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			{{Short description\|E-class destroyer for the Royal Navy in the 1930s}}
	'''HMS Exmouth''' was an Exmouth Class destroyer of the ]. She was an enlarged version and flotilla leader of the ]. She was built at ], launched in 1934 and torpedoed in 1940. <br /><br />]
			{{other ships\|HMS Exmouth}}
			{{Good article}}
			{{Use British English\|date=April 2011}}
			{{Use dmy dates\|date=May 2020}}
			{\|{{Infobox ship begin}}
			{{Infobox ship image
			\|Ship image=HMS (H02) Exmouth in leaving the port of Bilbao in 1936.jpg
			\|Ship caption=HMS ''Exmouth'' leaving the port of Bilbao, Basque Country, 1936.
			}}
			{{Infobox ship career
			\|Hide header=
			\|Ship country=United Kingdom
			\|Ship flag={{shipboxflag\|United Kingdom\|naval}}
			\|Ship name= HMS ''Exmouth''
			\|Ship ordered=1 November 1932
			\|Ship awarded=
			\|Ship builder=]
			\|Ship original cost=
			\|Ship yard number=
			\|Ship way number=
			\|Ship laid down=15 March 1933
			\|Ship launched=30 January 1934
			\|Ship sponsor=
			\|Ship christened=
			\|Ship completed=
			\|Ship commissioned=9 November 1934
			\|Ship motto=*''Deo Adjuvante''
			*("By God’s help")
			\|Ship nickname=
			\|Ship honours=]
			\|Ship fate=Sunk by {{ship\|German submarine\|U-22\|1936\|6}}, 21 January 1940
			\|Ship notes=
			\|Ship badge=On a Field Red, a lion passant Gold
			}}
			{{Infobox ship characteristics
			\|Hide header=
			\|Header caption=
			\|Ship class=] ]
			\|Ship displacement=*{{convert\|1495\|LT\|t}} (])
			*{{convert\|2050\|LT\|t}} (])
			\|Ship length={{convert\|343\|ft\|m\|1\|abbr=on}} ]
			\|Ship beam={{convert\|33\|ft\|9\|in\|m\|1\|abbr=on}}
			\|Ship draught={{convert\|12\|ft\|6\|in\|m\|1\|abbr=on}}
			\|Ship power=*{{convert\|38000\|shp\|kW\|lk=in\|abbr=on}}
			*3 × ]s
			\|Ship propulsion=2 × shafts, 2 × geared ]s
			\|Ship speed={{convert\|36\|kn\|lk=in}}
			\|Ship range={{convert\|6500\|nmi\|lk=in\|abbr=on}} at {{convert\|15\|kn}}
			\|Ship complement=175
			\|Ship sensors=]
			\|Ship armament=
			*5 × single ]
			*2 × quadruple ]
			*2 × quadruple ] ]s
			*20 × ]s, 1 rail and 2 throwers
			}}
			\|}

			'''HMS ''Exmouth''''' was an ] ] ] built for the ] in the early 1930s. Although assigned to the ] upon completion, the ship was attached to the ] in 1935–36 during the ]. During the ] of 1936–1939 she spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict. ''Exmouth'' was assigned to ] escort and anti-submarine patrol duties in the ] when World War II began in September 1939. She was sunk by a German submarine in January 1940 while escorting a merchant ship north of Scotland.

			==Description==
	== The Sinking Of HMS Exmouth ==
			''Exmouth'' displaced {{convert\|1495\|LT\|t}} at ] load and {{convert\|2050\|LT\|t}} at ]. The ship had an ] of {{convert\|343\|ft\|m\|1}}, a ] of {{convert\|33\|ft\|9\|in\|m\|1}} and a ] of {{convert\|12\|ft\|6\|in\|m\|1}}. She was powered by two ] geared ]s, each driving one ], using steam provided by three ]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert\|38000\|shp\|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert\|36\|kn\|lk=in}}. ''Exmouth'' carried a maximum of {{convert\|470\|LT\|t}} of ] that gave her a range of {{convert\|6350\|nmi\|lk=in}} at {{convert\|15\|kn}}. The ship's complement was 175 officers and ].<ref name=w78>Whitley, pp. 104–05</ref>

			The ship mounted five 45-calibre ] in single mounts. For ] defence, ''Exmouth'' had two quadruple Mark I mounts for the ] ]. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple ] mounts for ] torpedoes.<ref name=w78/> One ] rail and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.<ref>English, p. 141</ref>
	HMS Exmouth was torpedoed by the small coastal Type II U-boat U-22 on January 21, 1940 at 5:35 a.m. general continental time while escorting a single merchant ship, the Cyprian Prince. The merchant ship heard two explosions and believed the Exmouth was dropping depth charges.

			==Service==
	She was sunk by the German submarine U-22. The ship was the flotilla leader of the "E" class destroyers, and measured 343 feet in length, 33.75 feet in beam, and had a depth of hold of 20 feet. HMS Exmouth displaced 1,495 tons, (2,050 tons full load), and was originally armed with five 4.7" guns in single mounts, two forward, two aft and one between the funnels. It is believed that the two stern 4.7" guns were removed to make way for mine laying equipment. The anti aircraft armament was two quad .50 calibre mounts on the wings of the signal bridge and five single .303 calibre machine guns. Eight 21 inch torpedo tubes were mounted in two quad mounts, one aft of the after stack and the other just forward of the aft superstructure.
			''Exmouth'' was ordered on 1 November 1932 under the 1931 Naval Programme, and was laid down at ] on 15 March 1933. She was launched on 30 January 1934, named the following day, and commissioned for service on 9 November 1934. On commissioning, ''Exmouth'' was assigned as leader of the ] of the ]. The increased tensions between ] and ] – eventually leading to the outbreak of the ] – caused the ] to attach the flotilla to the ] from August 1935 to March 1936, although ''Exmouth'' was refitted in ] from 4 October 1935 to 5 January 1936. The ship patrolled Spanish waters during the ] enforcing the edicts of the ] in between annual refits at Portsmouth between 17 November 1936 and 19 January 1937 and 21 November 1938 and 16 January 1939. She returned to Britain in March and ''Exmouth'' was assigned to training duties and local flotilla work based at Portsmouth on 28 April. She carried out these duties until 2 August, when she was placed into full commission as the leader of the ].<ref name=e4>English, p. 64</ref>

			''Exmouth'' and her flotilla were initially assigned to the Home Fleet upon the outbreak of World War II in September 1939.<ref name=e4/> The ship and two of her flotilla mates, {{HMS\|Eclipse\|H08\|2}} and {{HMS\|Echo\|H23\|2}}, escorted the ] {{HMS\|Hood\|51\|2}} as she searched for German ]s south of Iceland in late November.<ref>Rohwer, p. 9</ref> In December, she was transferred to the ] to carry out patrols and escort convoys, but was transferred to ] in January 1940 to carry out the same duties in the ].<ref name=e4/> She was escorting the merchant ''Cyprian Prince'' on 21 January 1940 when she was spotted by the {{ship\|German submarine\|U-22\|1936\|6}}, under the command of Karl-Heinrich Jenisch, and ]ed at 05:35. She sank with the loss of all hands. After sinking ''Exmouth'', the submarine also fired on ''Cyprian Prince'' whose master deemed it too dangerous to pick up survivors. Eighteen bodies were later found washed ashore by a schoolboy playing truant near ]. They were buried with ]<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/8635\|title=Navy News – HMS Exmouth plaque unveiled\|access-date=23 August 2013\|archive-date=29 January 2016\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129190343/https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/8635\|url-status=dead}}</ref> in the cemetery at Wick.<ref>{{cite book\|last=Baird\|first=R. N.\|title=Shipwrecks of the North of Scotland\|publisher=Birlinn\|location=Edinburgh, Scotland\|year=2003\|isbn=1-84158-233-6\|url=http://www.ubootwaffe.net/research/reports.cgi?a=8\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325125720/http://www.ubootwaffe.net/research/reports.cgi?a=8\|archive-date=25 March 2012}}</ref>
	The captain of the U-22 was Karl-Heinrich Jenisch. The U-22 survived this mission, but was lost in March, 1940 off of Jutland,
	Denmark to unknown causes, probably a mine. U22 was also responsible for sinking two other merchant ships in the same area on the same day as HMS Exmouth. These were the Danish merchantman MS Tekla and another British ship, the MS Miranda.

