HMS Kipling (F91)

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History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Kipling
Builder:	Yarrow, Scotstoun
Laid down:	20 October 1937
Launched:	19 January 1939
Commissioned:	12 December 1939
Identification:	Pennant number: F91
Fate:	Sunk on 11 May 1942, by the Luftwaffe's Lehrgeschwader 1 at
General characteristics (as built)
Class & 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 Kipling (F91) was a K-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the 1930s.

Description

The K-class destroyers were repeats of the preceding J class, except that they were not fitted for minesweeping gear. They displaced 1,690 long tons (1,720 t) at standard load and 2,330 long tons (2,370 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 339 feet 6 inches (103.5 m), a beam of 35 feet (10.7 m) and a draught of 9 feet (2.7 m). They were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 484 long tons (492 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ships' complement was 183 officers and men.

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 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes. The ship was fitted with two depth charge throwers and one rack for 20 depth charges.

Construction and career

Kipling, named after the author and poet Rudyard Kipling, was laid down by Yarrow, Scotstoun on 20 October 1937, launched on 19 January 1939, by Kipling's daughter, and commissioned on 12 December 1939. She was lightly damaged by splinters from a 203 mm round from the Italian cruiser Gorizia during the First Battle of Sirte. One crewmember was killed in action. On 28 December 1941 Kipling sank the German submarine U-75. Kipling was attacked by German Ju-88 bombers of Lehrgeschwader 1 north-west of Mersa Matruh in Egypt on 11 May 1942 and sunk by Joachim Helbig.

External links

• HMS Kipling (F91)
• HMS Kipling (F91) @ uboat.net
• IWM Interview with survivor Len Chivers
• IWM Interview with survivor Eric Clark
• IWM Interview with survivor John Bainbridge