HMS Sparrowhawk ( 1912 ) HMS " Sparrowhawk " was an " Acasta " - class destroyer built in 1912 and sunk in 1916 at the battle of Jutland after a collision with the destroyer leader HMS " Broke " . Construction . She was built at the Wallsend yard of Swan , Hunter & Wigham Richardson and launched on 12 October 1912 . She joined the 4th Destroyer Flotilla on completion . Service in World War I . From the outbreak of World War I " Sparrowhawk " served with the Grand Fleet . Loss at the Battle of Jutland . She was sunk on 1 June 1916 after a collision with HMS " Broke " at the battle of Jutland . Six of her crew were killed . At around 23 . 40 some of the ships of the 4th destroyer flotilla formed up under Commander Walter Allen of " Broke " , who was the half - flotilla leader , with the aim of continuing the attack against German ships nearby . " Broke " was caught in searchlights coming from the German battleship SMS " Westfalen " . She attempted to fire torpedoes , but the range was very short , in the region of 150 yards , and the German ship opened fire first . The effect was devastating so that within a couple of minutes 50 crew were killed and another 30 injured , disabling the guns and preventing any effective activity on deck . The helmsman was killed at the wheel , and as he died his body turned the wheel causing the ship to turn to port and ram " Sparrowhawk " . Sub - Lieutenant Percy Wood saw " Broke " coming towards them at 28 knots , heading directly for " Sparrowhawk " s bridge . He shouted warnings to crew on the foc ' sle to get clear , and then was knocked over by the impact . He awoke to find himself lying on the deck of " Broke " . Wood reported to Commander Allen , who told him to return to his own ship and make preparations there to take onboard the crew of " Broke " . Two other men from " Sparrowhawk " were also thrown onto " Broke " by the collision . Returning to " Sparrowhawk " , Wood was told by his own captain , Lieutenant - Commander Sydney Hopkins , that he had just sent exactly the same message across to " Broke " . Approximately 20 men from " Sparrowhawk " evacuated to " Broke " , while fifteen of " Broke " s crew crossed to " Sparrowhawk " . At this point a third destroyer , steamed into " Sparrowhawk " , striking six feet from her stern . " Contest " was relatively unharmed and able to continue after the collision . " Broke " and " Sparrowhawk " remained wedged together for about half an hour before they could be separated and " Broke " got underway , taking 30 of " Sparrowhawk " s crew with her . " Sparrowhawk " still had engine power but the rudder was jammed to one side so she could do nothing except steam in circles , near the burning destroyer . At around 0200 a German torpedo boat approached , coming within 100 yards , but then turned away . Only one gun was still functional , which the captain and his officers manned personally as the gun crews had been killed or injured , but they held fire in the hope the German would not initiate an attack " Sparrowhawk " could not hope to survive . Shortly after , the " Tipperary " sank , putting out the fire which was attracting attention to the area . At around 0330 " Sparrowhawk " sighted a German cruiser , again causing considerable alarm , but shortly afterwards the ship was seen to list and then sink bow first . This was the SMS " Elbing " , which had been torpedoed and then abandoned . At 0610 a raft approached , carrying 23 men from the " Tipperary " : three were found to be already dead , while five more died after being taken on board . An hour later three British destroyers arrived and attempted to get two hawsers attached to " Sparrowhawk " to tow her to safety . The high seas meant the ropes parted and there were reports of German submarines nearby . It was decided that " Sparrowhawk " must be abandoned , and " Marksman " fired 18 shells into her to ensure that she sank . The wrecksite is designated as a " protected place " under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 . < br >