HMS Southwold -72 Meters.

HMS Southwold was a Type II British Hunt-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She served in the Mediterranean for a few months until she was sunk off Malta in March 1942.

Armament:  6 × QF 4 in Mark XVI guns on twin mounts Mk. XIX,4 × QF 2 pdr Mk. VIII on quad mount MK.VII, 2 × 20 mm Oerlikons on single mounts P Mk. III, 110 depth charges, 2 throwers, 3 racks.

Southwold was ordered on 20 December 1939, and was built by J. Samuel White and Company of East Cowes as part of the 1939 emergency program. Her keel was laid on 18 June 1940 with Job number J6274, and the ship was launched on 29 May of the following year. The vessel was completed on 9 October 1941. On 20 March 1942, she carried out an anti-submarine sweep along planned path for Malta relief convoy MW10 along with some other destroyers. On 21 March, she joined this same convoy and took part in the Second Battle of Sirte a day later. On the 23rd she and HMS Beaufort left the convoy to escort HMS Breconshire to Malta.

Photo by Julian Goffin.

HMS Southwold left again Alexandria on 20th March 1942 as an escort to convoy MW10 to Malta. The convoy was under the command of Admiral Philip Vian. The 820 nautical mile journey to Malta was severely attacked both by the Italian war ships and by the Luftwaffe  Convoy code named MW10 consisted of the merchantmen Breconshire (10000 GRT), Clan Campbell (7000 GRT) Talabot (7000 GRT) & Pampas (5000 GRT). These cargo ships were escorted by the 15th Cruiser Squadron with a strong destroyer force , and another scout close escort running ahead with the anti-aircraft cruiser Carlisle with 4 hunt class destroyers. Admiral Vian’s Cruiser Squadron followed behind with the light cruisers Dido, Cleopatra Euryalis, & Penelope plus some destroyers.

As soon as the convoy located by the enemy it was reported to Admiral Iachino of the Italian Navy who hurried with his squadron composed of the battleship Littorio and 6 destroyers. At the same time he signalled to another Italian squadron made up of the cruisers Gorizia, Trento, & Giovanni delle Bande Nere accompanied by another 4 destroyers to meet him so as to join forces. They met on Sunday 22/3/42 and waited for the Convoy in the Gulf of Sirte (Sidra) 150 miles NW of Benghazi. The Italians had superior power.

On 24 March, Southwold was attempting to pass a line to Breconshire when she activated a British land mine and there was an explosion in which an officer and four ratings were killed . She sustained major structural damage and the engine room flooded while electrical supplies failed. She was towed by the tug Ancient but the hull split and she began to sink. The survivors were rescued by HMS Dulverton.

Photo Julian Goffin

The wreck of Southwold lies in two sections about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of Marsaskala Bay, Malta. The bow is the largest piece, about 40 meters in length, and it lies on its starboard side at a depth of 70 meters. The stern, which is located about 300 meters away from the bow, is about 28 meters  long and it lies upright in 72 meters of water