Editing HMS Imogen (D44)

{{Short description|I-class destroyer of the Royal Navy}}
{{Other ships|HMS Imogen}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= HMS Imogen.jpg
|Ship caption= The three black bands on ''Imogen''{{'}}s aft [[funnel (ship)|funnel]] show her membership of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Imogen''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=30 October 1935
|Ship builder=[[Hawthorn Leslie and Company|Hawthorn Leslie]], [[Hebburn]]
|Ship original cost= £256,917
|Ship laid down= 18 January 1936 
|Ship launched= 30 December 1936
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=2 June 1937
|Ship commissioned= 
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: D44
|Ship motto= 
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate= Sunk in a collision with {{HMS|Glasgow|C21|2}}, 16 July 1940
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship class={{sclass2|I|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1370|LT|t|lk=on}} ([[Standard displacement|standard]])
*{{convert|1888|LT|t}} ([[deep load]])
|Ship length={{convert|323|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam={{convert|33|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} 
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}} 
|Ship power=*3 [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{cvt|34000|shp|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts, 2 geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|35.5|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5500|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship complement=145
|Ship sensors=[[ASDIC]] 
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[QF 4.7-inch Mk IX & XII naval gun|4.7 in (120&nbsp;mm) guns]]
*2 × quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun|{{convert|0.5|in|mm|adj=on|1}} machine guns]]
*2 × quintuple [[British 21-inch torpedo|21 in (533&nbsp;mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
*1 × rack and 2 throwers for 16 [[depth charge]]s
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label= 
|partof=
|codes=
|commanders=
|operations= 
|victories=*{{Ship|German submarine|U-42|1939|2}} (October 1939)
*{{Ship|German submarine|U-63|1939|2}} (February 1940)
|awards=
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Imogen''''' was a {{sclass2|I|destroyer}} built for the [[Royal Navy]] in the mid-1930s. During the [[Spanish Civil War]] of 1936–1939, the ship enforced the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides as part of the [[Mediterranean Fleet]]. After the start of the Second World War the ship was transferred to [[Home Fleet]] and participated in the [[Norwegian Campaign]] in April 1940. ''Imogen'' sank two German submarines before her own sinking following an accidental collision in July 1940.

==Description==
The I-class ships were improved versions of the preceding [[G and H-class destroyer|H-class]]. They displaced {{convert|1370|LT|t|lk=on}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|1888|LT|t}} at [[deep load]]. The ships had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|323|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|33|ft|m|1}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1}}. They were powered by two [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]], using steam provided by three [[Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|34000|shp|lk=on}} and were intended to give a maximum speed of {{convert|35.5|kn|lk=in}}.<ref name=l6/> ''Imogen'' only reached a speed of {{convert|33.8|kn}} from {{cvt|34268|shp}} during her [[sea trial]]s.<ref>March, p. 315</ref> The ships carried enough [[fuel oil]] to give them a range of {{convert|5500|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}. Their crew numbered 145 officers and [[Naval rating|ratings]].<ref name=l6>Lenton, p. 161</ref>

The ships mounted four [[QF 4.7-inch Mk IX & XII naval gun|4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mark IX guns]] in single mounts, designated 'A', 'B', 'X' and 'Y' from [[Bow (watercraft)|bow]] to [[stern]]. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] (AA) defence, they had two quadruple mounts for the [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.5&nbsp;inch Vickers Mark III]] [[machine gun]]. The I class was fitted with two above-water quintuple torpedo tube mounts [[amidships]] for [[British 21-inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}}]] torpedoes.<ref>Whitley, p. 111</ref> One [[depth charge]] rack and two throwers were fitted; 16 depth charges were originally carried,<ref name=l6/> but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.<ref>English, p. 141</ref> The I-class ships were fitted with the [[ASDIC]] sound detection system to locate submarines underwater.<ref>Hodges & Friedman, p. 16</ref>

