LOSSES BY YEAR and AREA

(in date order within each year  ctl - constructive total loss)

WORLD WAR 1 CLASSES

46. 'R' and 'S' classes, 12 ships - 900 tons, 36 knots, 1-4in, 90 crew, 1918-24, 5 lost:  

STRONGHOLD (Lt Cdr G R Pretor-Pinney+), 2nd March 1942, Indian Ocean, south of Java - by gunfire of Japanese 8in cruiser 'Maya' and destroyers. Sailing from Java to Australia; 70 crew lost, 51 taken prisoner, 5 died in captivity (Japanese Invasion of Java)

 

STURDY. (Lt Cdr G T Cooper), 30th October 1940, Western Europe, west coast of Scotland, on Tiree Island (c56.30N, 07.00W) - ran aground in fog and wrecked. Local Western Approaches with Halifax/UK convoy SC.8; five crew lost (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

TENEDOS (Lt Cdr R Dyer), 5th April 1942, Indian Ocean, Colombo harbour, Ceylon - by Japanese carrier bombers. ‘Tenedos’ was in harbour; 17 crew lost including two Chinese stewards (Japanese Carrier Attacks on Ceylon)

 

THANET (Lt Cdr B S Davies), 27th January 1942, South East Asia off Endau, south east Malaya in South China Sea - by gunfire of Japanese 5.5in cruiser 'Sendai' and destroyers. ‘Thanet’ and Australian destroyer 'Vampire' were attacking Japanese troop transports; 37 of ‘Thanet’s’ crew were lost in the sinking, some survivors escaped, others became POWs (Japanese Invasion of Malaya)

 

THRACIAN (Cdr A L Pears), 17th December 1941, Far East at Hong Kong - ran aground, dry-docked but damaged by Japanese bombing, later beached. ‘Thracian’ was in action during the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong. She was alvaged and served in Japanese Navy (Japanese Invasion of Hong Kong)

 

Surviving ships - SABRE, SALADIN, SARDONYX, SCIMITAR, SCOUT, SHIKARI, SKATE

 

HMS Shikari pre-war

 

47. 'V' and 'W' classes, 58 ships - 1,100 tons, 34 knots, 2 to 4-4in, 125 crew, 1917-24. Many converted to escorts, 16 lost, 2 not repaired: 

VALENTINE (Cdr H J Buchanan RAN), 15th May 1940, Western Europe off Terneuzen, Holland in the Scheldt Estuary - damaged by German Ju.88 bombers and beached. Protecting Scheldt ferry; 31 crew lost (German invasion of Holland and Belgium)

 

VAMPIRE (RAN) (Cdr W T Moran RAN), 9th April 1942, Indian Ocean off south east coast of Ceylon (07.35N, 82.05E) - by Japanese carrier divebombers. Returning to Trincomalee with carrier 'Hermes', also sunk; eight crew lost (Japanese Carrier Attacks on Ceylon)

 

VENETIA (Lt Cdr D L C Craig+), 19th October 1940, Western Europe 15 miles off North Foreland in Thames Estuary, south east England (51.33N, 01.10E) - by German mine. On patrol with destroyers 'Garth' and 'Walpole'; 35 crew lost  (Defence of British Waters)

 

VETERAN, 26th September 1942, Mid Atlantic, far west of Ireland (54.34N, 25.44W) – torpedoed by German ‘U.404’ (Bülow). Escorting convoy RB.1 of Great Lakes steamers from Newfoundland to UK; all 160 crew lost (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

VIMIERA (Lt Cdr A A Mackenzie RNR), 9th January 1942, Western Europe in Thames Estuary, SE England (c51.30N, 01.00E) - by German mine. Escorting southbound East Coast convoy; 92 crew lost (British Coastal Convoys)

 

VORTIGERN (Lt Cdr R S Howlett+), 15th March 1942, Western Europe, off Cromer, East Coast of England in North Sea (c53.00N, 01.15E) – torpedoed by German E-boat ‘S.104’. Escorting Firth of Forth/Thames coastal convoy FS.749; 146 crew lost (British Coastal Convoys)

