Ship Names : HMS Janus

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HMS Janus (UK)

An ancient Latin deity, the janitor of the portals of heaven. He is the spirit of the opening; in this sense the opening month of the year, January, is called after him. All the januae, or gates of Rome, were in his keeping and under his protection; above all, the gateway (afterwards replaced by a temple of the god) exclusively used by the army when going to war or returning from it. Thus it came that the portals of the temple of Janus were closed in peace and opened during war. Under the Republic they were only closed three times. Janus is represented with two faces on opposite sides of his head.

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JANUS, J class destroyer built Swan Hunter, launched 10 Nov 1938.

Sunk on 23 Jan 1944 whilst carrying out gunfire support off Anzio.
She was hit by a German air launched Hs 293 glider bomb, released from a dornier do217, which had already struck and ricocheted off her Flotilla leader sister JERVIS, damaging her bow.
The missile struck her by A and B mounts at 1745, causing massive damage and considerable losses amongst her crew, and from which she was to succumb at 1805 when she went down with 157 crew, including her CO.

She was the 6th RN ship of this name.

JERVIS herself had a hugely successful war ending her days being broken up Jan 1949. Her WW2 service was only matched, but not bettered by NUBIAN, TARTAR and WARSPITE.