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HMS Dampier
HMS ''Dampier'' was a survey ship of the Royal Navy, named after the explorer, author and privateer, William Dampier (1652–1715). Originally intended as a anti-aircraft frigate, the ship was in commission from 1948 to 1968, spending her entire career based at Singapore, carrying out survey work. Construction The ship was ordered on 23 January 1943 from Smiths Dock Company, South Bank, Middlesbrough, as the ''Loch Eil''. The ship was laid down on 7 August 1944, but the contract was then changed, and the ship was completed to a revised design as a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate, and launched on 15 May 1945 as ''Herne Bay'' (K611). Work on the ship was suspended on 26 September 1945, and she was towed to Chatham Dockyard. In July 1946 work recommenced to convert her into a survey ship. She was renamed ''Dampier'' and assigned the pennant number A303. Service history ''Dampier'' was commissioned on 4 May 1948, and in June arrived at Singapore, which would be her home por ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Dampier
William Dampier (baptised 5 September 1651; died March 1715) was an English explorer, pirate, privateer, navigator, and naturalist who became the first Englishman to explore parts of what is today Australia, and the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. He has also been described as Australia's first natural historian, as well as one of the most important British explorers of the period between Francis Drake (16th century) and James Cook (18th century), he "bridged those two eras" with a mix of piratical derring-do of the former and scientific inquiry of the later. His expeditions were among the first to identify and name a number of plants, animals, foods, and cooking techniques for a European audience; being among the first English writers to use words such as avocado, barbecue, and chopsticks. In describing the preparation of avocados, he was the first European to describe the making of guacamole, named the breadfruit plant, and made frequent documenta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