 

VOYAGER (RAN), 23rd September 1942, East Indies, south coast of Timor (09.11S, 125.43E) - ran aground, attacked by Japanese aircraft and destroyed by own forces. Landing reinforcements for Dutch and Australian 'Sparrow' guerrilla force on Timor; no crew lost, all rescued by minesweepers ‘Warrnambool’ and ‘Kalgoorlie’ (In Support of Land Forces)

 

WAKEFUL (Cdr R L Fisher), 29th May 1940, Western Europe off Nieuport, Belgium (51.20N, 02.45E) – torpedoed by German E-boat ‘S.30’. Evacuating approximately 650 troops from Dunkirk to Dover during Operation 'Dynamo'; 98 crew and all but one of the soldiers lost, 25 crew and the one soldier rescued (Dunkirk Evacuation)

 

WALPOLE (Lt Cdr G C Crawley), damaged 6th January 1945, Western Europe off the Scheldt Estuary, Holland (51.33N, 03.06E) - by German mine. Escorting cross-Channel convoy; two crew lost. Not repaired (Defence of British Waters)

 

WARWICK (Cdr D A Rayner), 20th February 1944, Western Europe off Trevose Head, north Cornwall, south west England (50.27N, 05.23W) – torpedoed by German ‘U.413’ (Poel). On patrol in support of coastal convoys; 66 crew lost, 93 saved (British Coastal Convoys)

 

WATERHEN (RAN), 30th June 1941, Eastern Mediterranean off Bardia, east Libya (32.15N, 25.20E) - by German divebombers on the 29th June. With Inshore Squadron carrying supplies on the 'Tobruk Run' to the besieged town. Damaged evening of the 29th, capsized early on the 30th; there were no casualties (North African Campaign).

 

WESSEX (Lt Cdr W A R Cartwright), 24th May 1940, Western Europe off Calais, northern France in English Channel - by German bombers. Supporting British land forces in the defence of Calais; 6 crew lost (German invasion of France).

 

WHIRLWIND (Lt Cdr J M Rodgers), 5th July 1940, North Atlantic 120 miles west of Lands End, south west England (50.17N, 08.48W) – torpedoed by German ‘U.34’ (Rollmann). Detached from UK outward OB convoy to search for reported U-boat with destroyer 'Westcott'; 57 crew lost (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

WHITLEY (Lt Cdr G N Rolfe), 19th May 1940, Western Europe, between Nieuport and Ostend, Belgium - damaged by German bombers and beached. Supporting Allied land forces including blocking ports and lifting off refugees; 4 crew lost (German invasion of Holland and Belgium).

 

WILD SWAN (Lt Cdr C E L Sclater), 17th June 1942, North Atlantic off south west Ireland (49.52N, 10.44W) - by German Ju.88 bombers. With support group for Gibraltar/UK convoy HG.84; 31 crew lost (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

WREN (Cdr F W G Harker+), 27th July 1940, Western Europe, 10 miles of Aldeburgh, eastern England in North Sea (52.10N, 02.06E) - by German bombers. With destroyer 'Montrose' providing AA defence for minesweeping trawlers; 35 crew lost (Defence of British Waters)

 

WRESTLER (Lt Cdr R W Lacon), damaged 6th June 1944, Western Europe off Normandy beaches, northern France in English Channel (49.36N, 00.27W) - by German mine. Escorting convoy to British sector as part of operation Neptune; 2 crew lost. Not repaired (Normandy Invasion)

 

WRYNECK (Lt Cdr R H D Lane+), 27th April 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, east of Cape Malea, south east Greece (c36.30N, 23.30E) - by German bombers. Evacuating British & Dominion troops from Greece with destroyer 'Diamond', also sunk; 114 of ‘Wryneck’s’ crew were lost, 42 saved (Evacuation of Greece)

 

