HMS Southwold was a Type II British Hunt-classdestroyer built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She served in the Mediterranean for a few months until she was sunk off Malta in March 1942.[1]
Southwold was ordered on 20 December 1939, and was built by J. Samuel White and Company of East Cowes as part of the 1939 emergency program. Her keel was laid on 18 June 1940 with Job number J6274, and the ship was launched on 29 May of the following year. The vessel was completed on 9 October 1941.[2]
After she was completed, Southwold went to Scapa Flow for trials, after which she joined the Mediterranean Fleet. On 16 November 1941 Southwold joined convoy WS12Z at the ocean escort Clyde Assembly point. The ship detached from the convoy on 14 December and made an independent passage from Mombasa to Alexandria.
On 5 January 1942 she joined the 5th Destroyer Flotilla for patrol and convoy escort duties. She deployed a supply of stores and embarked troops to Tobruk. On 12 February she was part of the Malta Convoy MW9B but the convoy was under heavy air attack so it returned to Alexandria.
The tug Ancient which towed the damaged Southwold just before her hull split
On 20 March 1942, she carried out an anti-submarine sweep along planned path for Malta relief convoy MW10 along with some other destroyers. On 21 March, she joined this same convoy and took part in the Second Battle of Sirte a day later. On the 23rd she and HMS Beaufort left the convoy to escort HMS Breconshire to Malta.
On 24 March, Southwold was attempting to pass a line to Breconshire when she activated a British mine and there was an explosion in which an officer and four ratings were killed . She sustained major structural damage and the engine room flooded while electrical supplies failed. She was towed by the tug Ancient but the hull split and she began to sink. The survivors were rescued by HMS Dulverton.[3]
Wreckedit
The wreck of Southwold lies in two sections about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of Marsaskala Bay, Malta. The bow is the largest piece, about 40 metres (130 ft) in length, and it lies on its starboard side at a depth of 70 metres (230 ft). The stern, which is located about 300 metres (980 ft) away from the bow, is about 28 metres (92 ft) long and it lies upright in 72 metres (236 ft) of water.[4]
Referencesedit
^"HMS Southwold (L10 fore) [+1942]". WreckSite.eu. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
^English, John (1987). The Hunts: A history of the design, development and careers of the 86 destroyers of this class built for the Royal and Allied Navies during World War II. World Ship Society. p. 17. ISBN0-905617-44-4.
^Mason, Geoffrey B. "HMS SOUTHWOLD (L 10) - Type II, Hunt-class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements". Naval History. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
^. Subway Dive Centre. Archived from the original on 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
English, John (1987). The Hunts: a history of the design, development and careers of the 86 destroyers of this class built for the Royal and Allied Navies during World War II. England: World Ship Society. ISBN0-905617-44-4.
southwold, southwold, type, british, hunt, class, destroyer, built, royal, navy, during, world, served, mediterranean, months, until, sunk, malta, march, 1942, history, united, kingdom, namehms, southwold, ordered20, december, 1939, builderj, samuel, white, la. HMS Southwold was a Type II British Hunt class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during World War II She served in the Mediterranean for a few months until she was sunk off Malta in March 1942 1 History United Kingdom NameHMS Southwold Ordered20 December 1939 BuilderJ Samuel White Laid down18 June 1940 Launched29 May 1941 Commissioned9 October 1941 Honours andawardsBattle honours for Sirte 1942 Malta Convoys 1942 Libya 1942 FateHit a mine and sunk on 24 March 1942 BadgeOn a Field Red in front of two hunting horns in saltire Gold a castle White General characteristics Class and typeType II Hunt class destroyer Displacement1 050 long tons 1 070 t standard 1 430 long tons 1 450 t full load Length85 3 m 279 ft 10 in o a Beam9 6 m 31 ft 6 in Draught2 51 m 8 ft 3 in Propulsion2 Admiralty 3 drum boilers 2 shaft Parsons geared turbines 19 000 shp 14 200 kW Speed27 knots 31 mph 50 km h 25 5 kn 29 3 mph 47 2 km h full Range3 600 nmi 6 700 km at 14 kn 26 km h Complement164 Armament6 QF 4 in Mark XVI guns on twin mounts Mk XIX 4 QF 2 pdr Mk VIII on quad mount MK VII 2 20 mm Oerlikons on single mounts P Mk III 110 depth charges 2 throwers 3 racks Contents 1 History 2 Wreck 3 References 4 PublicationsHistory editSouthwold was ordered on 20 December 1939 and was built by J Samuel White and Company of East Cowes as part of the 1939 emergency program Her keel was laid on 18 June 1940 with Job number J6274 and the ship was launched on 29 May of the following year The vessel was completed on 9 October 1941 2 After she was completed Southwold went to Scapa Flow for trials after which she joined the Mediterranean Fleet On 16 November 1941 Southwold joined convoy WS12Z at the ocean escort Clyde Assembly point The ship detached from the convoy on 14 December and made an independent passage from Mombasa to Alexandria On 5 January 1942 she joined the 5th Destroyer Flotilla for patrol and convoy escort duties She deployed a supply of stores and embarked troops to Tobruk On 12 February she was part of the Malta Convoy MW9B but the convoy was under heavy air attack so it returned to Alexandria nbsp The tug Ancient which towed the damaged Southwold just before her hull split On 20 March 1942 she carried out an anti submarine sweep along planned path for Malta relief convoy MW10 along with some other destroyers On 21 March she joined this same convoy and took part in the Second Battle of Sirte a day later On the 23rd she and HMS Beaufort left the convoy to escort HMS Breconshire to Malta On 24 March Southwold was attempting to pass a line to Breconshire when she activated a British mine and there was an explosion in which an officer and four ratings were killed She sustained major structural damage and the engine room flooded while electrical supplies failed She was towed by the tug Ancient but the hull split and she began to sink The survivors were rescued by HMS Dulverton 3 Wreck editThe wreck of Southwold lies in two sections about 1 5 miles 2 4 km of Marsaskala Bay Malta The bow is the largest piece about 40 metres 130 ft in length and it lies on its starboard side at a depth of 70 metres 230 ft The stern which is located about 300 metres 980 ft away from the bow is about 28 metres 92 ft long and it lies upright in 72 metres 236 ft of water 4 References edit HMS Southwold L10 fore 1942 WreckSite eu Retrieved 26 August 2014 English John 1987 The Hunts A history of the design development and careers of the 86 destroyers of this class built for the Royal and Allied Navies during World War II World Ship Society p 17 ISBN 0 905617 44 4 Mason Geoffrey B HMS SOUTHWOLD L 10 Type II Hunt class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements Naval History Retrieved 26 August 2014 HMS Southwold L10 Subway Dive Centre Archived from the original on 27 August 2014 Retrieved 27 August 2014 Publications editColledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 English John 1987 The Hunts a history of the design development and careers of the 86 destroyers of this class built for the Royal and Allied Navies during World War II England World Ship Society ISBN 0 905617 44 4 35 53 N 14 35 E 35 883 N 14 583 E 35 883 14 583 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Southwold L10 amp oldid 1119547152, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
