View source for HMS Mohawk (F31)

{{Short description|British Tribal-class destroyer}}
{{other ships|HMS Mohawk}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
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{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = HMS Mohawk (F31).jpg
| Ship caption = ''Mohawk''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship country = United Kingdom
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|UK|naval}}
| Ship name = ''Mohawk''
| Ship namesake = [[Mohawk people]]
| Ship ordered = 10 March 1936
| Ship completed = 7 September 1938
| Ship builder = [[John I. Thornycroft & Company|Thornycroft]], [[Woolston, Southampton]]
| Ship laid down = 16 July 1936
| Ship launched = 5 October 1937
| Ship christened = 
| Ship commissioned = 9 September 1938
| Ship in service = 
| Ship original cost =[[pound sterling|£]]339,585
| Ship struck = 
| Ship fate = Sunk by {{ship|Italian destroyer|Luca Tarigo||6}}, 16 April 1941
| Ship identification = [[Pennant number]]s: L31/F31/G31
| Ship motto = 
| Ship nickname = 
| Ship honours = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = (as built)
| Ship class = {{sclass2|Tribal|destroyer|||1936}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1891|LT|t|lk=on}} ([[Standard displacement|standard]])
*{{convert|2519|LT|t}} ([[deep load]])
|Ship length={{convert|377|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} ([[Length overall|o/a]])
|Ship beam={{convert|36|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|11|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*3 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{cvt|44000|shp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 × shafts; 2 × geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5700|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship sensors=[[ASDIC]]
|Ship complement=190
|Ship armament=*4 × twin [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX|4.7 in (120&nbsp;mm) guns]]
*1 × quadruple [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|2-pdr ({{cvt|40|mm}})]] [[AA gun]]s
*2 × quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.5 in (12.7&nbsp;mm)]] [[anti-aircraft machinegun]]s
*1 × quadruple [[British 21-inch torpedo|21 in (533&nbsp;mm)]] [[torpedo tubes]]
*20 × [[depth charge]]s, 1 × rack, 2 × throwers
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Mohawk'''''  was one of 16 {{sclass2|Tribal|destroyer (1936)|0}} [[destroyer]]s built for the [[Royal Navy]] shortly before the beginning of [[Second World War]] in 1939. Completed in 1938 the ship was initially assigned to the [[Mediterranean Fleet]]. She was briefly involved enforcing the [[Non-intervention in the Spanish Civil War|arms blockade]] on the combatants in the [[Spanish Civil War]] in early 1939. ''Mohawk'' returned home shortly after the start of the Second World War and was assigned [[convoy]] escort duties, during which she was damaged by German [[bomber]]s. She played an active role in the [[Norwegian Campaign]] of April–May 1940, escorting convoys to and from Norway.

The ship was assigned to the [[14th Destroyer Flotilla]] (DF) of the Mediterranean Fleet in June and began escorting [[Malta Convoys|convoys to Malta]] and [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]]. ''Mohawk'' played a minor role in the [[Battle of Calabria]] in July and the [[Battle of Cape Matapan]] in March 1941. The following month the ship was sunk by torpedoes fired by an Italian destroyer off the [[French protectorate of Tunisia|Tunisian]] coast as the 14th DF [[Action off Sfax|attacked an Italian convoy]], with the loss of 41 of her crew.

==Description==
The Tribals were intended to counter the large destroyers being built abroad and to improve the firepower of the existing destroyer [[flotilla]]s and were thus significantly larger and more heavily armed than the preceding {{sclass2|I|destroyer|4}}.<ref>Lenton, p. 164</ref> The ships displaced {{convert|1891|LT|t|lk=on}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|2519|LT|t}} at [[deep load]].<ref>English, p. 14</ref> They had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|377|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|36|ft|6|in|m}}<ref name=l65>Lenton, p. 165</ref> and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|11|ft|3|in|m}}.<ref name=e12>English, p. 12</ref> The destroyers were powered by two [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]] using steam provided by three [[Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|44000|shp|lk=on}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}.<ref name=l65/> During her [[sea trial]]s ''Mohawk'' made {{convert|36.2|kn}} from {{cvt|44078|shp|kW}} at a displacement of {{convert|2017|LT|t}}.<ref>March, p. 322</ref> The ships carried enough [[fuel oil]] to give them a range of {{convert|5700|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}.<ref name=e12/> The ships' complement consisted of 190 officers and [[naval rating|ratings]], although the [[flotilla leader]]s carried an extra 20 officers and men consisting of the [[Captain (D)]] and his staff.<ref name=w99>Whitley, p. 99</ref>

