List of Royal Navy losses in World War II facts for kids
This is a list of ships and brave sailors from the Royal Navy who were lost during World War II. This period covers from 3 September 1939 to 1 October 1945.
You can also find more about Royal Navy ships in the List of ships of the Royal Navy.
Contents
Brave Sailors Lost
During World War II, the Royal Navy faced many dangers. Sadly, 50,758 sailors were killed in action, and 820 went missing. Another 14,663 were wounded.
The Women's Royal Naval Service, also known as the Wrens, played a vital role. They lost 102 members and 22 were wounded.
Warships Lost in Battle
Mighty Battleships
Battleships were the biggest and most powerful warships. Here are some that the Royal Navy lost:
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Royal Oak (08) | Scapa Flow | 14 October 1939 | Sunk by German submarine U-47 |
| HMS Barham (04) | off Sidi Barrani, Egypt | 25 November 1941 | Sunk by U-331 |
| HMS Prince of Wales (53) | South China Sea | 10 December 1941 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
Fast Battlecruisers
Battlecruisers were fast and powerful, a mix of battleship and cruiser.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Hood (51) | Denmark Strait | 24 May 1941 | Sunk by gunfire from the German battleship Bismarck |
| HMS Repulse (26) | South China Sea | 10 December 1941 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
Aircraft Carriers
Aircraft carriers were like floating airfields, carrying planes to battle.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Courageous (50) | off Ireland | 17 September 1939 | Sunk by German submarine U-29 |
| HMS Glorious (77) | Norwegian Sea | 8 June 1940 | Sunk by gunfire from German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau |
| HMS Ark Royal (91) | south east of Gibraltar | 13 November 1941 | Sunk by U-81 |
| HMS Hermes (95) | off Sri Lanka | 9 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
| HMS Eagle (94) | south of Cape Salinas | 11 August 1942 | Sunk by U-73 |
Escort Aircraft Carriers
These were smaller carriers, often used to protect convoys.
| 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 an accidental explosion inside the ship |
Cruisers
Cruisers were versatile warships, smaller than battleships but larger than destroyers.
| 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 sunk to create a breakwater (a barrier to protect ships) |
| HMS Neptune (20) | off Tripoli | 19 December 1941 | Sunk by an Italian mine |
| HMS Calypso (D61) | off Crete | 12 June 1940 | Sunk by Italian submarine Alpino Bagnolini |
| HMS Coventry (D43) | off Crete | 14 September 1942 | Sunk by its own crew after a German air attack |
| HMS Curacoa (D41) | off Ireland | 2 October 1942 | Sunk in a collision with RMS Queen Mary in bad weather |
| HMS Curlew (D42) | off Narvik | 26 May 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Cairo (D87) | off Bizerte | 12 August 1942 | Sunk by Italian submarine Axum |
| HMS Calcutta (D82) | off Alexandria | 1 June 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| 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 | Sunk by its own crew after being damaged by torpedoes from U-456 and German destroyers |
| HMS Southampton (83) | off Malta | 11 January 1941 | Sunk by its own crew after a German air attack |
| HMS Manchester (15) | Cap Bon | 13 August 1942 | Sunk by its own crew after an Italian motor torpedo boat attack |
| HMS Gloucester (62) | off Crete | 22 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| 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 a German glide bomb from a plane |
| HMS Fiji (58) | off Crete | 22 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Trinidad (46) | off North Cape | 15 May 1942 | Sunk by its own crew after a German air attack |
| HMS Effingham (D98) | off Bodø | 18 May 1940 | Ran aground (stuck on the seabed) |
| HMS Cornwall (56) | off Ceylon | 5 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
| HMS Dorsetshire (40) | off Ceylon | 5 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
| HMS York (90) | Crete | 26 March 1941 | Sunk by its own crew after an Italian explosive boat attack |
| HMS Exeter (68) | Battle of the Java Sea | 1 March 1942 | Sunk by Japanese gunfire and torpedoes |
Destroyers
Destroyers were fast ships used for escorting larger vessels and hunting submarines.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Tenedos (H04) | Colombo Harbour | 5 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
| HMS Porcupine (G93) | off Oran | 9 December 1942 | Torpedoed by U-602 (damaged beyond repair) |
