class destroyers built royal_navy mid-1930s assigned home fleet completion ship detached mediterranean_fleet enforce arms blockade imposed britain france sides spanish civil war weeks start second world war september fortune helped sink german submarine ship escorted larger ships fleet early stages world war played minor role fortune sent gibraltar formed force participated attack ship escorted numerous convoys malta badly damaged italian bombers repairs completed fortune briefly assigned mediterranean_fleet transferred indian_ocean early ship screened aircraft carrier battle madagascar later year assigned convoy escort duties rest early returned home february begin conversion escort destroyer ship transferred completed renamed ship spent year escorting convoys north_atlantic transferred english channel defend convoys normandy landings june engaged german patrol boats following month lightly damaged sent canada repairs general refit return january ship resumed duties end war ferried troops canada months judged surplus later year sold scrap early 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 geared steam turbines driving propeller shaft steam provided admiralty drum boilers turbines developed total shaft horsepower gave maximum speed knots mph fortune 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 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 fortune rear torpedo tubes replaced pounder gun april february converted escort destroyer type short range surface search radar fitted type target indication radar installed bridge replacing director control tower rangefinder ship received radio direction mounted pole mainmast short range armament augmented guns calibre machine guns replaced pair split mortar installed abreast gun total depth charges meant gun pounder speed destroyer sweep gear removed compensate weight construction career fortune 23rd ship royal_navy laid shipyard july launched august completed april ship cost pounds excluding government furnished equipment like armament fortune initially assigned 6th destroyer flotilla home_fleet detached mediterranean_fleet enforce arms imposed sides spanish civil war 6th renumbered 8th destroyer flotilla april months start world war pair fishing sunk submarine start world war september 6th 8th ordered sweep area september following day fortune sister ships sank german submarine resumed normal escort duties february escorts convoy carrying troops canada following month escorting units home fleet north west march credited sinking later research suggests submarine destroyed minefield laid british destroyers march fortune played minor role escorting war april april ferried south wales days later ship escorted aircraft carriers glorious battleship coast norway early escorted cruisers troops occupy iceland august fortune briefly transferred august ship rescued survivors torpedoed armed merchant cruiser later month escorted convoy gibraltar transferred force 28th force operation hats ship escorted force carriers flew fighter aircraft malta conducted august september convoy carrying troops intended capture french days later attacked fortune sank french submarine 24th rescuing crew november ship escorted carriers white flew fighters malta attacked airfield operation fortune detached escorted force malta streaming gear head convoy serve fast early january participated operation excess months later fortune destroyers escorted light cruiser battlecruiser renown delivered dozen hurricane fighters malta beginning april covered flying hurricanes destroyers 5th destroyer flotilla sailing malta operation early destroyer screen destroyers battleship light cruisers fiji gloucester joining mediterranean_fleet included supply convoy taking tanks middle_east transfer warships fortune sisters gear deployed route malta despite merchant ship sunk mines damaged return voyage ship badly damaged kilogram bomb detonated nearby hull knocked engines slightly bent propeller shafts caused lot flooding crew nearly pounds able reach speed knots mph route gibraltar temporary repairs fortune sailed permanent repairs lasted november returned gibraltar month ship fully operational mechanical problems restricted local duties february 9th month fortune escorted light cruiser malta escorted convoy including transport alexandria egypt arrived 17th transferred 2nd arrived march admiral commander fleet assigned screen slow ships force organised forces anticipation japanese indian ocean raid april ship rescued survivors torpedoed freighter fortune returned mediterranean participate operation vigorous convoy alexandria malta june ship returned indian_ocean assigned 12th escorted carrier ship supported operations madagascar september fortune spent rest year escorting convoys indian_ocean sent home february conversion escort destroyer completion conversion ship transferred renamed gifted canada june assigned escort group senior officer ship based ship remained group transferred 12th later patrolled western entrance english channel normandy landings protect shipping german attacks destroyers attacked german patrol boats brest night july sinking german patrol boat lightly damaged suffered man dead wounded ship sent canada refit arrived halifax august began refit nova scotia lasted november work required newfoundland return britain january arrival assigned 14th 11th escort group end war ship ferried canadian troops home arriving declared surplus september ship paid january sydney nova scotia sold later year scrap ship bell ship bell currently vancouver island military museum british_columbia canadian forces base naval military museum includes information ship bell baptism babies onboard ship
HMS Fortune (H70)