HMS Exmouth (H02) facts for kids
_Exmouth_in_leaving_the_port_of_Bilbao_in_1936.jpg)
HMS Exmouth leaving the port of Bilbao, Basque Country, 1936.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Exmouth |
| Ordered | 1 November 1932 |
| Builder | Portsmouth Dockyard |
| Laid down | 15 March 1933 |
| Launched | 30 January 1934 |
| Commissioned | 9 November 1934 |
| Motto |
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| 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 | |
| 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 |
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| 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 |
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HMS Exmouth was a special type of destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. She was known as a "flotilla leader," meaning she was the main ship in a group of destroyers.
After being built, Exmouth first joined the Home Fleet, which protected Britain's waters. Later, she was sent to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1935 and 1936 during a time of trouble called the Abyssinia Crisis. She also spent a lot of time near Spain during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). Her job there was to help stop weapons from reaching either side of the conflict.
When World War II started in September 1939, Exmouth was assigned to protect convoys (groups of merchant ships) and hunt for enemy submarines in the Western Approaches (the waters west of Britain). Sadly, she was sunk by a German submarine in January 1940 while protecting a merchant ship north of Scotland.
Contents
Ship's Design and Features
HMS Exmouth was a powerful ship for her time. She was about 343 feet (104.5 m) long, which is longer than a football field! She was also 33 feet 9 inches (10.3 m) wide.
- Engines: The ship had two steam turbine engines. These engines were powered by steam from three large boilers. They gave Exmouth a top speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph), which is very fast for a ship.
- Range: She could travel about 6,350 nautical miles (11,760 km; 7,310 mi) without needing to refuel. That's like going from London to New York and back!
- Crew: About 175 sailors and officers worked on board.
- Weapons:
- Exmouth had five main guns, each 4.7-inch (119.4 mm) (120 mm) in size.
- For protection against airplanes, she had two sets of machine guns.
- She also carried torpedo tubes, which could fire powerful 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes at enemy ships.
- To fight submarines, Exmouth had depth charges. These were bombs that exploded underwater. She started with 20 depth charges, but this was increased to 35 when the war began.
Service History
Exmouth was ordered on November 1, 1932, and built at Portsmouth Dockyard. She was launched on January 30, 1934, and officially joined the Royal Navy on November 9, 1934.
Early Missions
When she first joined the fleet, Exmouth became the leader of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla in the Home Fleet.
- Abyssinia Crisis: From August 1935 to March 1936, her group was sent to the Mediterranean Fleet. This was because of rising tensions between Italy and Abyssinia (now Ethiopia).
- Spanish Civil War: Exmouth spent a lot of time patrolling Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War. Her job was to help enforce a rule that stopped weapons from being sent to either side of the conflict.
World War II and Sinking
When World War II started in September 1939, Exmouth was part of the Home Fleet.
- Hunting Raiders: In November, she helped escort the battlecruiser Hood as they searched for German ships that were attacking merchant vessels near Iceland.
- Convoy Escort: In December, she was moved to the Western Approaches Command. Here, her main job was to patrol and protect convoys. These convoys were vital for bringing supplies to Britain.
- Tragic End: In January 1940, Exmouth was transferred to Rosyth in Scotland to do similar duties in the North Sea. On January 21, 1940, she was escorting a merchant ship called Cyprian Prince. A German submarine, German submarine U-22, spotted her. At 5:35 AM, the submarine fired a torpedo at Exmouth. The ship sank quickly, and sadly, everyone on board was lost. After Exmouth sank, the submarine also attacked Cyprian Prince. The captain of Cyprian Prince felt it was too dangerous to stop and rescue survivors. Later, 18 bodies from Exmouth washed ashore near Wick and were buried there with military honors.
Finding the Wreck
The wreck of HMS Exmouth was found in the Moray Firth in July 2001 by a special team. Historic Scotland later confirmed their discovery. The wreck is now a "protected place" under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. This means it is protected by law and cannot be disturbed.