Surviving ships - VALOROUS, VANESSA, VANITY, VANOC, VANQUISHER, VANSITTART, VEGA, VELOX, VENDETTA (RAN), VENOMOUS, VERDUN, VERITY, VERSATILE, VESPER, VICEROY, VIDETTE, VIMY, VISCOUNT, VIVACIOUS, VIVIEN, VOLUNTEER, WALKER, WANDERER, WATCHMAN, WESTCOTT, WESTMINSTER, WHITEHALL, WHITSHED, WINCHELSEA, WINCHESTER, WINDSOR, WISHART, WITCH, WITHERINGTON, WIVERN, WOLFHOUND, WOLSEY, WOLVERINE, WOOLSTON, WORCESTER

 

HMS Westcott

 

48. Shakespeare class, 3 ships - 1,480 tons, 36 knots, 2-4.7in, 160 crew, 1919-22, 1 lost: 

BROKE (Lt Cdr A F C Layard), foundered 9th November 1942, Western Mediterranean off Algiers, Algeria - hit by French shore batteries on the 8th November in 36.50N, 03.00E. With destroyer 'Malcolm', under command of Capt H St J Fancourt in ‘Broke’, landing troops at Algiers during Operation 'Torch', the Allied invasion of French North Africa. Sank in tow of escort destroyer ‘Zetland’; 9 crew lost (French North African Campaign)

 

Surviving ships - KEPPEL, WALLACE

 

HMS Shakespeare - broken up 1936

49. Scott class, 7 ships - 1,530 tons, 36 knots, 2 to 5 -4.7in, 160 crew, 1918-19 

Surviving ships - CAMPBELL, DOUGLAS, MACKAY, MALCOLM, MONTROSE, STUART (RAN). Also BRUCE, disarmed and expended in 1939

 

HMS Douglas

 

FLEET DESTROYERS AFTER 1918

50. Amazon & Ambuscade, 2 prototypes, both survived - 1,350 and 1,170 tons, 37 knots, 4-4.7in/6tt, 140 crew, 1926

51. 'A' and 'B' classes, 20 ships including leaders - 1,350 tons, 35 knots, 4-4.7in/8tt, 140 crew, 1930-31, 11 lost and 2 not repaired: 

CODRINGTON ('A' leader) (Capt G F Stevens-Guille), 27th July 1940, Western Europe at Dover, SE England - by German bombers. In harbour refitting and boiler cleaning after evacuating Allied forces from Dunkirk and Le Havre, run aground with broken back but beyond salvage. No lives lost (Dunkirk Evacuation)

 

ACASTA (Cdr C E Glasfurd+) and ARDENT (Lt Cdr J E Barker+), both 8th June 1940, Western Europe, west of Lofoten Islands in Norwegian Sea (68.45N, 04.30E) - by gunfire of 11in German battlecruisers 'Scharnhorst' and 'Gneisenau'. Escorting carrier 'Glorious' from northern Norway at end of Allied evacuation. 'Glorious' also sunk and 'Scharnhorst' damaged by torpedo from 'Acasta', which lost 161 crew with one survivor. ‘Ardent’ lost 151 with two survivors, one of whom died in captivity (Norwegian Campaign)

 

ACHATES (Lt Cdr A H T Johns+), 31st December 1942, Arctic Ocean, north east of North Cape in Barents Sea (73.18N, 30.06E) - by 8in gunfire of German cruiser 'Admiral Hipper'. Escorting UK/Russian convoy JW.51B; 113 crew lost, 81 saved (Battle of the Barents Sea - Russian Convoys)

 

ACHERON (Lt J R Wilson+), 17th December 1940, Western Europe, off Isle of Wight, southern England in English Channel (50.31N, 01.31W) - by German mine. Running trials after refit and repairs to bomb damage; 153 crew and 22 dockyard workers lost. Just 13 crew and 3 dockyard workers were saved

 

