Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | Destroyer |
Class | G |
Pennant | H 63 |
Built by | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland) |
Ordered | 5 Mar 1934 |
Laid down | 5 Sep 1934 |
Launched | 7 Nov 1935 |
Commissioned | 22 Feb 1936 |
Lost | 21 Nov 1939 |
Loss position | 51° 57'N, 1° 19'E |
History | HMS Gipsy (Lt.Cdr. Nigel John Crossley, RN) was mined and sunk in the channel to Harwich Harbour in position 51º57'N, 01º19'E. |
Commands listed for HMS Gipsy (H 63)
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Commander | From | To | |
1 | Lt.Cdr. Nigel John Crossley, RN | 3 Jan 1939 | 21 Nov 1939 |
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Notable events involving Gipsy include:
9 Oct 1939
Around 2100 hours the British destroyers
HMS Griffin (Lt.Cdr. J. Lee-Barber, RN with Capt. G.E. Creasy, MVO, RN aboard), HMS Gipsy (Lt.Cdr. N.J. Crossley, RN), HMS Keith (Cdr. H.T.W. Pawsey, OBE, RN), HMS Boadicea (Lt.Cdr. G.B. Kingdon, RN) and the Polish destroyer Grom (Lt.Cdr. A. Hulewicz, ORP) were ordered to leave Harwich and establish a patrol in the North Sea. Shortly before that, a German He 59 seaplane dropped two magnetic mines nearby, but there was no time for searching. HMS Gipsy hit one of those mines which tore her into two pieces. Most of the survivors were picked up by HMS Griffin and HMS Keith. (1)
9 Oct 1939
The battleships HMS Warspite (Capt. V.A.C. Crutchley, VC, DSC, RN, flying the flag of A/Admiral A.B. Cunningham, KCB, DSO and 2 Bars, RN), HMS Barham (Capt. H.T.C. Walker, RN, flying the flag of Vice Admiral G. Layton, CB, DSO, RN), HMS Malaya (Capt. I.B.B. Tower, DSC, RN), the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious (Capt. G. D’Oyly-Hughes, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN), the light cruiser HMS Penelope (Capt. G.D. Yates, RN) and the destroyers HMS Duncan (Capt. G.R.B. Back, RN), HMS Daring (Cdr. S.A. Cooper, RN), HMS Dainty (Cdr. F.M. Walton, RN), HMS Grafton (Cdr. M.S. Thomas, RN), HMS Gallant (Lt.Cdr. C.P.F. Brown, RN), HMS Gipsy (Lt.Cdr. N.J. Crossley, RN) and HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria.
During the exercises HMS Malaya, HMS Glorious, HMS Daring and HMS Bulldog split off. They were to proceed to the Indian Ocean (Socotra area). They arrived at Port Said later the same day. (2)
Media links
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Sources
- Personal communication
- ADM 199/389
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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