RN ship losses
@rnshiplosses.bsky.social
Recording ship losses of the Royal Navies of Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand day by day, remembering the fallen and honouring all who served. Corrections and additions welcome. No official affiliations. No AI used here! Also at Twitter/X.
22 Nov 1944 // Submarine HMS Stratagem was depth-charged by a Japanese destroyer in the Malacca Strait, and scuttled by her crew after being forced to surface. 38 men died, 10 survivors were taken POW, of whom 7 died in Japanese captivity. (Imperial War Museum A 21917) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
22 Nov 1944 // Submarine HMS Stratagem was depth-charged by a Japanese destroyer in the Malacca Strait, and scuttled by her crew after being forced to surface. 38 men died, 10 survivors were taken POW, of whom 7 died in Japanese captivity. (Imperial War Museum A 21917) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1943 // Motor torpedo boat MTB.686 was destroyed while alongside at Lerwick when an explosion in one of her 20mm Oerlikon guns started a fire among petrol cans stored on deck. The fire spread to her magazine, which exploded. Seven men were killed. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:20 PM
22 Nov 1943 // Motor torpedo boat MTB.686 was destroyed while alongside at Lerwick when an explosion in one of her 20mm Oerlikon guns started a fire among petrol cans stored on deck. The fire spread to her magazine, which exploded. Seven men were killed. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1943 // Minesweeper HMS Hebe was sunk by a mine laid by German submarine U.453 off Bari, Italy. She capsized within five minutes of the detonation and sank very quickly. 72 of her crew were saved and 36 lost their lives. (Imperial War Museum image A 1434) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:19 PM
22 Nov 1943 // Minesweeper HMS Hebe was sunk by a mine laid by German submarine U.453 off Bari, Italy. She capsized within five minutes of the detonation and sank very quickly. 72 of her crew were saved and 36 lost their lives. (Imperial War Museum image A 1434) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1943 // Boom defence vessel HMS Barflake hit a mine while entering harbour at Pozzuoli, Italy, and sank with 3 of her 18 crew lost. Her commander was found by the court martial to have been careless in navigation and to have had too few lookouts on duty. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:18 PM
22 Nov 1943 // Boom defence vessel HMS Barflake hit a mine while entering harbour at Pozzuoli, Italy, and sank with 3 of her 18 crew lost. Her commander was found by the court martial to have been careless in navigation and to have had too few lookouts on duty. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1941 // HM Trawler St Apollo was run down by the destroyer HMS Sardonyx NW of the Isle of Lewis in very poor weather. Rescue tug Marauder was nearby and quickly came to assist, rescuing 35 of the trawler’s 38 crew in very difficult conditions before she sank. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:17 PM
22 Nov 1941 // HM Trawler St Apollo was run down by the destroyer HMS Sardonyx NW of the Isle of Lewis in very poor weather. Rescue tug Marauder was nearby and quickly came to assist, rescuing 35 of the trawler’s 38 crew in very difficult conditions before she sank. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1941 // Schooner Maria Giovanna was bringing supplies to Tobruk, a regular service she had run since being captured from the Italians nine months earlier, when she ran aground at night west of Tobruk harbour and while stranded was captured by the enemy. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:16 PM
22 Nov 1941 // Schooner Maria Giovanna was bringing supplies to Tobruk, a regular service she had run since being captured from the Italians nine months earlier, when she ran aground at night west of Tobruk harbour and while stranded was captured by the enemy. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1940 // Stores lighter Glen detonated a mine off Bo’ness while en route from Grangemouth to Crombie carrying a cargo of ammunition. She sank with the loss of all five of her crew. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:16 PM
22 Nov 1940 // Stores lighter Glen detonated a mine off Bo’ness while en route from Grangemouth to Crombie carrying a cargo of ammunition. She sank with the loss of all five of her crew. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1940 // HM Trawler Ethel Taylor sank after striking a mine in the estuary of the River Tyne. Two of her crew were lost. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:15 PM
22 Nov 1940 // HM Trawler Ethel Taylor sank after striking a mine in the estuary of the River Tyne. Two of her crew were lost. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1940 // Motor launch ML.127 detonated a mine off Clacton and sank with the loss of eleven men. The mine was almost certainly an air-dropped magnetic mine, one of many dropped by German aircraft in the area a few days earlier. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:14 PM
