HMS Kingston (F64)

HMS Kingston (F64)
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Kingston
Builder:	J. Samuel White and Company, Cowes, Isle of Wight
Laid down:	6 October 1937
Launched:	9 January 1939
Sponsored by:	Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Commissioned:	14 September 1939
Identification:	pennant number: F64
Fate:	Declared constructive total loss after naval action and airstrikes, scrapped at Malta
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	K-class destroyer
Displacement:	1,690 long tons (1,720 t) (standard) 2,330 long tons (2,370 t) (deep load)
Length:	356 ft 6 in (108.66 m) o/a
Beam:	35 ft 9 in (10.90 m)
Draught:	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) (deep)
Installed power:	44,000 shp (33,000 kW) 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Propulsion:	2 × shafts; 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed:	36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range:	5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement:	183 (218 for flotilla leaders)
Sensors and processing systems:	ASDIC
Armament:	3 × twin QF 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mk XII guns 1 × quadruple QF 2-pounder anti-aircraft guns 2 × quadruple QF 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Mk III anti-aircraft machineguns 2 × quintuple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 20 × depth charges, 1 × rack, 2 × throwers

HMS Kingston was a K-class destroyer of the Royal Navy.

Kingston was laid down by J. Samuel White and Company at Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 6 October 1937 as part of an order for six similar destroyers. She was launched at East Cowes on 9 January 1939 and named by the Mayoress of Kingston upon Thames. Commissioned on 14 September 1939 with the pennant number F64, she joined the 5th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet, for convoy defence and anti-submarine duties in the North Sea.

In company with the destroyers HMS Kashmir and HMS Icarus, Kingston attacked U-35 with depth charges in the North Sea off Shetland on 29 November 1939, and forced her to scuttle. All the crew of the U-boat were saved and taken prisoner.

In May 1940 she was transferred to the Red Sea. Her pennant number for visual signalling purposes was changed to G64. In June she took part in the sinking of the Italian submarine Torricelli off Perim Island, and later attacked the Italian submarine Perla.

On 2 May 1941 Kingston found the Leone-class destroyers destroyers Pantera and Tigre aground south of Jeddah whose hulls, having been scuttled by the Italians, were subsequently destroyed by gunfire and air attack.

On 17 March she supported landings at Berbera, British Somaliland.

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