HMS Punjabi

HMS Punjabi was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service in the Second World War, being sunk in a collision with the battleship King George V. She has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name "Punjabi" which, in common with the other ships of the Tribal class, was named after various ethnic groups of the world, mainly those of the British Empire.

Punjabi at anchor
History
United Kingdom
NamePunjabi
NamesakePunjabis
Ordered19 June 1936
BuilderScotts Shipbuilding & Engineering, Greenock
Cost£342,005
Laid down1 October 1936
Launched18 December 1937
Commissioned29 March 1939
IdentificationPennant numbers: L21, later F21
FateSunk in a collision with King George V, 1 May 1942
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeTribal-class destroyer
Displacement1,891 long tons (1,921 t) (standard)
Length377 ft (114.9 m) (o/a)
Beam36 ft 6 in (11.13 m)
Draught11 ft 3 in (3.43 m)
Installed power
Propulsion2 × shafts; 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range5,700 nmi (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement190
Sensors and
processing systems		ASDIC
Armament

Description

The Tribals were intended to counter the large destroyers being built abroad and to improve the firepower of the existing destroyer flotillas and were thus significantly larger and more heavily armed than the preceding I class.[1] The ships displaced 1,891 long tons (1,921 t) at standard load and 2,519 long tons (2,559 t) at deep load.[2] They had an overall length of 377 feet (114.9 m), a beam of 36 feet 6 inches (11.13 m)[3] and a draught of 11 feet 3 inches (3.43 m).[4] The destroyers 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 44,000 shaft horsepower (33,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).[3] During her sea trials Punjabi made 36.0 knots (66.7 km/h; 41.4 mph) from 44,549 shp (33,220 kW) at a displacement of 1,990 long tons (2,020 t).[5] The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 5,700 nautical miles (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[4] The ships' complement consisted of 190 officers and ratings, although the flotilla leaders carried an extra 20 officers and men consisting of the Captain (D) and his staff.[6]

The primary armament of the Tribal-class destroyers was eight quick-firing (QF) 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XII guns in four superfiring twin-gun mounts, one pair each fore and aft of the superstructure, designated 'A', 'B', 'X', and 'Y' from front to rear. The mounts had a maximum elevation of 40°. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, they carried a single quadruple mount for the 40-millimetre (1.6 in) QF two-pounder Mk II "pom-pom" gun and two quadruple mounts for the 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Mark III machine gun.[7] Low-angle fire for the main guns was controlled by the director-control tower (DCT) on the bridge roof that fed data acquired by it and the 12-foot (3.7 m) rangefinder on the Mk II Rangefinder/Director directly aft of the DCT to an analogue mechanical computer, the Mk I Admiralty Fire Control Clock. Anti-aircraft fire for the main guns was controlled by the Rangefinder/Director which sent data to the mechanical Fuze Keeping Clock.[8]

The ships were fitted with a single above-water quadruple mount for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[6] The Tribals were not intended as anti-submarine ships, but they were provided with ASDIC, one depth charge rack and two throwers for self-defence, although the throwers were not mounted in all ships;[9] Twenty depth charges was the peacetime allotment, but this increased to 30 during wartime.[10]

Wartime modifications

Heavy losses to German air attack during the Norwegian Campaign demonstrated the ineffectiveness of the Tribals' anti-aircraft suite and the RN decided in May 1940 to replace 'X' mount with two QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mark XVI dual-purpose guns in a twin-gun mount. To better control the guns, the existing rangefinder/director was modified to accept a Type 285 gunnery radar as they became available. The number of depth charges was increased to 46 early in the war, and still more were added later.[11] To increase the firing arcs of the AA guns, the rear funnel was shortened and the mainmast was reduced to a short pole mast.[12]

Construction and career

Authorized as one of nine Tribal-class destroyers under the 1936 Naval Estimates,[13] Punjabi has been the first and only ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy.[14] The ship was ordered on 19 June 1936 from Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering and was laid down on 9 June at the company's Greenock shipyard.[15] Launched on 1 October 1936, Punjabi was commissioned on 29 March 1939 at a cost of £342,005 which excluded weapons and communications outfits furnished by the Admiralty.[16]

Punjabi was commissioned for service in the 2nd Tribal Destroyer Flotilla in the Home Fleet, which was redesignated at the 6th Destroyer Flotilla in April 1939. While on work-up trials, she was redirected to aid in search and rescue attempts for the submarine Thetis, which had sunk in Liverpool Bay. She then rejoined the Home Fleet on exercises.

World War II

On the outbreak of war in September, Punjabi deployed with the Flotilla for Home Fleet duties including anti-submarine patrols and convoy defence in the North Western Approaches and the North Sea. In October, she made an unsuccessful attempt to salvage a crashed German flying boat. On 2 December, she sustained structural damage to her bows when she collided with the merchant vessel Lairdscrest south of Holy Island. She was under repair at Alexander Stephen and Sons' shipyard in Govan from 15 December to late February, when she rejoined the flotilla. She was then based at Scapa Flow on screening and patrol duties.

In April she made a number of deployments with the Home Fleet to search for German warships in the North Sea and off the Norwegian coast. On 8 April, she screened the battleships coming to assist the destroyer Glowworm, which was under attack by the German cruiser Admiral Hipper. Glowworm eventually rammed Admiral Hipper, before sinking. Punjabi was then deployed off Narvik as a screen for operations during the Second Battle of Narvik. On 13 April, she engaged a number of German destroyers, receiving six hits and being disabled for an hour before she could resume service. She was temporarily repaired at Skelfjord before returning to Devonport Dockyard for more thorough repairs. Her 4.7 in (120 mm) mounting in "X" position was replaced with a twin 4 in (100 mm) anti-aircraft mounting.

