HMS Imogen

HMS Imogen was a British destroyer built in the mid-1930s. She belonged to the I-class, an improved version of the earlier H-class destroyers. The ship displaced over 1,300 tonnes when light and nearly 1,900 tonnes when fully loaded. She measured 98.5 metres in length with a beam of just over 10 metres. Imogen’s turbines produced 34,000 shaft horsepower, designed for a top speed of 35.5 knots. During trials she reached 33.8 knots, still fast enough for convoy work. Her crew numbered 145 officers and ratings. Imogen saw active service during the Spanish Civil War enforcing the British-French arms blockade. In the Second World War she transferred to the Home Fleet and took part in the Norwegian Campaign. The destroyer sank two German submarines, U-42 and U-63, in separate actions. She also rescued survivors from torpedoed merchant ships and battleships. On 16 July 1940, off Duncansby Head in thick fog, Imogen collided with the light cruiser Glasgow and sank. Nineteen men were lost in the accident. Visitors to the site can view the wreck in the North Sea at 58°34′N 02°54′W. The seabed lies in about 30 metres of water, with parts of the hull still recognisable. Divers report seeing the ship’s gun mounts and torpedo tubes on the wreck. The surrounding waters are clear, offering good visibility for exploration. The site is marked on Admiralty charts for safety. It serves as a war grave for the nineteen men who died in the collision.