List of Royal Navy losses in World War II
This is a list of Royal Navy ships and personnel lost during World War II, from 3 September 1939 to 1 October 1945.
See also List of ships of the Royal Navy.
Personnel losses
[edit]The Royal Navy lost 50,758 men killed in action, 820 missing in action and 14,663 wounded in action.[1] The Women's Royal Naval Service lost 102 killed and 22 wounded.[1]
Combatants
[edit]Battleships
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Royal Oak (08) | Scapa Flow | 14 October 1939 | Sunk by U-47 |
| HMS Barham (04) | off the coast of Sidi Barrani, Egypt | 25 November 1941 | Sunk by U-331 |
| HMS Prince of Wales (53) | South China Sea | 10 December 1941 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
Battlecruisers
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Hood (51) | Denmark Strait | 24 May 1941 | Sunk by naval gunfire from Bismarck |
| HMS Repulse (26) | South China Sea | 10 December 1941 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
Aircraft carriers
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Courageous (50) | off the coast of Ireland | 17 September 1939 | Sunk by U-29 |
| HMS Glorious (77) | Norwegian Sea | 8 June 1940 | Sunk by naval gunfire from Scharnhorst and Gneisenau |
| HMS Ark Royal (91) | south east of Gibraltar | 13 November 1941 | Sunk by U-81 |
| HMS Hermes (95) | Sri Lanka | 9 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
| HMS Eagle (94) | south of Cape Salinas | 11 August 1942 | Sunk by U-73 |
Escort aircraft carriers
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Audacity (D10) | Atlantic Ocean | 21 December 1941 | Sunk by U-751 |
| HMS Avenger (D14) | off Gibraltar | 15 November 1942 | Sunk by U-155 |
| HMS Dasher (D37) | Firth of Clyde | 27 March 1943 | Sunk by internal explosion |
Cruisers
[edit]The Royal Navy lost 28 cruisers according to Stephen Roskill,[2] and 34 including Commonwealth/Dominion ships, according to the Naval-History project.[3]
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Dunedin (96) | Atlantic Ocean | 24 November 1941 | Sunk by U-124 |
| HMS Durban (D99) | off Normandy | 9 June 1944 | Deliberately scuttled as breakwater |
| HMS Neptune (20) | off Tripoli | 19 December 1941 | Sunk by Italian cruiser-laid mine |
| HMS Calypso (D61) | off Crete | 12 June 1940 | Sunk by Italian submarine Alpino Bagnolini |
| HMS Coventry (D43) | off Crete | 14 September 1942 | Scuttled following German air attack |
| HMS Curacoa (D41) | off Ireland | 2 October 1942 | Rammed in poor weather by RMS Queen Mary |
| HMS Curlew (D42) | off Narvik | 26 May 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Cairo (D87) | off Bizerte | 12 August 1942 | Sunk by Italian submarine Axum |
| HMS Calcutta (D82) | off Alexandria | 1 June 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Galatea (71) | off Alexandria | 15 December 1941 | Sunk by U-557 |
| HMS Penelope (97) | off Naples | 18 February 1944 | Sunk by U-410 |
| HMS Edinburgh (16) | Arctic Ocean | 2 May 1942 | Scuttled after torpedo damage by U-456 and then by German destroyers |
| HMS Southampton (83) | off Malta | 11 January 1941 | Scuttled following German air attack |
| HMS Manchester (15) | Cap Bon | 13 August 1942 | Scuttled following Italian motor torpedo boat attack |
| HMS Gloucester (62) | off Crete | 22 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Charybdis (88) | Battle of Sept-Îles | 23 October 1943 | Sunk by German torpedo boat destroyers |
| HMS Hermione (74) | off Crete | 16 June 1942 | Sunk by U-205 |
| HMS Bonaventure (31) | off Crete | 31 March 1941 | Sunk by Italian submarine Ambra |
| HMS Naiad (93) | off Crete | 11 March 1942 | Sunk by U-565 |
| HMS Spartan (95) | off Anzio | 29 January 1944 | Sunk by German aircraft (glide bomb) |
| HMS Fiji (58) | off Crete | 22 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Trinidad (46) | off North Cape | 15 May 1942 | Scuttled following German air attack |
| HMS Effingham (D98) | off Bodø | 18 May 1940 | Ran aground |
| HMS Cornwall (56) | off Ceylon | 5 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
| HMS Dorsetshire (40) | off Ceylon | 5 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
| HMS York (90) | Crete | 26 March 1941 | Scuttled following Italian explosive boat raid |
| HMS Exeter (68) | Battle of the Java Sea | 1 March 1942 | Sunk by Japanese naval gunfire and torpedoes |
Destroyers
[edit]The Royal Navy lost 132 destroyers, according to Stephen Roskill[2] and 153, including Commonwealth/Dominion ships, according to the Naval-History project.[3]
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Tenedos (H04) | Colombo Harbour | 5 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
