View source for HMS Delight (H38)

{{other ships|HMS Delight}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
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{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[Image:HMS Delight.jpg|300px]]
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|UK|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Delight''
|Ship ordered=2 February 1931
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company]], [[Govan]], [[Scotstoun]]
|Ship laid down=22 April 1931 
|Ship launched=2 June 1932<ref>''[[The Times]] (London)'', Thursday, 2 June 1932, p. 9</ref>
|Ship christened=
|Ship original cost=£229,378
|Ship completed=31 January 1933
|Ship fate=Sunk by air attack, 29 July 1940
|Ship badge=*On a Field Green, Pan's Pipe Gold and Silver
*[[Image:HMS Delight badge.jpg|100px]]
|Ship motto=*Duris delectat virtus
*(''"Valour delighteth in difficulties"'')
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[C and D-class destroyer|D-class]] [[destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1375|LT|t|abbr=on}} (standard)
*{{convert|1890|LT|t|abbr=on}} (deep)
|Ship length={{convert|329|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|33|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship power={{convert|36000|shp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × shafts
*2 × [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s
*3 × Admiralty 3-drum [[boiler]]s 
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5870|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship complement=145
|Ship sensors=[[ASDIC]] 
|Ship armament=*4 × [[4.7 inch QF Mark XII|{{convert|4.7|in|mm|abbr=on}} Mark IX gun]]s
*1 × 12-pounder (3&nbsp;in (76.2&nbsp;mm)) [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] gun
*2 × 4 – [[Vickers .50 machine gun|QF {{convert|.5|in|mm|abbr=on|1}} Vickers Mark III]] AA machine guns
*2 × 4 – {{convert|21|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*20 × [[depth charge]]s, 1 rail and 2 throwers
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Delight''''' was a [[C and D-class destroyer|D-class]] [[destroyer]] built for the [[Royal Navy]] in the early 1930s. ''Delight'' was initially assigned to the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] before she was transferred to the [[China Station]] in early 1935. She was temporarily deployed in the [[Red Sea]] during late 1935 during the [[Abyssinia Crisis]], before returning to her duty station where she remained until mid-1939. ''Delight'' was transferred back to the Mediterranean Fleet just before the [[Second World War]] began in September 1939. She served with the [[Home Fleet]] during the [[Norwegian Campaign]]. The ship was sunk by German dive-bombers on 29 July 1940 while attempting to transit the [[English Channel]] in daylight.

==Description==
''Delight'' displaced {{convert|1375|LT|t}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|1890|LT|t}} at [[deep load]]. The ship had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|329|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|33|ft|m|1}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1}}. She was powered by [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, driving two shafts, which developed a total of {{convert|36000|shp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}. Steam for the turbines was provided by three Admiralty 3-drum [[water-tube boiler]]s. ''Delight'' carried a maximum of {{convert|473|LT|t}} of [[fuel oil]] that gave her a range of {{convert|5870|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}. The ship's complement was 145 officers and men.<ref name=w78>Whitley, p. 102</ref>

The ship mounted four 45-[[caliber (artillery)|calibre]] [[4.7 inch QF Mark XII|4.7-inch Mark IX guns]] in single mounts. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] (AA) defence, ''Delight'' had a single 12-pounder (3-inch (76.2&nbsp;mm)) gun between her [[funnel (ship)|funnel]]s and two quadruple Mark I mounts for the [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.5-inch Vickers Mark III]] machine gun. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple [[torpedo tube]] mounts for [[British 21 inch torpedo|21-inch torpedoes]].<ref>Friedman, pp. 215, 299.</ref> 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.<ref>English, p. 141.</ref>

==Career==
''Delight'' was ordered on 2 February 1931 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 completed on 31 January 1933, at a total cost of £229,378, excluding equipment supplied by the [[Admiralty]], such as weapons, ammunition and wireless equipment.<ref>English, p. 51</ref>

