Description
Juruá was part of a 6 ship class of destroyers ordered for the Brazilian Navy. These ships were nearly identical to the H class destroyers of the UK. Juruá herself was laid down by Vickers-Armstrong in June 1938, but with the outbreak of the second world war, the UK bought all six ships on September 4, 1939, and Juruá - renamed HMS Hardy - was launched just over 3 weeks later, on September 29th. The ship was redesigned to suit British needs, and was completed without Y turret in favor of more ASW capabilities. Renamed Harvester, she was commissioned in May 1940.
Harvester took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk, and was assigned to Atlantic convoy duty afterward. On October 30th, along with her sister Highlander (ex-Jaguaribe), she sunk U-32. After some time in Force H, she was reassigned once more to convoy duty in June 1941. She was refit for escort duty, landing A turret and her 12.7mm machine guns in order to fit Hedgehog and 2 more single Oerlikons, bringing the total armament to 2x1 120mm, 1x1 76mm, 4x1 20mm, 3 DCR, 8 DCT, Hedgehog, and Type 271 radar.
On March 10-11th, 1943, Harvester engaged U-444 while defending Convoy HX 228. Forcing the U boat to the surface with depth charges, Harvester sped up to 27 knots, ramming and sinking the sub, which went down with only 5 survivors. Harvester picked up 1, with the Free French Flower-class corvette Aconit picking up 4. Harvester survived the ramming, but was severely damaged, with the port shaft out of action and the starboard shaft barely functional. At 0900, the shaft gave out. Harvester signaled to Aconit "I am stopped. Stand by me." At 1100, Harvester was rocked by a torpedo from U-432. As the men prepared to abandon the sinking ship, a second torpedo streaked in at the stricken ship.The captain, seven officers, 136 ratings and 39 survivors from other ships were lost. Aconit rammed and sunk U-432, then picked up 60 survivors from Harvester, including 12 survivors from the Liberty ship William C. Gorgas. Aconit also captured 12 survivors from U-432, including the second officer.
The senior surviving officer of Harvester, Lieutenant J L Briggs (who had been gunnery control officer) interviewed the second-in-command of U-432, who had launched both torpedoes: "Why did you need to fire the second torpedo so shallow? What did you want to do, kill as many as you could?" The oberleutnant replied "didn't think you were sinking fast enough."