UK WW2 vessel sunk with loss of 190 lives honoured by with this moving tribute

For the archetypal time  successful much than 80 years a Royal Navy White Ensign flies connected tragic destroyer HMS Exmouth the archetypal British aboveground vessel mislaid with each hands successful World War II.

Divers plunged much than 160 feet into the depths of the North Sea immoderate 20 miles disconnected Wick successful Scotland to behaviour a broad survey of the remains of the warship and to honour each 190 souls mislaid erstwhile she went down.

HMS Exmouth’s wreck was discovered much than 20 years ago, but its extent and isolated determination means it is seldom visited by underwater explorers. 

Led by Lieutenant Commander Jen Smith and Rich Walker utilizing the dive vessel MV Clasina, the squad sought to grounds HMS Exmouth’s remains successful detail, portion of a wider task to sphere naval practice and support wartime sacrifices successful the nationalist memory.

Lt Cdr Smith said: "190 souls were mislaid erstwhile HMS Exmouth went down, and lone 18 bodies were recovered ashore – the bulk of that unit were mislaid astatine sea. 

“So their bequest is the wreck itself, that is their last resting place. We request to guarantee that the wreck stays preserved and remembered, truthful aboriginal generations tin sojourn her oregon wage their respects to those who gave the top sacrifice."

The Portsmouth-built warship served extensively successful the Mediterranean successful the mid-1930s, notably connected operations connected with Italy’s penetration of Abyssinia (today Ethiopia) and the Spanish Civil War.

When warfare broke retired successful September 1939, Exmouth was assigned to escort duties, either accompanying large warships specified arsenic flagship HMS Hood connected sorties oregon connected convoy duties successful location waters.

In January 1940 the destroyer was escorting the steamer Cyprian Prince, ferrying supplies from Aberdeen to the Royal Navy’s wartime basal astatine Scapa Flow successful Orkney.

Exmouth was struck by a azygous torpedo from German submarine U-22, past torn isolated by a 2nd explosion, astir apt a mag detonating, condemning each aboard to a watery grave.

Lt Cdr Smith added: “The bow is astir non-existent, conscionable a azygous anchor and cablegram remain. The motor country country is besides heavy damaged, apt from the 2nd explosion, but the stern sits intact and upright, albeit astatine a right-angle to the remainder of the ship.

“She is simply a precise absorbing tract to dive, but it's precise saddening to spot the harm she suffered."

As an authoritative warfare sedate protected by UK law, the divers obtained support from the MOD to transportation retired the dive, pursuing a strict ‘look, bash not touch’ rule. No artefacts were recovered, but a White Ensign was ‘raised’ implicit the wreckage successful tribute.

Lt Cdr Smith said: “The Ensign conscionable ‘fluttered’ determination arsenic if it was flying successful the breeze. I paused to wage my respects and it occurred to maine that the past clip a White Ensign would person been determination was successful January 1940; and that Ensign would ne'er person been hauled down, it would person been successful spot arsenic the vessel sank. That was a truly moving infinitesimal for me."

Back connected onshore successful Wick, the survey squad attended a abbreviated memorial by the graves of the tiny fig of sailors buried successful the section cemetery, wherever Lt Cdr Smith laid a wreath, and inspected the postulation of artefacts kept arsenic a memorial successful St Fergus Church by the HMS Exmouth Association.

The divers are besides determined to spot each the ship’s unit honoured, and are moving a fundraising run to get their names added to the caller RNLI lifeboat being built for the Devon town. 

The fundraising effort to adhd the names of HMS Exmouth’s unit to the caller lifeboat can beryllium supported here.