| HMS Wensleydale (L86) | English Channel | 21 November 1944 | Damaged beyond repair after colliding 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 planes (damaged beyond repair) |
| HMS Fury (H76) | off Normandy | 21 June 1944 | Stranded on the beach after hitting a mine (damaged beyond repair) |
| HMS Foresight (H68) | off Bône | 13 August 1942 | Sunk by its own crew after being hit by Italian planes |
| HMS Firedrake (H79) | Atlantic Ocean | 16 December 1942 | Sunk by U-211 |
| HMS Fearless (H67) | off Bône | 23 July 1941 | Sunk by its own crew after being hit by Italian planes |
| HMS Esk (H15) | off Texel | 1 September 1940 | Sunk by a 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 a 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 planes |
| HMS Diamond (H22) | off Crete | 27 April 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| 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 | Sunk by its own crew after being hit by German planes |
| HMS Dainty (H53) | off Tobruk | 24 February 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Imogen (D44) | Pentland Firth | 16 July 1940 | Sunk in collision with HMS Glasgow (C21) |
| HMS Imperial (D09) | off Crete | 29 May 1941 | Sunk by its own crew after being hit by Italian bombers |
| HMS Inglefield (D02) | off Anzio | 25 February 1944 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Ivanhoe (D16) | off Texel | 1 September 1940 | Sunk by its own crew after hitting a mine |
| HMS Isis (D87) | off Normandy | 20 July 1944 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Thanet (H29) | off Singapore | 27 January 1942 | Sunk by gunfire from Japanese cruiser Sendai |
| HMS Thracian (D86) | Hong Kong | 25 December 1941 | Sunk by its own crew to avoid being captured by Japanese forces |
| HMS Stronghold (H50) | off Sunda Strait | 2 March 1942 | Sunk by 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 planes |
| HMS Basilisk (H11) | off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Blanche (H47) | Thames Estuary | 13 November 1939 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Boadicea (H65) | Lyme Bay | 13 June 1944 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Brazen (H80) | English Channel | 20 July 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| 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 planes |
| HMS Campbeltown (I42) | St Nazaire Raid | 28 March 1942 | Deliberately exploded after ramming the St Nazaire dry dock |
| HMS Gallant (H59) | Malta harbour | 5 April 1942 | Hit an Italian mine and bombed by German planes (damaged beyond repair) |
| HMS Rockingham (G58) | Atlantic Ocean | 27 September 1944 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Stanley (I73) | Atlantic Ocean | 19 December 1941 | Sunk by U-574 |
| HMS Valentine (L69) | off Terneuzen | 15 May 1940 | Stranded on the beach after being damaged by German planes |
| HMS Venetia (D53) | Thames Estuary | 19 October 1940 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Vimiera (L29) | Thames Estuary | 9 January 1942 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Wakeful (H88) | Dunkirk evacuation | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by a torpedo from an E-boat (a fast attack boat) |
| HMS Warwick (D25) | Atlantic Ocean | 20 February 1944 | Sunk by U-413 |
| HMS Wessex (D43) | off Calais | 24 May 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Whirlwind (D30) | Atlantic Ocean | 5 July 1940 | Sunk by U-34 |
| HMS Whitley (L23) | off Ostend | 19 May 1940 | Stranded on the beach after being damaged by German planes |
| HMS Wryneck (D21) | off Crete | 27 April 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Wren (D88) | off Aldeburgh | 27 July 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Veteran (D72) | Atlantic Ocean | 26 September 1942 | Sunk by U-404 |
| HMS Wild Swan (D62) | Atlantic Ocean | 17 June 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Codrington (D65) | off Dover | 27 July 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Acasta (H09) | off Narvik | 8 June 1940 | Sunk by gunfire from Scharnhorst and Gneisenau |
| HMS Achates (H12) | Barents Sea | 31 December 1942 | Sunk by gunfire from German cruiser Admiral Hipper |
| HMS Ardent (H41) | off Narvik | 8 June 1940 | Sunk by gunfire from Scharnhorst and Gneisenau |
| HMS Acheron (H45) | off Isle of Wight | 17 December 1940 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Jackal (F22) | off Crete | 12 May 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Jaguar (F34) | off Sollum | 26 March 1942 | Sunk by U-652 |
| HMS Juno (F46) | off Crete | 21 May 1941 | Sunk by Italian planes |