| HMS Porcupine (G93) | off Oran | 9 December 1942 | Torpedoed by U-602 (constructive total loss) |
| HMS Wensleydale (L86) | English Channel | 21 November 1944 | Damaged beyond repair after collision with a landing ship |
| HMS Blean (L47) | off Oran | 11 December 1942 | Torpedoed by U-443 |
| HMS Ithuriel (H05) | off Bône | 8 November 1942 | Bombed by German aircraft (constructive total loss) |
| HMS Fury (H76) | off Normandy | 21 June 1944 | Beached after hitting a mine (constructive total loss) |
| HMS Foresight (H68) | off Bône | 13 August 1942 | Scuttled after being hit by Italian aircraft |
| HMS Firedrake (H79) | Atlantic Ocean | 16 December 1942 | Sunk by U-211 |
| HMS Fearless (H67) | off Bône | 23 July 1941 | Scuttled after being hit by Italian aircraft |
| HMS Esk (H15) | off Texel | 1 September 1940 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Escort (H66) | off Sardinia | 11 July 1940 | Sunk by Italian submarine Guglielmo Marconi |
| HMS Eclipse (H08) | Aegean Sea | 24 October 1943 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Exmouth (H02) | Moray Firth | 21 January 1940 | Sunk by U-22 |
| HMS Daring (H16) | off Norway | 18 February 1940 | Sunk by U-23 |
| HMS Delight (H38) | English Channel | 29 July 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Diamond (H22) | off Crete | 27 April 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Duchess (H64) | off Mull of Kintyre | 12 December 1939 | Sunk in a collision with HMS Barham |
| HMS Defender (H07) | off Sidi Barrani | 11 July 1941 | Scuttled after being hit by German aircraft |
| HMS Dainty (H53) | off Tobruk | 24 February 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Imogen (D44) | Pentland Firth | 16 July 1940 | Sunk in collision with HMS Glasgow (C21) |
| HMS Imperial (D09) | off Crete | 29 May 1941 | Scuttled after being hit by Italian bombers |
| HMS Inglefield (D02) | off Anzio | 25 February 1944 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Ivanhoe (D16) | off Texel | 1 September 1940 | Scuttled after hitting a mine |
| HMS Isis (D87) | off Normandy | 20 July 1944 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Thanet (H29) | off Singapore | 27 January 1942 | Sunk by naval gunfire from Japanese cruiser Sendai |
| HMS Thracian (D86) | Hong Kong | 25 December 1941 | Scuttled to avoid capture by Japanese forces |
| HMS Stronghold (H50) | off Sunda Strait | 2 March 1942 | Sunk by naval gunfire from Japanese ships Maya, Nowaki and Arashi |
| HMS Sturdy (H28) | off Tiree | 30 October 1940 | Ran aground |
| HMS Keith (D06) | off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Basilisk (H11) | off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Blanche (H47) | Thames Estuary | 13 November 1939 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Boadicea (H65) | Lyme Bay | 13 June 1944 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Brazen (H80) | English Channel | 20 July 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Beverley (H64) | Atlantic Ocean | 11 April 1943 | Sunk by U-188 |
| HMS Broadwater (H81) | Atlantic Ocean | 18 October 1941 | Sunk by U-101 |
| HMS Belmont (H46) | Atlantic Ocean | 31 January 1942 | Sunk by U-82 |
| HMS Broke (D83) | off Algiers | 8 November 1942 | Sunk by French shore batteries |
| HMS Cameron (I05) | Portsmouth | 5 December 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Campbeltown (I42) | St Nazaire Raid | 28 March 1942 | Intentional explosion after ramming St Nazaire dry dock |
| HMS Gallant (H59) | Malta harbour | 5 April 1942 | Hit an Italian mine off Panteleria/bombed by German aircraft (constructive total loss) |
| HMS Rockingham (G58) | Atlantic Ocean | 27 September 1944 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Stanley (I73) | Atlantic Ocean | 19 December 1941 | Sunk by U-574 |
| HMS Valentine (L69) | off Terneuzen | 15 May 1940 | Beached after being damaged by German aircraft |
| HMS Venetia (D53) | Thames Estuary | 19 October 1940 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Vimiera (L29) | Thames Estuary | 9 January 1942 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Wakeful (H88) | Dunkirk evacuation | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by torpedo from an E-boat |
| HMS Warwick (D25) | Atlantic Ocean | 20 February 1944 | Sunk by U-413 |
| HMS Wessex (D43) | off Calais | 24 May 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Whirlwind (D30) | Atlantic Ocean | 5 July 1940 | Sunk by U-34 |
| HMS Whitley (L23) | off Ostend | 19 May 1940 | Beached after being damaged by German aircraft |
| HMS Wryneck (D21) | off Crete | 27 April 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Wren (D88) | off Aldeburgh | 27 July 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Veteran (D72) | Atlantic Ocean | 26 September 1942 | Sunk by U-404 |
