Visitors to the Council House may have noticed a rather fine model of HMS Diamond on display. They may also have noted that the suite of modern meeting rooms is known as the Diamond Suite. So, what is the connection?
The City of Coventry was previously associated with a Royal Naval Ship when the City Council granted the Freedom of the City to H.M.S. Coventry in 1989. That ship, a type 22 frigate, was affiliated to the city until January 2002 when she was decommissioned from Royal Naval service.
The previous HMS Coventry, a Type 42 Destroyer, was sunk during the Falklands conflict in 1982.
In October 2007, the council were approached by the Royal Navy about the affiliation of the city with the soon to be constructed HMS Diamond. This followed the rejection of a similar offer by Sheffield City Council, who wanted a new ship to be named after their city instead.
HMS Diamond, was the third in the series of the Royal Navy’s new fleet of six Type 45 destroyers bearing the motto “honor clarissima gemma – honour is the brightest jewel”.
The Lord Mayor and other civic dignitaries were witness to the ship’s launch in Glasgow in November 2007.
As a mark of dedication to this new affiliation, the refurbished ground floor space in the Council House was named ‘The H.M.S. Diamond Suite’ and unveiled by the Lord Mayor and Commodore Jamie Miller in September 2008.
HMS Diamond was commissioned in Portsmouth in May 2011. Coventry Cathedral presented a Cross of Nails to the ship on her commissioning. This holds prime position outside the Captain’s Cabin. This same Cross of Nails was originally presented to H.M.S. Coventry that was sunk during the Falklands War in 1982. Rescued by divers, the Cross of Nails was presented to the next HMS Coventry, but returned to the Cathedral for safe-keeping on her decommissioning in 2002.
Jaguar Land Rover presented the ship with a Captain’s table that was designed and manufactured by local craftsmen at the company. It depicts the city’s Coats of Arms through advanced design and bespoke use of their coloured veneers. Later, as part of the launch of HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration, Jaguar Land Rover presented a custom-made red leather Captain’s chair for the bridge similarly manufactured by JLR craftsmen.
The ship is also associated with the City of Coventry Freeman’s Guild as well as the Worshipful Company of Barbers and The Worshipful Company of Playing Card Makers and the city of Aberdeen.
In March 2013 the City Council conferred the Freedom of the City on the ship.
The formal resolution was as follows:
“That the Council of the City of Coventry, being deeply sensible of the distinguished record and glorious tradition of those Ships of the Line bearing the name H.M.S. Diamond, over many years of loyal service to Sovereign and Country, and being desirous of reaffirming the respect and friendship of the City and sincerely wishing for this association to be fostered and strengthened, do confer upon Her Majesty’s Ship Diamond the Freedom of Entry into the City and the right in perpetuity on all ceremonial occasions of honouring the City by exercising the privilege by marching through the City with colours flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed.”
The council also presented the ship with a bespoke gift bearing the city’s Coat of Arms and an Illuminated Minute under the Common Seal of the Council to be displayed on board as a symbolic gesture of the value of the affiliation.
HMS Diamond and her crew officially received the “Freedom of Entry” into the City of Coventry on 16th October 2014. The ships company and the Band of the Royal Logistics Corps paraded through the streets of Coventry, followed by a reception for the crew, the band, honoured guests, veterans and cadets from Coventry held in the Cathedral.
Until recently HMS Diamond was stationed in the Red Sea area as part of an international task force seeking to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, in the light of Houthi attacks. The destroyer came under fire in three separate attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, successfully destroying nine drones using her Sea Viper missile system and guns.
In January she received a visit by Defence Secretary Grant Shapps. She was recently relieved by HMS Richmond and returned to Gibraltar for maintenance and re-supply.