Laid down originally as HMS Fowey. To be completed as a Leander class. Yard No. V.1285
1962-aug-16
Launched
Launched attended by Wessex HAS.1 XM923/989-D ferrying VIP to launch
1963-dec-11
Commissioned
Commissioned
1964-feb
Aircraft
Aircraft assigned 829 Sq Wasp HAS.1 XS537/180-AJ as Ajax Flt, recoded /460-AJ before 1966.
1964-may-26
Deployment
Deployment to 1968 part of 24 Escort Group in the Far East
1965-sep-17
Port Visit
Port Visit visited Hong Kong until 24 Sep.
1965-oct
Refit
RefitSembawang naval base period of intensive maintenance alongside in Singapore until 6 Feb 1966.
1967-nov
Deployment
Deployment part of Task Force 318 to cover the British withdrawal from Aden during Operation Magister.
1967-nov-05
Deployment
DeploymentGan recovered survivors from crash of 205 Squadron Shackleton MR2 WL786 on previous day from Indian Ocean, near Gan.
1968-apr
Ajax commenced refit at Chatham Dockyard. Sailed for work-up at Portland in September. 16.12.68: Departed Portsmouth en-route to Far East Station. Called at Santa Cruz de Tenerife 22-24 December. On Christmas Day, was the only RN warship at sea.
1970-jan
Following her return from the FES in September 69, Ajax spent time at Chatham before heading to Portsmouth for ammunitioning and a work-up period at Portland. She returned to Chatham in December for crew leave. In Jan 1970, she sailed for a 4-month period in the Med, calling at Gibraltar (Guard Ship), Tangiers (Morocco), Malta (Feb
1970-may
Following her Med deployment, Ajax returned to Chatham in April for ships company leave. Between May and Sep she visited the following ports: Devonport, Port Talbot, Liverpool (in company with HMS Albion), Londonderry, Loch Melfort, Oban, Ullapool, Stornoway, Portree, Cape Wrath, Scapa Flow, Thurso, Dundee, Leith (Commonwealth Games. Also accompanied by HMS Lincoln), Hull, Kiel, Antwerp. Paid off at Chatham in September prior to her refit with Ikara.
Sembawang naval base period of intensive maintenance alongside in Singapore until 6 Feb 1966.
Akrotiri Bay Partition of Cyprus part of Task Force escort to Eastern Mediterranean during Cyprus emergency, to relieve HMS Devonshire (D02)
Gibraltar Harbour at Gibraltar, until recommissioned, late 1981
Aircraft