HMS Gallant

HMS Gallant (H59)

Navy:	Royal Navy
Type:	Destroyer
Class:	G
Pennant:	H 59
Built by:	A. Stephen & Sons Ltd. (Glasgow, Scotland)
Laid down:	15 Sep, 1934
Launched:	26 Sep, 1935
Commissioned:	25 Feb, 1936
Complement:	145
Lost:	10 Jan, 1941 (36-30'N, 12-15'E) was damaged by Italian mines, laid by cruiser force in August 1940 . She was taken to Malta and destroyed there during an air raid. She was declared a constructive total loss on 5 April 1942. Sunk as a block-ship in September 1943.

History:	27 May, 1940 In the evening, the Polish destroyer Blyskawica received orders to meet with the British destroyers HMS Gallant and HMS Vivacious to enter the small port of La Panne (in the Dunkirk area) and evacuate part of RAF personnel. Unfortunately, she failed to find her partners and didn't complete the task. Instead of this, she was ordered to enter Dunkirk harbour together with the British destroyer HMS Vega and conduct a night reconnaissance mission. The Admiralty wanted to find out, if this harbour (partially blocked by wrecks) may be useful in Allied evacuation. Both destroyers were attacked by two German aircraft, but inspected the positions of wrecks. After that, Admiral Ramsey learned that navy vessels are able to conduct evacuation from Dunkirk and sent part of them there. 20 Oct, 1940 The Italian submarine Lafolè was sunk north off Melilla by the British destroyers HMS Gallant, HMS Hotspur and HMS Griffin.