			==Aftermath==
	HMS Exmouth was lost with all hands – 174 men and 15 officers. Some bodies (18) were recovered after the loss of the Exmouth, and are buried in a mass grave at the cemetery in Wick. The cemetery also contains the graves of men lost on other merchant ships sunk in the area by both U22 and U55.
			The wreck of ''Exmouth'' was discovered in the ] in July 2001 by an independent expedition, with their findings being verified by ]. The wreck is one of those listed as a 'protected place' under the ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/search_item/index.php?service=RCAHMS&id=202314 \|title=HMS Exmouth: North Sea \|website=scotlandsplaces.gov.uk \|access-date=28 March 2011}}</ref>

			==Notes==
	U55 has often been identified as the sinker of MS Tekla but German records show her as on the way towards the Irish coast, her usual hunting ground. It was here that U55 was on the 21st January 1940 when she sank the SS Andalusia.
			{{Reflist\|30em}}

			==References==
			* {{cite book\|last=English\|first=John\|title=Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s\|year=1993\|publisher=World Ship Society\|location=Kendal, England\|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
			* {{cite book\|last=Rohwer\|first=Jürgen\|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two\|publisher=Naval Institute Press\|location=Annapolis, Maryland\|year=2005\|edition=Third Revised\|isbn=1-59114-119-2}}
			* {{cite book\|last=Whitley\|first=M. J.\|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia\|publisher=Naval Institute Press\|year=1988\|isbn=0-87021-326-1\|location=Annapolis, Maryland}}

			==External links==
	== 21st January 1940 ==
			*
	At 04:40hrs, Jenisch was scanning the surface of the Moray Firth through U22s periscope. His crew had spent the night laying magnetic mines across this vital convoy route and now they proceeded out of the Firth and north towards the Orkneys . It’s possible that they saw or heard the approach of HMS Exmouth and the Cyprian Prince then lay in wait or that they were simply attempting to slip out of the Firth when paths crossed. Either way, the U22s captain was being careful. A professional naval officer, he understood that the patrol objectives had to be completed before his open orders to attack enemy shipping could come into play. To their crews, U-Boats like U22 were known as ‘canoes’. Jenisch was fully aware that a small U-Boat like his should not be a match for the well armed opponent that head just been spotted. However, this was 1940 and the U-Boats were gaining a terrible ascendancy over the Royal and Merchant Navies. U22 may have been small but her confidence was high against a foe she believed to be poorly armed with an inefficient ASDIC system and depth charges U22 could dive to avoid. His prime target was the Cyprian Prince and he began to track her path, keen to avoid contact with HMS Exmouth is this could be avoided.
			*
			*
			*

			{{coord\|58\|18\|N\|2\|25\|W\|display=title}}
	With her Moray Firth mission objectives completed, a submerged U22 was carefully moving on when opportunity presented itself in the shape of a small convoy – a large merchantman and her destroyer escort. Rather than heading for the safety of the north sea, U22 slipped into position – stalking the two ships across Naval Grid 1681 then continuing westerly into 1673 for over an hour. With a maximum submerged speed of seven knots, U22 would not have been able to keep pace with her prey as they steamed at 10. Therefore, U22 slowly manoeuvred into an attack position, intercepting the ships as they headed off of the Firth and north to Scapa.

	After about an hour, the Cyprian Prince and her escort finally hove into torpedo range and Jenisch issued orders to open the outer doors of U22s torpedo tubes. However, Jenisch wasn’t after the Exmouth. As U22s Exec carefully noted in the log, the Cyprian Prince was her real target. To make sure, a spread of two torpedoes would be fired with the third retained for the inevitable counter attack by her escort.

	The captain and crew of U22, on their way home from a successful mission did not hesitate. At a distant of 1600 metres, an extreme range, Jenisch issued orders to fire when suddenly the Exmouth altered course suddenly. Jenisch, watching as the destroyer swam across his bows with the moon at her back and heard, if not saw, his first torpedo strike the destroyer.

	A single torpedo had hit HMS Exmouth, striking a fatal blow that started to list heavily almost immediately. Then a second explosion capsized the ship. As her first victim foundered, U22 realised that their second torpedo had also missed the Cyprian Prince. She too had suddenly altered course towards the crippled destroyer.

	U22 did not get another chance to attack the Cyprian Prince. It must have come as no surprise to Jenisch that his intended target did not stop for survivors but sailed on northwards accelerating as quick as her engines would allow. He was more than prepared to wait for another target. As the crew or HMS Exmouth died in the cold waters of winter sea, U22 slipped back into the Moray Firth to look for fresh victims and an hour later the Danish merchant ship Tekla was also on her way to the bottom. On the 28th, MS Eston of convoy FN-81s shared the same fate.

	Seven days later U22 returned to her home port at Kiel to a heroes welcome. As her crew lined the deck, the band played and girls briefly excused from jobs at the Naval Hospital and Flotilla headquarters waited with flowers and a warm welcome for Germany's latest U-Boat ace.
	<br />

	----
	It was already late in the day when the MS Cyprian Prince met her escort off Aberdeen. Captain Wilson knew that HMS Exmouth was to escort him and his vessel northwards to Scapa Flow. Wilson and his crew were no doubt reassured that they had not only a modern destroyer watching over them but the E-Class flotilla leader herself. Aboard the Exmouth, Benson signalled simply to the ‘Prince "Follow me" and with the destroyer was showing a very bright stern light, together they sailed on away from the Aberdeen coast and towards Scapa Flow.

	The Cyprian Prince was following at a safe distance of four cables astern of Exmouth on a course of 330° at 10 knots and both vessels continued to steam northwards as night fell. The sea was calm, and visibility good with the moon almost full. Despite these conditions the Exmouth’s stern light was still showing clearly. In fact it was still in sight of the Cyprian Princes Chief Officer Albert Clark at 04.44hrs (5.44 CET). It shortly after then, whilst his gaze was elsewhere, that Clark heard the first of two explosions. Quickly he turned and called down to Captain Wilson, resting in his cabin. Without looking at or for HMS Exmouth, both men presumed that their escort was dropping depth charges. Then, only four minutes later, came the final explosion of the night – a terrific noise that shook the crew of the Cyprian Prince from their bunks and lit the night sky. Springing from his bunk, Wilson dashed to the bridge and turned his ship towards the last visible position of HMS Exmouth.

	By the time his vessel reached the site of the last explosion, HMS Exmouth was already gone. Their were 20 or so men in the water struggling to stay alive amongst the fragments of their ship. Captain Wilson slowed his vessel briefly but with his duty to the men on the Cyprian Prince and those reliant on the cargo she carried clear, Full Ahead was the signal. Wilson and the crew of the Prince continued their lonely passage to Scapa Flow with the cries of Exmouth's survivors drifting behind them.
	----
	<br />Early morning, all was quiet aboard HMS Exmouth as she steamed across the Moray Firth. The captain and crew knew that they were in a U-Boat hunting ground and would have been working quietly and diligently at their tasks. Benson and his officers knew that there was a sub in the area and having left the Cyprian Prince with orders to proceed to Scapa, they swept out into the Firth. Despite this. a bright stern light was showing and the bold signal 'Follow Me' was broadcast to their merchant charges en clair.

	Some worked, some slept or tried to sleep, others kept their assigned watches. HMS Exmouth was overcrowded with her wartime complement and many men would have been sleeping, smoking or playing cards long after dinner in her mess deck. In the engine room, the stokers kept the engines fired and probably wondered what their petty officer was up to as he worked this trip as acting-chief up on the bridge. In the signal room, Bill Hawkins and his colleagues listened out for enemy traffic whilst maintaining radio silence themselves. The men manning the Asdic equipment would have been patiently scanning the sea ahead for u-boats. The sets in 1940 were not particularly effective and only really scanned ahead and slightly below – sonar was still a way off and U-Boat hunting remained more of an art than a science.

	The decks were deserted except for the lookouts and probably the depth charge crew. No one wanted to be topside on a freezing cold night like this unless they had to be - and that meant when Action Stations sounded. Even the gunners were nowhere to be seen - U-Boats didn't attack on the surface anymore and there usefulness was limited on a night like this.

	On the open bridge, wrapped against the cold were the lookouts and a collection of officers and petty officers who performed or waited to be assigned tasks. The war was only five months old and this was a good ship with a top line crew yet to prove itself in conflict. Their chance came just after 04:00hrs when a signal was received ordering the Exmouth to search for U-Boats. Something was sinking shipping in the Firth and the Admiralty wanted it stopped. The available information all pointed to the U-Boat responsible still being in the area and as such unlikely to pass up an opportunity like the Cyprian Prince. The officer in command read the dispatch and woke Benson via the speaking tube. Then he sounded ‘Actions Stations” and the game was afoot. The crew started to move from their bunks and struggled into cold weather gear.

	On the bridge, Capt Benson rang full ahead as the signaller passed the Admiralty co-ordinates to the cox’n. Down at the bows, a sub-lieutenant fused depth charges as his make-do crew of off duty stokers and sailors scrambled towards firing positions and heaved the heavy charges into place for launching.

	It’s reasonable to suppose that the crew were responding to the call when the torpedo struck. Had they all made it to their action station, more than the handful reported by the Cyprian Prince would have made it into the water. What we do know is that a single torpedo caused tremendous damage, tearing a huge and mortal wound in HMS Exmouth's side and probably causing a secondary explosion that caused her to sink so quickly. Jenisch and his crew fired and left once they realised the destroyer was crippled and the chance to hit the Cyprian Prince had been lost.

	On the bridge, Capt Benson would barely have had time to request damage reports before his ship listed over. Millions of gallons of seawater would now be flooding through HMS Exmouth, in itself doing terrible damage as it tore through the ship causing as many explosions as it extinguished. One of these struck the fatal blow. Most likely, either freezing sea water hit red hot boilers or a fire in the forward magazine caused the secondary explosion. A boiler explosion would have blown HMS Exmouth apart from the inside. Cordite exploding in a magazine fire would have incinerated everything inside her, heat and pressure rupturing hull plates.

	The ship lurched, a few men grabbed lifejackets, then the final explosion turned the ship over. Instinctively, the men on deck would have scrambled against the list of the deck. Gunners would have been thrown from their guns, the depth charge crew (if they made it from their bunks) and the sub-lieutenant responsible may have spent final moments trying to disarm charges before the ship sank. Mostly, it would have been terror and confusion for the survivors of the second explosion. Then, with a final in-rush of water, she was gone leaving a handful of men struggling in water at five degrees or less. Before the Cyprian Prince cleared the horizon, they too were gone. Although no one lived to bear witness to her final moments, HMS Exmouth once capsized probably floated for no more than a few minutes before sinking quickly to the bottom of the Moray Firth.

	The crew stood no chance at all. That any survived long enough to reach the upturned hull or surface was a miracle in itself. It appears that only the depth charge crew, who were wearing lifejackets as the loaded the launchers at the stern, survived long enough to make it into the water.

