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.
Not feeling too good today. I hope to catch up with today's posts later, but if I don't manage it you'll know why. Apologies in advance.
November 19, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Not feeling too good today. I hope to catch up with today's posts later, but if I don't manage it you'll know why. Apologies in advance.
18 Nov 1944 // HM Trawler Transvaal, part of the escort for a cross-Channel convoy, was lost with all 19 crew in bad weather. She was last seen at 7.30am off Portland in distress, but conditions were so bad that no help could be given. Four bodies were later recovered. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM
18 Nov 1944 // HM Trawler Transvaal, part of the escort for a cross-Channel convoy, was lost with all 19 crew in bad weather. She was last seen at 7.30am off Portland in distress, but conditions were so bad that no help could be given. Four bodies were later recovered. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
18 Nov 1943 // Sloop HMS Chanticleer was part of the escort force for a large inbound convoy from Freetown and Gibraltar which had faced repeated U-boat attacks in the eastern Atlantic. While investigating an asdic contact between Portugal and the Azores, she was hit by a torpedo. [1/2]
November 18, 2025 at 8:59 AM
18 Nov 1943 // Sloop HMS Chanticleer was part of the escort force for a large inbound convoy from Freetown and Gibraltar which had faced repeated U-boat attacks in the eastern Atlantic. While investigating an asdic contact between Portugal and the Azores, she was hit by a torpedo. [1/2]
18 Nov 1940 // HM Drifter Go Ahead sank off Garrison Point, Sheerness, after a collision with destroyer HMS Watchman. No casualties. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 18, 2025 at 8:58 AM
18 Nov 1940 // HM Drifter Go Ahead sank off Garrison Point, Sheerness, after a collision with destroyer HMS Watchman. No casualties. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
18 Nov 1917 // HM Submarine K.1 was lost with no casualties after colliding with sister boat K.4 while on surface patrol off the North Sea coast of Denmark. K.1, heavily damaged in the collision, was scuttled by gunfire from cruiser HMS Blonde to prevent capture. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory
November 18, 2025 at 8:57 AM
18 Nov 1917 // HM Submarine K.1 was lost with no casualties after colliding with sister boat K.4 while on surface patrol off the North Sea coast of Denmark. K.1, heavily damaged in the collision, was scuttled by gunfire from cruiser HMS Blonde to prevent capture. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory
18 Nov 1917 // Sloop HMS Candytuft was lost with 9 men killed when she was torpedoed by U-boat U-39 off Bougie, Algeria. The first torpedo blew off the stern and a second broke off her bows. The remainder of the ship then grounded. (Imperial War Museum image: SP 470) #RoyalNavy #WW1
November 18, 2025 at 8:56 AM
18 Nov 1917 // Sloop HMS Candytuft was lost with 9 men killed when she was torpedoed by U-boat U-39 off Bougie, Algeria. The first torpedo blew off the stern and a second broke off her bows. The remainder of the ship then grounded. (Imperial War Museum image: SP 470) #RoyalNavy #WW1
18 Nov 1672 (O.S.) // 22-gun ship HMS Forrester was destroyed with many men killed in an accidental explosion at Livorno, Italy. The cause of the explosion was never identified. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 18, 2025 at 8:55 AM
18 Nov 1672 (O.S.) // 22-gun ship HMS Forrester was destroyed with many men killed in an accidental explosion at Livorno, Italy. The cause of the explosion was never identified. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
17 Nov 1962 // Oiler RFA Green Ranger, under tow from Plymouth to Cardiff for refit, grounded on Hartland Point after the tow had to be slipped in a storm. The seven men on board were all taken off by breeches buoy. The ship later broke up and was sold for scrap. #RoyalFleetAuxiliary #NavalHistory
November 17, 2025 at 6:27 PM
17 Nov 1962 // Oiler RFA Green Ranger, under tow from Plymouth to Cardiff for refit, grounded on Hartland Point after the tow had to be slipped in a storm. The seven men on board were all taken off by breeches buoy. The ship later broke up and was sold for scrap. #RoyalFleetAuxiliary #NavalHistory
17 Nov 1917 // Paddle minesweeper HMS Marsa (formerly G&SWR paddle steamer Mars) was struck in the dark while anchored off the entrance to Harwich harbour by light cruiser HMS Concord, and then shortly afterwards was run into again, this time by destroyer HMS Shakespeare. [1/2]
November 17, 2025 at 6:26 PM
17 Nov 1917 // Paddle minesweeper HMS Marsa (formerly G&SWR paddle steamer Mars) was struck in the dark while anchored off the entrance to Harwich harbour by light cruiser HMS Concord, and then shortly afterwards was run into again, this time by destroyer HMS Shakespeare. [1/2]
