HMAS Nestor
HMAS Nestor (G-02) was an N class
destroyer laid down by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, at
Govan in
Scotland on
26 July 1939, launched on
9 July 1940 and commissioned on
12 February 1941.
She was manned by Australians and commissioned in the
Royal Australian Navy but remained the property of the British Government.
Nestor escorted
North Atlantic convoys, participated in the pursuit and destruction of the enemy German
battleship Bismarck in
May 1941, escorted
Malta convoys in the
Mediterranean, engaged in escort duties in the South Atlantic, attacked and sank the enemy German submarine U-127 off Cape St. Vincent on
15 December 1941, screened the heavy ships during the bombardment of
Bardia, escorted the aircraft carrier HMS
Indomitable in the
Indian Ocean, and served with the 7th Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean.
HMAS Nestor was attacked and severely damaged off the south west corner of Crete by enemy German land based aircraft while assigned to escort duty on a Malta bound convoy on 15 June 1942. She was taken in tow by HMS Javelin but was scuttled by depth charges at 0530 on 17 June 1942.