	== The Official Admiralty Report ==


	The sinking of HMS Exmouth was investigated by the Admiralty in spring 1940. This was a common practice throughout the war and records of these investigations are available from the Public Records Office at Kew.

	The report concerning the Exmouth and her crew states that:

	"The entire crew of 189 were lost when the 1934-built Admiral-Class destroyer HMS Exmouth (Cdr.R.S.Benson), was torpedoed north east of Tarbat Ness in the Moray Firth by the U-22 (KL Karl-Heinrich Jenisch), at 04.44 hrs on 21 January 1940. The crew figure given at the time of her loss is in excess of her official full complement figure, given as 175 (Admiralty).

	At the time of her loss it is reported that HMS Exmouth was leading MS Cyprian Prince and was showing a stern light. She was sunk in the early hours off Kinnaird Head. Some eight hours after her loss a signal was made ordering her to search for a submarine which had earlier sunk a merchant ship at 0535. This vessel has often been identified as MS Tekla, a Danish vessel actually sunk one hour after HMS Exmouth, again by U22. It is believed that HMS Exmouth has unknowingly been directed to search for U55, responsible for the earlier sinking of MS Miranda.

	Some hours after her loss two signals were made to her, at 1546 and 1725 to report her position, following an earlier order at 1239 to search for a submarine which had sunk a Danish ship, the Tekla. She had in fact been sunk before the Tekla. Obviously the signal was not acknowledged and it was not until the Cyprian Prince arrived at Kirkwall that the loss became known. Why the Cyprian Prince did not report or make any kind of search is obscure, but the master stated that at 0544 (Central European Time) he heard an explosion which he thought was Exmouth dropping depth charges, followed by a further explosion four minutes later.

	The wreck is in position 58-18N, 02-25W in 40 metres. This is 22 miles from Wick and 51 miles from Tarbat Ness - bearing 110 degrees. It is marked as 'position approximate' on the Admiralty chart.

	The sinking was reported at position 58-18N, 02-25W in U22's Report.

	The Teklas position was given as 58ƒ18'N, 02ƒ25'W - Grid AN 1681.

	The Exmouth had met the Cyprian Prince (Captain Wilson) off Aberdeen, to escort her northwards to Scapa Flow. Benson signalled simply "Follow me". The destroyer was showing "a very bright stern light". Chief Officer Albert Thomas Clark was on watch in Cyprian Prince, which was following at a safe distance of four cables astern of Exmouth on a course of 330ƒ at 10 knots. Both vessels continued to steam northwards as night fell. The sea was calm, and visibility good. The Exmouths stern light was still in sight of the Cyprian Prince at 04.44hrs when Clark heard one explosion, and thinking Exmouth was dropping depth charges, called Captain Wilson, who was in his bunk, to the bridge. Wilson had arrived on the bridge when, at 04.48hrs there was a second detonation which Clark described as "A terrific explosion, much louder than the first".

	At 04.50, the Cyprian Prince stopped her engines to look for survivors. Her helm was turned to port to clear the upturned hull of the Exmouth. Voices were heard in the water, and flashing lights were seen, and at 04.51, she went full ahead and put her helm over to starboard to close on the men in the water. At 04.53 she stopped engines again and, according to Marine Gunner Ronald Arthur Sheen, about 10 men could be heard in the water. Captain Wilson had already ordered men to stand by the boats, ready to go and pick up the survivors, but considered that stopping in good visibility to rescue them carried too great a risk of his own vessel being torpedoed, and at 04.56hrs he rang down for full ahead and turned to port, leaving the men in the water. Cyprian Prince continued northwards alone with its urgent cargo of searchlights, anti-aircraft guns, and mobile units, Scammel trucks, cars and ammunition for the defence of Scapa Flow.

	Cyprian Prince's radio operator William Costello, logged at 05.07hrs "Called GKR (Wick Radio), giving secret call sign, Unknown vessel sinking in 5818N, 0225W". (The "Unknown vessel" was, of course, the Exmouth, but Costello would not have wanted to broadcast its identity en clair). Costello then looked out to see the two well lit neutral ships which had been following Cyprian Prince all night. (These were the Danish Tekla, and the Norwegian Miranda).

	Seaman Cyril Monck in Cyprian Prince jumped out of his bunk on hearing the first explosion, and was pulling on his trousers at the time of the second. He went on deck and saw the lights of two neutral steamers on the port beam, apparently heading south. (He may have been confused by the fact that, by then, Cyprian Prince had reversed course to close the men in the water).

	The Admiralty alleges that the first news of the sinking of the Exmouth was when Cyprian Prince reached Kirkwall at 13.00hrs. This was despite the fact that Captain Wilson had attempted to send a visual signal by Aldis lamp to Noss Head, Duncansby Head and Muckle Skerry, as he passed each in turn, but had been unable to elicit any response.

	The destroyer HMS Sikh, the rescue ships Sphinx, and St.Mellons, the A/S trawlers King Sol, Loch Monteith, St.Elstan and St.Cathan, and the Wick lifeboat City of Edinburgh immediately rushed to the area and found one lifebuoy from the Exmouth floating among a handful of orange crates and other flotsam, but no survivors. The lifebuoy was picked up by HMT Sphinx, and the rescue ships also picked up a raft bearing two dead bodies and marked M/S Maurija, in 5817N, 0126W."

	----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It is interesting to note that the relatives of the deceased were told that the ship had been lost to an unknown magnetic mine. This was reiterated in subsequent press reports. Interestingly, the loss of HMS Exmouth is omitted from the January 1940 war diary (post war omnibus reprint) whilst the Tekla is included.

	The German Naval Grid Square for the attack by U-22 was given as AN1684, which equates to about 582100N, 022400W. This is according to "Axis Submarine Successes 1939-1945" by Jurgen Rohwer.

	It would appear that the Exmouth had suffered either a second torpedo strike or a secondary (magazine?) explosion then capsized, sinking shortly afterwards). It is also possible that U22 had been mine-laying and that it was a mine that caused the initial explosion.

	Warship Losses of WW2 by David Brown gives the position of torpedoing as 5818N, 0225W, but this was the position originally given for the torpedoing of the Tekla. That ship was initially considered to have been torpedoed by U-55 (Heidel), who was en route from Germany to his designated operating area off the south of Ireland. He was also thought to have torpedoed the Swedish ship Andalusia in the North Sea that same day. Heidel may well have passed through these waters, but must have been well clear of the area by the time HMS Exmouth was torpedoed (U-55 torpedoed the Andalusia NW of Ireland on the 21st). Meanwhile, Jenisch, in U-22 was operating in the Moray area, and it is now believed that the Tekla was sunk by U-22.

	On 28 January, bodies from HMS Exmouth were washed ashore at Lybster. A mass funeral took place in Wick on the 31st. Eighteen ratings were buried in a mass grave. One of them was PO Joe OBrien, a pre-war athlete of note, who had 200 medals for swimming. Six of the bodies were unidentified. (Other bodies in the same mass grave came from HMS Sphinx). The Admiralty Board of Enquiry heard that Exmouth had been having trouble with her Asdic, and found that Benson had not given Wilson clear instructions and that his signal "Follow me" was wholly inadequate. They also stated that Benson should not have shown a stern light, as this was inviting attack. Normal convoy practice would have been for the escort to take station on the convoy rather than the other way around. They also debated whether the captain of the Cyprian Prince had done the right thing in obeying the Admiralty DMS (Defence of Merchant Shipping) instructions in abandoning the survivors of the destroyer when he might have rescued them, but concluded that his action had been correct.


	== The Crew Of HMS Emouth: January 21st 1940 ==

	This section contains the names, ranks, numbers and available biographical information for every member of HMS Exmouths crew on the 21st January 1940. All were killed in action and are commemorated as part of the Portsmouth Memorial Register (panel information is included below) or are buried in Wick Cemetery, Scotland.
	<br />
	<br />
	<br />
	'''Seamen'''
	<br />
	<br />
	WALTER JAMES ANDREWS Able Seaman P/J 44476
	Husband of Winifred Mary Andrews. Age 40. Grandfather of Sue Eastwood, Relatives Assn founder.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	CHARLES ARTHUR ANTHONY Able Seaman P/J 99073
	Son of Charles and Sarah Anthony, of Farnham, Surrey; husband of Ivy Gertrude Mary Anthony, of Littlehampton, Sussex. Age 35.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	HAROLD BAKER Able Seaman P/J 46349
	Son of Nelson Charles and Annie Marie Baker of Horsham, Sussex. Age 40.
	WICK CEMETERY

	EGBERT GEORGE KENT BATES Able Seaman P/JX 129658
	Son of Trevor George and Lucy Bates; husband of Marjorie Jane Bates, of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Age 28.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	WILLIAM EDWARD BAILEY Able Seaman P/J 100936
	Son of William Thomas Bailey and Esther Naomie Bailey; husband of Hilda Bertha Bailey. Aged 36.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	STANLEY GEORGE BICKNELL Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 26427
	Son of Uriah John and Jane Bicknell. Age 18.
	Panel 39. Column 3.

	ALAN JOHN BOGGIS Ordinary Seaman P/SD/X 1247
	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Son of William and Daisy Boggis, of Worthing, Sussex.
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	DONALD WILLIAM BOSOMWORTH Able Seaman P/JX 139999
	Son of Herbert Smith Bosomworth and Charlotte Bosomworth of Scarborough, Yorkshire.
	Panel 38, Column 2.

	WILFRED BLAKEBOROUGH Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 24922
	Panel 39, Column 3. Hampshire.

	HERBERT BRIGHTMAN Leading Seaman P/JX 163418
	Son of Timothy and Elizabeth Brightman; husband of Doris May Brightman, of Gosport, Hampshire. Age 35.
	Panel 37, Column 3. Hampshire.