17 Nov 1915 // HM Hospital Ship Anglia (a former LNWR ferry) sank after striking a mine just east of Folkestone Gate in the Straits of Dover while crossing from Calais to Dover. She was carrying nearly 400 injured soldiers, along with her own crew, and medical and nursing staff. [1/2]
November 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
17 Nov 1915 // HM Hospital Ship Anglia (a former LNWR ferry) sank after striking a mine just east of Folkestone Gate in the Straits of Dover while crossing from Calais to Dover. She was carrying nearly 400 injured soldiers, along with her own crew, and medical and nursing staff. [1/2]
17 Nov 1807 // Schooner HMS Firefly was wrecked off Curaçao in a gale with just four survivors. She was formerly French privateer Poisson Volant, captured 1803, taken into the #RoyalNavy as HMS Flying Fish and renamed Firefly not long before her loss. #NavalHistory
November 17, 2025 at 6:23 PM
17 Nov 1807 // Schooner HMS Firefly was wrecked off Curaçao in a gale with just four survivors. She was formerly French privateer Poisson Volant, captured 1803, taken into the #RoyalNavy as HMS Flying Fish and renamed Firefly not long before her loss. #NavalHistory
17 Nov 1803 // 28-gun 6th-rate HMS Circe sank off Great Yarmouth with no loss of life. She had grounded on a sandbank on the previous day while chasing a French privateer, losing her rudder and damaging her hull. She was abandoned on 17 Nov and sank while under tow. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 17, 2025 at 6:20 PM
17 Nov 1803 // 28-gun 6th-rate HMS Circe sank off Great Yarmouth with no loss of life. She had grounded on a sandbank on the previous day while chasing a French privateer, losing her rudder and damaging her hull. She was abandoned on 17 Nov and sank while under tow. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
17 Nov 1799 // HMS Espion (formerly French frigate Atalante, captured 1794) was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands while carrying Russian soldiers, who had been involved in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland, from Den Helder to Dover. All on board were saved. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 17, 2025 at 6:18 PM
17 Nov 1799 // HMS Espion (formerly French frigate Atalante, captured 1794) was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands while carrying Russian soldiers, who had been involved in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland, from Den Helder to Dover. All on board were saved. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
17 Nov 1780 // 20-gun 6th-rate HMS Shark disappeared in a storm during the night of 17/18 Nov while sailing from Sandy Hook to the West Indies with a squadron under Admiral Rodney. No trace of her was found and it was presumed she had foundered in the storm with all hands. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 17, 2025 at 6:18 PM
17 Nov 1780 // 20-gun 6th-rate HMS Shark disappeared in a storm during the night of 17/18 Nov while sailing from Sandy Hook to the West Indies with a squadron under Admiral Rodney. No trace of her was found and it was presumed she had foundered in the storm with all hands. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
17 Nov 1688 (O.S.) // HMS Helderenburg, a former 30-gun Dutch ship captured in 1685 and converted to a hospital ship, sank after colliding with HMS Bonaventure off the Isle of Wight in darkness at about 7pm. Loss of life was heavy: only 13 survivors were picked up. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 17, 2025 at 6:17 PM
17 Nov 1688 (O.S.) // HMS Helderenburg, a former 30-gun Dutch ship captured in 1685 and converted to a hospital ship, sank after colliding with HMS Bonaventure off the Isle of Wight in darkness at about 7pm. Loss of life was heavy: only 13 survivors were picked up. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
16 Nov 1940 // HM Trawler Arsenal was damaged in a collision with Polish destroyer Burza at the mouth of the River Clyde. Destroyer HMS Arrow and a tug called Superman were approaching to assist when there was an explosion and the trawler sank. No lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 16, 2025 at 4:17 PM
16 Nov 1940 // HM Trawler Arsenal was damaged in a collision with Polish destroyer Burza at the mouth of the River Clyde. Destroyer HMS Arrow and a tug called Superman were approaching to assist when there was an explosion and the trawler sank. No lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
16 Nov 1916 // HM Trawler Anthony Hope, a Hull trawler in #RoyalNavy service as a minesweeper, sank after detonating a mine while clearing a minefield in the approaches to Le Havre. Two of her crew were lost. The minefield had been laid the previous day by U-boat UC.26. #WW1 #NavalHistory
November 16, 2025 at 4:16 PM
