HMS Kandahar explained

HMS Kandahar (F28) was a K-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the 1930s, named after the Afghan city of Kandahar.

Description

The K-class destroyers were repeats of the preceding J class, except that they were not fitted for minesweeping gear. They displaced 1690LT at standard load and 2330LT at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 339feet, a beam of 35feet and a draught of 9feet. They were powered by Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 40000shp and gave a maximum speed of 36kn. The ships carried a maximum of 484LT of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5500nmi at . The ship's complement was 183 officers and men.^[1]

The ships were armed with six 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XII guns in twin mounts, two superfiring in front of the bridge and one aft of the superstructure. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, they had one quadruple mount for 2-pounder "pom-pom" guns and two quadruple mounts for the 0.5 inch Vickers Mark III anti-aircraft machinegun. The K-class ships were fitted with two above-water quintuple mounts for 21inches torpedoes.^[2] The ship was fitted with two depth charge throwers and one rack for 20 depth charges.^[1]

Construction and career

Kandahar was launched on 21 March 1939.^[3] On 21 February 1941, in company with sister ship and the cruiser, she captured the German blockade runner off Iceland.^[4] On 19 December 1941, she was part of British Force K, tasked to intercept an Italian convoy bound for Tripoli when she was irreparably damaged by a newly laid Italian mine whilst attempting to rescue the stricken cruiser . She was scuttled the next day by the destroyer . 73 men went down with the ship.^[5]

References

• Caruana . Joseph . The Demise of Force "K" . Warship International . 2006 . XLIII . 1 . 99–111 . 0043-0374.
  • Book: English, John. Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43. World Ship Society. Gravesend, Kent. 2001. 0-905617-64-9.
• Book: Friedman, Norman. British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 2006. 1-86176-137-6.
• Book: Haarr, Geirr H.. The Battle for Norway: April–June 1940. 2010. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, MD. 978-1-59114-051-1.
• Book: Haarr, Geirr H.. The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940. 2009. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 978-1-59114-310-9. registration.
• Book: Langtree, Charles. The Kelly's: British J, K, and N Class Destroyers of World War II . 2002. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 1-55750-422-9.
• Book: Lenton, H. T.. Henry Trevor Lenton. British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 1998. 1-55750-048-7.
• Book: March, Edgar J.. British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. 1966. Seeley Service. London . 164893555.
• Book: Rohwer, Jürgen. Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 2005. Third Revised. 1-59114-119-2.
• Book: Whitley, M. J.. Destroyers of World War 2. Naval Institute Press. 1988. 0-87021-326-1. Annapolis, Maryland.

External links

• HMS Neptune Association, includes information on the sinking of HMS Kandahar

32.95°N 14.3167°W

Notes and References

1. Lenton, p. 167
2. Whitley, p. 117
3. Alliston, John (1991). Destroyer Man. Ulverscroft, p. 76.
4. Web site: H.M.S. KANDAHAR (F28) . Naval History . 3 April 2010.
5. Brown, David (2002). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: November 1940 – December 1941, Volume 1 Volumes 1-2 of Whitehall histories. Routledge, p. 224.