	WILLIAM BROOKFIELD Able Seaman P/SSX 16211
	Son of William Henry and Martha Ann Brookfield, of Worsborough Bridge, Yorkshire. Age 22.
	Panel 38, Column 2. Hampshire.

	ALFRED HENRY BROWN Able Seaman P/JX 164960
	Panel 38, Column 2. Hampshire.

	JAMES MCGUIRE BROWN Leading Seaman P/JX 142314
	Panel 37, Column 3. Hampshire.

	FREDERICK WALTER BRUNNING Able Seaman P/JX 142314

	Son of Horace and Ellen Brunning; Husband of Emma Eve Brunning, of Haslemere, Surrey. Age 36.
	Panel 38, Column 2.

	FRANK WALTER BURT Able Seaman P/SSX 15059
	Son of Alfred John and Louisa Burt, of West Croydon, Surrey. Age 23.
	Panel 38, Column 2.

	ALBERT SAMSON BUTLER Ordinary Seaman P/SD/X 1293
	Son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Butler, of South Heighton, Sussex. Age 19.
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	DONALD CAMPBELL Seaman P/X 21516A
	Panel 44, Column 1.

	EDWARD NOEL CLOWES Able Seaman P/J 93336
	Son of Edward and Elizabeth Annie Clowes; husband of Dorothy Anne Edna Clowes, of Condover, Shropshire.
	Panel 38, Column 2.

	LEONARD ALFRED COOMBER Able Seaman P/SD/X 1094
	Son of TG Coomber and Phoebe A Coomber, of Brighton. Age 22.
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	GEORGE STANLEY DAVEY Able Seaman P/JX 126615
	Son of Thomas G. and Phoebe E. Davey; husband of Winifred Lilian Davey, of Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey. Age 29.
	Panel 38, Column 2.

	FREDERICK ARTHUR DIBDEN Able Seaman P/J 58018
	Panel 38, Column 2.

	ARTHUR WILLIAM DODSON Able Seaman P/J 45312
	Panel 38, Column 2.

	FRANCIS GEORGE EDGE Leading Seaman P/JX 133055
	Son of George and Thomasina Edge, of Shirebrook, Derbyshire. Age 27.
	Panel 37, Column 3.

	HORACE WALTER JACK EVANS Ordinary Seaman P/SD/X 1068 Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
	Son of Albert David Evans and Christina Agnes Evans, of Newhaven, Sussex. Age 20.
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	FREDERICK JAMES GATES Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 28127
	Son of James Edward William and Sarah Jane Gates. Age 20.
	Panel 39, Column 3.

	MARTIN HAROLD Able Seaman P/SSX 15904
	Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hughy Harold; husband of E. Harold.
	Panel 38, Column 3.

	GEORGE FRANCIS HAWLEY Able Seaman P/JX 164875
	Son of George and Rose Hawley; husband of Elsie Hawley, of York. Age 43.
	Panel 38, Column 3.

	HENRY JAMES HAYES Leading Seaman P/J 110376
	Age 31. Son of Henry Ebenezer and Ellen Hayes; husband of Dorothy Edna Hayes, of Hambrook, Sussex
	Panel 37, Column 3.

	RONALD HEAP Able Seaman P/JX 141281
	Panel 38, Column 3.

	WILLIAM EDWARD HODDER Ordinary Seaman P/SD/X 1324 Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	BERNARD ARTHUR HOLFORD Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 31000
	Son of Bernard and Gertrude E. Holford, of Hednesford, Staffordshire. Age 20.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	LAURENCE HARRY HOLLIWELL Able Seaman P/SSX 15332
	Son of Harry and Esther Ann Holliwell. Age 27.
	Panel 38, Column 3.

	JOHN NOEL HYDE Able Seaman P/J 87392
	Son of Thomas and Annie Hyde; husband of Ada Hyde, of Dudley, Worcestershire. Age 38.
	Panel 38, Column 3.

	JAMES JAMIESON Ordinary Seaman P/CD/X 2239.
	Son of George and Mary Jamieson; husband of Arm Jane Jamieson, of Greenock, Renfrewshire. Age 24.
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	WILLIAM HENRY JERRED Able Seaman P/J 94077
	Son of William and Ellen Jerred; husband of Muriel Jerred, of Park Gate, Hampshire. Age 36
	Panel 38, Column 3.

	AARON ROBERT JOHNSTON Leading Seaman P/J 110674
	Son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Johnston; husband of Winifred Mary Johnston, of Shirley, Christchurch, Hampshire. Age 32.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	THOMAS KELLY Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 31003
	Son of Mary Kelly; ward of John Loughlin, of Cardonald, Glasgow. Age 18.
	WICK CEMETERY

	EDGAR SAMUEL KIRK Steward P/LX 22121
	Son of Edgar Herbert Kirk and Beatrice Ella Kirk, of Headington, Oxford. Age 21.
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	FREDERICK LOWE Ordinary Seaman P/SSX31002
	Son of Frederick H. Lowe and Annie Lowe, of Somercotes, Derbyshire. Age 18.
	WICK CEMETERY

	THOMAS WILLIAM LOWERY Able Seaman P/JX 164922
	Panel 39, Column 1.

	MALCOLM MACASKILL Seaman P/X 10329B Royal Naval Reserve.
	Son of Finlay and Margaret Macaskill, of Northton, Leverburgh, Isle of Harris.
	Panel 44, Column 1.

	HECTOR MACDONALD Seaman P/X 18631A Royal Naval Reserve.
	Son of Alexander and Catherine Macdonald, of Tolas-dadh-a-Chaolais, Isle of Lewis. Age 22.
	Panel 44, Column 1.

	NORMAN MacDONALD Able Seaman P/X20299A Royal Naval Reserve.
	Son of Norman and Marg MacDonald, of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Age 20.
	WICK CEMETERY

	HECTOR MACKAY Seaman P/5965D Royal Naval Reserve.
	Son of John and Matilda Mackay; husband of Henrietta Mackay, of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Age 34.
	Panel 44, Column 1.

	JOHN DANIEL MACLEOD Seaman P/X 20251A Royal Naval Reserve.
	Son of John and Mary MacLeod, of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Age 22.
	Panel 44, Column 1.

	ROBERT JOHN GIRVAN McCARTER Ordinary Seaman P/CD/X 2225 Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
	Son of James and Annie McCarter, of Glasgow. Age 23
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	ROBERT JAMES McCULLOUGH Ordinary Seaman P/JX 165491
	None available.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	HARRY THOMAS MITCHELL Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 31005
	Age 20. Son of Harry and Maude Mitchell, of Elstead, Surrey.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	GUY EVANS MORGAN Able Seaman P/SSX 31522
	Son of John Herbert and Marianne Morgan, of Linthorpe, Yorkshire. Age 44.
	Panel 39, Column 1.

	JOHN ALFRED MORGAN Able Seaman P/JX 126115
	Son of Alfred and Mabel Emma Morgan; husband of Margaret Hilda Morgan, of Welshpool, Montgomeryshire. Age 29.
	Panel 39, Column 1.

	JOHN MORRISON Seaman P/K 7199C Royal Naval Reserve.
	Age 39. Son of John and Annie Morrison, of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.

	Panel 44, Column 1.
	JAMES WISHART MYLES Able Seaman P/ESD/X 1094
	Son of James W. and Jane Watson Myles, of Dundee. Age 22.
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	FRANK NEWBY Able Seaman P/JX 131504
	Son of John and Mary Jane Newby. Age 27.
	Panel 39, Column 1.

	ARTHUR EDWIN NOUGHER Able Seaman P/JX 148565
	Son of Arthur Edwin and Ellen Elizabeth Nougher, of Lambeth, London. Age 19.
	Panel 39, Column 1.

	DONALD PRETTY Able Seaman P/JX 148969
	Son of George Edward and Ruth Pretty, of Sheffield. Age 18.
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	SIDNEY RANDALL Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 31006
	Son of William and Clara Randall.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	ALBERT CYRIL RAYNER Petty Officer P/J 97061
	Husband of E. Rayner, of Shirley, Southampton.
	Panel 37, Column 3.

	JAMES CLARENCE RICKARD Able Seaman P/JX 140693
	Husband of Winifred F. Rickard, of Southsea, Hampshire. Age 21.
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	JACK ROBINSON Able Seaman P/SSX 24654
	Son of John W and Mary J Robinson, of Old Leake, Lincolnshire. Age 19.
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	CHARLES FREDERICK ROLLITT Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 31007
	Son of James W. and Dorothy B. Rollitt, of Sneinton Dale, Nottingham. Age 20.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	HERBERT RUSSELL Able Seaman P/JX 164861
	Son of Robert and Jane Russell; husband of Ellen Russell, of Forest Gate, Essex. Age 42.
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	GEORGE JAMES SERGANT Able Seaman P/JX 164906
	Son of George and Lucy Sergant; husband of Caroline Anne Sergant, of Tooting, Surrey. Age 43.
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	DONALD JAMES SHARP Leading Seaman P/J 93086
	Son of James and Edith Mary Sharp, of Redhill, Surrey. Age 37.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	ALFRED GEORGE SKIDMORE Able Seaman P/JX 138068
	Son of Robert and Nora Skidmore; husband of Nellie Skidmore, of Liverpool. Age 23.
	WICK CEMETERY

	ARTHUR SMITH Able Seaman P/J 104504
	Son of William and Bertha Smith; husband of Marion Smith, of Levenshulme, Manchester.
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	CYRIL SMITH Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 26292
	Son of Joseph and Rebecca Smith, of Earby, Yorkshire. Age 19.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	GEORGE POWER STEPHEN Ordinary Seaman P/JX 156701
	None available.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	CECIL GEORGE ALBERT STREET Able Seaman P/J 96329
	Son of Charles Aldridge Street and Flora Blanche Street, of Gosport, Hampshire. Age 35.
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	GORDON FRANK STREVENS Able Seaman P/J 112398
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	ALBERT TINGLE Able Seaman P/SSX 24414
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	FREDERICK TOPP Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 20975
	Son of Frederick and Florence Topp. Age 20.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	KENNETH ARTHUR FREDERICK TRITTON Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 31052
	Son of Frederick William and Lilian Alice Tritton, of Erith, Kent. Age 18.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	IFOR WILLIAM VAUGHAN Leading Seaman P/SSX 15023
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	SIDNEY EDWARD CRAWFORD VINCENT Able Seaman P/J 69599
	Son of Edward and Alice Vincent; husband of Caroline Beatrice Vincent, of Lancing, Sussex. Age 39.
	Panel 39, Column 2.

