HMS Delight (H38)

HMS "Delight" was a D class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She served in the Second World War, operating mostly in Home waters, before becoming an early war loss after being sunk in an air attack in 1940. The wreck is protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 [ [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080950_en_1 Designation under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986] by SI2008/950, Office of Public Sector Information, The National Archives. Retrieved 2008-07-17.]

Construction and commissioning

"Delight" was ordered under the 1930 Naval Estimates and was laid down at the yards of the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, Scotstoun on 22 April 1931. She was launched on 2 June 1932 and commissioned on 30 January 1933, at a total cost of £229,378, excluding equipment supplied by the Admiralty, such as weapons, ammunition and wireless equipment.

Career

Pre-war

She was initially assigned to the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean, but before joining it, she was used to carry out trials on the Mark IX torpedo. She eventually arrived in Malta during May 1933. She spent the rest of the year based at Malta, except for a period of two months on detached service in the Persian Gulf. "Delight" returned to the UK in August 1934 and underwent a refit at Portsmouth before being re-commissioned for service with the 8th Destroyer Flotilla on the China Station. She departed the Station in September 1935 for two months during the crisis in Abyssinia and was then deployed at Aden for another two months. She returned to duty at Hong Kong early in 1936. As war with Germany loomed, she was assigned to the Mediterranean, and departed Hong Kong for her war station on 29 August 1939. She arrived at Alexandria on 19 September and joined the Mediterranean Fleet.

Wartime

"Delight" was initially deployed throughout August and November to intercept contraband being shipped across the Mediterranean, and also screened large fleet units. Her Mediterranean career did not last long however, and she returned to the UK in December, arriving at Portsmouth on 30 December. She underwent an initial refit before sailing to Scapa Flow at the end of January to rejoin her Flotilla with the Home Fleet. They were then deployed in the North Western Approaches to carry out anti-submarine patrols and fleet screening duties. These duties lasted into mid April, when on 8 April she was damaged in heavy weather and forced to return to port for repairs. These were completed by 1 May, in time for her to join the Home Fleet's actions in support of the Norwegian Campaign. She escorted HMS "Manchester" and HMS "Birmingham" as they evacuated troops from Åndalsnes and Molde. On 31 May "Delight" and HMS "Echo" evacuated units of the Scots Guards from Bodø. On 7 June she escorted a troop convoy from Norway as part of Operation Alphabet, the evacuation of Narvik. Having spent a long period in the harsh environment of the North Sea, she was taken in hand for a refit and exchange of her boiler tubes at Rosyth on 21 June.

inking

These repairs lasted until July, after which "Delight" sailed from Rosyth, through the English Channel. She stopped at Portland on the way, departing there on 29 July. She was sailing in daylight, in contravention of local orders and placing herself at significant risk. After she had left the harbour, she was detected by German radar at Cherbourg, which directed German aircraft to attack the destroyer, by now some 20 miles off Portland Bill. She attempted to fight them off, but was hit by a bomb on her fo'c'sle, which caused a major fire and a subsequent explosion. She finally sank in Portland harbour early the next morning, having lost six of her company in the attack.

She currently lies at a depth of approximately 55 metres, broken in half and upside down. Shell cases used to litter the seabed around her, but most have now been recovered. It is possible for divers to access the forward section. As the wreck is designated as a "protected place" under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 it is illegal to enter the wreck without a license or to interfere with the wreck or debris field in any way.

References

*Colledge

External links

* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4370.html HMS Delight at Uboat.net]
* [http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-19D-Delight.htm HMS Delight's career]