HMS Wild Swan was an Admiralty modified W-class destroyer constructed for the Royal Navy, representing a significant post-World War I naval design. Built by Swan Hunter at Wallsend-on-Tyne, she was laid down in July 1918, launched on 17 May 1919, and completed by 14 November 1919. The vessel measured 312 feet (95.1 meters) in overall length, with a beam of 29 feet 6 inches (8.99 meters) and a draught varying between 10 feet 9 inches (3.28 meters) and 11 feet 7.5 inches (3.54 meters) depending on load. Displacement was 1,112 long tons (1,130 tonnes) standard and 1,505 long tons (1,529 tonnes) at deep load. Her propulsion system comprised three oil-fed Yarrow boilers generating steam at 250 psi, feeding Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines that delivered 27,000 shaft horsepower, allowing her to reach a maximum speed of 34 knots (63 km/h). She carried approximately 387 long tons (393 tonnes) of oil, which afforded her a range of 3,210 nautical miles (5,940 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h). Her armament included four 4.7-inch (120 mm) BL guns on single mounts, two 2-pounder "pom-pom" autocannons for anti-aircraft defense, and six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts. She had a complement of 134 officers and ratings. Initially assigned to the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla of the Atlantic Fleet, Wild Swan operated in the Baltic and later transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet following the Chanak Crisis. She participated in various notable activities, including the evacuation of Greeks from Turkish territory and the hunt for the French airship Dixmunde. During the late 1920s, she was based on the China Station and involved in intercepting Chinese Nationalist forces. Reconfigured and placed in reserve in 1930, she was re-commissioned in 1931 and later transferred to Singapore, then back to the Mediterranean. With the outbreak of World War II, Wild Swan was reactivated, modernized with anti-submarine equipment, and engaged in convoy escort and patrol duties along the North Sea and Atlantic. She participated in the Dunkirk evacuation, rescuing troops and civilians, and was involved in operations against German U-boats and coastal shipping. Her service culminated in her sinking on 16 June 1942 after sustaining damage from German air attacks and a collision with a Spanish trawler in the Bay of Biscay. Her loss marked the end of a vessel with a distinguished service record spanning from the immediate post-WWI era through critical WWII operations, exemplifying the versatility and resilience of the W-class destroyers.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.