- Yes
- No
Background
Spoiler
HMS Mendip was ordered in April 1939 as part of the Royal Navy’s wartime expansion and was built by Swan Hunter at Wallsend. She was Laid down in August 1939 and launched in April 1940, and was officially commissioned in October 1940. During World War II, Mendip was assigned to the 21st Destroyer Flotilla, and operated extensively in the North Sea and English Channel; escorting convoys and engaging enemy aircraft and boats. She participated in multiple key operations, such as the Sicily landings, the Salerno campaign, and the invasion of Normandy. She was taken out of service in May, 1946.
In 1947, arrangements were being made to gift her and the HMS Aurora to the Republic of China. On May 18th, 1948, the HMS Mendip was formally given to the RoCN during a sign over in Portsmouth, after which it and the Aurora sailed from Portsmouth, through the Mediterranean, and along South Asia until they made it to the ports in China. Following this, the Mendip was renamed the Lin Fu. Initially she served a month in Shanghai, before being deployed to Jiangxian. On December 12th, as the ship was moving to Beijing from Shanghai, it was fired upon by Communist Soldiers, who were subsequently obliterated by the 102mm cannons of the Lin Fu.
Talks of defecting to the PRC were being made by members of the crew, mostly due to the sailors not getting paid. This defect would not take place, as with the defection of the Chung King, more pressure was put on security of the ships.
On May 27th, 1949, the ship was formally transferred back to the Royal Navy. No reason is stated for why the ship was transferred back, but it is highly likely that it was reacquired by the Royal navy due to the state of the RoC in its war against the PRC.
The Ship was soon sold to Egypt, were it later made its way into Israel’s hands. Read more on its later history through @super_cacti suggestion Here.
Technical Data
Specifications
Crew Count - 168.
Displacement - 1,000 Long Tons Standard, 1,420 Long Tons Full Load.
Dimensions - 85.34 m x 8.84 m x 3.81 m.
Propulsion - 2 Admiralty 3-Drum Boilers / 2-Shaft Parsons Geared Turbines. (14,170 kW)
Max Speed - 50.9 Km/h.
Range 1,850 Kilometers at 48 Km/h.
Armament
2 x 2 QF 102mm Mk. XVI Cannons
1 x 4 QF 40mm Mk. VIII Autocannons
2 x 1 20mm Oerlikon Mk. III Autocannons
Images
Sources
Spoiler
HMS Mendip, Escort Destroyer, HMS Mendip, escort destroyer. Accessed 22 May 2025.
Chesneau, Roger. Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships, 1922-1946. Conway Maritime Press, 2001.
1978-. 民国海军舰船志: 1938-1945. 山东画报出版社, 2016.