Construction and Naming
Vidal was built at Chatham Dockyard, and was the last surface vessel, and the last oceanographic survey vessel built at the Dockyard. She was also the first small ship designed to carry a helicopter. She was launched on 31 July 1951 and commissioned into service in 1954. In common with most of the survey ships of the period, she was named after an influential surveyor or explorer of the Royal Navy. In her case, this was the nineteenth century surveyor Alexander Thomas Emeric Vidal, who had surveyed much of the coast of Africa, and ranged into the Atlantic to survey the tiny islet of Rockall. So far she has been the only ship of the Navy to bear the name.
Read more about this topic: HMS Vidal
Famous quotes containing the words construction and/or naming:
“Striving toward a goal puts a more pleasing construction on our advance toward death.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“See, see where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament!
One drop would save my soul—half a drop! ah, my Christ!—
Ah, rend not my heart for naming of my Christ!—
Yet will I call on him!—O, spare me, Lucifer!—
Where is it now? ‘T is gone; and see where God
Stretcheth out his arm, and bends his ireful brows!—
Mountains and hills, come, come and fall on me,
And hide me from the heavy wrath of God!”
—Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)