HMS Achates (H12)
|
|
HMS Achates was an A-class destroyer of the Royal Navy launched on 4 October 1929 and commissioned on 27 March 1930. Achates was on escort duty protecting the Russian convoy PQ 51B when she was sunk in the Barents Sea on the 31 December, 1942 by the German cruiser Admiral Hipper. 113 sailors were killed and 80 were rescued.
Seaman Kenneth MacIver RNR was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaf and mentioned in despatches. He put himself at risk to rescue comrades in a rapidly flooding cabin, then made trips across the deck while under heavy fire, to take over the ships wheel with just the aid of a ships compass. He continued to steer the stricken ship and maintain the laying down of smoke screen to protect and shield the convoy, unfortunately when the survivors were picked up the wheelhouse was totally destroyed by further shelling and Seaman MacIver lost his life.
See HMS Achates for other ships of this name.
References
- 73 North by Dudley Pope describes MacIver's actions during the battle.
| A-class destroyer |
| Royal Navy |
| Acasta | Achates | Acheron | Active | Antelope | Anthony | Ardent | Arrow | Codrington |
| Royal Canadian Navy |
| Saguenay | Skeena |