| HMS Wild Swan (D62) | Atlantic Ocean | 17 June 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Codrington (D65) | off Dover | 27 July 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Acasta (H09) | off Narvik | 8 June 1940 | Sunk by naval gunfire from Scharnhorst and Gneisenau |
| HMS Achates (H12) | Barents Sea | 31 December 1942 | Sunk by naval gunfire from German cruiser Admiral Hipper |
| HMS Ardent (H41) | off Narvik | 8 June 1940 | Sunk by naval gunfire from Scharnhorst and Gneisenau |
| HMS Acheron (H45) | off Isle of Wight | 17 December 1940 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Jackal (F22) | off Crete | 12 May 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Jaguar (F34) | off Sollum | 26 March 1942 | Sunk by U-652 |
| HMS Juno (F46) | off Crete | 21 May 1941 | Sunk by Italian aircraft |
| HMS Janus (F53) | off Anzio | 23 January 1944 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Jersey (F72) | off Malta | 2 May 1941 | Sunk by mine (Italian) |
| HMS Jupiter (F85) | off Java | 27 February 1942 | Sunk by mine (Dutch) |
| HMS Kelly (F01) | off Crete | 23 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Kandahar (F28) | Mediterranean Sea | 19 December 1941 | Sunk by Italian cruiser-laid mine |
| HMS Kashmir (F12) | off Crete | 23 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Khartoum (F45) | Perim | 23 June 1940 | Sunk by internal explosion after surface engagement with Italian submarine Torricelli |
| HMS Kingston (F64) | Malta | 11 April 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft at dry dock after being damaged by Italian battleship Littorio |
| HMS Kipling (F91) | off Mersa Matruh | 11 May 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Berkeley (L17) | off Dieppe | 19 August 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Exmoor (L61) | off Lowestoft | 25 February 1942 | Sunk by mine or torpedo |
| HMS Quorn (L66) | off Normandy | 3 August 1944 | Sunk by "Linse" explosive-motorboat |
| HMS Tynedale (L96) | off Jijel | 12 December 1943 | Sunk by U-593 |
| HMS Dulverton (L63) | off Kos | 13 November 1943 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Heythrop (L85) | off Bardia | 20 March 1942 | Sunk by U-652 |
| HMS Eridge (L68) | off El Daba | 29 August 1942 | Torpedoed by Italian motor torpedo boat (constructive total loss) |
| HMS Puckeridge (L108) | off Gibraltar | 6 September 1943 | Sunk by U-617 |
| HMS Grove (L77) | off Egypt | 12 June 1942 | Sunk by U-587 |
| HMS Hurworth (L28) | off Turkey | 22 October 1943 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Southwold (L10) | off Malta | 24 March 1942 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Airedale (L07) | off Malta | 15 June 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Aldenham (L22) | off Škrda | 14 December 1944 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Holcombe (L56) | Mediterranean Sea | 12 December 1943 | Sunk by U-593 |
| HMS Limbourne (L57) | off Guernsey | 23 October 1943 | Sunk by torpedo from T22 |
| HMS Penylan (L89) | off English Channel | 3 December 1942 | Sunk by torpedo from an E-boat |
| HMS Laforey (G99) | off Palermo | 30 March 1944 | Sunk by U-223 |
| HMS Lance (G87) | Malta | 9 April 1942 | Sunk by aircraft |
| HMS Gurkha (G63) | off Sidi Barrani | 17 January 1942 | Sunk by U-133 |
| HMS Legion (G74) | Malta | 26 March 1942 | Sunk by aircraft |
| HMS Lightning (G55) | Bône | 12 March 1943 | Sunk by torpedo from German E-boat |
| HMS Lively (G40) | Mediterranean Sea | 11 May 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Mahratta (G23) | Atlantic Ocean | 25 February 1944 | Sunk by U-990 |
| HMS Martin (G44) | off Algiers | 10 November 1942 | Sunk by U-431 |
| HMS Pakenham (G06) | off Sicily | 16 April 1943 | Scuttled after being disabled by naval gunfire from Italian torpedo boat Cassiopea |
| HMS Panther (G41) | Aegean Sea | 9 October 1943 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Partridge (G30) | off Oran | 18 December 1942 | Sunk by U-565 |
| HMS Quail (G45) | Gulf of Taranto | 18 May 1944 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Quentin (G78) | off North Africa | 2 December 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Swift (G46) | off Normandy | 24 June 1944 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Glowworm (H92) | off Norway | 8 April 1940 | Sunk from damage taken after ramming by German cruiser Admiral Hipper |
| HMS Gipsy (H63) | off Harwich | 21 November 1939 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Grafton (H89) | off Nieuwpoort | 29 May 1940 | Scuttled after being torpedoed by U-62 |
