class destroyer built royal_navy 1930s assigned home fleet completion ship attached mediterranean_fleet crisis spanish civil war spent time spanish waters enforcing arms blockade imposed britain france sides conflict months start war september fearless helped sink submarine sank sent gibraltar formed force participated attack french ships bombardment genoa fearless helped sink final submarine escorted malta convoys mediterranean torpedoed italian bomber scuttled july description class ships repeats preceding class displaced long tons standard load long tons deep load ships overall length feet beam feet inches draught feet inches powered parsons geared steam turbines driving propeller shaft steam provided admiralty drum boilers turbines developed total shaft horsepower gave maximum speed knots mph fearless carried maximum long tons fuel oil gave range nautical miles knots mph ships complement officers ratings ships mounted inch mark guns single mounts designated sequence rear anti aircraft defence quadruple mark mounts inch vickers machine gun class fitted water quadruple torpedo tube mounts inch torpedoes depth charge rack throwers fitted depth charges originally carried increased shortly war began sister ships rear torpedo tubes replaced pounder gun april sets torpedo tube date probably rearmed loss months later construction career fearless ordered march laid shipyard july launched completed december ship cost pounds excluding government furnished equipment like armament fearless initially assigned 6th destroyer flotilla home_fleet detached reinforce mediterranean_fleet second italo war march july ship enforced arms imposed sides spanish civil war november march time fearless escorted elderly liner refugee children saint jean france returned gibraltar month detachments august january january 6th renumbered 8th destroyer flotilla april months outbreak world war fearless remained assigned escorting larger ships fleet pair fishing sunk submarine start world war september 6th 8th ordered sweep area september following day fearless sister ships sank german submarine resumed normal escort duties end march fearless destroyer hostile assigned screen light cruiser birmingham searched german fishing ships norwegian coast birmingham ordered join covering force operation lay mines prevent transport swedish iron ore germany evening april delayed need transfer prize crews captured head seas week later escorting battleship covering convoy troop convoy norway allies began execute plan german invasion april convoy entered morning april route landings reports german submarine surface inside received fearless destroyer ordered investigate found submarine ship dropped depth charges near submarine commander lieutenant panicked ordered crew surface boat fire properly secret documents boat able retrieve including map showing location boats norwegian waters destroyer griffin ordered return scapa_flow evening beginning april ship escorts aircraft carriers glorious conducted air operations coast norway support allied operations ashore fearless detached refuel 28th rejoined screen days later ship repair june week later escorting battlecruiser hood sisters destroyer form force july took attack operation catapult month later ship escorted force operation hurry mission fly fighter aircraft malta conduct august days later returning fearless collided repaired shipyard august october october involved collision fractured stern repairs followed fearless rejoin force gibraltar january january carry unsuccessful night torpedo attack british ships returned gibraltar february began preparing operation naval bombardment genoa successfully carried days later end march light cruiser destroyers ship attempted intercept french convoy included freighter supposedly laden metric tons long tons short tons rubber fearless ordered board capture thwarted gunfire coast defence battery port algeria days later fearless destroyers escorted sheffield battlecruiser renown delivered hurricane fighters malta early destroyer screen destroyers battleship light cruisers fiji gloucester joining mediterranean_fleet included supply convoy taking tanks middle_east transfer warships fearless sisters speed destroyer sweep gear rigged allow serve fast route malta despite merchant ship sunk mines damaged ship escorted flying mission malta june days later german blockade runners reached france force sortied atlantic failed search blockade runners sisters fearless helped sink june days later 8th tasked intercept german supply ship spotted heading french coast day intercepted scuttled crew approach british ships rescued british taken ships sunk german raiders crew malta convoy conducted mid july heavily escorted force elements home_fleet fearless torpedoed italian bomber july killed wounded crew set aft oil tank fire knocked power port propeller shaft closed render assistance ship saved circumstances crew taken sister ship sank wrecked burning ship torpedoes nmi north north east algeria position admiral tragedy
HMS Fearless (H67)