HMS Imogen (D44)

The I-class ships were improved versions of the preceding H-class. They displaced {{convert|1370|LT|t|lk=on}} at standard load and {{convert|1888|LT|t}} at deep load. The ships had an overall length of {{convert|323|ft|m|1}}, a beam of {{convert|33|ft|m|1}} and a draught of {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1}}. They were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Admiralty three-drum boilers. 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}}. Imogen only reached a speed of {{convert|33.8|kn}} from {{cvt|34268|shp}} during her sea trials.March, p. 315 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 ratings.Lenton, p. 161

The ships mounted four 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns in single mounts, designated 'A', 'B', 'X' and 'Y' from bow to stern. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, they had two quadruple mounts for the 0.5 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 torpedoes.Whitley, p. 111 One depth charge rack and two throwers were fitted; 16 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.English, p. 141 The I-class ships were fitted with the ASDIC sound detection system to locate submarines underwater.Hodges & Friedman, p. 16

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

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.English, p. 120

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 {{SS|Stonepool}}.
• Whilst escorting merchant ships to 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.
• 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.Rohwer, p. 16
• During the Norwegian Campaign, the ship searched unsuccessfully for German ships, escorted ships of Home Fleet and troopships carrying Norwegian Army units from Kirkenes and Alta to Sjøvegan in mid-April.Haarr, pp. 106, 140–41, 211–12
• In mid-June, she escorted the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Illustrious|87|2}} to Bermuda to work up.

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.

{{Reflist}}

• {{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