E and F-class destroyer: Difference between revisions

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[[File:HMS Fame 1942 IWM FL 13040.jpg|thumb|''Fame'' at anchor, 5 September 1942]]

''Fearless'', ''Escapade'', ''Faulknor'', and ''Foxhound'' of the 8th DF escorted ''Ark Royal'' and the [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Hood|51|2}} to [[Gibraltar]] in late June, where they formed [[Force H]]. Eight days later, they participated in the [[attack on Mers-el-Kébir]] against the [[Vichy French]] ships stationed there, together with ''Forester'', ''Foresight'' and ''Escort''.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 31</ref> The latter ship was sunk by an Italian submarine on 11 July while covering a [[Malta convoy]].<ref>Evans, pp. 50–51</ref> Most of Force H returned to the UK for a brief refit in early August, but upon their return at the end of the month, the 8th DF now consisted of ''Faulknor'', ''Forester'', ''Foresight'', ''Firedrake'', ''Fortune'', ''Fury'', and {{HMS|Greyhound|H05|2}}.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 35, 37</ref> On the night of 31 August/1 September, ''Esk'', ''Express'' and three other minelaying destroyers laid a minefield off the Dutch island of [[Texel]]. While doing so, the latter ship struck a mine that blew her bow off. While closing to render aid, ''Esk'' struck two mines that broke her in half with heavy casualties. ''Express'' was towed back to England for repairs that lasted until October 1941.<ref name=e74/> On 13 September, Force H met a convoy that was carrying troops intended to capture [[Dakar]] from the Vichy French that was escorted by {{HMS|Inglefield|D02|2}}, ''Eclipse'', ''Echo'', ''Encounter'', and ''Escapade''. Ten days later they [[Battle of Dakar|attacked Dakar]] where ''Foresight'' and ''Inglefield'' sank the {{ship|French submarine|Persée}}, ''Fortune'' sank the submarine {{ship|French submarine|Ajax||2}} a day later<ref>Rohwer, pp. 38, 42</ref> and ''Foresight'' sank the submarine {{ship|French submarine|Bévéziers|Q1791935|2}} on the 25th. After the battle, ''Escapade'' and ''Echo'' returned to the Home Fleet and resumed their regular duties of fleet escort. On 17 October, ''Fame'' [[Ship grounding|ran aground]] and could not be [[Marine salvage|refloated]] for several months. The following day, ''Firedrake'' together with the destroyer {{HMS|Wrestler|1918|2}} and two Royal Air Force [[flying boat]]s sank the {{ship|Italian submarine|Durbo}}. ''Fury'', ''Encounter'', ''Faulknor'', ''Firedrake'', and ''Forester'' participated in the inconclusive [[Battle of Cape Spartivento]] on 27 November.<ref>English, pp. 65, 67, 69–70, 77–78, 80, 86</ref>

In 1941, the 8th DF escorted Force H as it covered multiple convoys and aircraft carriers flying off aircraft to Malta. While returning from one of the latter missions, ''Forester'', ''Foresight'', ''Faulknor'', ''Fearless'' and ''Foxhound'' sank {{GS|U-138|1940|2}} on 18 June. A month later, ''Fearless'' was crippled by Italian bombs on 23 July while escorting a convoy to Malta and had to be scuttled by her sister ''Foresight'' while ''Firedrake'' was badly damaged by near misses and had to return to Gibraltar for repairs. The ships of the 8th DF mostly returned home between August and October for repairs and refits. ''Encounter'' was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in April and spent several months under repair as she was badly damaged by bombs at Malta. The ship was then transferred to the Eastern Fleet in November and arrived at [[Singapore]] the following month. ''Eclipse'', ''Echo'', and ''Electra'' were assigned to the [[3rd Destroyer Flotilla]] of the Home Fleet at the beginning of 1941 where they escorted the larger ships of the fleet while they were searching for German [[commerce raider]]s and on other missions. ''Escapade'' began escorting [[Arctic convoys of World War II|convoys to Russia]] in August and continued to do so for most of the following year. ''Electra'' did the same for several months until she was detailed to escort the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Prince of Wales|53|2}} and the battlecruiser {{HMS|Repulse|1916|2}} to Singapore in October, together with ''Express''.<ref>English, pp. 65, 67–70, 76, 79, 80–82, 85</ref>