Tales from the Mansion House
HMS Andromeda – Doncaster’s Adopted Ship
A Royal Navy Leander Class Frigate – built at the HM Dockyard Portsmouth and launched on 24th May 1967 and commissioned on 2nd December 1968
In the early 1980’s HMS Andromeda was adopted by Doncaster Council.
During the Falklands War in 1982, HMS Andromeda was part of the Royal Navy Task Force and she arrived at the Falklands on May 26th. She mainly acted as a close escort for the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible or served on the air defence picket line ahead of the Task Force.
After the Argentine surrender on June 14th, HMS Andromeda was the first ship to enter Port Stanley and the ship’s white ensign was flown over Port Stanley to mark the recapture of the Falkland Islands.
The Aerial View below shows the ships of the Royal Navy Task Force conducting a victory sail past of Port Stanley shortly after the Argentine Surrender. HMS Andromeda is in the lead followed by: HMS Bristol, HMS Invincible, HMS Broadsword, RFA Tidepool, RFA Tidespring, RFA Regent and HMS Hermes.
Aerial View showing the ships of the British Task Force
After returning from the war, the ship’s captain Sir James Weatherall visited the Mansion House and presented Doncaster Council with the ship’s white ensign. When the ship was decommissioned in 1994, the Council acquired the ship’s bell. The white ensign and the bell are now on display in Mansion House.