22 Nov 1940 // Motor launch ML.127 detonated a mine off Clacton and sank with the loss of eleven men. The mine was almost certainly an air-dropped magnetic mine, one of many dropped by German aircraft in the area a few days earlier. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1940 // HM Trawler Aragonite, a Hull boat in #RoyalNavy service as a minesweeper, sank after striking a mine off Deal. She initially remained afloat and was taken in tow by two tugs, but her flooding became unmanageable and she was abandoned to sink. No lives were lost. #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:13 PM
22 Nov 1940 // HM Trawler Aragonite, a Hull boat in #RoyalNavy service as a minesweeper, sank after striking a mine off Deal. She initially remained afloat and was taken in tow by two tugs, but her flooding became unmanageable and she was abandoned to sink. No lives were lost. #WW2 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1918 // HM Submarine G.11 grounded on rocks off Craster, Northumberland, while returning on the surface from a North Sea patrol, and was abandoned as a wreck. Two of her crew drowned while the submarine was being evacuated. The loss was due to navigational error. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
22 Nov 1918 // HM Submarine G.11 grounded on rocks off Craster, Northumberland, while returning on the surface from a North Sea patrol, and was abandoned as a wreck. Two of her crew drowned while the submarine was being evacuated. The loss was due to navigational error. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1916 // HM Submarine E.30 was declared overdue on this day. She vanished with all 31 crew in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk, cause of loss unconfirmed but it is likely that she was sunk by a German mine after entering a newly-laid minefield. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
22 Nov 1916 // HM Submarine E.30 was declared overdue on this day. She vanished with all 31 crew in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk, cause of loss unconfirmed but it is likely that she was sunk by a German mine after entering a newly-laid minefield. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1914 // HM Trawler Condor II came ashore on Newcome Sands, Lowestoft, in a powerful easterly gale, and was wrecked. All her crew were taken off by the Lowestoft lifeboat. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:10 PM
22 Nov 1914 // HM Trawler Condor II came ashore on Newcome Sands, Lowestoft, in a powerful easterly gale, and was wrecked. All her crew were taken off by the Lowestoft lifeboat. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1850 // Steam paddle gunboat HMS Flamer grounded on a reef on the Liberian coast SE of Monrovia due to navigational error in darkness and fog. Attempts were made to refloat her but she broke up, her engines falling through the bottom of her hull. No lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
22 Nov 1850 // Steam paddle gunboat HMS Flamer grounded on a reef on the Liberian coast SE of Monrovia due to navigational error in darkness and fog. Attempts were made to refloat her but she broke up, her engines falling through the bottom of her hull. No lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1780 // Ship sloop HMS Senegal, captured from the French on 2 November off Gambia, was anchored at Gorée with her prize crew aboard when she was destroyed by an explosion, the cause of which was never discovered. All 23 men of the prize crew were killed. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:08 PM
22 Nov 1780 // Ship sloop HMS Senegal, captured from the French on 2 November off Gambia, was anchored at Gorée with her prize crew aboard when she was destroyed by an explosion, the cause of which was never discovered. All 23 men of the prize crew were killed. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1778 // 14-gun ship sloop HMS Swift, pursuing an American privateer off Cape Henry late in the evening of 21 November, ran aground, as did the privateer. Neither ship could free itself, but by morning the Swift was still upright while the privateer had rolled over and was a wreck. [1/2]
November 22, 2025 at 4:07 PM
22 Nov 1778 // 14-gun ship sloop HMS Swift, pursuing an American privateer off Cape Henry late in the evening of 21 November, ran aground, as did the privateer. Neither ship could free itself, but by morning the Swift was still upright while the privateer had rolled over and was a wreck. [1/2]
22 Nov 1703 (O.S.) // 60-gun 4th-rate HMS York ran aground and was wrecked on the Shipwash Sand off Harwich while sailing from the Nore to the Downs. Four men were lost during abandonment of the ship. The loss was blamed on the 'ignorance and negligence' of the pilot. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:03 PM
