Warren Matchett
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HMS Hunter was a H-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1930s.During the
Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 the ship enforced the arms blockade imposed on both sides
by Britain and France, until she struck a mine in May 1937.She was under repair for the
next year and a half, after which she rejoined the Mediterranean Fleet.During the first few
months of the Second World War, Hunter searched for German commerce raiders in the
Atlantic Ocean until she was transferred back to Britain in February 1940.Returning to
action in the Norwegian Campaign, she was sunk by German destroyers during the First
Battle of Narvik in April 1940.== Description ==
Hunter displaced 1,350 long tons (1,370 t) at standard load and 1,883 long tons (1,913 t) at
deep load.The ship had an overall length of 323 feet (98.5 m), a beam of 33 feet (10.1 m)
and a draught of 12 feet 5 inches (3.8 m).She was powered by Parsons geared steam
turbines, driving two shafts, which developed a total of 34,000 shaft horsepower (25,000
kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).Steam for the turbines was
provided by three Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers.Hunter carried a maximum of 470
long tons (480 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 5,530 nautical miles (10,240 km; 6,360
mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).The ship's complement was 137 officers and men in
peacetime, but this was increased to 146 in wartime.The ship mounted four 45-calibre 4.7-
inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns in single mounts.For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, Hunter had
two quadruple Mark I mounts for the 0.5 inch Vickers Mark III machine gun.She was fitted
with two above-water quadruple torpedo tube mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.One
depth charge rail and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried,
but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.== Career ==
Ordered on 13 December 1934, Hunter was laid down by Swan Hunter & Wigham
Richardson at Wallsend-on-Tyne, England, on 27 March 1935.She was launched on 25
February 1936 and completed on 30 September.Excluding government-furnished
equipment such as armament, the ship cost £253,167.Hunter was assigned to the 2nd
Destroyer Flotilla of the Mediterranean Fleet upon commissioning.The destroyer patrolled
Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War, enforcing the edicts of the Non-Intervention
Committee.Hunter struck a mine south of Almeria, Spain, on the afternoon of 13 May
1937.She suffered severe damage, with a heavy list, her radio wrecked and the bow
flooded.Eight of her complement were killed and 24 wounded.The ship was towed clear of
the minefield by the Spanish Republican destroyer Lazaga.The mines had been laid by two
ex-German Spanish Nationalist E-boats, the Requeté and the Falange on the night of 6
April.Hunter was towed to Almeria by Hyperion, where she arrived in the early hours of 14
May.The light cruiser Arethusa towed her to Gibraltar, where she was temporarily repaired
from 15 May to 18 August.Hunter was towed to Malta for permanent repairs in August
1937, but they were not completed until 10 November 1938.The ship was assigned to the
2nd Destroyer Flotilla once her repairs were finished and she was given a brief overhaul in
Malta between 24 June and 4 July 1939.Hunter was sent to Plymouth for a more thorough
refit in mid-August 1939 that lasted through 27 August.=== Second World War ===
When the Second World War began on 3 September, Hunter was en route to Freetown,
Sierra Leone to search for German commerce raiders, before being transferred to the North
America and West Indies Station in late October.Hunter remained on that station until she
was transferred to the British Isles in February 1940 and began a refit at Falmouth that
lasted until 9 March.The ship rejoined the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow on 17 March.On 6 April Hunter and the rest of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla escorted the
four destroyer minelayers of the 20th Destroyer Flotilla as they sailed to implement
Operation Wilfred, an operation to lay mines in the Vestfjord to prevent the transport of
Swedish iron ore from Narvik to Germany.The mines were laid on the early morning of 8
April, before the Germans began their invasion, and the destroyers joined the battlecruiser
Renown and her escorts.During the First Battle of Narvik on 10 April 1940, Hunter and four
other H-class ships of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla attacked the German destroyers that had
transported German troops to occupy Narvik in northern Norway the previous day.The
flotilla leader Hardy led four of her half-sisters down Ofotfjord in a surprise dawn attack on
Narvik harbour during a blinding snowstorm.Hotspur and Hostile were initially left at the
entrance, but Hunter followed Hardy into the harbour and fired all eight of her torpedoes
into the mass of shipping.One torpedo hit the German destroyer Z22 Anton Schmitt in the
forward engine room, followed by one of Hunter's 4.7-inch shells.As the British ships were
withdrawing, they encountered five German destroyers at close range.Two of the German
ships crossed the T of the British ships and quickly set Hardy on fire and forced her to run
aground.Hunter eventually took the lead, but was severely damaged by the Germans,
probably including one torpedo hit, and her speed dropped rapidly.Hotspur, immediately
behind her, was temporarily out of control due to two hits, and rammed her from
behind.When the ships managed to disengage, Hunter capsized.107 men of the crew were
killed and another five died of their wounds.