	HARRY WALKER Leading Seaman P/J 42977
	Son of Arthur Edward and Elizabeth Dorcas Walker, of Hove, Sussex; husband of Evelyn Kate Walker, of Hove, Sussex. Age 40.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	LESLIE FRANK WEEKS Leading Seaman P/JX 134192
	Son of Sydney Frank and Helen Rose Weeks, of Horsell, Surrey. Age 26.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	ALFRED JOHN WHEDDON Able Seaman P/J 92160
	Son of Charles and Clara Wheddon; husband of Maud Caroline Wheddon, of Streatham, London. Age 38.
	Panel 39, Column 3.

	WILLIAM ROY WHELAN Ordinary Seaman P/JX 168145
	Son of Mrs I Whelan of High Wycombe, Bucks. Age 21.
	Panel 40, Column 1.

	ARTHUR LESLIE WILD Able Seaman P/JX 144559
	Son of Arthur and Elsie Wild, of Nottingham. Known as ‘Boy’. Age 20. Son of Arthur and Elsie Wild, of Nottingham. Uncle of John Wild.
	Panel 39, Column 3.

	HENRY GEORGE CREASE WISHART Leading Seaman P/JX 138322
	Son of George Edmund and Lucy Olive Elizabeth Wishart, of Havant, Hampshire. Age 23.
	Panel 38, Column 1.

	ALFRED WOODHAM Able Seaman P/J9664
	Husband of Lily Irene Nellie Woodham, of Croydon, Surrey. Age 36
	WICK CEMETERY

	ALBERT WRIGHT Ordinary Seaman P/SSX 27857
	Son of Frank Wright and Ann Jane Wright, of Dundee. Age 18.
	Panel 40, Column 1.
	<br />
	<br />
	'''Engine Room'''
	<br />
	<br />
	ERNEST RICHARD A'COURT Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class P/MX 45590
	Son of Ernest Richard and Millicent A'Court; husband of Maud Alice A'Court, of Purbrook, Hampshire
	Panel 41, Column 1

	FRANK EMERY ASHMAN Stoker 1st Class P/SS 120390
	Son of John and Sarah Ashman; husband of Daisy Emily Ashman, of Fleetville, Hertfordshire. Age 39.
	Panel 41, Column 3.

	FREDERICK GERALD BALL Leading Stoker P/K 56124
	Son of Frank Henry and Elizabeth Ada Ball, of Wickham, Hampshire. Aged 39
	Panel 41, Column 3

	ALFRED BARRY Stoker 1st Class P/K61618
	WICK CEMETERY

	LEONARD CHARLES BATCHELOR Petty Officer Stoker P/KX 79395
	Son of Charles Richard and Florence Mary Batchelor; husband of Madge Batchelor, of Southsea, Hampshire. Age 30.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	PERCY CHARLES BESSANT Stoker 1st Class P/KX 77671
	Son of Charles and Emma Bessant; husband of Florence Diana Bessant, of Totton, Hampshire. Age 31.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	JESSE BROAD Stoker 2nd Class P/SR 8129
	Son of Thomas and Fannie Broad. Age 22.
	Panel 42, Column 3. Hampshire.

	WILLIAM FREDERICK BUDD Stoker 1st Class P/KX 77966
	Son of William and Annie Budd; husband of Alice Lucy Budd, of Wandsworth, London. Age 34.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	ROBERT WILLIAM BUTTERFIELD Stoker 1st Class P/KX 98660
	Husband of Hannah Butterfield, of Crook, Co. Durham. Age 45.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	WILLIAM EDWARD CATTELL Petty Officer Stoker P/K 61789
	Son of Alfred and Clara Cattell; husband of Christina Cattell, of St. Helen's, Isle of Wight.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	LAURENCE VICTOR CHAMBERLIN Electrical Artificer 4th Class P/MX 55596
	Son of William Henry and Flora May Chamberlin, of west Farnborough, Hampshire. Age 22.
	WICK CEMETERY

	STANLEY CROSS Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class P/X 909
	Royal Naval Reserve.
	Son of Charles Henry and Maria Cross; husband of Eileen Cross, of Pegswood, Northumberland.
	Panel 44, Column 2.

	LESLIE CHARLES DARTON Stoker 1st Class P/K 67152
	Son of Charles and Annie Darton, of Hertford; husband of Eileen May Darton. Age 31.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	LEONARD ERNEST DOWNS Leading Stoker P/K 64660
	Son of John and Ester Downs; husband of Amy Eugene Downs, of Birmingham.
	<br />Len enlisted with his pal, Bob Nash and was later his best man. Both died on HMS Exmouth
	Panel 41, Column 3.

	WILLIAM HENRY DUNN Stoker 1st Class P/K 63600
	Son of Thomas and Mary Jane Dunn.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	FREDERICK ANDREW ELKINS Stoker 1st Class P/KX 98407
	Son of Oakie and Elizabeth Elkins; husband of Edith M. Elkins, of Farnham, Surrey. Age 43.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	DANIEL ALFRED GAMBRELL Leading StokerP/K 10359
	Son of Sidney John and Fanny Gambrell; husband of Rose Matilda Gambrell, of Croydon, Surrey. Age 48.
	Panel 41, Column 3.

	SAMUEL GOUGH Stoker 1st Class P/KX 98666
	Son of Mr and Mrs Samuel Gough; husband of Janet Oxley Gough, of Birtley, Co. Durham. Age 44.
	Panel 41, Column 1.

	STANLEY FLEMING GRAVES Chief Stoker P/K 56741
	Son of Mr and Mrs George Fleming Graves; husband of Neta May Graves, of Endmoor, Westmorland. Age 38.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	LEONARD GUSTAR Chief Engine Room Artificer P/M 35318
	Son of Frederick H and Elizabeth A Gustar, of Newport, Isle Of Wight; husband of Ella Gustar. Age 36.
	Panel 41, Column 1.

	CYRIL JOHN HALES Stoker 1st Class P/K 60826
	Son of Edward John and Ellen Harriet Hales. of Gosport, Hampshire. Age 36.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	JOHN WALKER HANNAH Stoker 1st Class P/KX 92709
	Son of Alexander Hannah, and of Margaret Hannah, of Burntisland, Fife.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	GORDON TREVOR HISCOCK Petty Officer Stoker P/K 22508
	Son of Joseph and Edith Hiscock; husband of Muriel Ethel Hiscock, of Southtown, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	ALBERT EDWARD HUDSON Engine Room Artificer 4th Class P/SSX15332.
	Son of Edward R and Easther H Hudson, of Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire. Age 23.
	Panel 41, Column 1.

	JOSEPH HURLEY Petty Officer Stoker P/KX 75764
	Son of Joseph and Jennifer Hurley; husband of Dorothy Elizabeth Hurley, of Newquay, Cornwall. Age 33.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	ALLEN GALLOWAY HUTCHESON Engine Room Artificer 4th Class P/X 2908EA
	Royal Naval Reserve.
	Son of Samuel and Agnes B Hutcheson, of Greenock, Renfrewshire. Age 26.
	Panel 44, Column 2.

	WILLIAM HENRY HUTCHINSON Stoker 1st Class P/KX 99374
	Son of Jesse and Eliza Hutchinson; husband of Emma Hutchinson, of Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham. Age 43.
	Panel 41, Column 1.

	HERBERT ROBERT KEDGE Stoker 1st Class P/SS 121574
	Son of Herbert John and Mary Ann Kedge. Age 39.
	Panel 42, Column 1.

	CYRIL JOHN MORTON Warrant Engineer
	Son of John and Clara Morton, of Staines, Middlesex.
	Panel 37, Column 2.

	ROBERT WILLIAM NASH Petty Officer Stoker P/K 64669
	Son of James and Charlotte Nash of 136, Cattell Rd., Small Heath, Birmingham. Age 33.
	Husband of Evelyn Nash, of Carlingford, Co. Louth, Republic of Ireland.
	Father of David and Charlotte.
	<br />Died with his best friend, Len Downs who was also part of the engine room crew. Len was best man at Bobs wedding.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	WILLIAM ARTHUR NEAL Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class P/MX 48224
	Panel 41, Column 1.

	RICHARD GWYNEDD OWEN Petty Officer Stoker P/K 57981
	Panel 41. Column 2.

	PERCY LEONARD PAYNE Petty Officer Stoker P/K 59414
	Son of Alfred and Eliza Jane Payne; husband of Hannah Eliza Payne, of Tipton, Staffordshire.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	BRYNMOR PHENNAH Stoker 1st Class P/KX 93466
	Age 20. Son of Jacob Phennah and Mary Phennah, of Tottenham, Middlesex.
	Panel 42, Column 2.

	JAMES HENRY PITT Stoker 2nd Class P/KX 95670
	Son of Daniel and Alice Pitt. Age 19.
	Panel 42, Column 3.