==Construction==
The ship was ordered on 30 October 1935 from [[Hawthorn Leslie and Company|Hawthorn Leslie]] at [[Hebburn]] under the 1935 Naval Programme. She was laid down on 18 January 1936, launched on 30 December 1936,<ref name=e4/> as the seventh Royal Navy ship to carry this name,<ref>Colledge and Warlow, pp. 170–71</ref> and completed on 2 June 1937, at a contract price of £256,917, excluding items supplied by Admiralty such as armaments and communications equipment.<ref name=e4>English, pp. 114–15</ref>

==Career==
''Imogen'' was assigned to the [[3rd Destroyer Flotilla]] of the Mediterranean Fleet upon commissioning and was initially based in [[Malta]]. Transferred to Gibraltar, she patrolled Spanish waters enforcing the policies of the [[Non-Intervention Committee]] during 1938. The ship was given a brief refit in Malta from 17 October–28 November 1938 and another at [[Sheerness Dockyard]] in August 1939.<ref name=e0>English, p. 120</ref>

At the beginning of the [[Second World War]] ''Imogen'' returned to the Mediterranean on 3 September, but she was transferred to the [[Western Approaches Command]] for convoy escort duties two days later when Italy did not enter the war.

Together with the entire 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, the ship was transferred to the Home Fleet in October. 
* With her [[sister ship]] {{HMS|Ilex|D61|2}}, she sank the {{GS|U-42|1939|6}} on 13 October after the submarine attempted to sink the [[freighter (ship)|freighter]] {{SS|Stonepool}}. 
* Whilst escorting merchant ships to [[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan|Barry]], ''Imogen'' rescued survivors from the ships ''Louisiane'' and ''Bretagne''. 
* She was refitted at [[Liverpool]] between 20 October and 7 November 1939 and then rejoined Home Fleet. 
* The following month, the ship came to the aid of the torpedoed [[battleship]] {{HMS|Barham|04|2}} off the [[Butt of Lewis]] on 28 December.<ref name=e0/>
* With her sister {{HMS|Inglefield|D02|2}} and the destroyer {{HMS|Escort|H66|2}}, ''Imogen'' sank {{GS|U-63|1939|2}} after it had been spotted by the British submarine {{HMS|Rorqual|N74|2}} on 25 February 1940.<ref>Rohwer, p. 16</ref> 
* During the Norwegian Campaign, the ship searched unsuccessfully for German ships, escorted ships of Home Fleet and [[troopship]]s carrying [[Norwegian Army]] units from [[Kirkenes]] and [[Alta (town)|Alta]] to [[Sjøvegan]] in mid-April.<ref>Haarr, pp. 106, 140–41, 211–12</ref> 
* In mid-June, she escorted the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Illustrious|87|2}} to [[Bermuda]] to [[Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z)#working up|work up]].

==Sinking==

Off [[Duncansby Head]] during the night of 16 July 1940, ''Imogen'' collided with the [[light cruiser]] {{HMS|Glasgow|C21|2}} in thick fog in the [[North Sea]] whilst bound for [[Scapa Flow]]. She was badly damaged, caught fire, and sank at position {{coord|58|34|N|02|54|W|dim:100000|display=inline,title}}.  ''Glasgow'' rescued 10 officers and 125 ratings; 19 men were killed in the collision.<ref name=e0/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, England|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|date=2006|isbn=1-86176-137-6|author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last=Haarr|first=Geirr H.|title=The Battle for Norway: April-June 1940|year=2010 |publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-051-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Hodges |first=Peter |author2=Friedman, Norman |title=Destroyer Weapons of World War 2 |year=1979 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=Greenwich |isbn=978-0-85177-137-3|name-list-style=amp }}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|authorlink=Henry Trevor Lenton|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}
* {{cite book|last=March|first=Edgar J.|title=British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans|year=1966|publisher=Seeley Service|location=London |oclc=164893555}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland |year=2005 |edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}
 
{{I class destroyer}}
{{July 1940 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Imogen (D44)}}
[[Category:I-class destroyers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1936 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the North Sea]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in July 1940]]
[[Category:Ships sunk in collisions]]