HMS Acheron (H45)

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HMS Acheron
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Acheron
Namesake	Acheron, a river in Greek mythology
Ordered	29 May 1928
Builder	John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston, Hampshire
Laid down	29 October 1928
Launched	18 March 1930
Commissioned	13 October 1931
Motto	"Post tenebras lux" (After darkness light)
Fate	Sunk, 17 December 1940 after hitting a mine
Badge	On a Field Black, barry wavy of 4 Silver.
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	A-class destroyer
Displacement	1,350 long tons (1,370 t) (standard) 1,773 long tons (1,801 t) (deep load)
Length	323 ft (98 m) (o/a)
Beam	32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
Draught	12 ft 3 in (3.73 m)
Installed power	34,000 shp (25,000 kW) 3 × Thornycroft water-tube boilers
Propulsion	2 × shafts; 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range	4,800 nmi (8,900 km; 5,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	134; 140 (1940)
Armament	4 × single 4.7 in (120 mm) guns 2 × single 2-pdr (40 mm) AA guns 2 × quadruple 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 6 × depth charges, 3 chutes

HMS Acheron was an A-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She served during the Second World War in Home waters and off the Norwegian coast, before becoming an early war loss when she sank after hitting a mine off the Isle of Wight on 17 December 1940. The wreck site is designated under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.