View source for HMS Gallant (H59)

{{Short description|G-class destroyer}}
{{other ships|HMS Gallant}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Gallant (H59) IWM FL 22249.jpg
|Ship caption=''Gallant'' in April 1938
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Gallant''
|Ship ordered=5 March 1934
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Alexander Stephen and Sons]], [[Glasgow]]
|Ship laid down=15 September 1934
|Ship launched=26 September 1935
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=25 February 1936
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship fate=Sunk as a [[blockship]], September 1943
|Ship motto=''Nobis Mare Patria'': 'The sea is our Fatherland '
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship badge= On a Field Blue, a female head proper crowned with scallops shells Gold.
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: H59
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship class=[[G and H-class destroyer|G-class]] [[destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1350|LT|t|lk=on}} ([[Standard displacement|standard]])
*{{convert|1883|LT|t}} ([[deep load]])
|Ship length={{convert|323|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|33|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|5|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*3 [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{cvt|34000|shp|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts, 2 geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5530|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship complement=137 (peacetime), 146 (wartime)
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX|4.7 in (120&nbsp;mm) guns]]
*2 × quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun|{{cvt|0.5|in|1}} machine gun]]s
*2 × quadruple [[British 21 inch torpedo|21 in (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tubes]]
*20 × [[depth charge]]s, 1 rail and 2 throwers
|Ship sensors=[[ASDIC]]
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Gallant'' (H59)''' was a [[G and H-class destroyer|G-class]] [[destroyer]], built for the [[Royal Navy]] in the mid-1930s. During the [[Spanish Civil War]] of 1936–1939 the ship spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict. ''Gallant'' was transferred from the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] shortly after the beginning of [[World War II]] to the [[British Isles]], to escort shipping in local waters. She was slightly damaged by German aircraft during the evacuation of [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] troops from [[Dunkirk evacuation|Dunkirk]] at the end of May 1940. Following repairs, ''Gallant'' was transferred to [[Gibraltar]] and served with [[Force H]] for several months. In November, the ship was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet, where she escorted several [[Malta convoys|convoys]]. She struck a [[naval mine|mine]] in January 1941 and was towed to Malta for repairs. These were proved extensive and ''Gallant'' was further damaged by near-misses during an air raid in April 1942, before they were completed. The additional damage made the ship uneconomical to repair so she was [[scuttled]] as a [[blockship]] in 1943. Her wreck was [[ship breaking|broken up]] in 1953.

==Description==
''Gallant'' displaced {{convert|1350|LT|t}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|1883|LT|t}} at [[deep load]]. The ship had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|323|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|33|ft|m|1}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|12|ft|5|in|m|1}}. She was powered by [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, driving two shafts, which developed a total of {{convert|34000|shp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}. Steam for the turbines was provided by three Admiralty 3-drum [[water-tube boiler]]s. ''Gallant'' carried a maximum of {{convert|470|LT|t}} of [[fuel oil]] that gave her a range of {{convert|5530|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}. The ship's complement was 137 officers and men in peacetime,<ref name=w78>Whitley, pp. 107–08</ref> but it increased to 146 in wartime.<ref>English, p. 89</ref>

The ship mounted four 45-[[caliber (artillery)|calibre]] [[4.7 inch QF Mark XII|4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mark IX guns]] in single mounts. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] defence ''Gallant'' had two quadruple Mark I mounts for the [[Vickers machine gun|0.5&nbsp;inch Vickers Mark III]] [[machine gun]]. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple [[torpedo tube]] mounts for [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}}]] torpedoes.<ref name=w78/> One rail and two depth charge throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.<ref>English, p. 141</ref>

==Service==
''Gallant'' was laid down by [[Alexander Stephen and Sons]] in [[Glasgow]], [[Scotland]], on 15 September 1934, launched on 26 September 1935 and completed on 25 February 1936. Excluding government-furnished equipment like the armament, the ship cost £252,920.<ref>English, pp. 89–90</ref> She was assigned to the [[1st Destroyer Flotilla]] of the Mediterranean Fleet upon commissioning. ''Gallant'' patrolled Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War enforcing the edicts of the [[Non-Intervention Committee]]. She pulled off a Spanish merchantman that had grounded between [[Almeria]] and [[Málaga]] on 20 December 1936. The ship was attacked by a [[Francoist Spain|Spanish Nationalist]] aircraft off [[Cape San Antonio, Spain|Cape San Antonio]] on 6 April 1937, but was not damaged. The next month she returned to Great Britain for an overhaul at [[Sheerness]] between 31 May and 21 July 1937.<ref>English, p. 91</ref>