	PERCY CLIFFORD READ Stoker 1st Class P/KX 92519
	Son of Abraham William and Florence May Read, of Stourbridge, Worcestershire. Age 20.
	Panel 42, Column 2.

	FREDERICK RICHARDS Petty Officer Stoker P/K 57560
	Husband of Gladys Mabel Richards, of Small Heath, Birmingham.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	SIDNEY SCOTT Stoker 1st Class P/KX 76633
	Son of James and Charlotte Scott; husband of Frances Eveline Scott, of Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire. Age 31.
	Panel 42, Column 2.

	SYDNEY SMITH Stoker 1st Class P/KX 75378
	Son of William Henry and Rebecca Smith, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. Age 31.
	Panel 42, Column 2.

	OWEN STEVENS Petty Officer Stoker P/K 59425
	Son of Owen and Emily Stevens; husband of Dora Amelia Stevens, of Brighton, Sussex. Age 37.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	HERBERT TARRY Stoker 1st Class P/K 56593
	Son of John and Sarah Ann Tarry, of Leicester; husband of Edith Tarry, of Leicester. Age 41.
	Panel 42, Column 2.

	JAMES EDWARD TAYLOR Leading Stoker PK/X 75697
	Son of James and Alice Taylor; husband of Ethel Taylor, of Heywood, Lancashire. Age 34.
	''Uprated to Petty Officer when recalled but acting-only at the time of his death.''
	Father of Roy Taylor. Ethels ashes were scattered over the Moray Firth. She never remarried.
	Panel 41, Column 3.

	REGINALD WILFRED UPHILL Chief Electrical Artificer P/M 32733
	Son of Thomas William and Ella Uphill; husband of Florence Alexandra Kimberley Uphill, of Westham, Dorsetshire. Age 40.
	Panel 43, Column 1.

	WALLACE VAUGHAN Stoker 1st Class P/KX 78787
	Panel 42, Column 3.

	FREDERICK RAYMOND WATSON Stoker 1st Class P/SS 122273
	Age 38.
	Panel 42, Column 3.

	JOHN RICHARD WATTS Stoker 1st Class P/K 118008
	Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Watts; husband of Lily Frances Watts, of Worcester. Age 39.
	Panel 42. Column 3.

	SYDNEY GEORGE WHITELOCK Stoker 1st ClassP/K 60326
	Son of William and Alice Whitelock; husband of DM Whitelock, of Eastfield, Ryde, Isle of Wight. Age 35.
	Panel 42, Column 3.

	CYRIL ALBERT YOUNG Stoker 1st ClassP/KX 94630
	Son of Cyril Frederick and Bessie Frances Young, of Peckham, London. Age 22.
	Panel 43, Column 3.

	ALAN JAMES ZEBEDEE Stoker 1st ClassP/K 65753
	Son of Alfred and Amy Zebedee, of Collingbourne Ducis, Wiltshire. Age 36.
	Panel 42, Column 3.
	<br />
	<br />
	'''Signals'''
	<br />
	<br /> WILLIAM ARTHUR EVANS Leading Telegraphist P/J 41374
	Son of Herbert Arthur Ernest and Mary Ann Evans; husband of Elsie Emma Evans. Age 40.
	Panel 40, Column 3.

	RALPH BERNARD GOUGH Telegraphist P/WRX 621
	Son of Arthur E and Emily Louise Gough. Age 28.
	Panel 45, Column 1.

	HARRY GRIMES Signalman P/JX 143507
	Son of Harry and Beatrice Dinah Grimes, of Northallerton, Yorkshire. Age 20.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	HAROLD HADLEY Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist P/J 42351
	Son of David and Mary Hadley; husband of Annie Hadley, of Milton, Southsea, Hampshire.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	ARNOLD BOYNTON HALL Telegraphist P/WRX 797
	Royal Naval Volunteer (Wireless) Reserve. Son of Frederick William and Eleanor Maud Hall. Age 29.
	Panel 45, Column 1.

	WILLIAM DOUGLAS HAWKINS Signalman P/JX 137284
	Son of William and Edith Hawkins; husband of Elsie Freda Irene Hawkins, of Havant, Hampshire. Age 23.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	JOHN KEIGHRON Signalman P/CD/X 787
	Son of Brian and Rose Ann Keighron; husband of Isabella Keighron, of Glasgow.
	Panel 44, Column 3.

	GEORGE WALKER HALL MILLER Yeoman Of Signals P/J 45929
	Son of Alexander and Bessie Miller; husband of Dorothy E Miller, of Weymouth, Dorsetshire. Age 39.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	SIDNEY GEORGE MITCHELL Telegraphist P/J62775
	Son of William Barker Mitchell and Mary Ann Mitchell. Age 38.
	Panel 40, Column 3.

	WALTER PEAD Leading Signalman P/J 37737
	Husband of Mary Pead. Age 42.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	ERIC BERNARD PRAGNELL Leading Signalman P/JX 137590
	Son of Clem and Bella Kate Pragnell; hisband of Dpros Ethell Pragnell, of Greenford, Middlesex. Age 24.
	Panel 41, Column 1.

	CHARLES PYE Signalman P/JX 164989
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	DAVID ROBERT RIDDELL Telegraphist P/SSX 20820
	Son of William Edward and Jean Helen Riddell, of Pegswood, Northumberland. Age 20.
	Panel 40, Column 3.

	JOHN DICKSON RUSSELL Signalman P/CD/X 1564
	Son of Randolph and Jessie Russell; husband of Janet Russell, of Govan, Glasgow. Age 27.
	Panel 44. Column 3.

	ALBERT EDWARD SHARP Chief Yeoman Of Signals P/J 48472
	Son of George Albert and Sarah Sharp; husband of Florence Ethel Sharp, of Paul’s Grove, Hampshire. Age 39.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	LEONARD BERTIE STENNETT Leading Signalman P/J 34806
	Son of John William and Frances Ada Stennett; husband of Ada Stennett, of Stanley, Yorkshire. Age 41.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	SYDNEY TURNER Yeoman of Signals P/J9807
	Son of Henry Richard and Emily Turner; husband of Mabel Chinnery Turner, of Fratton, Portsmouth. Age 46.
	WICK CEMETERY

	JOHN WALTER WILSON Telegraphist P/SSX 16633
	Son of Thomas Francis and Eliza Ellis Wilson, of Brimington, Derbyshire. Age 22.
	Panel 40, Column 3.

	JOHN WALTER WISDOM Telegraphist P/J 72243
	Son of James and Isobella Wisdom; husband of Lilian Primrose, of South Ruislip, Middlesex. Age 38.
	Panel 40, Column 3.

	DANIEL WOODING Signalman P/J 44289
	Son of Richard and Ellen Wooding; husband of Susan Wooding, of Princes Park, Liverpool. Age 40.
	Panel 40, Column 2.
	<br />
	<br />
	'''Officers'''
	<br />
	<br /> RICHARD STODDART S O BENSON Captain
	Son of Henry and Maud Benson; husband of Cicely Katherine Benson (nee Beauchamp), of Meopham, Kent. Age 47
	Panel 36, Column 3.

	DEREK DAVID BOWEN Sub-Lieutenant (S)
	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Son of Benjamin David and Florence Bowen, of Bishop's Castle, Shropshire. Age 22.
	Panel 44, Column 2.

	ALFRED HENRY BUDDEN Commissioned Gunner
	Panel 37, Column 1.

	CHARLES HENRY CROMBIE Lieutenant
	Son of Henry and Fanny Agnes Crombie of Bath, Somerset. Age 27.
	Panel 36, Column 3.

	IAN WILLIAM MACDONALD GILL Lieutenant
	Son of William and Annie Gill, of Grangemouth, Stirlingshire. Age 28
	Panel 36, Column 3

	BRIAN GORE-BOOTH Sub Lieutenant
	Son of Sir Josslyn Gore-Booth and Lady Gore-Booth, of Sligo, Republic of Ireland. Age 27.
	Panel 37, Column 1.

	CAESAR CHARLES HAWKINS Lieutenant DSC
	Son of Caesar and Margaret Dawson Hawkins; husband of Mary redwood Vachell Hawkins (nee Hann). Age 24
	Panel 36, Column 3.

	JOHN LOVEDAY Lieutenant, Royal Marines
	Son of Lt.-Col. Francis Loveday, R.A., and Lilias Mary Loveday. Age 28.
	Panel 37, Column 1.

	GEORGE ALEXANDER MAXWELL MAXWELL-SMITH Surgeon Lieutenant MB, Ch. B
	Panel 37, Column 1.

	JOHN ROLAND OLIVE Lieutenant (S)
	Son of William Edgar and Lilian Constance Olive; husband of Sibyl Margrett Hambleton Olive. Age 28.
	Panel 37. Column 1.

	JAMES GUYE FRANCKLIN WATKINSON ROBERTS Lieutenant
	Son of George Watkinson Roberts and Dorothy Georgina Roberts; husband of Helen Mary Peggy Roberts. Age 29.
	Panel 37, Column 1.

	LESLIE SUTHERLAND Lieutenant (S)
	Panel 37, Column 1.
	<br />
	<br />
	'''Petty Officers'''
	<br />
	<br /> LEONARD CHARLES BATCHELOR Petty Officer Stoker P/KX 79395
	Son of Charles Richard and Florence Mary Batchelor; husband of Madge Batchelor, of Southsea, Hampshire. Age 30.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	EDWARD JOHN BOOTH Petty Officer P/J 101597
	Son of Henry Gilbert and Elsie Emma Maud Booth; husband of Florence Ellen Booth, of Herne Hill, London.
	Panel 37, Column 2.

