HMS Antelope (H36)

HMS "Antelope" was a British A-class destroyer. She was completed 20 March 1930 and assigned to the 18th Destroyer Flotilla, Channel Force, Home Fleet.

On 5th February 1940, "Antelope" sank U-41 in the South Western Approaches. The U-boat had attacked an outward-bound convoy on 5 February and sunk "Beaverburn". It was the only U-boat at sea at the time in the area and was the first to be sunk underwater by a single destroyer. "Antelope's" commanding officer, Lt. Cdr. R.T. White R.N. (later Captain R.T. White D.S.O.**, 2nd son of Sir Archibald White, Bt. of Wallingwells) was awarded the D.S.O. on 11th July 1940 for this feat. White was commander of "Antelope" from 24th September 1938 until 26th February 1941.

In April 1940, the destroyer escorted the French cruiser "Emile Bertin", flagship of Admiral Derrien, to Scapa Flow after it had been damaged in action off Namsos, Norway.

On 13 June 1940, "Antelope" collided with "Electra" off Trondheim, Norway, and had to return to the Tyne for repair. She then returned to her base at Harwich.

In August 1940, "Antelope" sailed in convoy to take part in Operation Menace, the attack on Dakar, but after HMS "Fiji" was torpedoed on 1 September 1940, she escorted her back to the Clyde, Scotland.

On 31 October 1940, "Antelope" sank U-31 off northwestern Ireland. She rescued 43 survivors and returned them to the Clyde. Lt. Cdr. White was awarded his first bar to his D.S.O. following this sinking.

In May 1941, in the chase for the German battleship "Bismarck" after the battle of the Denmark Strait, "Antelope" searched for survivors from the sinking of HMS "Hood", and later was escort to HMS "Victorious".

In August 1941, "Antelope" took part in Operation Gauntlet, an operation that succeeded in destroying the coaling facilities on Spitsbergen, thus denying the coal to the enemy.

In 1942 and 1943, "Antelope" participated in various operations to resupply Malta, including Operation Pedestal in August 1942. In March 1943, she escorted the "Empress of Canada", but the liner was sunk on 13 March. In 1944, she conducted numerous patrols and anti-submarine operations. In August 1945, she returned to the United Kingdom.

In 1946, she was sold and broken up by Hughes, Bolkow.