HMS Gurkha was an L-class destroyer in Britain's Royal Navy during World War II.

[2] She was launched on 8 July 1940[1] by Mary Churchill, the youngest child of the Prime Minister and his wife Clementine.

Only 17 years old at the time, she later recalled the "emotion and excitement" of the launch, describing the occasion as "thrilling": "It was a beautiful day and I waved the new vessel away most proudly.

It was at that time customary for the shipbuilders to give the sponsor of a ship a present: my 'prize' was a lovely Victorian diamond necklace."

While returning to Scapa Flow the next day, Gurkha collided with a wooden drifter, sinking the fishing boat and sustaining serious damage.