HMS Eridge (L68)

HMS Eridge was a Hunt-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1940 and served during the Second World War.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Eridge.

Eridge in July 1941
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Eridge
Builder: Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
Laid down: 21 November 1939
Launched: 20 August 1940
Commissioned: 28 February 1941
Reclassified: Base ship on 29 August 1942
Fate: Sold for scrap, 1946
General characteristics Type II
Class and type: Hunt-class destroyer
Displacement:
  • 1,050 long tons (1,070 t) standard
  • 1,430 long tons (1,450 t) full load
Length: 85.3 m (279 ft 10 in) o/a
Beam: 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 2.51 m (8 ft 3 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • 2 shaft Parsons geared turbines, 19,000 shp (14,000 kW)
Speed:
  • 27 knots (31 mph; 50 km/h)
  • 25.5 kn (29.3 mph; 47.2 km/h) full
Range: 3,600 nmi (6,700 km) at 14 kn (26 km/h)
Complement: 164
Armament:
  • 6 × QF 4 in Mark XVI on twin mounts Mk. XIX
  • 4 × QF 2 pdr Mk. VIII on quad mount MK.VII
  • 2 × 20 mm Oerlikons on single mounts P Mk. III
  • 110 depth charges, 2 throwers, 3 racks
Service record
Commanders: Lt.Cdr. William Frank Niemann Gregory-Smith

Service history

On 29 May 1942, Eridge assisted the destroyers Hero and Hurworth in sinking the German submarine U-568.[1] At 04:15 on 29 August 1942, she began shelling Axis positions off El Daba, Egypt, at 31°7′N 28°26′E, together with the destroyers Croome and Hursley. At 05:00, she was permanently disabled by a 450mm torpedo fired by the Italian motor torpedo boat MTSM-228. The attack caused five fatalities on board Eridge.[2]

HMS Eridge being brought back to harbour after being torpedoed, Alexandria, 29 August 1942 (IWM A13534)

She was towed to Alexandria by the destroyer Aldenham,[3] where the destroyer was used as a base ship for the rest of the war and sold for scrapping in October 1946.

References
  1. HMS Eridge (L 68)
  2. Paul Kemp (1999). The Admiralty regrets: British warship losses of the 20th century. Sutton. p. 192.
  3. "Commander Alex Stuart-Menteth". The Daily Telegraph. 6 June 2000.

Publications

Further reading
  • Smith, Gregory (2008). Red Tobruk: Memoirs of a World War II Destroyer Commander. Pen & Sword Maritime. ISBN 1-84415-862-4.



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