Sea Weapons

Destroyer (1939)

J/K/N-class class

HMS Javelin (G61)

The J/K/N-classes were a return to smaller destroyers after the experience of the larger Tribal class that preceded them and which prioritized gun armament over torpedoes. These three classes carried a total of ten torpedo tubes, more than any other British wartime destroyer class. Gun armament consisted of six 4.7-in QF Mk. XII guns in three twin mountings which were identical to those on the Tribals. An option for a 4-in QF Mk. V HA gun was also provided in place of one of the torpedo mounts. Anti-air armament included a quadruple 2-pdr pompom mount, with up to four single Bofors and 10 20-mm guns added by the end of the war. The three flotillas saw extensive service during the early war years and consequently suffered appalling casualties: only two of the J and K flotillas survived the war, with all but one of the losses being in the Mediterranean. Surprisingly, however, only one N-class ships was lost. Five of the N-class ships were transferred to Australia, another two to the Netherlands (one of them later transferred to Indonesia) and a sole ship to the Polish Navy. All remaining Royal Navy ships were out of service shortly after the war. Perhaps the most important legacy of the J/K/N-classes was that their hull and machinery served as the basis for the War Emergency Programme destroyers, of which over one hundred were built.

Most of the ships served early in the war with the Home Fleet where some participated in the Norwegian campaign, the Dunkirk evacuation, and escort duties. Most were then transferred to the Mediterranean where they suffered appalling losses from numerous causes, primarily air attack. One, HMS Janus was sunk by a Fritz X missile off Anzio. The only loss in a different theater was HMS Jupiter which was sunk in the Battle of the Java Sea after accidentally hitting a Dutch mine.

Preceded by:

Tribal (1938)

Succeeded by:

L/M-class (1940)

Registry

Ship Code Builder Laid Launch Comm Decomm Fate
J-class:
Jackal F22 John Brown24/09/193725/10/193813/04/193911/05/1942 Loss by aircraft
Jaguar F34 Denny25/11/193722/11/193812/09/193926/03/1942 Loss by submarine
Janus F53 Swan Hunter29/09/193710/11/193805/08/193923/01/1944 Loss by missile
Javelin F61 John Brown11/10/193721/12/193810/06/193931/07/1946Sold/Scrapped
Jersey F72 White28/09/193726/09/193828/04/193902/05/1941 Loss by mine
Jervis F00 Hawthorn Leslie26/08/193709/09/193805/08/193930/06/1946Sold/Scrapped
Juno F46 Fairfield05/10/193708/12/193824/08/193921/05/1941 Loss by aircraft
Jupiter F85 Yarrow20/09/193727/10/193816/06/193928/02/1942 Loss by mine
K-class:
Kandahar F28 Denny18/01/193821/03/193910/10/193919/12/1941 Loss by mine
Kashmir F12 Thornycroft18/11/193704/04/193926/10/193923/05/1941 Loss by aircraft
Kelly F01 Hawthorn Leslie26/08/193725/10/193823/08/193923/05/1941 Loss by aircraft
Kelvin F37 Fairfield05/10/193719/01/193927/11/193901/1946Sold/Scrapped
Khartoum F45 Swan Hunter27/10/193706/02/193906/11/193923/06/1940 Internal explosion/fire
Kimberley F50 Thornycroft17/01/193801/06/193921/02/194009/1945Sold/Scrapped
Kingston F64 White06/10/193709/01/193914/09/193911/04/1942 Loss by aircraft
Kipling F91 Yarrow26/10/193719/01/193922/12/193911/05/1942 Loss by aircraft
N-class:
Napier G97 Fairfield26/07/193922/05/194025/10/194507/03/1946Sold/Scrapped
Nepal G25 Thornycroft09/09/193904/12/194119/11/194516/11/1950Sold/Scrapped
Nestor G02 Fairfield26/07/193909/07/1940--Transferred
Nizam G38 John Brown27/07/193904/07/194017/10/194513/12/1945Sold/Scrapped
Noble G84 Denny10/07/193917/04/194120/02/194210/1956Sold/Scrapped
Nerissa / Noble G65 John Brown26/07/193907/05/194026/10/194626/10/1946Sold/Scrapped
Nonpareil G16 Denny22/05/194025/06/1941--Transferred
Norman G47 Thornycroft27/07/193930/10/194010/19451946Sold/Scrapped
Transfers:
Ship Code Former Code Comm Decomm Fate
Napier G97 Napier G97 11/12/194024/10/1945Returned
Nepal G25 Nepal G25 29/05/194211/11/1945Returned
Nestor G02 Nestor G02 12/02/194115/06/1942 Loss by aircraft
Nizam G38 Nizam G38 08/01/194117/10/1945Returned
Van Galen G84 Noble G84 20/02/194210/1956Sold/Scrapped
Norman G47 Norman G47 29/09/194110/1945Returned
Tjerk Hiddes G16 Nonpareil G16 30/10/194201/03/1951Transferred
Piorun G65 Nerissa / Noble G65 04/11/194026/10/1946Returned
Gadjah Mada Tjerk Hiddes G16 01/03/19511961Sold/Scrapped

Gallery