The primary armament of the Tribal-class destroyers was eight [[List of British ordnance terms#QF|quick-firing (QF)]] [[4.7 inch QF Mark XII|4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mark XII guns]] in four [[superfiring]] twin-gun mounts, one pair each fore and aft of the [[superstructure]], designated 'A', 'B', 'X', and 'Y' from front to rear. The mounts had a maximum [[elevation (ballistics)|elevation]] of 40°. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft (AA)]] defence, they carried a single quadruple mount for the {{convert|40|mm|adj=on|1}} [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|QF two-pounder Mk II]] "pom-pom" gun and two quadruple mounts for the [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.5-inch (12.7&nbsp;mm) Mark III]] [[machine gun]].<ref>Hodges, pp. 13–25</ref> Low-angle fire for the main guns was controlled by the [[Director (military)|director-control tower (DCT)]] on the [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]] roof that fed data acquired by it and the {{convert|12|ft|adj=on|1}} [[Rangefinding telemeter|rangefinder]] on the Mk II Rangefinder/Director directly aft of the DCT to an analogue [[mechanical computer]], the Mk I [[Admiralty Fire Control Clock]]. Anti-aircraft fire for the main guns was controlled by the Rangefinder/Director which sent data to the mechanical [[Fuze Keeping Clock]].<ref>Friedman, p. 32</ref>

The ships were fitted with a single above-water quadruple mount for [[British 21-inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}}]] torpedoes.<ref name=w99/> The Tribals were not intended as anti-submarine ships, but they were provided with [[ASDIC]], one [[depth charge]] rack and two throwers for self-defence, although the throwers were not mounted in all ships.<ref>Hodges, pp. 30–31, 40</ref> Twenty depth charges was the peacetime allotment, but this increased to 30 during wartime.<ref>English, p. 15</ref>

===Wartime modifications===
Heavy losses to German air attack during the [[Norwegian Campaign]]  demonstrated the ineffectiveness of the Tribals' anti-aircraft suite and the RN decided in May 1940 to replace 'X' mount with two [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}} Mark XVI]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s in a twin-gun mount. To better control the guns, the existing rangefinder/director was modified to accept a [[Type 285 radar|Type 285]] [[fire-control radar|gunnery radar]] as they became available. The number of depth charges was increased to 46 early in the war, and still more were added later.<ref>Friedman, p. 34; Hodges, pp. 41–42</ref> To increase the firing arcs of the AA guns, the rear [[funnel (ship)|funnel]] was shortened and the [[mainmast]] was reduced to a short pole mast.<ref>Whitley, p. 116</ref>

==Construction and career==
Authorized as one of seven Tribal-class destroyers under the 1935 Naval Estimates,<ref>Brice, p. 11</ref> ''Mohawk'' was the eleventh ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy.<ref>Colledge & Warlow, pp. 230–231</ref> The ship was ordered on 10 March 1936 from [[John I. Thornycroft & Company]] and was [[laid down]] on 16 July at the company's [[Woolston, Southampton]], [[shipyard]]. [[Ceremonial ship launching|Launched]] on 5 October 1937, ''Mohawk'' was completed on 7 September 1938 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] two days later at a cost of [[pound sterling|£]]339,585 which excluded weapons and communications outfits furnished by the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]].<ref>Brice, p. 178; English, pp. 13, 16</ref> Under the command of [[Commander (Royal Navy)|Commander]] [[Richard Frank Jolly]], the ship was initially assigned to the [[1st Tribal Destroyer Flotilla]] with the [[Mediterranean Fleet (United Kingdom)|Mediterranean Fleet]] and arrived at [[Crown Colony of Malta|Malta]] on 13 October. The following month she patrolled the Malta-[[Egypt]] leg of the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF)'s Long-Range Development Flight of three [[Vickers Wellesley]] bombers that were preparing to break the world [[flight distance record]] by flying from Egypt to [[Australia]] non-stop. At the end of the month, ''Mohawk'' ferried the [[British Ambassador to Turkey]] back to [[Istanbul]] from his annual visit to the [[Helles Memorial]] and then cruised through the [[Aegean Sea]] before returning to Malta.<ref>Brice, pp. 178–179; English, p. 35</ref>

