HMS Esk (H15)
Esk in 1935
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | HMS Esk |
| Ordered: | 1 November 1932 |
| Builder: | Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom |
| Cost: | £247,279 |
| Laid down: | 24 March 1933 |
| Launched: | 19 March 1934 |
| Commissioned: | 28 September 1934 |
| Identification: | Pennant number H15 |
| Motto: |
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| Honours and awards: |
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| Fate: | Sunk by mine, 31 August 1940 |
| Badge: | A Field wavy of nine Silver and Blue |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | E-class destroyer |
| Displacement: | |
| Length: | 329 ft (100.3 m) o/a |
| Beam: | 33 ft 3 in (10.13 m) |
| Draught: | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) (deep) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: | 2 × shafts; 2 × Parsons geared steam turbines |
| Speed: | 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h; 40.9 mph) |
| Range: | 6,350 nmi (11,760 km; 7,310 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement: | 145 |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
ASDIC |
| Armament: |
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HMS Esk was an E-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. She was designed to be easily converted into a fast minelayer by removing some guns and her torpedo tubes. Although assigned to the Home Fleet upon completion, the ship was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1935–36, during the Abyssinia Crisis. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, she spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict. Esk was converted to a minelayer when World War II began in September 1939, and spent most of her time laying mines. During the Norwegian Campaign of April–June 1940, the ship laid mines in Norwegian territorial waters before the Germans invaded, but was recalled to home waters to resume her minelaying duties in early May. During one such sortie, Esk was sunk during the Texel Disaster on the night of 31 August 1940, when she ran into a newly laid German minefield.
The E-class ships were slightly improved versions of the preceding D class. They displaced 1,405 long tons (1,428 t) at standard load and 1,940 long tons (1,970 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 329 feet (100.3 m), a beam of 33 feet 3 inches (10.1 m) and a draught of 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m). They were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h; 40.9 mph). Esk carried a maximum of 480 long tons (490 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 6,350 nautical miles (11,760 km; 7,310 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ships' complement was 145 officers and ratings.
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