H.M.S. Leopard played an important part in the evacuation of the Tristan da Cunha islands in October 1961, when the settlement was threatened with destruction by volcanic lava. The Leopard landed shore parties on October 13 and they systematically searched each cottage and packaged, labelled and embarked the islanders' personal belongings. They also removed a considerable quantity of equipment from the lobster factory, meteorological station and radio station. One of their most unpleasant tasks was having to shoot a number of dogs on the island, but two puppies were kept by the crew and named Tristan and Cunha.
Comdr. Hicks-Beach, of the Leopard, radioed that the crew of the local boat Tristania had commenced to dismantle the island's rock lobster canning factory, which was in the path of the oncoming lava. The Tristania appears on the 1s. 6d, stamp of this issue.
The Leopard was completed in 1957.
Type: Air Defence Frigate
Displacement: 2,300 long tons (2,337 t) standard 2,520 long tons (2,560 t) full load
Length: 340 ft (100 m) o/a
Beam: 40 ft (12 m)
Draught: 16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion: 8 × Admiralty Standard Range ASR1 diesels, 14,400 shp (10,738 kW), 2 shafts
220 tons oil fuel
Speed: 24 knots (28 mph; 44 km/h)
Range: 7,500 nmi (13,900 km) at 16 kn (30 km/h)
Complement: 205 or 235
Sensors and processing systems: Type 960 air search radar, later;
Type 965 AKE-1 air search radar
Type 293Q target indication radar, later;
Type 993 target indication radar
Type 277Q height finding radar
Type 974 navigation radar
Type 285 fire control radar on director Mark 6M
Type 262 fire control radar on director CRBF
Type 262 fire control radar on STAAG mount
Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF
Type 174 search sonar
Type 164 attack sonar
Armament: • 2 × twin 4.5 in guns Mark 6
• 1 × twin 40 mm Bofors gun STAAG Mark 2, later;
• 1 × single 40 mm Bofors gun Mark 9
• 1 × Squid A/S mortar
Paid off for last time 12 December 1975. Broken up 1977.
Sea Breezes May 1965
Tristan da Cunha SG79