The flotilla sailed to [[Gibraltar]] where the Mediterranean and [[Home Fleet]]s were gathering for combined exercises. These ran from 28 February to 18 March 1939 and involved dozens of ships from both commands. ''Mohawk'' then patrolled the waters off the Mediterranean Spanish coast during the [[Spanish Civil War]] to enforce the arms embargo imposed on both sides by the [[Non-Intervention Committee]]. On 23 March the ship rescued the crew of a damaged German [[floatplane]] that had been forced to land off [[Barcelona]] and returned them to [[Majorca]]. When Fascist Italy invaded [[Albanian Kingdom (1928–1939)|Albania]] on 7 April, the Mediterranean Fleet was mobilised and remained on a war footing for most of May. During this time the 1st Tribal Destroyer Flotilla was redesignated as the [[4th Destroyer Flotilla]]. By July 7 tensions had decreased such that ''Mohawk'' and her sisters {{HMS|Gurkha|F20|2}}, {{HMS|Afridi|F07|2}}, and {{HMS|Sikh|F82|2}} were able to escort the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Glorious||2}} on a visit to [[Athens]], [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]]. The following month, the fleet spent a week exercising in the area between the Greek island of [[Crete]] and [[British Cyprus]]. As tensions rose in Europe later in August, the fleet was mobilised and continued to train in preparation for war with Italy. As part of its preparations, the Admiralty had closed the Mediterranean to British shipping and ''Mohawk'' and seven other destroyers escorted one group of ships that had collected at [[Suez]], Egypt, through the [[Red Sea]] to reduce the congestion.<ref>Brice, pp. 22–23, 179</ref>

=== Second World War ===
When Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September, ''Mohawk'' was still in the Red Sea. As Italy took steps to prove her neutrality, the destroyers were released from their mission and returned to Alexandria where they began escorting convoys and conducting [[contraband]] inspections of non-British ships. This was not the best use of the Tribals and the 4th DF was ordered back to England in October. They arrived at [[Isle of Portland|Portland]] on the 13th and escorted a convoy northwards on 15–16 October. As the ships were approaching [[Rosyth]], Scotland, the [[Luftwaffe]] made the first attack of the war on British territory, taking the British by surprise. Only one of ''Mohawk''{{'}}s AA guns was able to fire before a bomber from I [[Group (military unit)|Group]]/Bomber [[Wing (military unit)|Wing]] 30 ([[Kampfgeschwader]] 30) dropped two bombs that straddled the destroyer. Near-missing the ship, the bombs detonated on impacting the water and sprayed splinters all along its upper deck, killing 15 men and wounding 30. Jolly was mortally wounded, but refused all assistance and continued to [[conn (nautical)|conn]] ''Mohawk'' until he passed out. He was posthumously awarded the [[Empire Gallantry Medal]], which was later upgraded to the [[George Medal]]. The ship received temporary repairs at Rosyth before she sailed to [[Hawthorn Leslie and Company|Hawthorn Leslie]]'s shipyard in [[Hebburn]] for permanent repairs. The [[oil tanker]] {{SS|Inverland}} struck a [[naval mine|mine]] on 14 December, while ''Mohawk'' and the destroyer {{HMS|Kelly|F01|2}} were [[Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z)#working up|working up]], but the British believed that the tanker had been torpedoed. The two ships were ordered to search for the U-boat believed to be responsible and blundered into the minefield. ''Kelly'' struck a mine that malfunctioned and did not detonate until it was just [[abaft]] the ship's stern. The detonation badly damaged her steering and caused her to take on water. ''Mohawk'' was able to take her in tow until a [[tugboat]] arrived, after which ''Mohawk'' escorted the ships back to the Hawthorn Leslie yard from which both ships had recently emerged.<ref>Brice, pp. 23, 179–181; English, p. 35; Haarr 2013, pp. 239–240, 290</ref>

