Janus:

The HMS Janus (F53) was a British Royal Navy Destroyer of the "j" (or Javelin) Class built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd. of Wallsend-on-Tyne, UK for the Royal Navy under the 1936 Build Programme. Her keel was laid down on 29 September 1937, launched 10 November 1938, and completed on 05 August 1939.

Standard specifications for this class were: 1,692-1,830 Grt, 356 feet in length, 37 feet 9 inches in beam and 9 feet in draught (12 fully loaded), 2 screws at 40,000 shp.
Weapons and Armament consisted of: Main Guns 6 x 4.7 inch (119 mm) in 3 mounts; Generally 4 (some 6) x 4.7 inch (119 mm) or 4 x 4.5 inch (114 mm)

Other Guns: 4 x 2 pound (0.91 kg) pom-poms in 1 mount; 8 x 0·5 inch (13 mm) machine guns in 2 mounts; Varied AA armament (generally 40mm (1.6 inch) and 20mm (0.8 inch), some pom-poms)

Torpedo Tubes: 10 x 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in 2 mounts; 4 to 8 tubes (generally 8 in 2 mounts)

Depth Charges: 2 mortars; 1 rack (20 depth charges, + 10 additional during wartime) 2 to 4 mortars (generally 4); 1 (45 depth charges) to 3 racks (120 depth charges) (generally 2, with up to 70 depth charges)

Magazine: 1140 Semi-Armour Piercing; 60 High Explosive Direct Action; 300 High Explosive Time Fuse; 50 Star Shell; 195 Practice Low Angle; 69 High Angle Varies.

Designed compliment was 183 personnel. However, at the time of her sinking she was carrying 252 personnel onboard.
Not much information on the actual sinking of the ship. On 23 January 1944, she was attacked and hit by a torpedo from a German HE-111 aircraft and sank with heavy loss of life when the magazine exploded at position 32.00N/26.15E. 94 survivors were rescued by HMS Jervis and HM Tug Weasel. 158 personnel lost their lives. (Note: Some sources state that the ship sank off of Anzio.)
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janus
janus
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