HMS Coventry (D118)

Encyclopedia : H : HM : HMS : HMS Coventry (D118)

Career
[link]
Ordered:
Laid down:	29 January 1973
Launched:	21 June 1974
Commissioned:	20 October 1978
Fate:	Sunk by Argentine aircraft on 25 May 1982.
General Characteristics
Displacement:	4,820 tonnes
Length:	125 m (410 ft)
Beam:	14.3 m (47 ft)
Draught:	5.8 m
Propulsion:	COGAG (Combined Gas and Gas) turbines, 2 shafts 2 turbines producing 36 MW
Speed:	30 knots (56 km/h)
Range:
Complement:	287
Armament:	Sea Dart missiles 114 mm (4.5 in) Mk 8 gun
Aircraft:	Lynx HAS1
Motto:

HMS Coventry (D118) was a Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by Cammell Laird and Company, Limited, at Birkenhead on 29 January 1973, launched on 21 June 1974 and commissioned on 20 October 1978.

Coventry participated in the Falklands War in 1982 where she became the first Royal Navy warship to fire the Sea Dart and Sea Skua missiles in action.

Coventry was struck by three bombs from an enemy Argentine aircraft, capsized and sank off the Falkland Islands on 25 May 1982 with the loss of 19 of her crew. Her weapons had managed to shoot down two of her attackers earlier in the day, but at a crucial moment during a later attack, her anti-aircraft missile system suffered a fault and locked down, allowing the remaining aircraft an opportunity to hit her.

Roll of Honour

The 19 sailors killed in the sinking of HMS Coventry.

Marine Engineering Mechanic Frank O. Armes
Chief Weapons Engineering Artificer John D. L. Caddy
Marine Engineering Artificer Paul B. Callus
Weapons Engineering Mechanic John K. Dobson
Petty Officer Michael G. Fowler
Weapons Engineering Mechanic Ian P. Hall
Lieutenant Rodney R. Heath
Laundryman Kye Ben Kwo
Weapons Engineering Artificer David J. A. Ozbirn
Lieutenant Commander Glen S. Robinson-Moltke
Leading Radio Operator Bernard J. Still
Marine Engineering Artificer Geoffrey L. J. Stockwell
Weapons Engineering Artificer David A. Strickland
Able Seaman Adrian D. Sunderland
Marine Engineering Mechanician Stephen Tonkin
Cook Ian Turnbull
Weapons Engineering Artificer Philip P. White
Weapons Engineering Artificer Ian R. Williams

Additionally, one member of the crew died from a tumour a year later - caused by skull fracture sustained in the attack:

Marine Engineering Mechanic Paul T. Mills

A memorial cross was erected on Pebble Island after the war, and a memorial website also exists:

[HMS Coventry D118]

See HMS Coventry for other ships to bear the name.

Type 42 destroyer

Royal Navy

Argentine Navy

Hércules | Santísima Trinidad

List of destroyers of the Royal Navy

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