hms hms class destroyer built royal_navy early 1930s designed easily converted fast removing guns torpedo tubes assigned home fleet completion ship attached mediterranean_fleet crisis spanish civil war spent considerable time spanish waters enforcing arms blockade imposed britain france sides conflict converted world war began september spent time laying mines april june ship laid mines norwegian territorial waters germans invaded recalled home waters resume duties early sortie sunk disaster night august ran newly laid german minefield description class ships slightly improved versions 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 carried maximum long tons fuel oil gave range nautical miles knots mph ships complement officers ratings ships mounted calibre inch mark guns single mounts anti aircraft defence quadruple mark mounts inch vickers machine gun class fitted water quadruple torpedo tube mounts inch torpedoes depth charge rail throwers fitted depth charges originally carried increased shortly war began compensate weight mines rails inch guns ammunition sets torpedo tubes removed given small stern ensure smooth delivery mines construction career ship ordered november naval programme use destroyer quickly converted use required laid march launched march ship commissioned september total cost excluding government furnished equipment like armament ship accompanied home_fleet west_indies cruise january march attached mediterranean_fleet september march crisis ship patrolled spanish waters spanish civil war enforcing march returned united_kingdom sister ship temporarily attached 9th destroyer flotilla practiced october reduced reserve june recommissioned august attended 15th began conversion beginning august conversion completed september ship assigned 20th destroyer flotilla day laid mines sister express night september escorted battleship scapa_flow portsmouth september conducted operations portsmouth december december express laid mines mouth refitted portsmouth december january completion refit escorted auxiliary hms princess victoria months laid mines making occasional sorties march express hms laid mines near sank german submarine march ship assigned home_fleet flow beginning april allocated force ships 20th flotilla operation operation lay mines prevent transport swedish iron ore germany april force sailed scapa_flow escorted destroyers hms hunter 2nd destroyer flotilla ships 20th laid mines morning april later battlecruiser 15th returned scapa_flow escorting battleship express princess victoria laid mines bergen joined express lay mines hook holland german sunk minefield july ship joined evacuation allied troops evacuated troops june including french troops rescued sinking german air attacks repairs minor damage suffered ship evacuation resumed previous duties august sailed express lay minefield dutch coast north express hit newly laid german field night bow blown closed assist immediately struck minutes later explosion amidships caused break quickly sank position rescued survivors ship company killed
HMS Esk (H15)