HMS Gurkha (F63/G63) was an L class

L and M class destroyer

The L and M class was a class of sixteen destroyers which served in the British Royal Navy during World War II. The ships of the class were launched between 1939 and 1942.-Design details:...

 destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 in Britain's Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. She was originally to be named Larne in line with her class letter. However after the Tribal-class

Tribal class destroyer (1936)

The Tribal class, or Afridi class, were a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Australian Navy that saw service in World War II...

 Gurkha was sunk in April 1940 the officers and men of the Gurkha

Gurkha

Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...

 Regiments each subscribed one day's pay to replace her and Larne was renamed before launching.

Her only commanding officer (Commander

Commander

Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...

 C N Lentaigne) was brother of Joe Lentaigne

Walter David Alexander Lentaigne

Lieutenant General Walter David Alexander Lentaigne, CB, CBE, DSO, British Indian Army. Sometimes called "Joe" Lentaigne.Walter Lentaigne was an officer in the British Indian Army. He fought in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919. During World War II he commanded a battalion during the 1942 Burma...

 who was an officer in the 4th (Prince of Wales' Own) Gurkhas

4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles

The 4 Gorkha Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1857 as part of the British Indian Army, but after India's independence in 1947 it was one of six Gurkha regiments transferred to the Indian Army...

.

She was laid down on 18 October 1938, launched on 8 July 1940 by Mary, daughter of Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...

, and completed on 18 February 1941.

She fought at the Lofoten Islands (1941), guarded Malta

Malta

Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

 Convoys (1941), destroyed the Italian submarine

Submarine

A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...

 Adua, and guarded United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 to Gibraltar

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...

 convoys.

She was torpedoed by U-133 off Sidi Barrani

Sidi Barrani

Sidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...

on 17 January 1942 and sank after 90 minutes. The surviving crew members were saved by the Dutch destroyer .