HMS Quorn (L66)

HMS "Quorn" (L66) was a Hunt-class destroyer of the Royal Navy, built in 1940 and sunk off the Normandy coast in 1944.

"Quorn" was built by J. Samuel Whiteand Co. at Cowes, Isle of Wight. A Type 1 Hunt class destroyer, she was launched on 27 March 1940 and completed on the 21 September 1940.

History

"Quorn" then joined the 21 Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich. The flotilla was tasked with convoy protection, anti-shipping and patrol duties. "Quorn" would stay with this flotilla for the whole of her commission.

In April 1941 "Quorn" was superficially damaged by two delayed action bombs, that exploded twenty metres from her port quarter.

In August 1941 whilst on passage from Harwich to Chatham, "Quorn" set off a mine forty metres off her port bow. She was repaired at Chatham Dockyard. These took until September 1941 to complete.

In April 1942 "Quorn" hit a mine that blew a 9 foot by 15 foot hole in the port side of the ship. She was towed to Harwich and then to Sheerness where repairs took 4 months to complete.

On the 13 October 1942 "Quorn" was one of the five destroyers that intercepted the German auxiliary cruiser "Komet" in the English Channel. "Komet" was sunk and two M-class minesweepers were heavily damaged and set on fire. An hour later a second patrolling force of the same operation engaged a group of escort vessels, sinking an R-boat and damaging a T-boat.

In June 1944 "Quorn" was an escort for convoys of personnel during Operation Neptune, the naval support of Operation Overlord, the D-Day Landings. On 3 August, she was hit and sunk during a heavy attack on the British assault area by a force of E-boats, explosive motorboats, human torpedoes and low flying aircraft. Those that survived the initial attack spent up to eight hours in the water before being rescued, and many of these perished. Four officers and 126 ratings were lost.