- HMS Zulu (F18)
The second HMS "Zulu" (
pennant number L18, later F18) was a Tribal-classdestroyer of the BritishRoyal Navy . She was built in Glasgow byAlexander Stephen and Sons . Her keel was laid down on10 August 1936 . She was launched on23 September 1937 , and commissioned on7 September 1938 . She had the task of scuttling HMS "Coventry" after she had been damaged in an air raid.On 4th August 1942 HMS "Zulu" together with HMS "Sikh", HMS "Croome" and HMS "Tetcott" sank the German submarine "U-372" off
Haifa . "Zulu's" commanding officer Commander R.T. White, D.S.O.* wasMentioned in Despatches for his efforts in sinking "U-372".HMS "Zulu" was sunk by Italian aircraft on
September 14 ,1942 , after bombardingTobruk , following the rescue of her fellow ship HMS "Sikh". The two ships were covering a Commando raid at Tobruk. Shore batteries hit HMS "Sikh", which began to sink. White manoeuvred his ship to try to rescue HMS "Sikh" and her crew, attaching lines to her to drag her out of danger, having laid a smokescreen. HMS "Sikh" eventually sank, but HMS "Zulu" succeeded in saving the lives of a number of her crew. Aircraft continued to attack HMS "Zulu" and she finally succumbed, sinking the following day.Her commander from 28th April 1942 until her sinking was Commander R.T. White, D.S.O.* (later Captain R.T. White, D.S.O.**). For his part in the attempted rescue of HMS "Sikh", White was awarded the 2nd bar to his D.S.O..
External links
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4428.html Uboat.net]
* [http://www.hmscavalier.org.uk/G18/ HMS Cavalier.org]
* [http://www.unithistories.com/units_index/default.asp?file=../officers/personsx.html www.Unit histories.com] White, Richard Taylor
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