| HMS Janus (F53) | off Anzio | 23 January 1944 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Jersey (F72) | off Malta | 2 May 1941 | Sunk by an Italian mine |
| HMS Jupiter (F85) | off Java | 27 February 1942 | Sunk by a Dutch mine |
| HMS Kelly (F01) | off Crete | 23 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Kandahar (F28) | Mediterranean Sea | 19 December 1941 | Sunk by an Italian mine |
| HMS Kashmir (F12) | off Crete | 23 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Khartoum (F45) | Perim | 23 June 1940 | Sunk by an internal explosion after fighting Italian submarine Torricelli |
| HMS Kingston (F64) | Malta | 11 April 1942 | Sunk by German planes at dry dock after being damaged by Italian battleship Littorio |
| HMS Kipling (F91) | off Mersa Matruh | 11 May 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Berkeley (L17) | off Dieppe | 19 August 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Exmoor (L61) | off Lowestoft | 25 February 1942 | Sunk by a mine or torpedo |
| HMS Quorn (L66) | off Normandy | 3 August 1944 | Sunk by a German "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 planes |
| 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 (damaged beyond repair) |
| 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 a mine |
| HMS Southwold (L10) | off Malta | 24 March 1942 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Airedale (L07) | off Malta | 15 June 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Aldenham (L22) | off Škrda | 14 December 1944 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Holcombe (L56) | Mediterranean Sea | 12 December 1943 | Sunk by U-593 |
| HMS Limbourne (L57) | off Guernsey | 23 October 1943 | Sunk by a torpedo from T22 |
| HMS Penylan (L89) | off English Channel | 3 December 1942 | Sunk by a 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 planes |
| HMS Gurkha (G63) | off Sidi Barrani | 17 January 1942 | Sunk by U-133 |
| HMS Legion (G74) | Malta | 26 March 1942 | Sunk by planes |
| HMS Lightning (G55) | Bône | 12 March 1943 | Sunk by a torpedo from a German E-boat |
| HMS Lively (G40) | Mediterranean Sea | 11 May 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| 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 | Sunk by its own crew after being damaged by gunfire from Italian torpedo boat Cassiopea |
| HMS Panther (G41) | Aegean Sea | 9 October 1943 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Partridge (G30) | off Oran | 18 December 1942 | Sunk by U-565 |
| HMS Quail (G45) | Gulf of Taranto | 18 May 1944 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Quentin (G78) | off North Africa | 2 December 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Swift (G46) | off Normandy | 24 June 1944 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Glowworm (H92) | off Norway | 8 April 1940 | Sunk after ramming German cruiser Admiral Hipper |
| HMS Gipsy (H63) | off Harwich | 21 November 1939 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Grafton (H89) | off Nieuwpoort | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by its own crew after being torpedoed by U-62 |
| HMS Grenade (H86) | off Dunkirk | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Grenville (H03) | off Kentish Knock | 19 January 1940 | Sunk by a mine |
| HMS Greyhound (H05) | off Crete | 22 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Hardy (R08) | North Atlantic Ocean | 30 January 1944 | Sunk by U-278 |
| HMS Hardy (H87) | Narvik | 10 April 1940 | Stranded on the beach after being damaged by gunfire from five German destroyers |
| HMS Hasty (H24) | Mediterranean Sea | 15 June 1942 | Sunk by a torpedo from a German E-boat |
| HMS Havock (H43) | Cap Bon | 6 April 1942 | Ran aground |
| HMS Hereward (H93) | off Crete | 29 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Hostile (H55) | off Cap Bon | 23 August 1940 | Sunk by its own crew after hitting an Italian mine |
| HMS Hunter (H35) | Narvik | 10 April 1940 | Sunk by German destroyers |
| HMS Hyperion (H97) | off Pantelleria | 22 December 1940 | Sunk by an Italian mine |
| HMS Harvester (H19) | Atlantic Ocean | 11 March 1943 | Sunk by U-432 |
| HMS Havant (H32) | off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Sunk by its own crew after being bombed by German planes |
| HMS Hurricane (H06) | Atlantic Ocean | 25 December 1943 | Sunk by its own crew after being torpedoed by U-415 |
| HMS Afridi (F07) | off Norway | 3 May 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Bedouin (F67) | off Pantelleria | 15 June 1942 | Sunk by gunfire from Italian cruisers Montecuccoli, di Savoia and an 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 planes |
