HMS Gurkha (F20)

HMS "Gurkha" (L20/F20) was a Tribal class destroyer that saw active service in the Norway Campaign in 1940, where she was sunk.

"Gurkha" served with the 4th Destroyer Flotilla (the first of the two Tribal class flotillas) in the Mediterranean where she was involved in exercises and port visits until the outbreak of war. In September 1939, "Gurkha" was one of a group ships assigned to monitor Italian naval activity in the Red Sea. In October, 1939 the flotilla was reassigned to the Home Fleet, on escort duty from Portland and Scapa Flow [cite web
last = Mason
first = Geoffrey B
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = HMS GURKHA - Tribal-class Destroyer
work = SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
publisher =
date = 2002
url = http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-34Tribal-Gurkha1.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 27 Sept 2008 ] , and in the Humber Striking Force. She attacked and sank the enemy German submarine "U-53" south of the Faroe Islands on 23 February 1940.

"Gurkha" was part of a naval force that was attacked by German Ju-88 and He-111 bombers as it withdrew from the planned attack on Bergen, during the German invasion of Norway. In an attempt to obtain better firing conditions, "Gurkha" moved away from the mutual protection of the naval force. She then became an easy target for concentrated air attack and soon was stopped and sinking. [cite book
last = Vian
first = Sir Philip
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Action This Day
publisher = Frederick Muller
date = 1960
location = London
pages = p.37
url =
doi =
id = ] The crew were rescued by the cruiser HMS "Aurora" and "Gurkha" sank in the North Sea, south-east of Bergen in Norway on 9 April 1940 with the loss of 15 of her crew, the first British destroyer to be sunk by air attack.

References

ee also

*List of shipwrecks in 1940