| HMS Grenade (H86) | off Dunkirk | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Grenville (H03) | off Kentish Knock | 19 January 1940 | Sunk by mine |
| HMS Greyhound (H05) | off Crete | 22 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Hardy (R08) | North Atlantic Ocean | 30 January 1944 | Sunk by U-278 |
| HMS Hardy (H87) | Narvik | 10 April 1940 | Beached after being disabled by naval gunfire from five German destroyers |
| HMS Hasty (H24) | Mediterranean Sea | 15 June 1942 | Sunk by torpedo from German E-boat |
| HMS Havock (H43) | Cap Bon | 6 April 1942 | Ran aground |
| HMS Hereward (H93) | off Crete | 29 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Hostile (H55) | off Cap Bon | 23 August 1940 | Scuttled after hitting a mine (Italian) |
| HMS Hunter (H35) | Narvik | 10 April 1940 | Sunk by German destroyers |
| HMS Hyperion (H97) | off Pantelleria | 22 December 1940 | Sunk by mine (Italian) |
| HMS Harvester (H19) | Atlantic Ocean | 11 March 1943 | Sunk by U-432 |
| HMS Havant (H32) | off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Scuttled after being bombed by German aircraft |
| HMS Hurricane (H06) | Atlantic Ocean | 25 December 1943 | Scuttled after torpedoed by U-415 |
| HMS Afridi (F07) | off Norway | 3 May 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Bedouin (F67) | off Pantelleria | 15 June 1942 | Sunk by naval gunfire from Italian cruisers Montecuccoli, di Savoia and aerial torpedo |
| HMS Cossack (F03) | Atlantic Ocean | 27 October 1941 | Sunk by U-563 |
| HMS Gurkha (F20) | off Norway | 9 April 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Maori (F24) | Malta | 12 February 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Mashona (F59) | Atlantic Ocean | 28 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Matabele (F26) | North Atlantic Ocean | 17 January 1942 | Sunk by U-454 |
| HMS Mohawk (F31) | off Kerkennah Islands | 16 April 1941 | Sunk by torpedo from Italian destroyer Luca Tarigo |
| HMS Punjabi (F21) | Atlantic Ocean | 1 May 1942 | Rammed by HMS King George V |
| HMS Sikh (F82) | off Tobruk | 14 September 1942 | Sunk by German and Italian shore batteries |
| HMS Somali (F33) | North Atlantic Ocean | 25 September 1942 | Sunk by U-703 |
| HMS Zulu (F18) | off Tobruk | 14 September 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Electra (H27) | First Battle of the Java Sea | 27 February 1942 | Sunk by Japanese naval gunfire |
| HMS Encounter (H10) | Second Battle of the Java Sea | 1 March 1942 | Scuttled following Japanese naval gunfire |
Submarines
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Oxley | 58° 30'N, 5° 30'E, off Stavanger, Norway | 10 September 1939 | Sunk by friendly fire from British submarine HMS Triton |
| HMS Seahorse (98S) | 54° 19'N, 7° 30'E, Heligoland Bight | 7 January 1940 | Most likely mined or sunk by German minesweeper M-5 |
| HMS Undine (N48) | 54° 08'N, 7° 33'E, Heligoland Bight | 7 January 1940 | Scuttled after being severely damaged by German minesweepers M-1201, M-1204 and M-1207 |
| HMS Starfish (19S) | 55° 00'N, 7° 10'E, Heligoland Bight | 9 January 1940 | Sunk by German minesweeper M-7 |
| HMS Thistle (N24) | 59° 03'N, 5° 11'E, off Skudenes | 10 April 1940 | Sunk by German U-boat U-4 |
| HMS Tarpon (N17) | 56° 43'N, 6° 33'E, North Sea | 10 April 1940 | Sunk by German Q-Ship Schiff 40/Schürbek |
| HMS Sterlet (2S) | 58° 55'N, 10° 10'E, Skagrerrak | 18 April 1940 | Sunk by German anti-submarine trawlers UJ-125, UJ-126 and UJ-128 |
| HMS Unity (N66) | 55° 13'N, 1° 19'W, off Blyth, Northumberland | 29 April 1940 | Sunk by accidental ramming from Norwegian ship Atle Jarl |
| HMS Odin (N84) | 39º 30'N, 17º 30'E, Gulf of Taranto | 14 June 1940 | Sunk by Italian destroyers Strale and Baleno |
| HMS Grampus (N56) | off Augusta, Sicily | 16 June 1940 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boats Circe, Clio, Calliope and Polluce |
| HMS Orpheus (N46) | off Benghazi, Libya | June 1940 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Shark (54S) | 58° 18'N, 5° 13'E, off Egersund, Norway | 6 July 1940 | Scuttled to prevent capture after being damaged by German aircraft |
| HMS Phoenix (N96) | 37º 15'N, 15º 15'E, off Augusta, Sicily | 16 July 1940 | Sunk by Italian submarine chaser Albatros |
| HMS Salmon (N65) | off Skudesnes | 16 July 1940 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Narwhal (N45) | 56º50'N, 01º40'E, off Aberdeen, Scotland | 23 July 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Spearfish | 58° 07'N, 1° 32'E, North Sea | 1 August 1940 | Sunk by German U-boat U-34 |
| HMS Oswald (N58) | 37° 46'N, 16° 16'E, off Cap Spartivento | 1 August 1940 | Sunk by Italian destroyer Ugolino Vivaldi |
