hms hero hms hero class destroyer built royal_navy mid-1930s spanish civil war ship enforced arms blockade imposed britain france sides mediterranean_fleet months world war hero searched german commerce raiders atlantic_ocean participated second battle april june transferred mediterranean_fleet escorted number convoys malta ship took july operation february evacuations greece crete april ship covered amphibious landing syria lebanon campaign june began escorting supply convoys june libya shortly damaged german dive bombers rescuing survivors october resumed escorting convoys malta hero participated second battle march operation vigorous june sank german submarines whilst stationed mediterranean transferred home late year begin converting escort destroyer ship transferred renamed early transfer british coastal waters protect build operation overlord ships sank german submarines year war ended poor shape ship paid august later sold scrap process breaking completed description construction hero displaced long tons standard load long tons deep load ship overall length feet beam feet draught feet inches powered parsons geared steam turbines driving shafts developed total shaft horsepower gave maximum speed knots mph steam turbines provided admiralty drum water tube boilers hero carried maximum long tons fuel oil gave range nautical miles knots mph ship complement officers men peacetime increased wartime canadian service crew numbered officers men ship mounted inch guns single mounts designated rear anti aircraft defence hero quadruple mark mounts inch machine gun fitted water quadruple torpedo tube mounts inch torpedoes depth charge rail throwers fitted depth charges originally carried increased shortly war began increased depth charges ordered december hero laid newcastle england february launched march completed october excluding government furnished equipment like armament ship cost wartime modifications ships hero class rear torpedo tubes replaced pounder gun evacuation clear underwent refurbishment deployed mediterranean changes conversion escort destroyer probably included exchanging quadruple calibre vickers machine guns mounted funnels guns addition guns platform pair wings ship bridge ship director control tower rangefinder bridge likely removed exchange type target indication radar conversion replacement gun anti submarine mortar addition type short range surface search radar pounder hotchkiss guns fitted wings bridge deal boats short ranges ship received radio direction mounted pole mainmast gun removed allow depth charge increased late war type replaced type radar career hero assigned 2nd destroyer flotilla mediterranean_fleet commissioning patrolled spanish waters spanish civil war enforcing policies received refit june july rejoined mediterranean_fleet completion ship remained mediterranean october transferred sierra search german commerce raiders hero returned january received refit portsmouth february march meantime 2nd destroyer flotilla assigned home_fleet ship rejoined refit finished april hero escorted battlecruiser renown covered preparing implement operation lay mines prevent transport swedish iron ore germany ship sister pretended lay minefield norway april reported location hero destroyer streamed gear advance battleship escort steamed engage remaining german destroyers april ship british destroyers pursued remaining german ships easternmost branch east lack ammunition forced german ships retreat german destroyers scuttled beached head charges failed detonate properly boarded small party hero found significance abandoned crew destroyer torpedo prevent salvage hero transferred mediterranean_fleet 2nd destroyer flotilla july ship escorted australian light cruiser sydney rescued survivors italian cruiser escorting destroyers hero sister hostile destroyers ordered gibraltar august join struck route early morning august broke explosion killed men wounded took survivors hero fired torpedoes ship participated operation hats september malta november sortied north_atlantic convoy reported attacked german cruiser admiral hipper december round scattered ships january hero ships intercepted french convoy seized merchant ships convoy ship participated operation excess early january transferred mediterranean_fleet february evacuated surviving island attacked island operation mid april escorted fast transport battleships alexandria malta going escort battleships bombarded tripoli april alexandria april hero sailed greece begin evacuating british australian troops beaches evacuation crete hero destroyer evacuated king greece entourage night hero escorted conducted amphibious landing early june coast opening stages operation spent rest year escorting convoys sister destroyer encounter ship escorted october whilst route attacked dive bombers hit set hero encounter came alongside rescued crew passengers magazine exploded hero damaged near misses whilst alongside ship returned alexandria repairs escorted convoy malta january participated 2nd battle march whilst escorting convoy malta hunt class destroyers sank german submarine north east rescued survivors operation vigorous june hero formed escort covering force mediterranean_fleet malta bound convoy time ship fitted radar occupied late june admiralty ordered submarine greek transferred torpedoed sunk route despite strong escort hero destroyer rescued survivors august ship rescued survivors torpedoed princess conjunction destroyers light bomber royal_air_force hero sank nautical miles north east october ship ordered united_kingdom cape good hope converted escort destroyer late year transfer conversion portsmouth lasted april november hero transferred gift november renamed working ship assigned february based march whilst defending convoy west ireland escorts forced surface surrendered hour hunt submarine towed port torpedoed british destroyer ship reassigned preparation operation overlord group tasked protect allied shipping english channel destroyers ottawa ship sank near august days later ships sank west brest november sent sydney nova scotia refit refit begin late january progress war ended found worst shape canadian destroyer inspected declared surplus requirements june paid august later sold scrap demolition completed poetry ship completion inspired poet write poem entitled hero poem lines begins pale grey guns decks clear pale october sunshine
HMS Hero (H99)