16 Nov 1916 // HM Trawler Anthony Hope, a Hull trawler in #RoyalNavy service as a minesweeper, sank after detonating a mine while clearing a minefield in the approaches to Le Havre. Two of her crew were lost. The minefield had been laid the previous day by U-boat UC.26. #WW1 #NavalHistory
16 Nov 1915 // HM Trawler Xerxes, a Swansea boat in #RoyalNavy service as a minesweeper, sank off Aberdeen after being struck by oiler Burma while escorting her into the North Sea in the late evening. The Burma had sailed 20 minutes early, and the Xerxes was hurrying to catch her up. [1/3]
November 16, 2025 at 4:15 PM
16 Nov 1915 // HM Trawler Xerxes, a Swansea boat in #RoyalNavy service as a minesweeper, sank off Aberdeen after being struck by oiler Burma while escorting her into the North Sea in the late evening. The Burma had sailed 20 minutes early, and the Xerxes was hurrying to catch her up. [1/3]
16 Nov 1816 // 10-gun brig-sloop HMS Bermuda ran aground and was wrecked off Tampico, Mexico. One member of her crew died when a boat carrying men to shore overturned. The court martial concluded that inaccurate navigation and a strong current had caused the loss. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 16, 2025 at 4:13 PM
16 Nov 1816 // 10-gun brig-sloop HMS Bermuda ran aground and was wrecked off Tampico, Mexico. One member of her crew died when a boat carrying men to shore overturned. The court martial concluded that inaccurate navigation and a strong current had caused the loss. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
16 Nov 1797 // 36-gun 5th-rate HMS Tribune (ex French frigate Tribune, captured 8 June 1796) ran aground and was wrecked off Herring Cove, Novia Scotia. 228 of 240 on board died: many froze to death, or drowned in a violent gale that blew up after the ship had struck. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
November 16, 2025 at 4:12 PM
16 Nov 1797 // 36-gun 5th-rate HMS Tribune (ex French frigate Tribune, captured 8 June 1796) ran aground and was wrecked off Herring Cove, Novia Scotia. 228 of 240 on board died: many froze to death, or drowned in a violent gale that blew up after the ship had struck. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory
15 Nov 1942 // Destroyer HMCS Saguenay, escorting a convoy from St Johns, Newfoundland, to Sydney, Nova Scotia, was run into from astern in thick fog by freighter Azar. Several of her depth charges were dislodged: one exploded and sank the Azar with one man lost. (Images: Wikimedia Commons) [1/2]
November 15, 2025 at 5:42 PM
15 Nov 1942 // Destroyer HMCS Saguenay, escorting a convoy from St Johns, Newfoundland, to Sydney, Nova Scotia, was run into from astern in thick fog by freighter Azar. Several of her depth charges were dislodged: one exploded and sank the Azar with one man lost. (Images: Wikimedia Commons) [1/2]
15 Nov 1942 // Minesweeper HMS Algerine was torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine Ascianghi off Bougie, Algeria. Only 8 of her 92 crew survived, with many men dying of injuries caused by Algerine's depth charges detonating as she sank. (Imperial War Museum FL 472) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
15 Nov 1942 // Minesweeper HMS Algerine was torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine Ascianghi off Bougie, Algeria. Only 8 of her 92 crew survived, with many men dying of injuries caused by Algerine's depth charges detonating as she sank. (Imperial War Museum FL 472) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
15 Nov 1942 // Escort carrier HMS Avenger was torpedoed and sunk by U-boat U.155 just west of Gibraltar. The torpedo struck her bomb room, and she sank quickly with heavy loss of life: there were only 12 survivors from 528 on board. (Imperial War Museum image FL 1268) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
15 Nov 1942 // Escort carrier HMS Avenger was torpedoed and sunk by U-boat U.155 just west of Gibraltar. The torpedo struck her bomb room, and she sank quickly with heavy loss of life: there were only 12 survivors from 528 on board. (Imperial War Museum image FL 1268) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
15 Nov 1941 // HM Drifter Harmony sank after colliding with a buoy at the entrance to Invergordon harbour. There were no casualties. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
November 15, 2025 at 5:37 PM
15 Nov 1941 // HM Drifter Harmony sank after colliding with a buoy at the entrance to Invergordon harbour. There were no casualties. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory
15 Nov 1940 // HM Tug Guardsman, in use as an examination vessel at Gravesend, detonated a mine off North Foreland and sank with the loss of two of her crew of nine. The seven survivors were rescued by the Margate lifeboat. #RoyalNavy #WW2
November 15, 2025 at 5:37 PM
15 Nov 1940 // HM Tug Guardsman, in use as an examination vessel at Gravesend, detonated a mine off North Foreland and sank with the loss of two of her crew of nine. The seven survivors were rescued by the Margate lifeboat. #RoyalNavy #WW2