| HMS Thames (N71) | North Sea | 3 August 1940 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Rainbow (N16) | 41° 28'N, 18° 05'E, Adriatic Sea | 4 October 1940 | Sunk by collision with Italian merchantman Antonietta Costa |
| HMS Triad (N53) | 38° 16'N, 17° 37'E, Ionian Sea | 15 October 1940 | Sunk by Italian submarine Enrico Toti |
| HMS H49 | off Texel, Netherlands | 18 October 1940 | Sunk by German auxiliary submarine chasers UJ-111, UJ-116 and UJ-118 |
| HMS Swordfish (61S) | 50° 24'N, 1° 21'W, off Isle of Wight | 7 November 1940 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Regulus (N88) | between lower Adriatic Sea and Strait of Otranto | 6 December 1940 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Triton (N15) | between lower Adriatic Sea and Strait of Otranto | 18 December 1940 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Snapper (39S) | Bay of Biscay | February 1941 | Sunk by naval mine or by the German minesweepers M-2, M-13 and M-25 |
| HMS Usk (N65) | Cape Bon | 3 May 1941 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Undaunted (N55) | off Tripoli, Libya | 11 May 1941 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Umpire (N82) | 53° 09'N, 1° 08'E, off Cromer, Norfolk | 19 July 1941 | Sunk in accidental collision with British armed trawler HMS Peter Hendriks |
| HMS Union (N56) | off Pantelleria | 20 July 1941 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Circe |
| HMS Cachalot (N83) | 32° 49'N, 20° 11'E, off Benghazi, Libya | 30 July 1941 | Sunk by ramming from Italian destroyer Generale Achille Papa |
| HMS P33 | off Tripoli, Libya | August 1941 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS P32 | 33° 02'N, 13° 10'E, off Tripoli, Libya | 18 August 1941 | Sunk by either a naval mine or internal explosion |
| HMS Tetrarch (N77) | off Cape Granditola, Sicily, Italy | 2 November 1941 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Perseus (N36) | 37° 54'N, 20° 54'E, off Zakynthos | 6 December 1941 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS H31 | Bay of Biscay | 26 December 1941 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Triumph (N18) | Aegean Sea | 14 January 1942 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Tempest (N86) | 39° 15'N, 17° 45'E, Gulf of Taranto | 13 February 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Circe |
| HMS P38 | 32° 48'N, 14° 58'E, off Cape Misurata | 23 February 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Circe and destroyers Emanuele Pessagno and Antoniotto Usodimare |
| HMS P39 | Kalkara, Malta | 26 March 1942 | Destroyed in an air raid |
| HMS P36 | Sliema, Malta | 1 April 1942 | Sunk in an air raid |
| HMS Pandora (N42) | Valletta, Malta | 1 April 1942 | Sunk in an air raid |
| HMS Upholder (P37) | 34°47′N 15°55′E, off Tripoli, Libya | 14 April 1942 | Sunk by either a naval mine or by Italian torpedo boat Pegaso |
| HMS Urge | off Grand Harbour, Malta | 27 April 1942 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Olympus (N35) | 35° 55'N, 14° 35'E, off Malta | 8 May 1942 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS P.514 | 46° 33'N, 53° 39'W, off Newfoundland | 21 June 1942 | Sunk in friendly fire ramming by Canadian minesweeper HMCS Georgian |
| HMS Thorn (N11) | 34° 25'N, 22° 36'E, off Gavdos | 6 August 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Pegaso |
| HMS Talisman (N78) | off Sicily, Italy | 17 September 1942 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Unique (N95) | Bay of Biscay | 24 October 1942 | Possibly sunk by a premature explosion of its own torpedo |
| HMS Unbeaten | 46° 50'N, 6° 51'W, Bay of Biscay | 11 November 1942 | Sunk in friendly fire air attack by Royal Air Force |
| HMS Utmost | Mediterranean Sea | 25 November 1942 | sunk south west off Sicily by depth charges from the Italian torpedo boat Groppo |
| HMS P222 | 40º29'N, 14º20'E, off Capri | 12 December 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Fortunale |
| HMS Traveller (N48) | Gulf of Taranto | 12 December 1942 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS P48 | 37° 15'N, 10° 30'E, Gulf of Tunis | 25 December 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Ardente |
| HMS P311 | off Tavolara, Sardinia | 8 January 1943 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Vandal | Kilbrannan Sound, Firth of Clyde | 24 February 1943 | Foundered while preparing to dive |
| HMS Tigris (N63) | off Capri, Italy | 27 February 1943 | Most likely sunk by German submarine chaser UJ 2210 |
| HMS Turbulent (N98) | off La Maddalena, Sardinia | 6 March 1943 | Most likely sunk by Italian torpedo boat Ardito |
| HMS Thunderbolt (N25) | off Cape San Vito, Sicily | 14 March 1943 | Most likely sunk by Italian corvette Cicogna |
