Protector HMS

[shipstamps]

Built by Yarrow and Co., Ltd. at Scotstoun. H.M.S. Protector was laid down on August 15, 1935, launched on August 28, 1936 and completed on December 31, 1936. She was originally designed for net laying and target towing and was ordered under the 1934 estimates. The designed displacement was 2,860 tons standard, since increased to 3,450, her length being 338 ft. (o.a.), 310 ft. between perpendiculars, beam 53 ft. and draft 151/4 ft. In 1955 she was refitted for service in the Falkland Islands Dependencies and was provided with a hangar for two helicopters, a landing deck aft, an enclosed bridge and enclosed look-out position.
The 4-in, guns in twin mounts were mounted forward instead of aft while the four 20 mm. Oerlikon A.A. guns that were originally provided were taken out of the ship. In 1957 she was further refitted and a small tripod mainmast was stepped by the hangar, with a crane amidships. She was officially classified as an ice patrol ship in 1959 and she carries a complement of 238. Average speed in normal conditions is 20 knots and she is now employed in lieu of a frigate as a guardship and Antarctic survey ship. SG8

[aukepalmhof]

Built under yard No. 1672 as a net layer and target-towing vessel by the Yarrow Shipbuilders, Scotstoun, Scotland for the Royal Navy.
15 August 1935 keel laid down.
20 August 1938 launched under the name HMS PROTECTOR.
Displacement 2.900 ton. Dim. 310 x 52 x 15.3ft. (draught).
Powered by Parsons turbines, 9.000 shp, two shafts, speed 19 knots.
Armament 1 – 4inch AA gun, 4 – 0.5 inch AA, one Hotchkiss 3pdr. saluting gun. Subsequently, the single AA mounting was replaced by a twin one, and the 0.5-inch gun replaced by 10 – 20mm Oerlikon AA guns .
Complement 190.
30 December 1936 commissioned. Building cost £326.230.

Before the Second World War used in the South Atlantic, when war broke out in U.K. Home Waters till the earlier stage of the Norwegian campaign.
Then sent to the Mediterranean, where she was hit by an aerial torpedo in the engine room at Suez, she stayed afloat with the aid of the nets floats she worked with.
After emergency repairs, she was towed to Bombay for repairs.
She needed new turbines but two sets of replacements turbines were lost on passage, before at least her third arrived safe at Bombay. She spent there from 1942 till 1945 before her repairs were completed.
After the war used as training vessel, then she was present at the Coronation Review of the fleet on Monday 15 June 1953.
1954 She underwent a conversion from Netlayer to Ice Patrol Vessel at the Devonport dockyard.
She was lengthened to 388 feet, displacement increased to 3.450 ton. Crew 21 Officers, 238 ratings.
03 October 1955 she sailed out from Portsmouth for her first voyage as an Ice Patrol Vessel.
When the expedition ship THERON used by Sir Edmund Hillary and Dr. Vivian Fuchs was beset in the ice on the Antarctic in January 1956 the PROTECTOR came to the rescue.
1956 She underwent a further refit, fitted out with a flight deck and a hangar for two Westland Whirlwind Mk 1 helicopters. A tripod-form mainmast and a new fully enclosed bridge were added.
During 1961 Samuel White & Co. Ltd., Cowes, Isle of Wight again refitted her.
Altogether she was used in thirteen Antarctic seasons, before she was paid off on 03 May 1968.
HMS ENDURANCE ex ANITA DAN replaced her.
10 February 1970 sold for breaking up and she was broken up at Inverkeithing.

This stamp issued by South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands i9n 2009 depicts a Westland Whirlwind and HMS PROTECTOR.
The first naval helicopter to fly over South Georgia was a Whirlwind from the Antarctic Patrol Ship HMS PROTECTOR in 1955. The ship carried two Whirlwinds and they were specially put aside from the Fleet Air Arm’s main inventory of aircraft for work in the Antarctic. The aircraft carried out a range of survey and support duties and on several occasions were involved in the rescue of explorers and scientists who had been stranded in the icefields.


On St Helena 1996 12p sg 721.
British Antarctic Territory 1963 6d sg 8, 1971 5p on 6d sg 31, 1993 20p sg 224.
South Georgia & Sandwich Islands 1989 29p sg 193.
South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands 2009 90p sg?, Scott?
Tristan da Cunha 2022 £1.80 sg?, Scott?

Source: Log Book. Ships of the Royal Navy by J.J. Colledge. Some websites. South Georgia & South Sandwich Post.

Tristan da Cunha issued four stamps and a souvenir sheet to commemorate important events in Tristan’s history 1961-63.

The £2 souvenir sheet depicts the landing party, HMS PROTECTOR and its Whirlwind helicopter.
The HMS Protector arrived on Tristan da Cunha on 20th March 1962 to evacuate the members of the Royal Society Expedition to the U.K.

Source: Tristan da Cunha Stamp News.

[D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen]

British Antarctic Territory 2013, 65 p. StG.?