The ship was used to carry out [[sea trial]]s on the [[British 21 inch torpedo|Mark IX torpedo]] after [[Glossary of nautical terms#W|working up]] until 24 April 1933. ''Delight'' then joined the [[1st Destroyer Flotilla]] in the [[Mediterranean]] and made a brief deployment to the [[Persian Gulf]] in September–November 1933.  The ship was refitted at [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth]] between 3 September and 25 October 1934 for service on the China Station with the 8th (later the 21st) Destroyer [[Flotilla]] and arrived there in January 1935. She was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet in the [[Red Sea]] from September to November 1935 during the Abyssinian Crisis. As war with Germany loomed, ''Delight'' was assigned to the Mediterranean and departed 29 August 1939 in company with several of her [[sister ship|sisters]]. She arrived at [[Aden]] on 19 September and later at [[Alexandria]] where she operated with the Mediterranean Fleet for the next three months. The ship was transferred to the Home Fleet in December and arrived at [[Portsmouth]] on 30 December.<ref name=e8>English, p. 58</ref>

She was refitted until 27 January 1940 before she joined the [[3rd Destroyer Flotilla]]. ''Delight'' was damaged in heavy weather on 8 April and forced to return to port for repairs.<ref name=e8/> During the Norwegian Campaign, ''Delight'' escorted the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Furious|47|6}} as she returned to [[Scapa Flow]] on 25 April to replenish her aircraft. On 1 May, she ferried troops to the [[light cruiser]]s {{HMS|Manchester|15|6}} and {{HMS|Birmingham|C19|6}} of the [[18th Cruiser Squadron]] during the evacuation from [[Åndalsnes]]. ''Delight'' supported the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] troops on 27–28 May as they [[Battle of Narvik#Land battle|recaptured]] [[Narvik]] before she was sent to [[Bodø]] the next day to investigate reports of a German amphibious landing. Over the next two nights, the ship and seven other destroyers evacuated British troops from Bodø. On 7–8 June, ''Delight'' escorted a troop convoy evacuating Allied troops from Narvik ([[Operation Alphabet]]).<ref>Haarr, pp. 141, 166, 269, 271, 300, 312</ref>

[[Image:Auderville Freyas.jpg|thumb|left|A 1941 aerial photograph of the two Freyas at [[Auderville]]]]
The ship went to the assistance of the [[armed merchant cruiser]] {{HMS|Scotstoun||6}} after she had been torpedoed by {{ship|German submarine|U-25|1936|2}} on 13 June. ''Delight'' had her [[superheater]] tubes replaced at [[Rosyth]] from 21 June to 24 July. In the meantime, the [[Battle of Britain]] began on 10 July 1940 and the [[English Channel]] became the [[Kanalkampf|main battle ground]] until August. After departing [[Portland Harbour]] in daylight on 29 July, contrary to orders, the ship was detected by a [[Freya radar]] at [[Cherbourg]] and the [[Luftwaffe]] was alerted. At 19:25 12 Ju 87s belonging to III./''[[Sturzkampfgeschwader 2]]'' led by ''Gruppenkommandeur'' [[Walter Enneccerus]] attacked ''Delight'', which was by now some {{convert|20|mi|km}} off [[Portland Bill]]. She was hit by a bomb on her [[forecastle|fo'c'sle]], which caused a major fire and a subsequent explosion. The ship sank later that evening having lost six of her company in the attack.<ref name=e8/><ref>Saunders 2013, p. 43.</ref>

''Delight'' currently lies at a maximum depth of {{convert|62|m}}, broken into several sections. Her centre is upside down, her bow is broken off, and the stern is upright.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitweymouth.co.uk/index.php?resource=113|title=Deep Wreck Diving Sites in Weymouth and Portland|publisher=Weymouth and Portland Borough Council|accessdate=23 April 2011}}</ref> 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 licence or to interfere with the wreck or debris field in any way.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/950/article/2/made|title=The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2008|publisher=Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament|accessdate=22 April 2011}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, England|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|date=2009|isbn=978-1-59114-081-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Haarr|first=Geirr H.|title=The Battle for Norway: April–June 1940|year=2010|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, MD|isbn=978-1-59114-051-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Commonwealth Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|date=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Saunders|first=Andy|title=Stuka Attack!: The Dive-Bombing Assault on England During the Battle of Britain|publisher=Grub Street|location=London|date=2013|isbn=978-1908-117359}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War 2|publisher=Naval Institute Press|date=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland}}

==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'' on naval-history.net]

{{C and D class destroyer}}
{{July 1940 shipwrecks}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Delight}}
[[Category:C and D-class destroyers]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Protected Wrecks of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1932 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in July 1940]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the English Channel]]
[[Category:Destroyers sunk by aircraft]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German aircraft]]