	ERIC ALEXANDER DAVIES Petty Officer Supply P/MX 45466
	Son of Alfred George and Prudence Davies; husband of Evelyn M. Davies, of St. Martin'S, Shropshire. Age 33.
	Panel 43, Column 1.

	ERNEST VICTOR JOSEPH DAVIES Chief Petty Officer P/J 88067
	Son of Ernest and Margaret Davies, of Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire. Age 38.
	Panel 37, Column 2.

	JOHN LAWRENCE GIBSON Petty Officer Cook (O) P/L 13858
	Son of John and Martha Gibson. Age 41.
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	FREDERICK GOLDER Petty Officer P/J 83307
	WICK CEMETERY

	HAROLD HADLEY Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist P/J 42351
	Son of David and Mary Hadley; husband of Annie Hadley, of Milton, Southsea, Hampshire.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	WILLIAM HIGGINS Petty Officer Cook P/MX 45412
	Son of John and Helen Higgins; husband of Alice Maud Higgins, of Rutherglen, Lanarkshire. Age 33.
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	GORDON TREVOR HISCOCK Petty Officer Stoker P/K 22508
	Son of Joseph and Edith Hiscock; husband of Muriel Ethel Hiscock, of Southtown, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	JOSEPH HURLEY Petty Officer Stoker P/KX 75764
	Son of Joseph and Jennifer Hurley; husband of Dorothy Elizabeth Hurley, of Newquay, Cornwall. Age 33.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	ARTHUR LINDFIELD Chief Petty Officer Writer P/M38109
	Son of Arthur George and Laurie Rebecca Lindfield; husband of Kathleen Nellie Ada Lindfield, of Drayton, Cosham, Hampshire. Age 35.
	WICK CEMETERY

	JAMES McQUILLAN Petty Officer P/JX 169767
	Panel 37, Column 3.

	ROBERT WILLIAM NASH Petty Officer Stoker P/K 64669
	Son of James and Charlotte Nash of 136, Cattell Rd., Small Heath, Birmingham. Age 33.
	Husband of Evelyn Nash, of Carlingford, Co. Louth, Republic of Ireland. Father of David and Charlotte.
	'''NOT FORGOTTEN'''
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	JAMES NEWMAN Petty Officer Steward P/JX 131504
	Son of William and Jane Newman; husband of Rosina Newman, of Southsea, Hampshire. Age 50.
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	JOE O'BRIEN Petty Officer P/JX 131841
	Son of Tom and Melita O'Brien, of Harrogate, Yorkshire. Age 27. '''Pre war swimming champion with over 200 medals.'''
	WICK CEMETERY

	RICHARD GWYNEDD OWEN Petty Officer Stoker P/K 57981
	Panel 41. Column 2.

	PERCY LEONARD PAYNE Petty Officer Stoker P/K 59414
	Son of Alfred and Eliza Jane Payne; husband of Hannah Eliza Payne, of Tipton, Staffordshire.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	ALBERT CYRIL RAYNER Petty Officer P/J 97061
	Husband of E. Rayner, of Shirley, Southampton.
	Panel 37, Column 3.

	FREDERICK RICHARDS Petty Officer Stoker P/K 57560
	Husband of Gladys Mabel Richards, of Small Heath, Birmingham
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	HENRY JOHN SAIT Petty Officer Supply P/MX 49720
	Son of Henry James Sait and Ellen Mary Sait; husband of Phyllis Lucy Sait, of Farlington, Hampshire. Age 25.
	Panel 43, Column 1.

	OWEN STEVENS Petty Officer Stoker P/K 59425
	Son of Owen and Emily Stevens; husband of Dora Amelia Stevens, of Brighton, Sussex. Age 37.
	Panel 41, Column 2.

	ALBERT THOMPSON Petty Officer Steward P/L 1620
	Son of James and Alice Taylor; husband of Jeanette Thompson, of Heywood, Lancashire. Age 49.
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	HENRY JAMES WEBB DSM Petty Officer P/J 103350
	Son of Frederick Webb and of Bertha Webb (nee Sartin); husband of Sylvia Webb, of Rosyth, Fife. Age 35.
	Panel 37, Column 3.

	FRANCIS JAMES WHITTLE Petty Officer P/J 103452
	Husband of Georgina Whittle. Age 35.
	Panel 37, Column 3.
	<br />
	<br />
	'''Other Ranks'''
	<br />
	<br />JOHN WILLIAM ANDREW Steward P/LX 22073
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	HENRY GEORGE THOMSON BALL Gunner
	Panel 37, Column 1.

	WILLIAM FORSYTH PROCTOR DUNCAN Cook (O) P/MX 55937
	Son of James and Margaret Duncan, of Kingston, Morayshire.
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	WILLIAM ALFRED GUTTRIDGE Shipwright 1st Class P/M 15169
	Son of William H and Annie Guttridge; husband of Elsie Maud Guttridge, of Drayton, Portsmouth. Age 40.
	Panel 43, Column 1.

	HERBERT IDDON Boy 1st Class P/JX 154183
	Son of Miles Frederick and Mary Jane Iddon, of Chapelen-le-Frith, Derbyshire. Age 17.
	Panel 40, Column 2.

	EDGAR SAMUEL KIRK Steward P/LX 22121
	Son of Edgar Herbert Kirk and Beatrice Ella Kirk, of Headington, Oxford. Age 21.
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	FREDERICK MONTAGUE LANG Leading Sick Berth Attendant P/MX 45313
	Panel 43, Column 1.

	ERIC SIDDALS Cook (S) P/MX 56035
	Panel 43, Column 2.

	PERCIVAL CHARLES SMITH Canteen Manager Navy, Army And Air Force Institute (NAAFI).
	Panel 45, Column 1.

	SAMUEL TURTON Ordnance Artificer 4th Class P/MX 53240
	Son of Albert and Emily Elizabeth Turton; husband of Eleanor Turton, of Wombwell, Yorkshire.
	Panel 43, Column 1.

	REGINALD WILFRED UPHILL Chief Electrical Artificer P/M 32733
	Son of Thomas William and Ella Uphill; husband of Florence Alexandra Kimberley Uphill, of Westham, Dorsetshire. Age 40.
	Panel 43, Column 1.

	PETE LESLIE WATSON Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve.
	Son of Mildred Catherine Watson, of West Ewell, Surrey. Age 19.
	Panel 44, Column 1.

	== The E-Class Flotilla ==

	The "E" Class destroyer was designed for rapid conversion to fast minelayers. During WWII, the aft torpedo bank was replaced with a single 3" AA gun with the after funnel cut down and the mainmast removed to improve its sky arc. "Y" gun was replaced to increase depth charge stowage and extra throwers installed. 6 2cm AA guns were fitted, replacing the 2pdr. and 0.5" AA guns. HMS Express was transferred to the RCN, was renamed and became part of their River Class. Each ship had three Admiralty pattern three drum boilers, and two shafts.

	(Name) (Builder) (LD) (Launched) (Commissioned)

	H.02 Exmouth Portsmouth N/A Feb.7/34 N/A
	<br />Flotilla Leader. Torpedoed Jan.21/40 off Moray Firth by German U-22.

	H.23 Echo Denny N/A Feb.16/34 N/A
	<br />Transferred to Royal Hellenic (Greece) Navy (1944-56) and renamed Navarinon. Scrapped Apr.26/56 at Dunston.

	H.08 Eclipse Denny N/A Apr.12/34 N/A
	<br />Mined and sunk Oct.24/43 East of Kalymnos.

	H.27 Electra Hawthorne Leslie N/A Feb.15/34 N/A
	<br />Sunk Feb.27/42 in Java Sea by Japanese warships.

	H.10 Encounter Hawthorne Leslie N/A Mar.29/34 N/A
	<br />Sunk Mar.1/42 in Java Sea by Japanese warships.

	H.17 Escapade Scotts N/A Jan.30/34 N/A
	<br />Scrapped Feb./47 at Grangemouth.

	H.66 Escort Scotts N/A Mar.29/34 N/A
	<br />Torpedoed Jul.11/40 North of Cyprus by Italian Submarine Marconi.

	H.61 Express Swan Hunter Mar.23/33 Mar.19/34 May.29/34
	<br />Transferred to RCN Jun.3/43 and renamed H.61 Gatineau. Paid off Jan.10/46 and scrapped 1956 at Vancouver.

	== Discovery ==

	The wreck of HMS Exmouth was discovered in the Moray Firth in July 2001 by an independent expedition. Their findings were verified by Historic Scotland. HMS Exmouth today is almost unrecognisable. What was once a substantial warship was shattered, first by the sinking as described above and later by depth charges dropped from vessels during WW2 searching for u-boats in the Moray Firth.

	By way of a text description, in July 2001 the vessels bow was largely unrecognisable and was identified by the remains of the forward gun. This is completely tangled debris with only the barrel emerging. The mid section of the vessel including the bridge do not remain but sections were identified by the distinctively shaped windows on some plate panels and the remains of radio equipment. Below decks simply does not exist other than the existence of a large debris field. The rear of HMS Exmouth retains some shape but nothing to indicate the proud lines of a ship of the line.

	Subsequently, a successful campaign by the HMS Exmouth Relatives Association saw the wreck site added to list of sites covered by the Protection Of Military Remains Act which effectively banned further diving on the site. This has included a subsequent request to the MOD to allow ashes of the remains of a relative of the crew to be placed at the wreck site. The wreck site does not appear to have been visited since this came into force.

	== Relaives Association And The Memorial Service ==

	A relatives association for the crew of HMS Exmouth was formed in 2001 with the aim of remembering the sacrifice made by these men and boys and commerating this with a permanent memorial in Wick, the nearest town to the wreck site. On 2nd September 2001 a service was held at the Old Parish Church, Wick and a permanent memorial listing all the crew lost on 21st January 1940 was dedicated.