On returning to active service in June she was based at Plymouth. On 17 June, she took part in the evacuation of allied military and civil personnel from Saint-Nazaire. She returned again on 20 June to evacuate Polish troops. On 9 August, she deployed with other Home Fleet destroyers in escorting the capital ships of Force H from Gibraltar. In September, Punjabi screened the military convoys for Operation Menace, the attacks on Dakar on their passage through the North Western Approaches. She also escorted the damaged cruiser Fiji back to the UK after she had been torpedoed and damaged off the Hebrides. The rest of the year was spent on deployments with the Flotilla. On 23 October, Matabele, Punjabi and Somali shelled and sank the weather ship WBS 5 Adolf Vinnen in the Norwegian Sea off Stadlandet, Norway.[17]

In February 1941, Punjabi returned to Scapa Flow with the Flotilla, before undergoing a refit at Rosyth in March–April. The work included the fitting of a RAF ASV type radar outfit modified for shipborne use. At the end of May, she was part of the escort for capital ships of the Home Fleet hunting for the German battleship Bismarck after the sinking of the battlecruiser Hood. On 27 July, she and Tartar escorted the cruisers Aurora and Nigeria to assess the potential of using Spitsbergen as a refuelling base for escorts used in the defence of convoys on passage to and from North Russia.

Arctic Ocean

On 1 August, Punjabi and Tartar evacuated Norwegian nationals from Bear Island and carried out an offensive sweep off the Norwegian coast before returning to Scapa Flow. On 30 August, Punjabi, Matabele and Somali escorted the aircraft carrier Argus and the cruiser Shropshire during an operation to supply the Soviet Union with Hawker Hurricanes and RAF personnel. She then resumed normal flotilla duties before beginning a refit in December at Hawthorn Leslie and Company's yards at Newcastle upon Tyne. The refit lasted until the end of January 1942 and involved repairing damage to machines and systems due to excess stress when steaming in heavy weather.

In March, she joined other Home Fleet units in providing cover for convoys PQ 12 and the returning QP 8. During these operations, it was believed that the German battleship Tirpitz had put to sea to intercept the convoys. Punjabi was one of the ships tasked with supporting the search for her, but Tirpitz had in fact returned to port. Punjabi was detached from the search on 11 March and returned to Scapa Flow after encountering problems with her steering gear. In April, she escorted Convoy PQ 10 back to the UK. On 12 April, she came under attack from U-453, but the attack was unsuccessful. She escorted Convoy PQ 10 to Iceland and was detached from the convoy on its arrival there on 21 April.

Sinking
King George V, photographed with a huge hole in the bows after she had collided with Punjabi in dense fog on 1 May 1942

Punjabi was deployed on 26 April as part of the screen providing distant cover for the passage of Convoy PQ 15. They sailed from Hvalfjörður on 29 April. On 1 May, she was rammed and sunk in a collision with the battleship HMS King George V in foggy conditions. While steaming in formation in heavy fog, the lookout on Punjabi reported what he believed to be a mine dead ahead; the captain reflexively (and regrettably) ordered a 15-point emergency turn to port; in so doing, she sailed directly into the path of King George V and was sliced in two by the battleship's bow. 169 of the ship's company were rescued from the forward section, and another 40 were picked up from the sea by other escorts, including Marne. Those crew left in the aft section, which sank very quickly, were killed when her depth charges detonated; 49 of her crew lost their lives in the accident. She sank directly in the path of the US battleship USS Washington, which had to sail between the halves of the sinking destroyer. Washington suffered slight damage from the detonation of the depth charges. King George V sustained serious damage to her bow, and was forced to return to port for repairs. Further investigation revealed no mines in the area, or indeed in any part of the convoy's eventual path. It is unknown what the lookout actually spotted, if anything.[18]

Notes
  1. Lenton, p. 164
  2. English, p. 14
  3. Lenton, p. 165
  4. English, p. 12
  5. March, p. 323
  6. Whitley, p. 99
  7. Hodges, pp. 13–25
  8. Friedman, p. 32
  9. Hodges, pp. 30–31, 40
  10. English, p. 15
  11. Friedman, p. 34; Hodges, pp. 41–42
  12. Whitley, p. 116
  13. Brice, p. 11
  14. Colledge & Warlow, p. 281
  15. English, p. 16
  16. English, pp. 13, 16
  17. "Naval Events, October 1940 (Part 2 of 2) Tuesday 15th - Thursday 31st". Naval History. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  18. Evans, Arthur (19 August 2010). Destroyer Down: An Account of HM Destroyer Losses, 1939–1945. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-84468-788-6.

References
  • Brice, Martin H. (1971). The Tribals. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0245-2.
  • English, John (2001). Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-64-9.
  • Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers and Frigates, the Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-86176-137-6.
  • Haarr, Geirr H. (2010). The Battle for Norway: April–June 1940. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-051-1.
  • Haarr, Geirr H. (2009). The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-310-9.
  • Hodges, Peter (1971). Tribal Class Destroyers. London: Almark. ISBN 0-85524-047-4.
  • Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
  • March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
  • Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
  • Winser, John de D. (1999). B.E.F. Ships Before, At and After Dunkirk. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-91-6.

66°0′N 8°0′W

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