class destroyer built royal_navy early 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 weeks start second world war september helped sink german submarine took early sent gibraltar formed force escorted malta convoys mediterranean helped sink italian submarine participated screened capital ships force bombarded genoa damaged italian bomb repairs completed ship convoy escort atlantic beginning torpedoed sunk german boat late loss crew 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 barely exceeded designed speed sea trials 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 wartime modifications october rear torpedo tube mount replaced pounder gun ship repair late gun removed allow total depth charges aboard changes probably happened refit notably single light guns installed abreast bridge type short range surface search radar fitted radio direction mounted pole mainmast construction career sixth ship royal_navy built hull sub contracted laid walker newcastle shipyard july launched june day sister ship fame completed april ship cost pounds excluding government furnished equipment like armament initially assigned 6th destroyer flotilla home_fleet sent reinforce mediterranean_fleet sisters crisis september remained december refitted gibraltar december february briefly returned home leave crew later month returned mediterranean march remained july began refit completion september ship returned mediterranean began enforce arms imposed sides spanish civil war june april battlecruiser hood escorted british harbour despite presence nationalist cruiser attempted blockade port returned gibraltar september resumed patrols spanish waters november began refit lasted december ship spent months gibraltar january march patrolled spanish coastline year later 6th renumbered 8th destroyer flotilla april months start world war remained assigned june escorting larger ships fleet world war september assigned home_fleet based scapa_flow month hostilities anti submarine hunting group centred aircraft carrier september carrier unsuccessfully attacked german submarine company sisters counter attacked sank north west ireland october ship rescued survivors small freighter february escorts convoy carrying troops canada slightly damaged going alongside destroyer march repaired april cardiff wales supported allied landings battle ship continued provide fire support battle rest month nights helped evacuate troops await evacuation ships escorted troop ships evacuating troops area june slightly damaged splinters aerial attack june port steering motor gun knocked action repairs completed days later briefly assigned 4th destroyer flotilla rejoined 8th mid august escorted battleship new carrier gibraltar arriving august day fury force covered passage rendezvous mediterranean_fleet operation hats october sank italian submarine east gibraltar destroyer wrestler flying boats squadron raf boarding party captured operational documents aboard boat led sinking italian submarine days later destroyers rescued officers ratings escorted carriers operations coat white november flew aircraft malta ship escorted force malta later month participated inconclusive november screen battlecruiser renown battleship january ships intercepted french convoy seized merchant ships convoy later month involved operation excess january carry unsuccessful night torpedo attack british ships returned gibraltar february began preparing operation naval bombardment genoa successfully carried days later destroyer accidentally ran aground fog near gibraltar march received preliminary repairs april final repairs completed june rejoined 8th gibraltar shortly leading column convoy streaming narrows july italian kilogram bomb near missed detonated port blew plating boiler room disabled towed gibraltar destroyer temporary repairs gibraltar transferred repair september exchanged inch gun additional depth charges repair better suit new role convoy escort escorting convoy january ship assigned escort group escorting convoy escorts drove received repairs april clyde august belfast rescued survivors torpedoed september months later ship detached reinforce escort convoy november helped prevent losses convoy december escorting convoy torpedoed broke bow section sinking immediately coordinates stern stayed afloat corvette picked survivors rest crew men lost
HMS Firedrake (H79)