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HMS Jervis, was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy named after Admiral John Jervis (1735–1823). She was laid down by R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited, at Hebburn-on-Tyne on 26 August 1937. The ship was launched on 9 September 1938 and commissioned on 8 May 1939, four months before the start of the Second World War.
Designed as a flotilla leader to the J-class destroyers, who were intended to make up the 7th Destroyer Flotilla, Jervis was the sister ship of, and identical to, Kelly, leader to the K class (forming the 8th Flotilla) and similar to Napier of the N class. However, despite an impressive war record (she earned 13 battle honours) she remains virtually unknown.
Jervis had a reputation as a lucky ship (in contrast to her sister, Kelly, who seemed to have more than her share of bad luck). Despite a long and active career, in 5½ years of war and 13 major actions, not one of her crew was lost to enemy action, possibly a unique record. An example of her luck might be seen in her action at Anzio in January 1944. Supporting the landing with gunfire, Jervis and her sister ship, Janus, were attacked by enemy aircraft using Henschel Hs 293 glider bombs. Both were hit; Janus’ forward magazine exploded, sinking her with the loss of nearly 160 of her crew; Jervis’ bow was blown off, leaving her to be towed stern-first to safety. Astonishingly, not one of her crew was harmed in this incident, and she was able to rescue over 80 of Janus’ crew.