Eskimo HMS 1937

[john sefton]

Name: HMS ESKIMO
Builder: Vickers Armstrong’s, Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne. Laid down: 5 August 1936. Launched: 3 September 1937. Commissioned: 30 December 1938. Identification: Pennant number: L75, F75 & G75 successively. Fate: Sold for scrapping, 27 June 1949
General characteristics:
Class and type: Tribal-class destroyer, Displacement: 1,850 tons (standard),, 2,520 tons (full), Length: 377 ft (115 m) o/a, Beam: 36 ft 6 in (11.13 m), Draught: 9 ft (2.7 m), Installed power: 44,000 shp (33,000 kW), Propulsion: Three Admiralty 3-drum boilers, steam turbines on two shafts, Speed: 36-knot (67 km/h), Range: 524 tons fuel oil, 5,700 nmi (10,600 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h), Complement: 219, Armament: As designed, 8 x 4.7 in L/45 QF Mark XII, twin mount CP Mk.XIX, 4 x QF 2 pdr, quad mount Mk.VII, 8 x 0.5 in Vickers machine gun, quad mount Mk.II, 4 x tubes for 21 in torpedoes Mk.IX, 1 x rack, 2 x throwers for depth charges, War modifications, 6 x 4.7 in L/45 QF Mk.XII, 3 x twin mounting CP Mk.XIX, 1 x twin 4 in L/45 QF Mk.XVI, mounting HA Mk.XIX, 4 x QF 2 pdr, quad mount Mk.VII, 4 x single and twin 20 mm Oerlikon, 4 x tubes for 21 in torpedoes Mk.IX, 1 x rack, 2 x throwers for DCs
HMS ESKIMO was a Tribal-class destroyer, laid down by the High Walker Yard of Vickers Armstrong at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 5 August 1936. She was launched on 3 September 1937 and commissioned on 30 December 1938.
ESKIMO participated in the Second Battle of Narvik in April 1940, supported the Allied landings in North Africa in November 1942 and served with the 10th Destroyer Flotilla at Plymouth. ESKIMO was extensively damaged when two German dive bombers attack her in the Mediterranean while taking part in Operation Husky. She cornered and sank the enemy German submarine U-971 while in company with the Canadian destroyer HAIDA and a Liberator aircraft of the Czech air force in the English Channel north of Brest on 24 June 1944. During the final days of the war, she operated in the Far East.
War History – August 1942
August Detached for escort of How Fleet unite deployed in support of relief convoy from UK to Sicilian Narrows (Operation PEDESTAL).
3rdJoined Convoy WS12S on passage to Gibraltar.
11th Joined Force X on arrival In the Mediterranean as screen for HM Cruisers CAIRO, NIGERIA, KENYA and MANCHESTER with HM Destroyers INTREPID, ICARUS, ITHURIEL, FURY, PATHFINDER, PENN, LEDBURY, BRAMHAM, TARTAR, SOMALI and ASHANTI.
13thStood by HMS MANCHESTER with HMS SOMALI after the cruiser had been torpedoed and scuttled. These two ships rescued 141 survivors from HMS MANCHESTER and mercantiles sunk during transit of PEDESTAL Convoy.
15thReturned to Gibraltar with ships of Force X.
16thDeployed with FM Destroyers LAFOREY, LOOKOUT, LIGHTNING ,ANTELOPE, WISHART, DERWENT, KEPPEL, MALCOLM, BICESTER, SOMALI and VENOMOUS as escort for HM Cruiser CHARYBDIS and HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS during delivery of SPITFIRE aircraft to Malta.
18th On return from BARITONE released from mediterranean Station and returned to UK.
28th Rejoined Flotilla at Scapa Flow after call in Clyde.
Fate
ESKIMO was reduced to an accommodation and headquarters ship for minesweepers, wreck-disposal vessels, and salvage craft clearing the Thames and Medway estuaries in 1946. She was used as a target ship in the Gareloch, sold for scrap on 27 June 1949 and finally broken up at Troon.
Sources: Wikipedia. http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono ... Eskimo.htm.
From Mr P Crichton

[D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen]

Somalieland 2011, 2500 a. StG.?