HMS Sikh (F82) facts for kids
.jpg)
Sikh underway after completion
|
|
Quick facts for kids History |
|
|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
|
| Name | Sikh |
| Namesake | Sikh |
| Ordered | 19 June 1936 |
| Builder | Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse |
| Cost | £337,704 |
| Laid down | 24 September 1936 |
| Launched | 17 December 1937 |
| Commissioned | 12 October 1938 |
| Identification | Pennant numbers: L82/F82/G82 |
| Motto | Sicut leonis: 'Be like the lions' |
| Honours and awards |
|
| Fate | Sunk, 14 September 1942 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class and type | Tribal-class destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 377 ft (114.9 m) (o/a) |
| Beam | 36 ft 6 in (11.13 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 × shafts; 2 × geared steam turbines |
| Speed | 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) |
| Range | 5,700 nmi (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 190 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
ASDIC |
| Armament |
|
HMS Sikh was a powerful destroyer ship of the British Royal Navy. She was part of the Tribal-class, a group of destroyers built to be bigger and stronger than earlier ships. Sikh started serving in 1938, just before World War II began.
During the war, she took part in some very important events. These included helping to sink the huge German battleship Bismarck and fighting in the Battle of Cape Bon. In 1942, while on a special mission with commando soldiers, Sikh was sunk by enemy fire.
Contents
Ship Design and Features
The Tribal-class destroyers, like Sikh, were built to be very strong. They were designed to fight against large destroyers from other countries. They also added more firepower to the Royal Navy's existing groups of destroyers.
Size and Speed
Sikh was much larger than earlier destroyers.
- She weighed about 1,891 tonnes when empty.
- When fully loaded, she weighed about 2,519 tonnes.
- The ship was about 115 meters (377 feet) long.
- She was about 11 meters (36 feet 6 inches) wide.
- Her bottom sat about 3.4 meters (11 feet 3 inches) deep in the water.
Two powerful steam turbine engines moved the ship. These engines used steam from three large boilers. Together, they made 44,000 horsepower. This power allowed Sikh to reach a top speed of 36 knots (about 67 kilometers per hour or 41 miles per hour). She could travel about 10,556 kilometers (5,700 nmi) at a speed of 15 knots before needing to refuel.
Crew and Weapons
Sikh had a crew of 190 officers and sailors. The ship was heavily armed for battle:
- Main Guns: She had eight 4.7-inch (120 mm) guns. These were placed in four twin mounts, two at the front and two at the back of the ship. They could fire quickly.
- Anti-Aircraft Guns: For protection against airplanes, Sikh had:
- One 40 mm "pom-pom" gun.
- Two 12.7 mm machine guns.
- Torpedoes: She carried four 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes in one launch tube. Torpedoes are like underwater missiles.
- Anti-Submarine Weapons: Even though she wasn't mainly for hunting submarines, Sikh had ASDIC (a type of sonar to detect submarines). She also carried 20 depth charges. These were bombs dropped into the water to attack submarines.
Wartime Changes
During World War II, the Royal Navy learned that their ships needed better defense against air attacks. Because of this, Sikh and other Tribal-class destroyers were updated.
- In May 1940, one of the 4.7-inch gun mounts at the back was replaced. In its place, two 4-inch (102 mm) guns were added. These new guns could be used against both ships and aircraft.
- Radar systems were also added to help aim the guns better.
- The number of depth charges was increased to 46 to improve anti-submarine defense.
- To give the anti-aircraft guns a wider firing range, the ship's rear funnel was made shorter. The mainmast was also made into a short pole.
Building and Service History
Sikh was one of nine Tribal-class destroyers ordered in 1936. She was the second ship in the Royal Navy to carry the name Sikh.
Construction
The ship was ordered on June 19, 1936. Her construction began on September 24 at the Alexander Stephen and Sons shipyard in Linthouse. Sikh was officially launched on December 17, 1937. She was ready for service and joined the Royal Navy on October 12, 1938. Her cost was about £337,704, not including weapons and communication equipment. She became part of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla.
Key Battles and Missions
Sikh played an important role in several major events during World War II.
Hunting the Bismarck
In 1941, Sikh was commanded by Commander Stokes. She took part in the hunt for the German battleship Bismarck, one of the most famous naval battles of the war. The night before Bismarck was sunk, Sikh fired four torpedoes. Her crew thought they heard explosions, but it turned out the torpedoes did not hit the Bismarck. However, Sikh was part of the group of ships that eventually led to the Bismarck's sinking.
Battle of Cape Bon
Later, Sikh moved to the Mediterranean Sea. On December 13, 1941, she joined other ships, including Legion, Maori, and the Dutch ship HNLMS Isaac Sweers. Together, they fought in the Battle of Cape Bon. In this battle, they successfully sank two Italian cruisers, Alberico da Barbiano and Alberto di Giussano.
Sinking of U-372
On August 4, 1942, Sikh worked with Zulu, Croome, and Tetcott. They found and sank the German submarine U-372 off the coast of Haifa.
Final Mission and Sinking
On September 14, 1942, Sikh and Zulu were part of Operation Agreement. This was a special mission to land commando soldiers at Tobruk in North Africa. Sikh helped land the soldiers and then provided cover fire.
During the mission, Sikh was hit many times by enemy artillery from the shore. She might also have been bombed by an Italian airplane. Sadly, 115 of her crew were lost. Many more were captured when the landing craft that rescued them was taken by an Italian boat. The next day, Zulu was also damaged and sunk by air attacks.
See also
In Spanish: HMS Sikh (F82) para niños