| HMS P615 | 6° 49'N, 13° 09'W, off Freetown | 18 April 1943 | Sunk by German U-boat U-123 |
| HMS Regent (N41) | off Barletta, Italy | 18 April 1943 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Splendid (P228) | 40° 30'N, 14° 15'E, off Capri, Italy | 21 April 1943 | Sunk by German destroyer ZG 3 Hermes |
| HMS Sahib | 38° 20.5'N, 15° 11.9'E, off Capo di Milazzo, Sicily | 24 April 1943 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Climene and Italian corvettes Gabbiano and Euterpe |
| HMS Parthian (N75) | Mediterranean Sea | July/August 1943 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Saracen (P247) | 42° 45'N, 9° 30'E, off Bastia, Corsica | 14 August 1943 | Sunk by Italian corvettes Minerva and Euterpe |
| HMS Usurper (P56) | Gulf of Genoa | October 1943 | Most likely sunk by either naval mine or by German auxiliary submarine chaser UJ-2208/Alfred |
| HMS Trooper (N91) | off Leros, Greece | 17 October 1943 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Simoom (P225) | off Tenedos, Turkey | November 1943 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Syrtis | off Bodø | March 1944 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Stonehenge (P232) | between northern Sumatra and the Nicobar Islands | March 1944 | Unknown |
| HMS Sickle | Kythira Strait, Greece | June 1944 | Most likely sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Stratagem | Strait of Malacca | 22 November 1944 | Sunk by Japanese submarine chaser CH 35 |
| HMS Porpoise (N14) | off Perak Island | 11 January 1945 | Most likely sunk by Japanese aircraft |
Mine warfare ships
[edit]Minelayers
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Princess Victoria | Humber Estuary | 19 May 1940 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Port Napier (M32) | Loch Alsh, Scotland | 27 November 1940 | Destroyed by explosion/engine room fire |
| HMS Latona (M76) | 32° 15'N, 24° 14'E, off Bardia, Libya | 25 October 1941 | Scuttled after damaged by German aircraft |
| HMS Redstart (M62) | Hong Kong | 19 December 1941 | Scuttled to prevent capture by Japanese forces |
| HMS Kung Wo | off Pompong Island | 14 February 1942 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
| HMS Corncrake (M82) | North Atlantic | 25 January 1943 | Foundered in gale |
| HMS Welshman (M84) | 32° 12'N, 24° 52'E, off Tobruk, Libya | 1 February 1943 | Sunk by German U-boat U-617 |
| HMS Abdiel (M39) | Taranto, Italy | 10 September 1943 | Sunk by naval mine |
Minesweepers
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Sphinx (J69) | 57° 57′N 02° 00′W, north of Kinnaird Head | 3 February 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Dunoon (J52) | 52° 45'N, 2° 23'E, off Great Yarmouth | 30 April 1940 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Brighton Belle (NF-17) | off Gull Light Buoy (Near Goodwin Knoll) | 28 May 1940 | Sunk after striking a submerged wreck |
| HMS Gracie Fields | 51° 20'N, 02° 05'E, North Sea | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Waverley | off Dunkirk | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Devonia | La Panne, Belgium | 31 May 1940 | Severely damaged by German aircraft and beached |
| HMS Brighton Queen | off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Skipjack (J38) | 51° 03'N, 2° 24'E, off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Dundalk (J60) | 52º 03'N, 01º 48'E, off Harwich | 17 October 1940 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Mercury | Irish Sea | 25 December 1940 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Huntley (J56) | 31° 25'N, 26° 48'E, off Mersa Matruh | 31 January 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Southsea | River Tyne | 16 February 1941 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Fermoy (J40) | Valletta, Malta | 4 May 1941 | Damaged beyond repair by Italian aircraft |
| HMS Stoke (J33) | off Tobruk, Libya | 7 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Widnes (J55) | Suda Bay | 20 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft. Raised, repaired and put in Kriegsmarine service as UJ-2109 |
| HMS Snaefell | off Sunderland | 5 July 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Banka | off Tioman Island | 7 December 1941 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Changteh | off Lingga Islands | 14 February 1942 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
| HMS Scott Harley | off Cilacap | 1 March 1942 | Most likely sunk by Japanese destroyers Arashi and Nowaki |
| HMS Sin Aik Lee | off Tunda Island, Sunda Strait | 1 March 1942 | Sunk by Japanese destroyers |
| HMS Abingdon (J23) | off Bighi, Malta | 5 April 1942 | Damaged beyond repair by Italian aircraft; beached and abandoned |