The destroyer returned to escort duties afterwards, both for convoys and the Home Fleet. While escorting the newly completed [[ocean liner]] {{RMS|Queen Elizabeth}} through the [[Firth of Clyde]] on 3 March 1940, ''Mohawk'' was slightly damaged when the [[cargo ship]] {{SS|Gartbrattan}} collided with her; repairs were completed on 19 March. The 4th DF was then allocated to [[Plan R 4]], a preemptive occupation of cities in western Norway after a German invasion had begun, and was tasked to escort the troop-laden ships of the [[1st Cruiser Squadron]] to [[Bergen]] and [[Stavanger]]. The Germans decided to move first and occupied most Norwegian ports in a sea- and airborne assault ([[Operation Weserübung]]) on 9 April that took both the Norwegians and the Allies by surprise.<ref>Brice, pp. 25, 180–181; English, p. 35</ref>

====Norwegian Campaign====
{{main|Norwegian Campaign}}
[[File:1940NorwayCampaign.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Maps covering the operations in central and southern Norway, April–May 1940]]
Receiving word that the RAF had attacked north-bound German warships in the North Sea on 7 April, the Home Fleet put to sea that evening. The [[2nd Cruiser Squadron]] departed Rosyth with its two light cruisers, escorted by ''Mohawk'' and the rest of the 4th DF, with orders to sweep through the North Sea before rendezvousing with the main body of the Home Fleet. On the morning of 9 April the 4th DF, minus {{HMS|Tartar|F43|2}}, was tasked with attacking Bergen, [[Covering force|covered]] by the [[18th Cruiser Squadron]], but the Admiralty cancelled the attack that afternoon when it received reports that two German light cruisers were in port. As the British ships were falling back on the main body of the Home Fleet, they were attacked by 88 bombers of Bomber [[Wing (air force unit)|Wing]] 26 ([[Kampfgeschwader 26]]) and Bomber Wing 30, sinking ''Gurkha'' and lightly damaging the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Rodney|29|2}}.<ref>Brice, pp. 25, 181; Haarr 2009, pp. 86, 284–288</ref>

After refuelling at Scapa Flow the following day, ''Mohawk'', five of her sisters and two light cruisers departed on the evening of 11 April, arriving off [[Stadlandet]] the following morning. The destroyers were split up to search the area for German ships before rendezvousing with the cruisers at dusk, but an inaccurate spot report of a German [[battlecruiser]] and cruiser that afternoon forestalled the searches as the destroyers were recalled. On the morning of 13 April the destroyers were sent to search the [[Romsdalsfjord]] and only found four merchant ships. As they were leaving [[Ålesund]] they were unsuccessfully attacked by a dozen bombers from III Group, Demonstration Wing 1 ([[Lehrgeschwader 1]]). The following morning they were ordered north to the [[Namsos (town)|Namsos]] area to examine its suitability for an Allied landing and to coordinate with local Norwegian forces. Harbour facilities were assessed as inadequate and that troops should be landed elsewhere and transferred to destroyers for off-loading at Namsos. The Admiralty ordered that the [[148th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|148th Infantry Brigade]], already at sea, to be diverted to the anchorage at Lillesjona; its [[troopship]]s arrived there at dawn on 16 April and began transferring their troops to the destroyers after they had completed refuelling. Half-a-dozen Luftwaffe bombers disrupted the transfer that afternoon with little effect. The destroyers unloaded their troops that night and the rest of the troops arrived the following evening. The destroyers and their covering cruisers were ordered home on 19 April.<ref>Haarr 2010, pp. 61, 106–113</ref>

