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Allied Warships

HMS Gipsy (H 63)

Destroyer of the G class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeDestroyer
ClassG 
PennantH 63 
Built byFairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland) 
Ordered 
Laid down5 Sep, 1934 
Launched7 Nov, 1935 
Commissioned22 Feb, 1936 
Lost21 Nov, 1939 
Loss position51.57N, 01.19E (See a map)
 
HistoryHMS Gipsy (Lt.Cdr. Nigel John Crossley, RN) was mined and sunk in the channel to Harwich Harbour in position 51º57'N, 01º19'E.

Commanding Officer:
Lt.Cdr. Nigel John Crossley, RN
3 January 1939 - 21 November 1939 


Noteable events involving Gipsy include:

21 Nov, 1939
Around 2100 hours the British destroyers HMS Griffin (Lt.Cdr. J. Lee-Barber, RN with Capt. G.E. Creasy, MVO, RN aboard), HMS Gipsy (Lt.Cdr. N.J. Crossley, RN), HMS Keith (Cdr. H.T.W. Pawsey, OBE, RN), HMS Boadicea (Lt.Cdr. G.B. Kingdon, RN) and the Polish destroyer Grom (Lt.Cdr. A. Hulewicz, ORP) were ordered to leave Harwich and establish a patrol in the North Sea. Shortly before that, a German He 59 seaplane dropped two magnetic mines nearby, but there was no time for searching. HMS Gipsy hit one of those mines which tore her into two pieces. Most of the survivors were picked up by HMS Griffin and HMS Keith.


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