When [[World War II]] began in September 1939, ''Gallant'' was in the [[Mediterranean]], but she and her entire flotilla were transferred to the [[Western Approaches Command]] at [[Plymouth]] in October. After a boiler cleaning, the ship was reassigned at the end of the month to the [[Nore Command]] in [[Harwich Dockyard|Harwich]] for patrol and escort duties. On 2 February 1940 ''Gallant'' and her [[sister ship]], {{HMS|Griffin|H31|2}}, rescued the crew from the [[oil tanker]] ''British Councillor'' which was sinking after it had struck a [[Naval mine|mine]]. ''Gallant'' took over escorting Convoy HN 12 after the destroyer {{HMS|Duchess|H64|2}} was sunk on 18 February and she rescued 12 survivors from the Swedish ship ''Santos'' near [[Duncansby Head]] a week later. On 20 March 1940 she escorted the [[armed merchant cruiser]]s ''Cilicia'' and {{ship|RMS|Carinthia|1925|2}} after they collided. The ship was refitted at [[Southampton]] between 28 March and 30 April and rejoined her flotilla at Harwich the next day. During the evening of 9/10 May, ''Gallant'' and the destroyer {{HMS|Bulldog|H91|2}} rescued most of the crew of the destroyer {{HMS|Kelly|F01|2}} after the latter ship was torpedoed by a German [[E-boat]] in the [[North Sea]].<ref name=e2>English, p. 92</ref>

While ''Gallant'' was participating in the Dunkirk evacuation, a near miss by a bomb on 29 May knocked out her steering and caused minor damage to her hull and electrical systems. She was repaired at [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] and encountered a German mine-laying sortie on the evening of 5/6 June off [[Lowestoft]] when in company with the destroyer {{HMS|Walpole|D41|2}}. Later in June the ship was refitted in [[Chatham Dockyard]] with a [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|12-pounder]] {{convert|3|in|0|adj=on}} anti-aircraft gun that replaced the rear torpedo tube mount.<ref name=e2/>

After her refit ''Gallant'' was transferred to the [[13th Destroyer Flotilla]] of the [[North Atlantic Command]], arriving at [[Gibraltar]] on 30 July. On her voyage south the ship escorted the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Argus|I49|2}} which was loaded with a dozen [[Hawker Hurricane]] fighters.<ref name=e2/> During [[Malta Convoys|Operation Hurry]], ''Gallant'', and three other destroyers, escorted ''Argus'' to a position south-west of [[Sardinia]] so the carrier could fly off her Hurricanes to Malta on 2 August.<ref>Nailer, p. 152</ref><ref>Rohwer, p. 34</ref> After her return to Gibraltar the ship was transferred to [[Force H]].<ref name=e2/> On 20 October, ''Gallant'', her sister ''Griffin'' and the destroyer {{HMS|Hotspur|H01|2}} sank the {{ship|Italian submarine|Lafolè||6}} east of Gibraltar. The ship escorted the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Barham|04|2}} and the cruisers {{HMS|Berwick|65|2}} and {{HMS|Glasgow|C21|2}} during [[Operation Coat]] in early November as they joined the Mediterranean Fleet.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 45, 47</ref> ''Gallant'' herself was transferred to the [[14th Destroyer Flotilla]] at Malta on 10 November. She participated in the inconclusive [[Battle of Cape Spartivento]] on 27 November during [[Operation Collar (Convoy)|Operation Collar]].<ref name=e2/>

On 10 January 1941, during [[Operation Excess]], the Italian torpedo boats {{ship|Italian torpedo boat|Circe||2}} and {{ship|Italian torpedo boat|Vega||2}} attempted an attack on the Allied convoy off [[Pantellaria]]. Right after the engagement, in which ''Vega'' was sunk, ''Gallant'' struck a mine that detonated her forward [[magazine (artillery)|magazine]], because the Italian action pushed the British convoy too much south of their pre-established route.<ref>O´Hara, p. 80</ref> The explosion blew the [[bow (ship)|bow]] off the ship, killing 65 and injuring 15 more of her crew. Her sister ''Griffin'' rescued most of the survivors and the destroyer {{HMS|Mohawk|F31|6}} towed her stern-first to Malta. The ship was slowly repaired and in October 1941 it was estimated that they would be completed in June 1942. However, on 5 April 1942, she was extensively damaged by bomb splinters by an air raid on [[Valletta]] and had to be [[Beaching (nautical)|beached]] at [[Valletta Waterfront|Pinto's Wharf]] to prevent her from sinking. She was judged to be a [[constructive total loss]] and any usable equipment was stripped from her [[hulk (ship)|hulk]]. ''Gallant'' was expended as a [[blockship]] at [[St Paul's Island]] in September 1943, with the wreck being broken up in 1953.<ref name=e2/>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, England|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Nailer|first=Roger|editor=Gardiner, Robert|title=Warship 1990|year=1990|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=London|isbn=1-55750-903-4|chapter=Aircraft to Malta|pages=151–65}}
* {{cite book|last=O´Hara|first=Vincent|title=Struggle for the Middle Sea |year=2013|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=London|isbn=978-1-61251-408-6}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland}}
* {{cite book|last=Winser|first=John de D.|title=B.E.F. Ships Before, At and After Dunkirk|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Gravesend, Kent|date=1999|isbn=0-905617-91-6}}

{{G and H class destroyer}}
{{January 1941 shipwrecks}}
{{April 1942 shipwrecks}}
{{September 1943 shipwrecks}}
{{coord missing|Mediterranean}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gallant (H59)}}
[[Category:G and H-class destroyers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Clyde]]
[[Category:1935 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in January 1941]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in April 1942]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in September 1943]]