''Mohawk'' and four other destroyers escorted a small supply convoy to [[Åndalsnes]] and [[Molde]] that was so heavily attacked by the Luftwaffe on 27 April that they had to abort their mission before two of the ships could complete their unloading. The former town was set on fire, but the ships only suffered splinter damage. They were attacked again the following day as they withdrew. On 1–4 May ''Mohawk'' escorted the troopship {{HMS|Royal Ulsterman}} as she transported No. 1 [[Independent Company]] to [[Mo i Rana]]. The ship embarked British diplomats in [[The Hague]], the [[Netherlands]], on the 11th. With tensions rising with Italy, the Admiralty ordered a total of 17 destroyers, including ''Mohawk'' and her sister {{HMS|Nubian|F36|2}} transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet on 14 May, although the destroyer received a brief refit before departing.<ref>Admiralty Historical Section 2000, pp. 59, 86, 105; Brice, p. 27, 182; English, p. 36; Haarr 2010, pp. 97, 278</ref>

====Mediterranean service====
En route to Alexandria, the ship suffered steering problems and had to divert to Gibraltar for repairs, finally arriving on 29 May to joint the 14th DF. On 27–30 June ''Mohawk'' was part of the escort force for convoys coming from the [[Dardanelles]] and Greece to [[Port Said]], Egypt. Italy declared war on 10 June and the fleet sortied that night and sailed to within {{cvt|120|nmi}} of the Italian coast, losing an elderly cruiser to an Italian submarine before returning to Alexandria on the 14th. ''Mohawk'' played a minor role in the Battle of Calabria on 8 July, escorting the battleship {{HMS|Warspite|03|2}}. ''Mohawk'' and ''Nubian'', together with the destroyers {{HMS|Hero|H99|2}} and {{HMS|Hostile|H55|2}}, were ordered to Gibraltar on 22 August where they were to temporarily join [[Force H]] to escort reinforcements for the Mediterranean Fleet as part of [[Operation Hats]]. ''Nubian'' had engine problems that forced her to put into Malta for repairs while ''Hostile'' struck an Italian mine en route the following day off [[Cap Bon]] that broke her back. ''Mohawk'' took off the survivors while ''Hero'' [[Scuttling|scuttled]] ''Hostile'' with torpedoes. The three ships arrived in Gibraltar on the 29th; the following day, the destroyers proceeded to sea and rendezvoused with the fleet on 2 September.<ref>Admiralty Historical Section 2002a, pp. 23, 55, 57; Brice, p. 182–183; English, p. 36; Rohwer, pp. 30</ref>

''Mohawk'' and ''Nubian'' were escorting the [[heavy cruiser]] {{HMS|Kent|54|2}} during a bombardment of [[Bardia]], [[Italian Libya]], on 17 September when she was torpedoed by an Italian torpedo bomber. ''Nubian'' towed her back to Alexandria while ''Mohawk'' escorted them until they arrived on the 19th. Three days later, the 14th DF, including ''Mohawk'', bombarded the airfield at [[Sidi Barrani]] and nearby targets; the ship returned on 25 September, attacking truck concentrations. While the bulk of the Mediterranean Fleet covered the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Illustrious|87|2}} as her aircraft [[Battle of Taranto|attack the Italian Fleet in Taranto]] on the night of 11/12 November, [[Vice-Admiral (Royal Navy)|Vice-Admiral]] Henry Pridham-Wippell took three light cruisers, escorted by ''Mohawk'' and ''Nubian'' turned north to attack Italian shipping in the southern [[Adriatic Sea]]. They encountered a small convoy of four ships, escorted by the [[auxiliary cruiser]] {{ship|Italian auxiliary cruiser|Ramb III||2}} and the [[torpedo boat]] {{ship|Italian torpedo boat|Nicola Fabrizi||2}}. ''Mohawk'' was the first to open fire, claiming a hit on ''Ramb III'' and then one on the torpedo boat, although both ships were able to break contact. The cruisers sank all of the merchantmen before reuniting with the main body. On the night of 11/12 December, the destroyer escorted the [[monitor (warship)|monitor]] {{HMS|Terror|I03|2}} as she bombarded Italian positions near [[Sollum]], Egypt.<ref>Admiralty Historical Section 2002a, pp. 65–66; Admiralty Historical Section 2002b, pp. 13–14; Brice, pp. 183–185; English, p. 36; Rohwer, pp. 41–42, 47–48</ref>

