World Cruise of 1968

The World Cruise of 1968 - see the map

On 25th January, 1968. HMS Caprice left England for the East of Suez leg of a General Service Commission, returning to Portsmouth on December 19, having spent 199 days at sea, out of the 331 days away. During this period the Ship steamed 58,000 miles and expended 15,600 tons of fuel, undergoing 62 replenishment operations.

Firstly calling at Gibraltar and then Freetown on the way to Simonstown, the Caprice then spent a month of duty on the Beira Patrol in the Mozambique Channel.

The ship eventually arrived in Singapore on April 6. For the next five months she alternated between Singapore and Hong Kong, carrying out guard duties and exercising with other ships of the Australian, New Zealand and United States navies .During this period Japan was also visited, calling at the large port of Kobe and, in contrast, a little picturesque fishing village called Miyazu, renowned in Japan as the third most beautiful place in the country.

Leaving Singapore in early September, the ship headed south for a visit to Sydney and took part in exercise Coral Sands until October when the ship arrived in Auckland.

The Caprice then went on to complete her round-the-world trip, visiting Tonga, Samoa and Hawaii in the Pacific, San Francisco in the United States and Manzanillo in Mexico.

The transit of the Panama canal was completed on November 28, before visiting several spots in the Caribbean. San Andreas, Kingston and San Juan.

The last stop was in the Azores for fuel before returning to Portsmouth.

1968 Diary (pdf file)

Complete Engine Room Department List (pdf file)