ARROW (Lt Cdr W W Fitzroy), damaged 4th August 1943, Western Mediterranean, off Algiers Harbour, Algeria - by explosion of SS 'Fort Le Montée' and resulting fire. 'Arrow' alongside at time to assist with firefighting; 36 crew lost. Partially repaired for limited duties (French North African Campaign)

 

SAGUENAY (RCN) (Lt Cdr D C Wallace RCNR), damaged 15th November 1942, North Atlantic, 12 miles off Cape Race, SE Newfoundland - collision with SS 'Azara'. Escorting iron ore convoy WB.13, Wabans to Sydney, Cape Breton Island, lost her stern when depth charges exploded; one crew lost. Not repaired (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

SKEENA (RCN) (Lt Cdr P F X Russell RCN), 25th October 1944, North Atlantic at Reykjavik, Iceland - driven ashore in heavy gale and wrecked. With Canadian 11th Escort Group operating in the Iceland/Shetland passage against U-boats; 15 crew lost, 123 saved (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

KEITH ('B' leader) (Capt E L Berthon) and BASILISK (Cdr M Richardson), both 1st June 1940, Western Europe off Dunkirk, northern France in English Channel - by German Ju.87 divebombers. Evacuating Allied forces from Dunkirk during Operation 'Dynamo'. ‘Keith’ lost 36 crew in the sinking with 130 saved, ‘Basilisk’ lost nine (Dunkirk Evacuation)

 

BLANCHE (Lt Cdr R M Aubrey), 13th November 1939, Western Europe in Thames Estuary, SE England - by German destroyer-laid mines. Escorting minelayer 'Adventure' (also mined) from Grimsby to Portsmouth. Mined one mile 80° from NE Spit Buoy, sank two hours later; two crew lost.

 

BOADICEA (Lt Cdr F W Hawkins), 13th June 1944, Western Europe off Portland Bill, southern England in English Channel (50.26N, 02.34W) – torpedoed by German Ju.88 torpedo bombers. Escorting follow-up convoy to Normandy beachhead; 175 crew lost, 12 saved (Normandy Invasion)

 

BRAZEN (Lt Cdr Sir Michael Culme-Seymour), 20th July 1940, Western Europe off Dover, SE England in English Channel - by German bombers. Escorting English Channel convoy CW.7, Thames to Isle of Wight, sank in tow next day; one rating lost (British Coastal Convoys)

 

Surviving ships - ACTIVE, ANTELOPE, ANTHONY, BEAGLE, BOREAS (Greek 'Salamis' from 1944) BRILLIANT, BULLDOG

 

HMS Beagle

 

52. 'C' and 'D' classes, 14 ships including leaders - 1,370 tons, 36 knots, 4-4.7in/8tt, 145 crew, 1932-33, 9 lost: 

FRASER (RCN, ex-'Crescent) (Cdr W B Creery RCN), 25th June 1940, Western Europe, off Gironde Estuary, western France (45.44N, 01.31W) - by collision with British cruiser 'Calcutta'. Returning with 'Calcutta' from supporting Allied evacuation of south west France, operation 'Aerial'; 59 crew lost (German Invasion of France)

 

OTTAWA (RCN, ex-'Crusader') (Lt Cdr C A Rutherford RCN), 14th September 1942, North Atlantic, east of Newfoundland (47.55N, 43.27W) – torpedoed by German ‘U.91’ (Walkerling). With Canadian C4 Group supporting UK/North American convoy ON.127; 116 crew lost, 76 saved (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

DAINTY (Cdr M S Thomas), 24th February 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, off Tobruk, eastern Libya - by German Ju.87 divebombers. With 'Inshore Squadron' escorting supplies on 'Tobruk Run', leaving Tobruk with destroyer ‘Hasty’; 15 crew lost, 140 survivors but one died of wounds (North African Campaign)

 

DARING (Cdr S A Cooper+), 18th February 1940, Western Europe, off Pentland Firth, northern Scotland (58.40N, 01.35W) – torpedoed by German ‘U.23’ (Kretschmer). Escorting Norway/UK convoy HN.12; 154 crew lost, 5 survivors (Defence of Trade)