| HMS Fitzroy (J03) | 52° 39'N, 2° 46'E, off Great Yarmouth | 27 May 1942 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Gossamer (J63) | off Kola Inlet, Russia | 24 June 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Niger (J73) | 66° 35'N, 23° 14'W, off Iceland | 5 July 1942 | Sunk by naval mine (British Northern Barrage minefield SN72) |
| HMS Leda (J93) | 76º 31'N, 05º 32'E, off Spitzbergen | 20 September 1942 | Sunk by German U-boat U-435 |
| HMS Cromer (J128) | 31° 26′N 027° 16′E, off Mersa Matruh | 9 November 1942 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Algerine (J213) | 36º 45'N, 05º 11'E, off Bougie, Algeria | 15 November 1942 | Sunk by Italian submarine Ascianghi |
| HMS Bramble (J11) | 73° 18′N 30° 06′E, Barents Sea | 31 December 1942 | Sunk by German destroyer Friedrich Eckoldt |
| HMS Alarm (J140) | off Bone, Algeria | 2 January 1943 | Damaged beyond repair by German aircraft |
| HMS Hythe (J194) | 37° 04'N, 5° 00'E, off Bougie, Algeria | 11 October 1943 | Sunk by German submarine U-371 |
| HMS Cromarty (J09) | Strait of Bonifacio | 23 October 1943 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Hebe (J24) | 41° 08'N, 16° 52'E, off Bari, Italy | 22 November 1943 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Felixstowe (J126) | 41° 10'N, 9° 40'E, off Capo Ferro, Sardinia | 18 December 1943 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Clacton (J151) | off Corsica, France | 31 December 1943 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Cato (J16) | 49° 25'N, 0° 17'W, off Normandy, France | 6 July 1944 | Sunk by German Neger human torpedo |
| HMS Magic (J400) | 49° 25'N, 0° 15'W, off Normandy, France | 6 July 1944 | Sunk by German Neger human torpedo |
| HMS Pylades (J401) | 49° 26'N, 0° 15'W, off Normandy, France | 8 July 1944 | Sunk by German Biber midget submarine |
| HMS Loyalty (J217) | 50° 13'N, 0° 44'W, English Channel | 22 August 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-480 |
| HMS Britomart (J22) | 49° 41'N, 0° 05'E, off Le Havre, France | 27 August 1944 | Sunk by friendly fire air attack |
| HMS Hussar (J82) | 49° 41'N, 0° 06'W, off Le Havre, France | 27 August 1944 | Sunk by friendly fire air attack |
| HMS Regulus (J327) | off Corfu, Greece | 12 January 1945 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Squirrel (J301) | off Phuket, Thailand | 24 July 1945 | Damaged beyond repair by naval mine and scuttled |
| HMS Vestal (J215) | off Phuket, Thailand | 24 July 1945 | Damaged beyond repair by kamikaze attack and scuttled |
Frigate
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Itchen (K227) | 53° 25'N, 39° 42'W, North Atlantic | 23 September 1943 | Sunk by German U-boat U-666 |
| HMS Tweed (K250) | 48° 18'N, 21° 19'W, Atlantic Ocean | 7 January 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-305 |
| HMS Gould (K476) | 45° 46'N, 23° 16'W, Atlantic Ocean | 1 March 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-358 |
| HMS Lawford (K514) | 49° 26'N, 0° 24'W, off Normandy, France | 8 June 1944 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Mourne (K261) | 49° 35'N, 5° 30'W, English Channel | 15 June 1944 | sunk by German U-boat U-767 |
| HMS Blackwood (K313) | 50° 07'N, 2° 01'W, off Portland Bill | 16 June 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-764 |
| HMS Bickerton (K466) | 71° 42'N, 19° 11'E, North Cape | 22 August 1944 | Damaged by German U-boat U-354 and scuttled |
| HMS Bullen (K469) | 58º 30'N, 05º 03'W, off Strathy Point, Scotland | 6 December 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-775 |
| HMS Capel (K470) | 49° 50'N, 1° 41'W, off Cherbourg | 26 December 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-486 |
| HMS Goodall (K479) | 69° 25'N, 33° 38'E, Barents Sea | 29 April 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-286 |
Corvette
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Godetia (K72) | 55° 18'N, 5° 57'W, off Altacarry Head | 6 September 1940 | Sunk in accidental collision with the merchant ship Marsa |
| HMS Picotee (K63) | 62° 00'N, 16° 01'W, North Atlantic | 12 August 1941 | Sunk by German U-boat U-568 |
| HMS Zinnia (K98) | 40° 25'N, 10° 40'W, Atlantic Ocean | 23 August 1941 | Sunk by German U-boat U-564 |
| HMS Fleur de Lys (K122) | 36° 00'N, 6° 30'W, off Strait of Gibraltar | 14 October 1941 | Sunk by German U-boat U-206 |
| HMS Gladiolus (K34) | 57° 00'N, 25° 00'W, North Atlantic | 17 October 1941 | Most likely sunk by German U-boat U-553 |
| HMS Salvia (K97) | 31° 46'N, 28° 00'E, off Alexandria | 24 December 1941 | Sunk by German U-boat U-568 |
| HMS Arbutus (K86) | 55° 05'N, 19° 43'W, North Atlantic | 5 February 1942 | Sunk by German U-boat U-136 |
