HMS Saintes (D84)
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| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | 8 June 1943 |
| Launched: | 19 July 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 27 September 1946 |
| Decommissioned: | ? |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap |
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HMS Saintes (D84) was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named after the Battle of the Saintes, a Royal Navy victory over a French fleet intending to invade Jamaica in 1782. Saintes was built by R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Limited on the Tyne. She was launched on the on 19 July 1944 and commissioned on the on 27 September 1946.
In 1947, during live-fire exercises, Saintes accidentally hit, and sank the Brigand-class tug HMS Buccaneer, while it was towing the actual target. In 1949, Saintes deployed to the Mediterranean as part of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla.
In 1953, Saintes became the Gunnery Training Ship at Portsmouth and the following year, while in the Mediterranean, Saintes came to the assistance of the Empire Windrush, which had suffered an engineroom fire while in the region. Saintes attempted to tow the ship to Gibraltar but Empire Windrush sank on the journey.
In 1956, Saintes underwent a refit at Rosyth. In 1958, Saintes became Captain (D), meaning she was the leader, of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, part of the Home Fleet. In 1960, Saintes joined the 1st Destroyer Squadron, having spells with the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. Just two years later, after returning home to the UK with the rest of the Squadron, Saintes became a hulk, when she became the tender of HMS Caledonia, Rosyth. Saintes was broken up in 1972.
See HMS Saintes for other ships of the name.
| Battle-class destroyer |
| Royal Navy |
| Agincourt | Aisne | Alamein | Armada | Barfleur | Barrosa | Cadiz | Camperdown | Corunna | Dunkirk | Finisterre | Gabbard | Gravelines | Hogue | Jutland | Lagos | Matapan | St. James | St. Kitts | Saintes | Sluys | Solebay | Trafalgar | Vigo |
| Royal Australian Navy |
| Anzac | Tobruk |