Destroyer Lost With All Hands

Northern Advocate, 25 January 1940, Page 5

Destroyer Lost With All Hands

LONDON, January 24. The British destroyer flotilla-leader Exmouth (1475 tons), was sunk off the north-west coast of Scotland on Sunday, either by mine or torpedo. It is feared that there are no survivors of her complement of 14 officers and 161 men. The Exmouth was commanded by Captain R. S. Benson, who received the Distinguished Service Order last month for successful .action against submarines while commanding the Exmouth. Ships in which Captain Benson had served since he entered the Royal Navy in 1905 included the battleship Royal Oak (torpedoed in Scapa Flow last October) .and the Iron Duke.

Captain Benson commanded the destroyer flotilla on the China Station from 1935 to 1937. Two Fathers of Six. One of the ship’s company, Acting-Petty-Officer Webb, 33, received the Distinguished Service Medal in the New Year’s awards for skill in operations against submarines. He leaves a widow and six children. Another member of the crew was also the father of six. The- island of Lewis, in the Scottish Hebrides, lost six young men in the Exmouth, making 19 from the island who have lost their lives in l the war.

The Exmouth is the sixth destroyer sunk since the outbreak of war—four by enemy action and one in collision—and is the first to be lost with all hands. Norwegian Ships Sunk. The Norwegian steamer Sydfold (2433 tons) was sunk by mine or torpedo off the Scottish co.ast. Nineteen men were rescued and five are missing. Another Norwegian steamer, the Miranda (1328 tons) sank in the North Sea after an explosion. Seventeen of the crew are reported safe. Two were found dead on a raft, and 12 are missing. Survivors Picked Up. An Oslo message reports that a steamer picked up 19 sailors from the Norwegian steamer Sydfold (2433 tons), which is believed to have been sunk off the coast of Scotland. Another ship is believed to have picked up the remainder of ‘the crew. Sinkings in Eight Days. Sinkings due to enemy action for the eight days from January 15 to midnight on January 21 comprised four British ships totalling 23,843 tons, and 11 neutrals, totalling 35,245 tons, says a British Official Wireless message. German shipping lost during the week included: The Albert Janus (1598 tons), which was intercepted by a French warship off Cape Finistcrre, and scuttled herself. The August Thyssen (2342 tons) reported to have struck a Swedish mine off Stockholm and sunk. The Phaedra (619 tons) captured by a British warship and brought to port. Sweden’s Heavy Loss. Up to January 17, the number of British, Allied and neutral ships escorted in British convoys was 6872, with the loss of only 14 vessels, the percentage of loss remaining stationary ,at 1 in 500. Sweden has lost 100 sailors and 26 steamers, totalling 50,000 „tons, by mines and torpedoes since the outbreak of war, says a message from Stockholm. The Belgian steamer Mese (726 tons) is feared to have been lost, says a cable from Antwerp. A raft with four bodies* including that of her skipper, has been found. All on it were dead from exposure.

Hope has been abandoned for the British steam trawler New Haven, which has failed to return from the fishing grounds. She may have struck a mine. One of the crew left a family of 10, and another a family of nine.