Allied Warships

HMS Exmouth (H 02)

Destroyer of the E class

HMS Exmouth, the leader of the E-class, before World War Two

Navy	The Royal Navy
Type	Destroyer
Class	E
Pennant	H 02
Mod	Flotilla leader
Built by	Portsmouth Dockyard (Portsmouth, U.K.): Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland)
Ordered	1 Nov 1932
Laid down	16 May 1933
Launched	7 Feb 1934
Commissioned	3 Oct 1934
Lost	21 Jan 1940
Loss position	58° 18'N, 2° 25'W

History	HMS Exmouth (Capt. Richard Stoddart Benson, DSO, RN) was torpodoed on 21 January 1940 by the German submarine U-22 off Tarbett Ness in the Moray Firth. HMS Exmouth was hit at 0444 hrs, sinking with no survivors in position 58º18'N, 02º25'W, east-south-east of Wick, Scotland. The wreck lies in 40 meter of water. Hit by U-boat Sunk on 21 Jan 1940 by U-22 (Jenisch).
U-boat Attack	See our U-boat attack entry for the HMS Exmouth

Commands listed for HMS Exmouth (H 02)

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	Commander	From	To
1	Capt. Richard Stoddart Benson, RN	31 Jul 1939	21 Jan 1940 (+)

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Notable events involving Exmouth include:

11 Dec 1939
HMS Barham (Capt. H.T.C. Walker, RN) and her two escorting destroyers, HMS Duncan (Capt. G.R.B. Back, RN), HMS Duchess (Lt.Cdr. R.C.M. White, RN), are joined by three more detroyers; HMS Exmouth (Cdr. R.S. Benson, DSO, RN) and HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. I.T. Clark, RN) joined around 1500 hours while HMS Echo (Cdr. S.H.K. Spurgeon, DSO, RAN) joined shortly after 1700 hours. (1)

12 Dec 1939
While passing through the North Channel and approaching the Clyde HMS Barham (Capt. H.T.C. Walker, RN) and HMS Duchess (Lt.Cdr. R.C.M. White, RN) collided at 0437 hours.

HMS Barham stopped and lowered her seaboats. Around 0450 hours the ready use depth charges on board HMS Duchess exploded and she sank.

Shortly before 0600 hours Barham continued to the Clyde escorted by HMS Duncan (Capt. G.R.B. Back, RN) and HMS Exmouth (Cdr. R.S. Benson, DSO, RN).

HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. I.T. Clark, RN) and HMS Echo (Cdr. S.H.K. Spurgeon, DSO, RAN) remained behind to search for survivors. Only one officer and twenty-two ratings could be picked up from the water. Six officers and one hunderded and twenty-four ratings were lost.

HMS Barham arrived at the Clyde around noon. (1)

27 Dec 1939
HMS Triumph (Lt.Cdr. J.W. McCoy, RN) is joined by an escort during her return to Rosyth.

0943 hours - Sighted one Hudson aircraft.

0955 hours - There were now four Hudson aircraft overhead.

1056 hours - Sighted one enemy aircraft approaching. The Lewis gun was manned and the bridge was cleared with the exception of the Commanding Officer and the gun crews. The enemy was however driven off by the escorting Hudson aircraft.

1105 hours - Sighted HMS Exmouth (Cdr. R.S. Benson, DSO, RN), HMS Echo (Cdr. S.H.K. Spurgeon, DSO, RAN), HMS Electra (Lt.Cdr. S.A. Buss, MVO, RN), HMS Encounter (Lt.Cdr. E.V.St.J. Morgan, RN) and HMS Escapade (Cdr. H.R. Graham, RN).

1110 hours - The enemy aircraft again came in to attack but was again driven off by the Hudsons. (2)

7 Jan 1940
HMS Triumph (Lt.Cdr. J.W. McCoy, RN) departed from Rosyth for Chatham dockyard where she will be repaired. She is escorted by HMS Exmouth (Cdr. R.S. Benson, DSO, RN). (3)

8 Jan 1940
HMS Griffin (Lt.Cdr. J. Lee-Barber, RN) takes over the escort of HMS Triumph (Lt.Cdr. J.W. McCoy, RN) from HMS Exmouth (Cdr. R.S. Benson, DSO, RN),