| HMS Maori (F24) | Malta | 12 February 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Mashona (F59) | Atlantic Ocean | 28 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Matabele (F26) | North Atlantic Ocean | 17 January 1942 | Sunk by U-454 |
| HMS Mohawk (F31) | off Kerkennah Islands | 16 April 1941 | Sunk by a torpedo from Italian destroyer Luca Tarigo |
| HMS Punjabi (F21) | Atlantic Ocean | 1 May 1942 | Sunk after colliding with 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 planes |
| HMS Electra (H27) | First Battle of the Java Sea | 27 February 1942 | Sunk by Japanese gunfire |
| HMS Encounter (H10) | Second Battle of the Java Sea | 1 March 1942 | Sunk by its own crew after Japanese gunfire |
Submarines
Submarines were stealthy hunters, but they also faced many dangers.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Oxley | off Stavanger, Norway | 10 September 1939 | Sunk by friendly fire from British submarine HMS Triton |
| HMS Seahorse (98S) | Heligoland Bight | 7 January 1940 | Likely sunk by a mine or German minesweeper M-5 |
| HMS Undine (N48) | Heligoland Bight | 7 January 1940 | Sunk by its own crew after being badly damaged by German minesweepers |
| HMS Starfish (19S) | Heligoland Bight | 9 January 1940 | Sunk by German minesweeper M-7 |
| HMS Thistle (N24) | off Skudenes | 10 April 1940 | Sunk by German U-boat U-4 |
| HMS Tarpon (N17) | North Sea | 10 April 1940 | Sunk by German Q-Ship Schiff 40/Schürbek |
| HMS Sterlet (2S) | Skagrerrak | 18 April 1940 | Sunk by German anti-submarine trawlers |
| HMS Unity (N66) | off Blyth, Northumberland | 29 April 1940 | Sunk by accidental collision with Norwegian ship Atle Jarl |
| HMS Odin (N84) | 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 |
| HMS Orpheus (N46) | off Benghazi, Libya | June 1940 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Shark (54S) | off Egersund, Norway | 6 July 1940 | Sunk by its own crew to prevent capture after being damaged by German planes |
| HMS Phoenix (N96) | off Augusta, Sicily | 16 July 1940 | Sunk by Italian submarine chaser Albatros |
| HMS Salmon (N65) | off Skudesnes | 16 July 1940 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Narwhal (N45) | off Aberdeen, Scotland | 23 July 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Spearfish | North Sea | 1 August 1940 | Sunk by German U-boat U-34 |
| HMS Oswald (N58) | off Cap Spartivento | 1 August 1940 | Sunk by Italian destroyer Ugolino Vivaldi |
| HMS Thames (N71) | North Sea | 3 August 1940 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Rainbow (N16) | Adriatic Sea | 4 October 1940 | Sunk by collision with Italian merchant ship Antonietta Costa |
| HMS Triad (N53) | 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 |
| HMS Swordfish (61S) | off Isle of Wight | 7 November 1940 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Regulus (N88) | between lower Adriatic Sea and Strait of Otranto | 6 December 1940 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Triton (N15) | between lower Adriatic Sea and Strait of Otranto | 18 December 1940 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Snapper (39S) | Bay of Biscay | February 1941 | Sunk by a naval mine or German minesweepers |
| HMS Usk (N65) | Cape Bon | 3 May 1941 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Undaunted (N55) | off Tripoli, Libya | 11 May 1941 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Umpire (N82) | 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) | 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 a naval mine |
| HMS P32 | off Tripoli, Libya | 18 August 1941 | Sunk by a naval mine or internal explosion |
| HMS Tetrarch (N77) | off Cape Granditola, Sicily, Italy | 2 November 1941 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Perseus (N36) | off Zakynthos | 6 December 1941 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS H31 | Bay of Biscay | 26 December 1941 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Triumph (N18) | Aegean Sea | 14 January 1942 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Tempest (N86) | Gulf of Taranto | 13 February 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Circe |
| HMS P38 | off Cape Misurata | 23 February 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Circe and destroyers |
| 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) | off Tripoli, Libya | 14 April 1942 | Sunk by a naval mine or by Italian torpedo boat Pegaso |
