of Bermuda. This salute was to consist of seventy blank rounds, one for each year of the king's life, fired at one-minute intervals. Because of the difficulty of storing ammunition in Bermuda's humid climate, there proved to be only twenty-three blank rounds in stock, and the remainder used were all headed ammunition. As the firing was to commence at 08:00 (on 21 January), and it was thought unlikely any vessels would be in the danger area, it was decided to proceed with the salute, ensuring the guns were elevated for maximum range (), out to sea. The firing began at 07:00, and was over seventy minutes later. What the BMA gunners were unaware of, however, was that Antioquia was at the receiving end of their barrage. Antioquia was under the command of a retired Royal Naval officer (part of the British Naval Mission to Colombia), and was arriving at Bermuda to undergo repairs at the Royal Naval Dockyard. Although the ship's crewmembers were alarmed to find themselves under fire, the ship fortunately was not hit. ARC Antioquia and ARC Caldas were both refitted in the United States, at Mobile, Alabama, in 1954, when three guns were fitted, two forward and one aft. This had the effect of shifting their centres-of-gravity, resulting in poor handling in foul weather, which also over-stressed the hulls. Antioquia was decommissioned in 1961, when the name passed to a , built in 1943 for the US Navy as . The current ARC Antioquia is an missile-armed frigate. Citations Sources Destroyers of the Colombian Navy Antioquia-class destroyers History of Bermuda Douro-class destroyers 1933 ships Ships built in Portugal