H.M.S. Zambesi - (D 66) - At sea in the post war era, probably early 1950's, maybe en-route to the Penarth Pontoon, Slipway & Shiprepairing Co. Ltd. for her 1953 - 54 refit ! [000] [002]
The enlightening Secret Scotland website gives a vivid account in the service life of the Zambesi. "The Loch Long Torpedo Range operated on the loch from 1912 to 1986 and was also used to set up or range torpedoes fired from vessels such as destroyers. One such vessel was HMS Zambesi, one of eight Z-Class destroyers constructed during World War II, and which which visited the range for this purpose in 1944, prior to joining the home fleet at Scapa Flow following completion of commissioning. Trials would have established the setting for the fins on her torpedoes to ensure they ran straight and true. Two quad tubes on the destroyer each carried four 21-inch torpedoes, and could be turned to be released the weapons from either side of the vessel. On the range, the warheads would be removed, and replaced by an orange coloured buoyancy head of identical size, after which the torpedoes could then be fired along the range, recovered, and adjustments made to trim their course. Activity at the range reached a peak during World War II, with more than 12,000 torpedoes being fired down the loch in 1944." [268]