 

DEFENDER, 11th July 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, off Sidi Barrani, Egypt (c31.45N, 25.30E) - by German or Italian bombers. With 'Inshore Squadron' carrying supplies on 'Tobruk Run', bombed at 31.45N, 25.51E, sank in tow seven miles N of Sidi Barrani; there was no loss of life (North African Campaign)

 

DELIGHT (Cdr M Fogg-Elliot), 29th July 1940, Western Europe, 20 miles south of Portland Bill, southern England in English Channel - by German bombers. Escorting English Channel convoy; 18 crew lost (British Coastal Convoys)

 

DIAMOND (Lt Cdr P A Cartwright+), 27th April 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, east of Cape Malea, SE Greece (c36.30N, 23.30E) - by German bombers. Evacuating British and Dominion troops from Greece with destroyer 'Wryneck', also sunk. ‘Diamond’s’ entire crew was lost – 149 men (Evacuation of Greece)

 

DUCHESS (Lt Cdr R C M White+), 12th December 1939, Western Europe, 9 miles W of Mull of Kintyre in North Channel between Scotland and Northern Ireland - in collision with British battleship 'Barham'. Escorting 'Barham' from Gibraltar to join Home Fleet in the Clyde; 130 crew lost, 23 survivors (Home Fleet Operations)

 

MARGAREE (RCN, ex-'Diana') (Cdr J W R Roy RCN+), 22nd October 1940, North Atlantic, west of Ireland (53.24N, 22.50W) - by collision with SS 'Port Fairy' (8,337grt). Escorting Liverpool-out convoy OL.8; 144 crew lost, 32 were saved (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

Surviving ships - ASSINIBOINE (RCN leader, ex-'Kempenfelt'), RESTIGOUCHE (RCN, ex-'Comet'), ST LAURENT (RCN, ex-'Cygnet'), DUNCAN (leader), DECOY (RCN KOOTENAY from 1943)

 

HMS Kempenfelt, leader in 1932 (HMCS Assiniboine, RCN leader from 1939)

 

53. 'E' and 'F' classes, 18 ships including leaders - 1,370 tons, 36 knots, 4-4.7in/8tt, 145 crew, 1934-35, 9 lost and 1 not repaired: 

EXMOUTH (leader) (Capt R S Benson+), 21st January 1940, Western Europe, SE of Wick, NE Scotland in North Sea (c58.15N, 02.30W) - torpedoed by German ‘U.22’ (Jenisch). Hunting for reported U-boat in the Moray Firth; lost with all hands – 189 men (Defence of British Waters)

 

ECLIPSE (Cdr E Mack), 24th October 1943, Eastern Mediterranean, north of Kos Island in the Dodecanese (37.01N, 27.11E) - by mines laid by German minelayer 'Drache' (ex-Yugoslavian). Carrying troops to Leros; 118 crew including Cdre Todd, Levant Destroyer Flotilla and 142 troops lost (British Aegean Campaign)

 

ELECTRA (Cdr C W May+), 27th February 1942, East Indies, NW of Surabaya, Java in the Java Sea (c06.30S, 112.00E) - by gunfire of Japanese cruiser force and destroyers. With Allied cruiser force in action; 108 crew lost, five taken prisoner, 45 rescued by US submarine ‘S.38’ (Battles of the Java Sea - Japanese Invasion of Java)

 

ENCOUNTER (Lt Cdr E V St J Morgan), 1st March 1942, East Indies, NW of Surabaya in Java Sea (c04.30S, 111.00E) - by Japanese 8in cruisers ‘Myoko’, ‘Ashigara’ and destroyers. Sailing from Surabaya with British cruiser 'Exeter' for the Sunda Strait after the main Java Sea action; seven crew lost, 151 captured, of whom 38 died as POWs (Battles of the Java Sea - Japanese Invasion of Java)

 