| HMS Urge | off Grand Harbour, Malta | 27 April 1942 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Olympus (N35) | off Malta | 8 May 1942 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS P.514 | off Newfoundland | 21 June 1942 | Sunk in friendly fire ramming by Canadian minesweeper HMCS Georgian |
| HMS Thorn (N11) | off Gavdos | 6 August 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Pegaso |
| HMS Talisman (N78) | off Sicily, Italy | 17 September 1942 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Unique (N95) | Bay of Biscay | 24 October 1942 | Possibly sunk by a premature explosion of its own torpedo |
| HMS Unbeaten | 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 | off Capri | 12 December 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Fortunale |
| HMS Traveller (N48) | Gulf of Taranto | 12 December 1942 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS P48 | Gulf of Tunis | 25 December 1942 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Ardente |
| HMS P311 | off Tavolara, Sardinia | 8 January 1943 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Vandal | Kilbrannan Sound, Firth of Clyde | 24 February 1943 | Sank 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 | 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 a naval mine |
| HMS Splendid (P228) | off Capri, Italy | 21 April 1943 | Sunk by German destroyer ZG 3 Hermes |
| HMS Sahib | off Capo di Milazzo, Sicily | 24 April 1943 | Sunk by Italian torpedo boat Climene and Italian corvettes |
| HMS Parthian (N75) | Mediterranean Sea | July/August 1943 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Saracen (P247) | off Bastia, Corsica | 14 August 1943 | Sunk by Italian corvettes |
| HMS Usurper (P56) | Gulf of Genoa | October 1943 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine or German auxiliary submarine chaser |
| HMS Trooper (N91) | off Leros, Greece | 17 October 1943 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Simoom (P225) | off Tenedos, Turkey | November 1943 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Syrtis | off Bodø | March 1944 | Most likely sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Stonehenge (P232) | between northern Sumatra and the Nicobar Islands | March 1944 | Unknown cause |
| HMS Sickle | Kythira Strait, Greece | June 1944 | Most likely sunk by a 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 planes |
Mine Warfare Ships
Minelayers
Minelayers were ships that placed mines in the water to damage enemy ships.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Princess Victoria | Humber Estuary | 19 May 1940 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Port Napier (M32) | Loch Alsh, Scotland | 27 November 1940 | Destroyed by an explosion and engine room fire |
| HMS Latona (M76) | off Bardia, Libya | 25 October 1941 | Sunk by its own crew after being damaged by German planes |
| HMS Redstart (M62) | Hong Kong | 19 December 1941 | Sunk by its own crew to prevent capture by Japanese forces |
| HMS Kung Wo | off Pompong Island | 14 February 1942 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
| HMS Corncrake (M82) | North Atlantic | 25 January 1943 | Sank in a gale (a very strong storm) |
| HMS Welshman (M84) | off Tobruk, Libya | 1 February 1943 | Sunk by German U-boat U-617 |
| HMS Abdiel (M39) | Taranto, Italy | 10 September 1943 | Sunk by a naval mine |
Minesweepers
Minesweepers cleared mines from the water, making it safe for other ships.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Sphinx (J69) | north of Kinnaird Head | 3 February 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Dunoon (J52) | off Great Yarmouth | 30 April 1940 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Brighton Belle (NF-17) | off Gull Light Buoy | 28 May 1940 | Sunk after hitting a submerged wreck |
| HMS Gracie Fields | North Sea | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Waverley | off Dunkirk | 29 May 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Devonia | La Panne, Belgium | 31 May 1940 | Badly damaged by German planes and stranded on the beach |
| HMS Brighton Queen | off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Skipjack (J38) | off Dunkirk | 1 June 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Dundalk (J60) | off Harwich | 17 October 1940 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Mercury | Irish Sea | 25 December 1940 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Huntley (J56) | off Mersa Matruh | 31 January 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Southsea | River Tyne | 16 February 1941 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Fermoy (J40) | Valletta, Malta | 4 May 1941 | Damaged beyond repair by Italian planes |
