| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Frigate |
| Class | River |
| Pennant | K 227 |
| Built by | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd. (Paisley, Scotland) |
| Ordered | 11 Feb 1941 |
| Laid down | 14 Jul 1941 |
| Launched | 29 Jul 1942 |
| Commissioned | 28 Dec 1942 |
| Lost | 23 Sep 1943 |
| Loss position | 53° 25'N, 39° 42'W |
| History | At 0201 hours on 23 September 1943 the German submarine U-666 fired a Gnat torpedo, which hit HMS Itchen (Cdr. Clement Edward Bridgman, DSO, RNR) after 1 minute and 10 seconds. The frigate blew up after the hit in position 53º25'N, 39º42'W. Debris from the vessel was later found on the conning tower of the U-boat and on HMCS Morden. 230 men, including survivors from other ships, went down with HMS Itchen. There were only three survivors, two from HMS Itchen and one from the Canadian destroyer HMCS St. Croix. Hit by U-boat |
| U-boat Attack | See our U-boat attack entry for the HMS Itchen |
Commands listed for HMS Itchen (K 227)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. (retired) Clement Edward Bridgman, DSO, RNR | 10 Nov 1942 | 23 Sep 1943 (+) |
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Notable events involving Itchen include:
25 Feb 1943
HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. Baron D.T. Mackay, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Itchen (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E. Bridgman, DSO, RNR) and HMS Charlestown (Lt. W.F.B. Webb, DSC, RN). (1)
26 Feb 1943
HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. Baron D.T. Mackay, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Itchen (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E. Bridgman, DSO, RNR) and HMS Charlestown (Lt. W.F.B. Webb, DSC, RN). (1)
18 Mar 1943
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.S. Beale, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Itchen (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E. Bridgman, DSO, RNR), HMS Sabre (Lt. R.L. Caple, DSC, RN) and HMS Northern Reward (Lt. J.D. Weaver, RNVR). (2)
19 Mar 1943
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.S. Beale, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Itchen (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E. Bridgman, DSO, RNR), HMS Sabre (Lt. R.L. Caple, DSC, RN) and HMS Northern Reward (Lt. J.D. Weaver, RNVR). (2)
29 Mar 1943
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.S. Beale, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS St. Croix (A/Lt.Cdr. A.H. Dobson, DSC, RCNR), HMCS Battleford (T/Lt. F.A. Beck, RCNVR), HMS Itchen (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E. Bridgman, DSO, RNR) and HMS Keppel (Lt.Cdr. R.B.S. Tennant, RN). (2)
23 Jun 1943
HMS H 34 (T/Lt. R.L. Willoughby, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Limbourne (Cdr. C.B. Alers-Hankey, DSC, RN), HMS Wensleydale (Lt. J.A. McClure, DSC, RN), HMS Itchen (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E. Bridgman, DSO, RNR), HMCS Galt (T/Lt. A.M. Kirkpatrick, RCNVR), HMCS St. Francis (A/Lt.Cdr. H.V.W. Groos, RCN) and HMCS Sackville (Lt. A.H. Rankin, RCNVR). (3)
24 Jun 1943
HMS H 34 (T/Lt. R.L. Willoughby, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Itchen (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E. Bridgman, DSO, RNR), HMS Nene (Cdr. J.D. Birch, RD, RNR), HMCS Calgary (T/Lt. H.K. Hill, RCNVR) and HMS Fusilier (T/Lt. F.M. Phillips, RNVR). (3)
7 Sep 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. D.G. Kent, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Sackville (Lt. A.H. Rankin, RCNVR), HMCS Chambly (T/A/Lt.Cdr. A.F. Pickard, RCNR), HMS Itchen (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E. Bridgman, DSO, RNR) and HMCS St. Croix (A/Lt.Cdr. A.H. Dobson, DSC, RCNR). (4)
Media links
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Sources
- File 2.12.03.6381 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 173/17814
- ADM 173/17795
- ADM 173/17786
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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