HMS Southampton - Lost after air attack - 7 Royal Marines Killed
On 15 November Southampton sailed from Scapa Flow for the Mediterranean. She participated in the action off Cape Spartivento on 27 November. In December the cruiser was moved to the Red Sea to escort troop convoys, and at the same time took part in the bombardment of Kismayu during the campaign in Italian East Africa.
On 1 January 1941 she joined the 3rd Cruiser Squadron and took part in Operation Excess.
In the early afternoon of 11 January, both Southampton and fellow cruiser Gloucester came under attack from 12 Stuka dive bombers of II Gruppe, Sturzkampfgeschwader 2, Luftwaffe.
She was hit by at least two bombs south-east of Malta and caught fire; the resulting blaze spread from stem to stern and trapped a number of men below decks.
81 men were killed including 7 Royal Marines.
The survivors being picked up by Gloucester and the destroyer Diamond. Heavily damaged and without power, Southampton was sunk by one torpedo from Gloucester and four from the cruiser Orion.
HMS SOUTHAMPTON-Class cruiser ordered from John Brown of Clydebank under the 1933 Estimates on lst June 1934 with sister ship HMS NEWCASTLE from Vickers shipyard in Newcastle. The ship was laid down on 21st October 1934 and launched on 10th March 1936 as the 5th RN ship to carry this name. It was first used in 1693 for a 4th Rate and previously borne by a 1912 cruiser sold in 1926. Build was completed on 6th March 1937 and she served with the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet.
B a t t 1 e H o n o u r s
BELLE ISLE 1762 - GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE 1794 - ST VINCENT 1797 - HELIGOLAND 1914 - DOGGER BANK 1915 - JUTLAND 1916 - NORWAY 1940 - SPARTIVENTO 1940 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941
1 9 4 1
January
Nominated for escort and cover of Malta convoys (Operation MC4)
5th
Sailed for Suda Bay, Crete with HM Cruiser GLOUCESTER, HM Destroyer ILEX and JANUS as Force B.
6th
Embarked troops at Suda Bay for passage to Malta.
Escorted convoy for part of passage to Piraeus
7th
Detached from convoy to proceed to Malta.
8th
Landed troops.
9th
Joined HM Cruiser BONAVENTURE, HM Destroyers HASTY, HASTY, HEREWARD and HERO with Force D ships. This cruiser and 4 destroyers were on passage in the Sicilian Narrows to reinforce the Fleet in the eastern Mediterranean.
(Note: Part of a joint operation (EXCESS) with Force H at Gibraltar also covering convoys taking urgent supplies to Malta and Greece.
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, Naval Staff History and the above reference.)
10th
Part of escort for damaged destroyer HMS GALLANT which had been mined during passage of EXCESS Convoy and was under tow by HM Destroyer MOHAWK.
(Note: HMS GLOUCESTER, HMS BONAVENTURE and HM Destroyers GRIFFIN and DIAMOND were also in this operation)
11th
Rejoined Fleet after HMS GALLANT reached Malta.
Joined escort for EXCESS convoy to Alexandria with HMS GLOUCESTER and HM Destroyers ILEX and JAGUAR.
Under attack by dive bombers SE of Malta and hit by two delayed action bombs which caused very extensive damage. In the face of continual air attacks repair work was impossible and the ship was abandoned after the survivors had been rescued by the destroyer HMS DIAMOND.
Sunk by torpedoes from HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER and ORION.
Related Royal Marines 'Dits'
References/ Further Reading:
Navy Net - HMS Southampton
Wikipedia - HMS Southampton
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