| HMS Stoke (J33) | off Tobruk, Libya | 7 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Widnes (J55) | Suda Bay | 20 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes. Later raised and used by the German navy. |
| HMS Snaefell | off Sunderland | 5 July 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Banka | off Tioman Island | 7 December 1941 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Changteh | off Lingga Islands | 14 February 1942 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
| HMS Scott Harley | off Cilacap | 1 March 1942 | Most likely sunk by Japanese destroyers |
| 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 planes; stranded and left behind |
| HMS Fitzroy (J03) | off Great Yarmouth | 27 May 1942 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Gossamer (J63) | off Kola Inlet, Russia | 24 June 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Niger (J73) | off Iceland | 5 July 1942 | Sunk by a British naval mine |
| HMS Leda (J93) | off Spitzbergen | 20 September 1942 | Sunk by German U-boat U-435 |
| HMS Cromer (J128) | off Mersa Matruh | 9 November 1942 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Algerine (J213) | off Bougie, Algeria | 15 November 1942 | Sunk by Italian submarine Ascianghi |
| HMS Bramble (J11) | 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 planes |
| HMS Hythe (J194) | off Bougie, Algeria | 11 October 1943 | Sunk by German submarine U-371 |
| HMS Cromarty (J09) | Strait of Bonifacio | 23 October 1943 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Hebe (J24) | off Bari, Italy | 22 November 1943 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Felixstowe (J126) | off Capo Ferro, Sardinia | 18 December 1943 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Clacton (J151) | off Corsica, France | 31 December 1943 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Cato (J16) | off Normandy, France | 6 July 1944 | Sunk by a German Neger human torpedo |
| HMS Magic (J400) | off Normandy, France | 6 July 1944 | Sunk by a German Neger human torpedo |
| HMS Pylades (J401) | off Normandy, France | 8 July 1944 | Sunk by a German Biber midget submarine |
| HMS Loyalty (J217) | English Channel | 22 August 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-480 |
| HMS Britomart (J22) | off Le Havre, France | 27 August 1944 | Sunk by friendly fire air attack |
| HMS Hussar (J82) | off Le Havre, France | 27 August 1944 | Sunk by friendly fire air attack |
| HMS Regulus (J327) | off Corfu, Greece | 12 January 1945 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Squirrel (J301) | off Phuket, Thailand | 24 July 1945 | Damaged beyond repair by a naval mine and sunk by its own crew |
| HMS Vestal (J215) | off Phuket, Thailand | 24 July 1945 | Damaged beyond repair by a kamikaze attack and sunk by its own crew |
Frigates
Frigates were smaller warships, often used for escorting convoys and anti-submarine warfare.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Itchen (K227) | North Atlantic | 23 September 1943 | Sunk by German U-boat U-666 |
| HMS Tweed (K250) | Atlantic Ocean | 7 January 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-305 |
| HMS Gould (K476) | Atlantic Ocean | 1 March 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-358 |
| HMS Lawford (K514) | off Normandy, France | 8 June 1944 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Mourne (K261) | English Channel | 15 June 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-767 |
| HMS Blackwood (K313) | off Portland Bill | 16 June 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-764 |
| HMS Bickerton (K466) | North Cape | 22 August 1944 | Damaged by German U-boat U-354 and sunk by its own crew |
| HMS Bullen (K469) | off Strathy Point, Scotland | 6 December 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-775 |
| HMS Capel (K470) | off Cherbourg | 26 December 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-486 |
| HMS Goodall (K479) | Barents Sea | 29 April 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-286 |
Corvettes
Corvettes were small, fast ships used for escorting convoys and anti-submarine duties.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Godetia (K72) | off Altacarry Head | 6 September 1940 | Sunk in accidental collision with the merchant ship Marsa |
| HMS Picotee (K63) | North Atlantic | 12 August 1941 | Sunk by German U-boat U-568 |
| HMS Zinnia (K98) | Atlantic Ocean | 23 August 1941 | Sunk by German U-boat U-564 |
