RN ship losses
Recording ship losses of the Royal Navies of Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand day by day, remembering the fallen and honouring all who served. Corrections and additions welcome. No official affiliations. No AI used here! Also at Twitter/X.
- 4 Feb 1945 // Minesweeper MMS 68 was destroyed north of Zakynthos in the Ionian Sea when she struck a stray mine while sailing with other vessels from Patras to Taranto. Seven men from her crew of 25 were rescued. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
- 4 Feb 1941 // HM Drifter Imbat sank with no casualties after being damaged in a collision at Scapa Flow. Her wreckage was destroyed with explosives. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #Shipwreck #NavalHistory
- 4 Feb 1919 // Minesweeper HMS Penarth was clearing a defensive minefield north-east of Scarborough when two explosions in quick succession sank her with 39 lives lost. It was presumed that she had struck mines which had not had their positions correctly recorded. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
- 4 Feb 1916 // HM Trawler De la Pole, a minesweeper, was driven aground and wrecked on the Goodwin Sands during a gale. 11 of her 12 crew were saved by the North Deal RNLI lifeboat. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory
- 4 Feb 1805 // 18-gun sloop HMS Arrow and 8-gun bomb vessel HMS Acheron were lost off Cape Pallas in the Western Mediterranean while defending their convoy (England-bound from Malta) from two much larger French vessels, the frigates Hortense, 40 guns, and Incorruptible, 38 guns. [1/4]
- As the French ships approached, both British ships engaged them. HMS Arrow fought for over an hour and inflicted heavy damage, but was severely damaged herself with many casualties. The Arrow eventually surrendered, sinking under Incorruptible's guns immediately after her crew were removed. [2/4]
- HMS Acheron exchanged fire with both frigates, and became locked into a fierce gun battle with the Incorruptible. When HMS Arrow surrendered, the Acheron broke away, but was chased and forced to surrender. She was in a sinking condition, so after capture the French burnt her. [3/4]
- Image: Francis Sartorious Jr., 'End of the action between HMS Arrow and Acheron and the French frigates Hortense and Incorruptible, 4 February 1805' (1805). Left to right: HMS Arrow sinking, Incorruptible, Hortense pursuing HMS Acheron. (Wikimedia Commons) [4/4] #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
- 4 Feb 1695 (O.S.) // 50-gun 4th-rate HMS Dartmouth was captured by two French privateers west of the Scilly Islands after a night-long chase, and a battle lasting from 6am to noon which left her with heavy casualties, masts and rigging shattered and lower gundeck awash. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
- 3 Feb 1946 // HM Rescue Tug Captive (formerly German tug Max Behrendt, captured 1943) began to leak in a storm and was run ashore at Potomas Bay, Cyprus. She could not be saved and was abandoned. One man drowned while swimming to shore through the surf. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
- 3 Feb 1945 // HM Trawler Arley, a minesweeping vessel, sank off Sheringham, Norfolk, after a mine lodged in her sweeps and exploded. She remained afloat for long enough for a tow to be attempted, but sank after the line parted. One man from her crew was killed. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
- 3 Feb 1941 // HM Trawler Arctic Trapper, employed as an auxiliary patrol vessel, was bombed by Ju87 aircraft off Ramsgate and sank rapidly after receiving a direct hit. All 17 crew died, three men were picked up alive following the attack, but did not survive. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
- 3 Feb 1941 // Ocean boarding vessel HMS Crispin (ex Booth Line cargo steamer, requisitioned 1940) was torpedoed and sunk by U.107 south of Iceland while on convoy escort duty. 121 of her crew were taken off before she sank, but 20 men lost their lives. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
