Sinking
Punjabi was deployed on 26 April as part of the screen providing distant cover for the passage of Convoy PQ-15. They sailed from Hvalfjörður on 29 April. On 1 May, she was rammed and sunk in a collision with King George V in foggy conditions. Punjabi was sliced in two by the battleship's bow. 169 of the ship’s company were rescued from the forward section, and another 40 were picked up from the sea by other escorts, including Marne. Those crew left in the aft section — which sank very quickly — were killed when her depth charges were detonated. 49 of her crew lost their lives in the accident. She sank directly in the path of the American battleship USS Washington, which had to sail between the halves of the sinking destroyer. Washington suffered slight damage from the detonation of the depth charges. King George V had sustained serious damage to her bow and was forced to return to port for repairs.
Read more about this topic: HMS Punjabi (F21)
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