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This Leander class frigate was built by Vickers-Annstrongs at Newcastle upon Tyne and was launched in December 1964 and first commissioned in May 1966. She has a standard displacement of 2,200 tons, a length of 372 ft. and a beam of 41 ft. As a general purpose frigate she is equipped to deal with every form of enemy and threat, her hull being crammed with every form of weapon and detection device that can be fitted in a ship of her size. She has the important role in war of detection and destruction of enemy submarines, by the use of sonar and anti-submarine triple-barrelled mortar. She carries a Wasp helicopter, armed with homing torpedoes, for long range attack. Main gun armament are two 4.5-in, guns in a single turret mounted forward. These are radar-controlled by the director above the bridge and fired automatically. She also has two Oerlikon 20 mm, guns which are very effective at close range. The Seacat anti-aircraft missile launcher is mounted on top of the helicopter hangar. With this close-range weapon, the Minerva has a powerful and accurate addition to her armoury.HMS. Minerva is powered by two sets of steam turbines developing 30,000 s.hp. and giving her a speed in excess of 30 knots. She is fitted with twin rudders and stabilisers, which, together with her specially designed hull-form give her excellent sea-keeping qualities and high manoeuvrability at speed important factors in modem antisubmarine warfare. The Minerva commissioned for the first time on May 22, 1966, at Newcastle and spent the next few months carrying out tests and trials of her new equipment in the English Channel. She visited her base port of Chatham, for docking and maintenance, before sailing for service East of Suez in January 1967. She returned to the United Kingdom in January 1968, after steaming 70,000 miles during her 12 months in the Far East. After spending several months in home waters she joined the West Indies Station in May 1968. H.M.S. Minerva has a complement of 16 officers and 246 ratings.
Anguilla SG269 Turks & Caicos SG782

Built as a frigate under yard No 179 by Vickers-Armstrong at High Walker, Tyneside for the Royal Navy.
25 July 1963 laid down.
19 December 1964 launched as the HMS MINERVA one of the Leander Class frigates of Batch II.
Displacement 2,380 ton standard, 2,860 ton full load. Dim. 113.4 x 12.49 x 5.79m. (draught). 109.7m bpp.
Powered by two double-reduction English Electric steam turbines, 30.000 shp, twin shafts, speed 28 knots.
Astern power 10,000 shp.
Range by a speed of 15 knots, 4,000 mile.
Bunker capacity 450 tons.
Armament: 2 – 4.5 inch, 2 – 20mm AA Oerlikon guns, 1 quadruple Seacat launcher. 1 – Mk 10 AS mortar.
One Westland Lynx helicopter.
Crew 263
14 May 1966 commissioned.
In 1968, MINERVA deployed to the West Indies during some troubles there, operating from Bermuda. Island hopping was carried to show the"flag". In 1970, MINERVA, like many other British vessels including other Leanders, deployed on Beira Patrol, an operation designed to prevent oil from reaching the landlocked Rhodesia via Mozambique, before visiting various ports around Asia and the Pacific. The following year, MINERVA deployed on her second Beira Patrol which proved relatively quiet.
In November 1972, the Prince of Wales joined MINERVA. The following year, in February, MINERVA, along with the Prince, deployed to the Caribbean. While there MINERVA was involved in a number of exercises, including Exercise "Rum Punch" at Puerto Rico, involving British and American forces. The ship returned to the UK in November.
In 1975, MINERVA returned to the Caribbean, performing a variety of duties there. Between December 1975 and March 1979, Minerva underwent modernization, including the addition of four Exocet MM38 missiles. Three quadruple launchers for Seacat SAM. 2 – Bofors 40mm guns and 2 STWS1 triple tubes for ASW torpedoes. While she was undergoing refit MINERVA suffered a boiler room fire forcing her to be towed to Chatham Dockyard for repairs. In December the following year, a dockyard crane smashed into MINERVA during a storm, causing damage to the ship's superstructure. In 1980, MINERVA deployed to the Mediterranean where she carried out exercises with other NATO warships. While there MINERVA got involved in the Cold War when she shadowed the KIEV, the nameship of a three-ship class of large aircraft carriers. In 1981, MINERVA was involved in further exercises in the Persian Gulf.
In 1982 during the Falklands War MINERVA was part of the 'Bristol Group' and thus joined the war rather late, not reaching the Falkland Islands until the 26th May. While there, MINERVA performed a number of duties, including escort for other vessels. She suffered no damage during her deployment during the Falklands War. She returned to Devonport in September, crowds greeting her upon her return.
In November, MINERVA accidentally rammed the Rothesay-class frigate YARMOUTH. 1983 Visit to Sweden, escorting Her Majesty the Queen in the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA.
In late 1984, MINERVA returned to the South Atlantic on a deployment that encompassed all British South Atlantic territories, a deployment which lasted into 1985. She continued service throughout the rest of the 1980s, seeing much of the world, including being involved in a number of exercises with NATO allies and acting as patrol ship in a number of deployments. By the early 1990s, MINERVA’s age was showing, and in March 1992, her long and eventful career came to an end, and was she decommissioned. The following year MINERVA was sold for scrap. Towed by NEFTGAZ 12 she was towed from Portsmouth to Alang, India and beached 31 January 1994.
Anguilla 1977 25c sg269, scott? Turks & Caicos 1983 $1.10 sg782, scott 591.
Source: Leander Class Frigates by Osborne & Sowdon. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Minerva_(F45) Marine News 1994.