HMS Aisne (D22)

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Career

Ordered:	1943
Laid down:	26 August 1943
Launched:	12 May 1945
Commissioned:	20 March 1947
Decommissioned:	1968
Fate:	Sold for scrap
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HMS Aisne (D22) was a later or 1943 Battle-class fleet destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named after one of the Battles of the Aisne, though she may indeed have been named in honour of all three battles that took place there.

Aisne was built by Vickers Armstrong on the Tyne. She was launched on 12 May 1945, the first warship since VE Day, and commissioned on 20 March 1947.

She subsequently joined the Home Fleet upon commission, but in 1950 she was temporarily laid-up. The following year, Aisne joined the 4th Destroyer Squadron, where she would subsequently have spells with the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. In 1953, Aisne took part in the Fleet Review at Spithead to celebrate the Coronation of HM Queen Eliabeth II. Aisne was positioned in the middle of her sister-ships Corunna and Barrosa.

In 1954, Aisne, as part of the 4th Destroyer Squadron, deployed to the Mediterranean, remaining there until 1955. In 1959, Aisne began a conversion to a Radar Picket, in effect extending her, and the other converted ships service lifes for just a little while longer than the rest of the class. The conversion gave her new radar, as-well as the SeaCat missile system and new AA weaponry.

In 1962, Aisne joined the 7th Destroyer Squadron, and the following year joined the 23rd Escort Squadron, and subsequently the 30th Escort Squadron, deployed to the Mediterranean in 1964, before deploying to join the Far East Fleet. In 1967, Aisne deployed to the West Indies remaining there until the following year. That same year, Aisne was decommissioned, and was then scrapped at Inverkeithing in 1970.