====1941====
''Mohawk'' was one of the escorts for the battleships of the Mediterranean Fleet as they bombarded Bardia on 3 January 1941. The following week she participated in [[Operation Excess]], a series of convoys to resupply Malta and convey reinforcement for the Mediterranean Fleet past Malta. The ship was part of the escort force for the main body of the fleet until one of the other escorts, the destroyer {{HMS|Gallant|H59|2}}, struck a mine on 10 January that blew off her [[bow (ship)|bow]]; ''Mohawk'' was detailed to tow her stern-first to Malta where they arrived the following day. After refuelling she departed to go to the assistance of the light cruisers {{HMS|Southampton|83|2}} and {{HMS|Gloucester|62|2}} which had been attacked by German [[Junkers Ju 87]] "Stuka" dive bombers. The former's fires burnt out of control and she had to be scuttled. The 14th DF covered the bombardment of [[Tobruk]] by the Inshore Squadron on the night of 19/20 January. A few days later, the flotilla formed part of the escort for the damaged ''Illustrious'' as she steamed from Malta to Alexandria on 23–25 January.<ref>Admiralty Historical Section 2002b, pp. 46; Brice, pp. 185–187; English, p. 36; Rohwer, pp. 54–55, 57–58</ref>

For most of the Battle of Cape Matapan, ''Mohawk'' and the 14th DF escorted the fleet's battleships, but they were detached at dusk on 28 March to find and sink the badly damaged  {{ship|Italian battleship|Vittorio Veneto||6}}. The flotilla turned around about six hours later based on an erroneous report of a drifting battleship and spotted the burning heavy cruiser {{ship|Italian cruiser|Zara||2}} early on the morning of the 29th after she had been crippled by the British battleships at [[point-blank range]] the previous evening. The British ships picked up survivors and torpedoed the wreck. About an hour later they discovered the drifting heavy cruiser {{ship|Italian cruiser|Pola||2}} which had had all power knocked out by a torpedo hit earlier in the day. The British rescued the survivors crewmen before sinking the cruiser with three torpedoes and rejoining the main body of the fleet.<ref>Brice, pp. 187–188; English, p. 36; Rohwer, p. 66</ref>

[[File:HMS Mohawk's wreckage.jpg|thumb|''Mohawk''{{'}}s wreck lying in shallow water]]
The 14th DF escorted a convoy from Egypt to Greece from 1 to 6 April, although the convoy was attacked by Luftwaffe bombers, none of the destroyers were damaged. The flotilla arrived at Malta on 10/11 April with orders to interdict the Italian supply convoys between Italy and Libya at night. The first two patrols were uneventful, but British aircraft had located a small convoy off the [[Tunisia]]n coast on the afternoon of the 15th. The destroyers sortied at dusk to search for the convoy and spotted it in the early hours of 16 April. The convoy consisted of five cargo ships escorted by three destroyers. [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] [[Philip Mack]], commander of the 14th DF, manoeuvred his ships to silhouette the convoy against the moon and closed to a range of only {{cvt|2400|yd|m}} before his flagship, {{HMS|Jervis||2}} and her sister {{HMS|Janus|F53|2}} opened fire on the trailing destroyer, {{ship|Italian destroyer|Baleno|1931|2}}, at 02:20, quickly disabling her guns and turbines, and setting her on fire.<ref>Admiralty Historical Section 2002b, pp. 89–91; Brice, pp. 188–189; English, p. 36; O'Hara, p. 110–111; Rohwer, p. 69</ref>