	]

	== MS Cyprian Prince ==

	The "Cyprian Prince" was operated by the Prince Line Ltd., Furness House, Leadenhall St., London EC3. Built in 1937 by Furness Shipbuilding Company Ltd., Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough, she was 1,988 registered tons, was 306 feet in length, 44.3 feet in beam and 18.11 feet in depth.

	On April 6, 1941 the "Cyprian Prince" was damaged by the explosion of a parachute mine dropped by a German He-111 aircraft. The next day she was badly damaged when the ship "Clan Fraser" exploded after being bombed by He-111 aircraft at Piraeus, Greece. The "Cyprian Prince" lost four men killed, but 32 survived. The ship was beached and was found post-war in a wrecked condition at Peristeri, Salamis Island and it would appear that the ship was later scrapped.

	== U22 ==
	]

	U22 was a small, coast U-Boat. She carried only five torpedoes fired through three bow tubes, twelve mines and no deck armament at all. Her primary role was as a mine layer and harasser of Allied shipping. However, captained by Karl-Heinrich Jenisch (brother of Knights Cross winner and fellow submariner Hans) U22 sank eight ships for a total of almost 10000 tons during her short career.

	U22 left Wilhelmshaven on the 16th January 1940. Her patrol route would have taken the ship up the east coast of Scotland, through the coastal hunting grounds off Greenock then across the Moray Firth and up towards the Orkneys before turning for home. It appears that having missed any possible targets off Greenock, where convoys assembled for the run north to Scapa and beyond, U22 sailed on towards the Moray Firth knowing that any convoys would have to pass her way. It is most likely that, given her limited torpedo capacity, U22s mission was to lay mines along the convoy route across the Firth. Following her engagements with HMS Exmouth and MS Tekla, we can calculate that U22 headed north away from the heavily defended coastal areas and up into the North Sea towards home.

	U22s patrol start date gave her three days to reach the patrol route along the UK northern coast, probably starting near Greenock then heading north towards Wick for the following 24-36 hours. After sinking the Exmouth and Tekla, it appears that U22 concluded her patrol (possibly early) and headed home, reaching Wilhelmshaven three days later on the 24th.

	U22s true location today is a total mystery. For her next patrol after sinking HMS Exmouth, U-22 was ordered to operate west of the Orkneys. However once at sea, she was ordered to divert to Ryvingen, Norway. Although she acknowledged receipt of this order, this was the last ever communication with U22 and her crew. Despite efforts to track her down, it seems that the German Navy wrote her off as another spurious wartime loss. Allied records do not indicate any coincidental events and the sinking of U22 has never been claimed.

	As no report was ever received from U22 after her new orders were sent, it seems that she could have lost either in the Jammer Bay area, west of the Orkneys or somewhere in between the two. Many U-Boats were sunk off the Orkneys during WW2 by both convoy escorts and specific anti-submarine patrols – British Sunderlands were based in Kinloss and Lossiemouth.

	==References==
	{{reflist}}
	http://www.uboat.net/ The absolutely definitive source for U-Boat information. Their help and support in tracking down the U22 information was invaluable to the preparation of this page
	http://www.btinternet.com/~byrnell/hms_exmouth/hms-exmouth.htm?speed=high HMS Exmouth relatives association. Not updated for several years now.
	http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1458634.stm BBC news links relating to the discovery of the wreck

	==See also==
	{{E and F class destroyer}}		{{E and F class destroyer}}
			{{January 1940 shipwrecks}}
	{{Interwar standard destroyer}}

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Latest revision as of 15:09, 16 October 2024

E-class destroyer for the Royal Navy in the 1930s For other ships with the same name, see HMS Exmouth.

History
HMS Exmouth leaving the port of Bilbao, Basque Country, 1936.
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Exmouth
Ordered	1 November 1932
Builder	Portsmouth Dockyard
Laid down	15 March 1933
Launched	30 January 1934
Commissioned	9 November 1934
Motto	Deo Adjuvante ("By God’s help")
Honours and awards	Atlantic 1939
Fate	Sunk by German submarine U-22, 21 January 1940
Badge	On a Field Red, a lion passant Gold
General characteristics
Class and type	E-class destroyer flotilla leader
Displacement	1,495 long tons (1,519 t) (standard) 2,050 long tons (2,080 t) (deep load)
Length	343 ft (104.5 m) o/a
Beam	33 ft 9 in (10.3 m)
Draught	12 ft 6 in (3.8 m)
Installed power	38,000 shp (28,000 kW) 3 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Propulsion	2 × shafts, 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed	36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range	6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	175
Sensors and processing systems	ASDIC
Armament	5 × single QF 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns 2 × quadruple QF 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Vickers Mark III anti-aircraft machine guns 2 × quadruple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 20 × depth charges, 1 rail and 2 throwers

HMS Exmouth was an E-class destroyer flotilla leader built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. Although assigned to the Home Fleet upon completion, the ship was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1935–36 during the Abyssinia Crisis. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 she spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict. Exmouth was assigned to convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol duties in the Western Approaches when World War II began in September 1939. She was sunk by a German submarine in January 1940 while escorting a merchant ship north of Scotland.

Description

Exmouth displaced 1,495 long tons (1,519 t) at standard load and 2,050 long tons (2,080 t) at deep load. The ship had an overall length of 343 feet (104.5 m), a beam of 33 feet 9 inches (10.3 m) and a draught of 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m). She was powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 38,000 shaft horsepower (28,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). Exmouth carried a maximum of 470 long tons (480 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 6,350 nautical miles (11,760 km; 7,310 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ship's complement was 175 officers and ratings.

The ship mounted five 45-calibre 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns in single mounts. For anti-aircraft defence, Exmouth had two quadruple Mark I mounts for the 0.5 inch Vickers Mark III machine gun. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple torpedo tube mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes. One depth charge rail and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.

Service

Exmouth was ordered on 1 November 1932 under the 1931 Naval Programme, and was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 15 March 1933. She was launched on 30 January 1934, named the following day, and commissioned for service on 9 November 1934. On commissioning, Exmouth was assigned as leader of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet. The increased tensions between Italy and Abyssinia – eventually leading to the outbreak of the Second Italo-Abyssinian War – caused the Admiralty to attach the flotilla to the Mediterranean Fleet from August 1935 to March 1936, although Exmouth was refitted in Alexandria from 4 October 1935 to 5 January 1936. The ship patrolled Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War enforcing the edicts of the Non-Intervention Committee in between annual refits at Portsmouth between 17 November 1936 and 19 January 1937 and 21 November 1938 and 16 January 1939. She returned to Britain in March and Exmouth was assigned to training duties and local flotilla work based at Portsmouth on 28 April. She carried out these duties until 2 August, when she was placed into full commission as the leader of the 12th Destroyer Flotilla.

Exmouth and her flotilla were initially assigned to the Home Fleet upon the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. The ship and two of her flotilla mates, Eclipse and Echo, escorted the battlecruiser Hood as she searched for German commerce raiders south of Iceland in late November. In December, she was transferred to the Western Approaches Command to carry out patrols and escort convoys, but was transferred to Rosyth in January 1940 to carry out the same duties in the North Sea. She was escorting the merchant Cyprian Prince on 21 January 1940 when she was spotted by the German submarine U-22, under the command of Karl-Heinrich Jenisch, and torpedoed at 05:35. She sank with the loss of all hands. After sinking Exmouth, the submarine also fired on Cyprian Prince whose master deemed it too dangerous to pick up survivors. Eighteen bodies were later found washed ashore by a schoolboy playing truant near Wick. They were buried with military honours in the cemetery at Wick.

Aftermath

The wreck of Exmouth was discovered in the Moray Firth in July 2001 by an independent expedition, with their findings being verified by Historic Scotland. The wreck is one of those listed as a 'protected place' under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.

Notes

^ Whitley, pp. 104–05
English, p. 141
^ English, p. 64
Rohwer, p. 9
"Navy News – HMS Exmouth plaque unveiled". Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
Baird, R. N. (2003). Shipwrecks of the North of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland: Birlinn. ISBN 1-84158-233-6. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012.
"HMS Exmouth: North Sea". scotlandsplaces.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2011.

References

English, John (1993). Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s. Kendal, England: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-64-9.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.

External links

58°18′N 2°25′W / 58.300°N 2.417°W / 58.300; -2.417

E- and F-class destroyers

E class

Royal Navy	Exmouth Escapade Electra Echo Esk Encounter Escort Eclipse Express
Royal Canadian Navy Part of River class	Gatineau (ex-Express)
Royal Hellenic Navy	Navarinon (ex-Echo)

F class

Royal Navy	Faulknor Fearless Fame Firedrake Forester Foresight Fortune Fury Foxhound
Royal Canadian Navy Part of River class	Qu'Appelle (ex-Foxhound) Saskatchewan (ex-Fortune)
Dominican Navy	Generalisimo / Sanchez (ex-Fame)

Preceded by: D class
Followed by: G class

List of destroyer classes of the Royal Navy

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in January 1940
Shipwrecks	3 Jan: S-2 7 Jan: HMS Seahorse, HMS Undine 9 Jan: HMS Starfish 13 Jan: Aura II 19 Jan: HMS Grenville 21 Jan: HMS Exmouth 24 Jan: Ljubljana 26 Jan: HMS Durham Castle 30 Jan: U-15, U-55
Other incidents	13 Jan: Duchess of York, Duke of Lancaster, Herrlichkeit 16 Jan: Schiff 7 Wega
1939 1940 1941 December 1939 February 1940

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