Naval History Homepage - and Site Search

 

 

 

SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMS IMOGEN (D 44) -  I-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Icarus, sister-ship (Navy Photos,  click to enlarge)

return to Contents List 

 

I-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle on 30th October 1935 under the 1935 Build  Programme with delivery by 30th April 1937. The ship was laid down on 18th January 1936 and was launched on 30th December that year. She was the 6th RN warship to carry the name, dating from 1800 when used for the French Prize DIABLE A QUATRE and last carried by a steam yacht purchased in 1882 and sold In 1919.. Her build was completed on 2nd June 1937 at a contract price of £256,917, excluding items supplied by Admiralty such as guns and communications outfits. This Class of destroyer was designed for use as minelayers (See BRITISH DESTROYERS by Edgar March and the Naval Staff History (MINING) for more Information). Her pre-war service was with the Third Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean and she took part in patrols off Spain during the Spanish civil war.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1939 - NORTH SEA  1940

 

H e r a l d  i c   D a t a

Badge: On a  Field  Blue., a hand Proper holding a Gold looking glass

reflecting the sky and waves of the sea also Proper.

 

M o t t o

'Quit you like a man.'

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information,  go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

 

1 9 3 9

 

September             On passage to Malta to rejoin 3rd Destroyer Flotilla after refitting.

                3rd          Arrived In Malta and joined Flotilla.

                                Nominated for transfer to Western Approaches with Flotilla for convoy escort duty and

                                anti-submarine patrol.

                5th          Passage to Plymouth. to join Western Approaches Command.

                10th        Arrived at Plymouth and deployed in Channel and SW Approaches.

                                Assumed duty as Senior Officer’s Ship from HM Destroyer INGLEFIELD.

                13th        Participated in sinking of U42 with ILEX in Western Approaches during escort of

                                ss STONEPOOL

                                For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.

                                Rescued 17 survivors from submarine which sank in position 49.12 16.00W.

                15th        Escorted ss STONEPOOL (?) to Barry and rescued survivors from mercantiles ss

                                LOUISIANE and BRETAGNE, torpedoed off Fastnet.

 

October                  SW Approaches deployment in continuation.

                22nd       Taken in hand for repair in commercial shipyard in Liverpool.

 

November              Under repair.

                7th          On completion carried out post repair trials.

                8th          Passage to Scapa Flow to rejoin Flotilla for Fleet screening and convoy defence in North Sea

                                and NW Approaches.

 

December              Home Fleet deployment with Flotilla in continuation

                22nd       Assisted defence during passage of HM Battleship BARHAM to Clyde after being hit by

                                a torpedo fired by U30 off Butt of Lewis.

 

1 9 4 0

 

 

January                  Deployed in North Sea and NW Approaches for Fleet screening and convoy defence.

 

February

                25th        Part of escort for Convoy HN14 to Norway with HM Destroyers ESCORT, INGLEFIELD

                                and HM Submarine NARWHAL

                                After U63 was sighted by HMS NARWHAL took part in sinking submarine was forced to

                                surface after depth charge attacks.

                                Abandoned by crew and scuttled in position 58.40N 00.10W off Shetland.

                                24 survivors were rescued by the destroyers. See U BOATS DESTROYED

 

March                    Flotilla deployment with Hone Fleet in continuation.

               31st         Nominated with HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD, ILEX and ISIS for escort of HM Auxiliary

                               Minelayer TEVIOT BANK during minelay off Stadtlandet, Norway

                               (Operation WILFRED/R4 - See Naval Staff History (Mining) and Naval Staff

                               History (HMSO -2001).

 

April

                5th          Sailed from Scapa Flow aa Force US for minelay.

                7th          Minelay by TEVIOT BANK cancelled when German warships ware reported on passage

                                in Heligoland Bight.

                8th          Joined Home Fleet unite on passage to support defence of allied landings in Norway.

.               9th          Deployed in support of military operations and for escort duties.

                                For details of the disastrous operations off Norway see NARVIK by D. Macintyre, CARRIER

                                GLORIOUS by J. Winton, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Adams and Naval Staff

                                History)

 

May                        Norwegian deployment in continuation and part of escort for return convoys.

                                On completion of evacuation deployed with Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow for screening of

                                major unite in NW Approaches.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to I44.

 

June                        Detached for duty at Plymouth.

                18th        Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS for initial part of passage to Bermuda for

                                work up.

                                Rejoined Home Fleet in continuation on return.

 

July                        Home Fleet duties in continuation.

                10th        Detached for escort of HM Auxiliary Minelayers PORT NAPIER, PORT QUEBEC,

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE and MENESTHEUS of 1st Minelaying Squadron from Kyle of

                                Lochalsh for first minelay in Northern Barrage at southern end of Orkney - Faeroes gap.

                                Rejoined Home Fleet on completion

                                (Operation SN1 - See above reference).

                16th        In collision with HM Cruiser GLASGOW in thick fog off Duncansby Head.

                                Extensive damage was caused and fires started which forced abandonment of ship.

                                Ship's company rescued by GLASGOW.

                                Vessel sank in position 58.34 N 02.54 W.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS IMOGEN

by Don Kindell

 

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

29/09/39

29/09/39

OB 012

02/10/39

02/10/39

02/10/39

02/10/39

OG 001

03/10/39

08/10/39

26/09/39

03/10/39

HG 001

04/10/39

06/10/39

09/10/39

09/10/39

OB 017

12/10/39

12/10/39

12/11/39

12/11/39

ON 002/1

14/11/39

15/11/39

15/11/39

15/11/39

HN 002

18/11/39

18/11/39

19/01/40

19/01/40

HN 008

22/01/40

22/01/40

24/01/40

25/01/40

ON 009/1

27/01/40

27/01/40

27/01/40

27/01/40

HN 009A

31/01/40

31/01/40

05/02/40

05/02/40

ON 010/1

08/02/40

08/02/40

08/02/40

08/02/40

HN 010

11/02/40

11/02/40

13/02/40

15/02/40

ON 012/1

16/02/40

16/02/40

16/02/40

16/02/40

HN 012

17/02/40

19/02/40

22/02/40

24/02/40

HN 014

26/02/40

26/02/40

02/03/40

04/03/40

HN 016

05/03/40

05/03/40

01/05/40

01/05/40

HK 001

09/05/40

09/05/40

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 31/7/11
further editing and formatting is required


 

if any ads offend, please contact Naval-History.Net