HMS Lively (G40)

Coordinates: 33°24′N 25°38′E / 33.400°N 25.633°E / 33.400; 25.633
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see HMS Lively.

History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Lively
Ordered31 March 1938
BuilderCammell Laird, Birkenhead
Laid down20 December 1938
Launched29 January 1941
Commissioned20 July 1941
IdentificationPennant number: G40
FateSunk in an air attack, 11 May 1942
BadgeOn a field barry wavy of four White and Blue On a Field Blue, an Ankh
General characteristics
Class and typeL-class destroyer
Displacement1,920 tons
Length362.5 ft (110.5 m)
Beam36.7 ft (11.2 m)
Draught10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsion
  • Two shafts
  • Two geared steam turbines
  • Two drum type boilers
  • 48000 shp (35.8 MW)
Speed36 kt (66.7 km/h)
Range5,500 nmi at 15 kt
Complement221
Armament
  • 8
    QF 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk.XVI guns
    , twin mount HA/LA Mk.XIX
  • 4 ×
    QF 2 pdr Mk.VIII
    L/39 (40 mm), quad mount Mk.VII
  • 8 × QF 0.5 in Mk.III Vickers (12.7 mm), quad mounts Mk.III
  • 8 (2x4) tubes for
    21 inch (533 mm) torpedoes
    Mk.IX

HMS Lively was an

Mediterranean
in an air attack on 11 May 1942.

Commissioned in 1941, she was briefly active in home waters, sailing in the

Mediterranean Fleet, and Force K, based at Malta. Lively took part in escorting several convoys to and from the island, as well as intercepting enemy supply convoys to North Africa. She took part in the First and Second Battles of Sirte, and was damaged on a number of occasions in air and surface attacks. She was eventually sunk off Tobruk
in May 1942 while trying to intercept an enemy convoy.

Building and commissioning

Lively was ordered on 31 March 1938 from Cammell Laird, of Birkenhead as part of the 1937 Programme.[2] She was laid down on 20 December 1938, launched on 29 January 1941, and commissioned on 20 July 1941.[2][3] Her initial armament was altered slightly during construction in 1940, and she became one of four ships of her class to be rated as anti-aircraft destroyers.[2]

Wartime career

North Sea and Mediterranean

After working up in July 1941, Lively was assigned to

Western Approaches Command in August, and was based at Greenock. One of her first duties was to deploy from Scapa Flow on 22 August with Lightning and the cruiser Curacoa to escort the damaged French submarine Rubis back to Dundee.[2] In September she was assigned to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla based at Gibraltar, where she was one of the destroyers assigned to screen the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, and other capital ships, making deliveries of aircraft to Malta.[2] On 24 September she sailed from Gibraltar as part of the escort for Ark Royal, and the battleships Nelson, Rodney and Prince of Wales, which were supporting Operation Halberd. The ships came under air attack which left Rodney slightly damaged, but the destroyers were able to drive off the enemy aircraft.[2] While returning to Gibraltar on 30 September, the ships were attacked by the Italian submarine Adua. Lively supported the hunt for her, which eventually sank Adua.[2]

Malta and convoys

Lively remained at Gibraltar until being assigned to Force K in October and despatched to escort Force H, which was delivering aircraft to Malta. She was then based out of Malta, and on 8 November she sailed with Lance and the cruisers Aurora and Penelope to intercept an enemy supply convoy in the central Mediterranean.[2] The convoy was brought to action on 9 November, and the Battle of the Duisburg Convoy broke out between the British attackers and the Italian escorts. During the battle all seven of the merchants and one of the escorts, the destroyer Fulmine, were sunk.[2]

Another convoy was detected near Malta by aircraft later in the month, and Force K put to sea again on 23 November to intercept it. The following day the convoy, consisting of the German supply ships Maritza and Procidas, and two escorting Italian torpedo boats, was attacked and both merchants sunk.

military honours as it sank.[4]

On 5 December Lively joined the cruisers

minefield and Neptune and Kandahar were sunk and Aurora and Penelope were damaged.[2]

Lively spent January and February escorting relief convoys to and from Malta, before sailing with a force to locate a reported damaged Italian cruiser on 9 March. The force came under air attack on 11 March, with the cruiser Naiad being sunk by a torpedo. Lively helped to rescue survivors.[2] On 22 March Lively became involved in the Second Battle of Sirte, carrying out torpedo attacks and being damaged when a 15-inch shell exploded alongside. Detached to sail to Tobruk the following day, she suffered further damage from air attacks, but reached the port.[2] Lively sailed from Tobruk to Alexandria in April, and then rejoined her flotilla after repairs had been completed.[2]

Sinking

On 10 May she sailed from Alexandria with

Malta Convoys 1941-2, Libya 1942, and Sirte 1942.[6]

Notes

  1. ISBN 0-85177-137-8
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Mason. "HMS Lively – L-class Destroyer". Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  3. ^ a b Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 201.
  4. ISBN 9788804501503
    .
  5. ^ Bragadin 2011, p. 215
  6. ^ Warlow. Battle Honours of the Royal Navy. p. 139.

References

External links

33°24′N 25°38′E / 33.400°N 25.633°E / 33.400; 25.633

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