Dockyard Closure

The decision to close the dockyard was announced in November 1981 but it was not until March 1984 that the yard finally closed.

The above photograph shows the Nuclear submarines, HMS Dreadnought & HMS Warspite at the Nuclear Refitting Complex in 1979

In the intervening three years a final round of refits and repairs were undertaken and the Royal Navy supported during the short but unexpected 1982 Falklands war. The Chatham based South Atlantic patrol ship, HMS Endurance, served throughout the conflict, being both present at the onset of hostilities and one of the last ships to return.

The last nuclear submarine to be refitted, HMS Churchill, and the last frigate, HMS Hermione, left the dockyard during 1983 and the dockyard and naval base finally closed on 31st March 1984.