| HMS Fleur de Lys (K122) | off Strait of Gibraltar | 14 October 1941 | Sunk by German U-boat U-206 |
| HMS Gladiolus (K34) | North Atlantic | 17 October 1941 | Most likely sunk by German U-boat U-553 |
| HMS Salvia (K97) | off Alexandria | 24 December 1941 | Sunk by German U-boat U-568 |
| HMS Arbutus (K86) | North Atlantic | 5 February 1942 | Sunk by German U-boat U-136 |
| HMS Hollyhock (K64) | off Ceylon (Sri Lanka) | 9 April 1942 | Sunk by Japanese planes |
| HMS Auricula (K12) | Courrier Bay, Madagascar | 6 May 1942 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Gardenia (K99) | off Oran, Algeria | 9 November 1942 | Sunk in accidental collision with HMS Fluellen |
| HMS Marigold (K87) | off Algiers, Algeria | 9 December 1942 | Sunk by Italian planes |
| HMS Snapdragon (K10) | off Benghazi, Libya | 19 December 1942 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Samphire (K128) | off Bougie, Algeria | 30 January 1943 | Sunk by Italian submarine Platino |
| HMS Erica (K50) | off Derna, Libya | 9 February 1943 | Sunk by a naval mine |
| HMS Polyanthus (K47) | North Atlantic | 21 September 1943 | Sunk by German U-boat U-952 |
| HMS Asphodel (K56) | 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 a naval mine and stranded on the beach |
| HMS Hurst Castle (K416) | North Atlantic | 1 September 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-482 |
| HMS Denbigh Castle (K696) | Courrier Bay, Madagascar | 13 February 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-992 |
| HMS Bluebell (K80) | off Kola Inlet | 17 February 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-711 |
| HMS Vervain (K190) | of Dungarvan, Ireland | 20 February 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-1276 |
Auxiliary Ships
Sloops
Sloops were smaller warships used for escorting and patrolling.
| Name | Location | Date | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Bittern (L07) | off Namsos, Norway | 30 April 1940 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Penzance (L28) | North Atlantic | 24 August 1940 | Sunk by German U-boat U-37 |
| HMS Dundee (L84) | North Atlantic | 15 September 1940 | Sunk by German U-boat U-48 |
| HMS Grimsby (U16) | off Tobruk, Libya | 25 May 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Auckland (L61) | off Tobruk, Libya | 24 June 1941 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Culver (Y87) | 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) | off Algiers, Algeria | 10 November 1942 | Sunk by Italian planes |
| HMS Egret (L75) | off Vigo, Spain | 27 August 1943 | Sunk by German planes |
| HMS Woodpecker (U08) | North Atlantic | 27 February 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-256 |
| HMS Kite (U87) | North Atlantic | 21 August 1944 | Sunk by German U-boat U-344 |
| HMS Lark (U11) | Barents Sea | 17 February 1945 | Damaged beyond repair by German U-boat U-968 |
| HMS Lapwing (U62) | Barents Sea | 20 March 1945 | Sunk by German U-boat U-968 |
How Ships Were Lost
Here's a look at how Royal Navy warships were lost during the war:
- Enemy surface ships (like battleships and destroyers) sank 63 warships. This included 1 large capital ship, 1 aircraft carrier, 8 cruisers, 24 destroyers, and 29 submarines.
- Enemy submarines (U-boats) sank 54 warships. This included 2 capital ships, 5 carriers, 9 cruisers, 33 destroyers, and 5 submarines.
- Enemy aircraft (planes) sank 77 warships. This included 2 capital ships, 1 carrier, 12 cruisers, 55 destroyers, and 7 submarines.
- Naval mines caused the loss of 54 warships. This included 2 cruisers, 26 destroyers, and 26 submarines.
- Shore defenses sank two destroyers.
- One carrier, three cruisers, 15 destroyers, and nine submarines were lost due to accidents or unknown reasons.
Who Caused the Damage?
Here's a breakdown of which enemy forces sank Royal Navy warships:
- German forces sank 162 warships. This included 2 battleships, 1 battlecruiser, 6 carriers, 15 cruisers, 114 destroyers, and 24 submarines.
- Italian forces sank 58 warships. This included 6 cruisers, 15 destroyers, and 37 submarines.
- Japanese forces sank 19 warships. This included 1 battleship, 1 battlecruiser, 1 carrier, 3 cruisers, 10 destroyers, and 4 submarines.
Additionally, one destroyer and two sloops were lost to Vichy French shore batteries and warships.
See also
- List of United States Navy losses in World War II
Literature
- Stephen Roskill: "Royal Navy - Britische Seekriegsgeschichte 1939-1945", Gerhard Stalling Verlag, 1961
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List of Royal Navy losses in World War II Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.