
1965	1967	Captain Stanley Lawrence McCardle MVO GM RN
1977	1979	Commander R F Cobbold RN

Notes

1. Gardiner, Robert & Chesneau, Roger (1995), p. 518.
2. "A-Submarine Cost Revised". The Times (56304): Col F, p 8. 24 April 1965.
3. Hansard (29 May 1963), hansard.millbanksystems.com. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
4. Commissioning Book, HMS Mowhawk 1964-1965, Gale and Polden, Portsmouth
5. Gough, Richard (2003), The Weapon Director, p. 2
6. Hansard (26 April 1982), hansard.millbanksystems.com. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
7. Colledge, J. J. & Warlow, Ben (2010), p. 265

Publications

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships, 1947-1995. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-605-7.