ESCORT (Lt Cdr J Bostock), 11th July 1940, Western Mediterranean, east of Gibraltar (36.11N, 03.37W) – torpedoed by Italian submarine 'Marconi' (Chialamberto). Returning to Gibraltar with Force H at the time of the 'Action off Calabria', torpedoed in 36.20N, 03.46W, foundered in tow later that day; two ratings lost (Mediterranean Operations)

 

ESK (Lt Cdr R J H Couch+), 1st September 1940, Western Europe, off Frisian Islands, Holland in North Sea (c53.30N, 03.45E) - German mines late on the 31st/early on the 1st. Minelaying mission off Dutch coast during threat of German invasion of Britain. Destroyers 'Express' damaged and 'Ivanhoe' sunk. ‘Esk’ lost 135 crew; there were only two survivors (Battle of Britain)

 

FEARLESS (Cdr A F Pugsley), 23rd July 1941, Western Mediterranean, 50 miles NNE of Bone, Algeria (37.40N, 08.20E) – torpedoed by Italian torpedo aircraft. With Gibraltar-based Force H covering Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Substance'; 27 crew lost (Malta Convoys)

 

FIREDRAKE (Cdr E H Tilden+), night of 16th/17th December 1942, Mid North Atlantic (50.50N, 25.15W) – torpedoed by German ‘U.211’ (Hause). Escorting UK/North America convoy ON.153; 170 crew lost, 26 saved by corvette ‘Sunflower’ (Battle of the Atlantic)

 

FORESIGHT (Lt Cdr R A Fell), scuttled 13th August 1942, Western Mediterranean, NE of Bone, Algeria off Galita Island (37.40N, 10.00E) - torpedoed on 12th by Italian torpedo aircraft. Close escort Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Pedestal'; five crew lost, 140 saved (Malta Convoys)

 

FURY (Cdr C H Campbell), damaged 21st June 1944, Western Europe, Sword Beach area, Normandy beaches, northern France - by German mine and driven ashore in gale. Convoy escort to Normandy beachhead during Allied invasion; no loss of life. Not repaired (Normandy Invasion)

 

Surviving ships - ECHO (Greek ‘Navarinon' from 1944), ESCAPADE, EXPRESS (RCN GATINEAU from 1943), FAME, FAULKNOR (leader), FORESTER, FORTUNE (RCN SASKATCHEWAN from 1943), FOXHOUND (RCN QU'APPELLE from 1944)

54. 'G' and 'H' classes, 18 ships including leaders - 1,330 tons, 36 knots, 4-4.7in/8tt, 145 crew, 1936-37, 14 lost:  

GRENVILLE (leader) (Capt G E Creasy), 19th January 1940, Western Europe, off Kentish Knock, Thames Estuary, SE England (51.39N, 02.17E) - by German destroyer-laid mines. Returning to Harwich from contraband control operations off Dutch coast; 76 crew lost (Contraband Control)

 

GALLANT (Lt Cdr C P F Brown), damaged 10th January 1941, Central Mediterranean, 25 miles SE of Pantelleria island (36.27N, 12.11E) - by Italian mines laid by cruiser force in August 1940. With Mediterranean Fleet covering Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Excess'. Towed to Malta and finally wrecked by bombing on 5th April 1942. The mining killed 58 crew (Malta Convoys)

 

GIPSY (Cdr N J Crossley+), 21st November 1939, Western Europe off Harwich, east coast of England in North Sea - by German destroyer-laid mines. Leaving Harwich with a destroyer force. She was beached in shallow water with only her hull submerged, and according to one source salvaged, but not re-commissioned; 31 crew lost. Some sources record her loss as due to mines laid by ‘U.19’ (Defence of British Waters)

 

GLOWWORM (Lt Cdr G B Roope+, awarded VC), 8th April 1940, Western Europe, NW of Trondheim in Norwegian Sea (64.13N, 06.28E) - by German 8in-gunned heavy cruiser 'Admiral Hipper'. Detached from screen for Br