22 Nov 1703 (O.S.) // 60-gun 4th-rate HMS York ran aground and was wrecked on the Shipwash Sand off Harwich while sailing from the Nore to the Downs. Four men were lost during abandonment of the ship. The loss was blamed on the 'ignorance and negligence' of the pilot. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
22 Nov 1693 (O.S.) // 46-gun 4th-rate HMS Mordaunt was wrecked on the Colorados shoals off north-western Cuba when strong currents carried her further inshore than expected. All on board got away safely in boats and rafts and no lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 22, 2025 at 4:02 PM
22 Nov 1693 (O.S.) // 46-gun 4th-rate HMS Mordaunt was wrecked on the Colorados shoals off north-western Cuba when strong currents carried her further inshore than expected. All on board got away safely in boats and rafts and no lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
21 Nov 1941 // HM Drifter Rowantree grounded sandbank while entering Lowestoft harbour in poor conditions of fog, rain, high winds and heavy seas. The Lowestoft lifeboat and a tug came out, and the lifeboat attempted to haul the drifter off the bank, but the cable parted. [1/2]
November 21, 2025 at 1:36 PM
21 Nov 1941 // HM Drifter Rowantree grounded sandbank while entering Lowestoft harbour in poor conditions of fog, rain, high winds and heavy seas. The Lowestoft lifeboat and a tug came out, and the lifeboat attempted to haul the drifter off the bank, but the cable parted. [1/2]
21 Nov 1941 // HM Drifter Xmas Rose struck a mine in the outer Thames Estuary north-west of Margate, and sank with the loss of three men. Her skipper later died of his injuries. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 21, 2025 at 1:35 PM
21 Nov 1941 // HM Drifter Xmas Rose struck a mine in the outer Thames Estuary north-west of Margate, and sank with the loss of three men. Her skipper later died of his injuries. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
21 Nov 1939 // Destroyer HMS Gipsy was sunk by a mine outside Harwich harbour with the loss of 31 men. Her wreck, which had been blown in two by the blast, was raised in sections between 1940 and 1944 and broken up for scrap. (Imperial War Museum FL 13465 & A 15511) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 21, 2025 at 1:35 PM
21 Nov 1939 // Destroyer HMS Gipsy was sunk by a mine outside Harwich harbour with the loss of 31 men. Her wreck, which had been blown in two by the blast, was raised in sections between 1940 and 1944 and broken up for scrap. (Imperial War Museum FL 13465 & A 15511) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
21 Nov 1914 // HM Trawler Spider, in #RoyalNavy service as a minesweeper, ran aground in bad weather at the northern end of the Lowestoft breakwater and was abandoned. All the crew were safely taken off. Her largely intact hull formed a hazard to shipping until removed in 1915. #WW1 #NavalHistory
November 21, 2025 at 1:33 PM
21 Nov 1914 // HM Trawler Spider, in #RoyalNavy service as a minesweeper, ran aground in bad weather at the northern end of the Lowestoft breakwater and was abandoned. All the crew were safely taken off. Her largely intact hull formed a hazard to shipping until removed in 1915. #WW1 #NavalHistory
21 Nov 1813 // 16-gun brig HMS Goshawk, stationed off the Spanish coast, was ordered to blockade Barcelona on her own, but was prevented from attempting this impossible task when she ran aground. All the crew got away safely in her boats, and the brig was set on fire. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 21, 2025 at 1:33 PM
21 Nov 1813 // 16-gun brig HMS Goshawk, stationed off the Spanish coast, was ordered to blockade Barcelona on her own, but was prevented from attempting this impossible task when she ran aground. All the crew got away safely in her boats, and the brig was set on fire. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
21 Nov 1807 // HMS Bolina, a 6-gun brig in use as a tender, was severely damaged in a gale, with one man swept away and drowned, while off the north coast of Cornwall en route from Liverpool to Plymouth. She was deliberately run ashore at Perranporth and abandoned. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 21, 2025 at 1:32 PM
21 Nov 1807 // HMS Bolina, a 6-gun brig in use as a tender, was severely damaged in a gale, with one man swept away and drowned, while off the north coast of Cornwall en route from Liverpool to Plymouth. She was deliberately run ashore at Perranporth and abandoned. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
21 Nov 1759 // 74-gun 3rd-rate HMS Resolution, which had suffered heavy damage during the Battle of Quiberon Bay, ran aground on sandbanks when attempting to leave the bay. She refloated at high water on the morning of 21 November but grounded again when the tide ebbed. [1/4]
November 21, 2025 at 1:32 PM
21 Nov 1759 // 74-gun 3rd-rate HMS Resolution, which had suffered heavy damage during the Battle of Quiberon Bay, ran aground on sandbanks when attempting to leave the bay. She refloated at high water on the morning of 21 November but grounded again when the tide ebbed. [1/4]