| HMS Hollyhock (K64) | 7° 21'N, 81° 57'E, off Ceylon (Sri Lanka) | 9 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese aircraft |
| HMS Auricula (K12) | 12° 12'S, 49° 19'E, Courrier Bay, Madagascar | 6 May 1942 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Gardenia (K99) | 35° 49'N, 1° 05'W, off Oran, Algeria | 9 November 1942 | Sunk in accidental collision with HMS Fluellen |
| HMS Marigold (K87) | 36° 50'N, 3° 00'E, off Algiers, Algeria | 9 December 1942 | Sunk by Italian aircraft |
| HMS Snapdragon (K10) | 32° 18'N, 19° 54'E, off Benghazi, Libya | 19 December 1942 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Samphire (K128) | 36° 56'N, 5° 40'E, off Bougie, Algeria | 30 January 1943 | Sunk by Italian submarine Platino |
| HMS Erica (K50) | 32° 48'N, 21° 10'E, off Derna, Libya | 9 February 1943 | Sunk by naval mine |
| HMS Polyanthus (K47) | 57° 00'N, 31° 10'W, North Atlantic | 21 September 1943 | Sunk by German U-boat U-952 |
| HMS Asphodel (K56) | 45° 24'N, 18° 09'W, North Atlantic | 10 March 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-575 |
| HMS Orchis (K76) | off Courseulles-sur-Mer, France | 21 August 1944 | Damaged beyond repair by naval mine and beached |
| HMS Hurst Castle (K416) | 55° 27'N, 8° 12'W, North Atlantic | 1 September 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-482 |
| HMS Denbigh Castle (K696) | 12° 12'S, 49° 19'E, Courrier Bay, Madagascar | 13 February 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-992 |
| HMS Bluebell (K80) | 69° 36'N, 35° 29'E, off Kola Inlet | 17 February 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-711 |
| HMS Vervain (K190) | 51° 47'N, 7° 06'W, of Dungarvan, Ireland | 20 February 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-1276 |
Auxiliaries
[edit]Sloop
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Bittern (L07) | 64° 28'N, 11° 30'E, off Namsos, Norway | 30 April 1940 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Penzance (L28) | 56° 16'N, 27° 19'W, North Atlantic | 24 August 1940 | Sunk by German U-boat U-37 |
| HMS Dundee (L84) | 56° 45'N, 14° 14'W, North Atlantic | 15 September 1940 | Sunk by German U-boat U-48 |
| HMS Grimsby (U16) | 32° 30'N, 24° 40'E, off Tobruk, Libya | 25 May 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Auckland (L61) | 32° 15'N, 24° 30'E, off Tobruk, Libya | 24 June 1941 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Culver (Y87) | 31° 46'N, 28° 00'E, North Atlantic | 31 January 1942 | Sunk by German U-boat U-105 |
| HMS Hartland (Y00) | Oran Harbour, Algeria | 8 November 1942 | Sunk by French destroyer Typhon |
| HMS Walney (Y04) | Oran Harbour, Algeria | 8 November 1942 | Sunk by French shore batteries |
| HMS Ibis (U99) | 37° 00'N, 3° 00'E, off Algiers, Algeria | 10 November 1942 | Sunk by Italian aircraft |
| HMS Egret (L75) | 42° 10'N, 9° 22'W, off Vigo, Spain | 27 August 1943 | Sunk by German aircraft |
| HMS Woodpecker (U08) | 48° 49'N, 22° 11'W, North Atlantic | 27 February 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-256 |
| HMS Kite (U87) | 73° 01'N, 3° 57'E, North Atlantic | 21 August 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-344 |
| HMS Lark (U11) | 69º 30'N, 34º 33'E, Barents Sea | 17 February 1945 | Damaged beyond repair by German U-boat U-968 |
| HMS Lapwing (U62) | 69° 26'N, 33° 44'E, Barents Sea | 20 March 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-968 |
Damage Caused
[edit]Surface ships caused the loss of 63 warships, comprising:
- 1 capital ship
- 1 aircraft carrier
- 8 cruisers
- 24 destroyers
- 29 submarines
Enemy submarines sank 54 warships, including:
- 2 capital ships
- 5 carriers
- 9 cruisers
- 33 destroyers
- 5 submarines
Enemy aircraft sank 77 warships, including:
- 2 capital ships
- 1 carrier
- 12 cruisers
- 55 destroyers
- 7 submarines
Mines caused the loss of 54 warships, including:
- 2 cruisers
- 26 destroyers
- 26 submarines
Shore defenses sank two destroyers, while one carrier, three cruisers, 15 destroyers and nine submarines were lost to accidents or unknown causes.
Damage inflicted by enemy
[edit]German forces sank 162 warships, including:
- 2 battleships
- 1 battlecruiser
- 6 carriers
- 15 cruisers
- 114 destroyers
- 24 submarines
Italian forces sank 58 warships, including:
- 6 cruisers
- 15 destroyers
- 37 submarines
Japanese forces sank 19 warships, including:
- 1 battleship
- 1 battlecruiser
- 1 carrier
- 3 cruisers
- 10 destroyers
- 4 submarines
A further destroyer and two sloops were lost to Vichy French shore batteries and warships.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Literature
[edit]- Stephen Roskill: "Royal Navy - Britische Seekriegsgeschichte 1939-1945", Gerhard Stalling Verlag, 1961