''Mohawk'' and ''Nubian'' were in the rear of the formation and engaged the rearmost [[freighter (cargo ship)|freighter]], {{SS|Sabaudia}}, which was carrying a load of ammunition, causing an explosion and setting her on fire. As the sisters advanced down the side of the convoy, ''Mohawk'' withheld fire as all of the targets were being engaged. By 02:35 the leading escort, the destroyer {{ship|Italian destroyer|Luca Tarigo||2}}, had turned back and was taken under fire by all of the British ships. As the Italian ship was sinking, her crew was able to fire two torpedoes under manual control. The first of these struck ''Mohawk'' just after she had turned to avoid being rammed by the freighter {{SS|Arta}} as the destroyer passed through the convoy shortly after 02:45. The torpedo hit ''Mohawk'' on the starboard side abreast 'Y' gun mount, knocking out both aft mounts and blowing off the upper [[stern]]. Although the ship had stopped and was [[wikt:awash|awash]] up to 'X' mount, the chief engineer reported five minutes later that he believed that the [[propeller]]s and their shafts were intact and that the ship could move. Before he could do so, another torpedo struck the port side on the [[bulkhead (ship)|bulkhead]] that separated the middle and aft [[Fire room|boiler rooms]] at 02:53. Its detonation caused the aft boiler to explode and the upper deck to split down the middle. ''Mohawk'' [[capsized]] a minute later with her stern touching the shallow bottom with the loss of 41 crewmen. The British ships rescued her surviving crew and ''Janus'' had to put four shells into her buoyant [[forecastle]] to put the ship fully underwater off the [[Kerkennah Islands]].<ref>Admiralty Historical Section 2002b, p. 91; Brice, pp. 189–190; English, pp. 36–37; O'Hara, p. 111</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite book|last=Admiralty Historical Section|title=Naval Operations of the Campaign in Norway, April–June 1940|year=2000|series=Whitehall Histories: Naval Staff Histories |publisher=Frank Cass|location=London|isbn=0-7146-5119-2|ref=none}}
*{{cite book|last=Admiralty Historical Section|title=The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean |publisher=Whitehall History in association with Frank Cass|location=London |year=2002a |series=Whitehall Histories, Naval Staff Histories |volume=I: September 1939 – October 1941|isbn=0-7146-5179-6}}
*{{cite book|last=Admiralty Historical Section|title=The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean |publisher=Whitehall History in association with Frank Cass|location=London|year=2002b |series=Whitehall Histories, Naval Staff Histories |volume=II: November 1940 – December 1941|isbn=0-7146-5205-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Brice|first=Martin H.|title=The Tribals|publisher=Ian Allan|date=1971|location=London|isbn=0-7110-0245-2}}
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Gravesend, Kent|date=2001|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers and Frigates, the Second World War and After|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2006 |isbn=1-86176-137-6|author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last=Haarr|first=Geirr H.|title=The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940|year=2009|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-310-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/germaninvasionof00geir}}
* {{cite book|last=Haarr|first=Geirr H.|title=The Battle for Norway: April–June 1940|year=2010|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-051-1}}
*{{cite book|last=Haarr|first=Geirr H.|title=The Gathering Storm: The Naval War in Northern Europe September 1939 – April 1940|year=2013|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-331-4|ref=none}}
*{{cite book|last=Hodges|first=Peter|title=Tribal Class Destroyers: Royal Navy and Commonwealth|year=1971|publisher=Almark Publishing|location=London|isbn=0-85524-047-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7|author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton}}
* {{cite book |last1=O'Hara |first1=Vincent |year=2009 |title=Struggle for the Middle Sea: The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean Theater, 1940–1945 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=978-1-59114-648-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

==External links==
*[https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-34Tribal-HMS_Mohawk.htm HMS MOHAWK (L 31) -  Tribal-class Destroyer, including Convoy Escort Movements]

* [http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80020141 IWM Interview with survivor William Lashmer]
* [http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80020356 IWM Interview with survivor Peter Blackwell]

{{coord|34|56|0|N|11|42|0|E|display=title}}

{{Tribal class destroyer (1936)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohawk (F31)}}
[[Category:1937 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in April 1941]]
[[Category:Ships built in Southampton]]
[[Category:Tribal-class destroyers (1936) of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea]]