| Noteable events involving Icarus include: 29 Nov, 1939 The German submarine U-35 was sunk in the North Sea, in position 60º53'N, 02º47'E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Icarus (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Maud, RN), HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, RN) and HMS Kashmir (Cdr. H.A. King, RN). (see map) 13 Mar, 1940 The German submarine U-44 was hit by a mine around 13 March 1940, in minefield Field No 7. laid on 3 March 1940 by the British destroyers HMS Express (Cdr. J.G. Bickford, DSC, RN) HMS Esk (Lt.Cdr. R.J.H. Couch, RN), HMS Icarus (Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC, RN) and HMS Impulsive (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Thomas, RN). 10 Apr, 1940 On 10 April 1940 the German merchant ship Alster was captured by the British destroyer HMS Icarus (Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC, RN) in the Vestfjord, north of Bodö and was escorted to Britain by the British trawler HMS Ullswater (~
(Sub-Lt. D.R. Stavert, RN). The vessel was renamed Empire Endurance by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). NOTES:- Empire Endurance. History: built as German Alster for Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen. On 18 March 1940 taken over by Kriegsmarine and used as troop transport in operation Weserübung, the invasion of Norway. 31 Aug, 1940 On 31 August 1940 a group of destroyers sailed from Immingham on a minelaying mission off the Dutch coast. The minelayers were from the 20th Destroyer Flotilla and consisted of the destroyers HMS Express (Cdr. J.G. Bickford, DSC, RN), HMS Esk (Lt.Cdr. R.J.H. Couch, DSC, RN), HMS Icarus (Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC, RN), HMS Intrepid (Cdr. R.C. Gordon, RN) and HMS Ivanhoe (Cdr. P.H. Hadow, RN). The minelayers were escorted by members of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla consisted of the destroyers HMS Kelvin (Cdr. J.H. Allison, DSO, RN), HMS Jupiter (Cdr. D.B. Wyburd, RN) and HMS Vortigern (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Howlett, RN). Aerial reconnaissance detected a German force and the ships of the 20th and 5th DF were ordered to intercept, beliving wrongly that the German ships were part of an invasion force. HMS Express struck a mine and was badly damaged, HMS Esk went to her assistance and hit mine and sank immediately, HMS Ivanhoe also went to her assistance and hit a mine and was badly damaged, so much so she she had to be sunk by HMS Kelvin. The following day they were joined by the light cruisers HMS Aurora (Capt. L.H.K. Hamilton, DSO, RN) and HMS Galatea (Capt. B.B. Schofield, RN) and while returning to base HMS Galatea struck another mine and was slightly damaged off Cleaner Shoal Buoy near the Humber light vessel. 21 May, 1941 The British battlecruiser Hood (Capt. R. Kerr, CBE, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral L.E. Holland, CB, RN) and the battleship Prince of Wales (Capt. J.C. Leach, MVO, RN) were ordered to proceed to Hvalfjord, Iceland as the German battleship Bismarck and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen were spotted by air reconnaissance at Bergen, Norway. As there were indications that these two were contemplatibf a raid on the ocean trade routes.
The two British capital ships were escorted by the destroyers HMS Electra (Cdr. C.W. May, RN), HMS Anthony (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Hodges, RN), HMS Echo (Lt.Cdr. C.H.deB. Newby, RN), HMS Icarus (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSO, RN), HMS Achates (Lt.Cdr. Viscount Jocelyn, RN) and HMS Antelope (Lt.Cdr. R.B.N. Hicks, DSO, RN). 6 Mar, 1944 After unsuccessful attempts at towing the boat to port the German submarine U-744 was sunk at 1830hrs on 6 March 1944 in the North Atlantic, in position 52º01'N, 22º37'W, after being torpedoed by the British destroyer HMS Icarus (Lt.Cdr. R. Dyer, RN). U-744 was attacked for over 30 hours by depth charges from HMS Icarus, the Canadian frigate HMCS St. Catharines (Cdr. P.W. Burnett, DSC, RN), Canadian corvettes HMCS Fennel (Lt. W.P. Moffat, RCNVR), HMCS Chilliwack (A/Lt.Cdr. C.R. Coughlin, RCNVR), Canadian destroyers HMCS Chaudiere (A/Lt.Cdr. C.P. Nixon, RCN), HMCS Gatineau (A/Lt.Cdr. H.V.W. Groos, RCN) and the British corvette HMS Kenilworth Castle (Lt. J.J.Allon, RNR). (see map) 21 Jan, 1945 The German submarine U-1199 was sunk in the English Channel near the Scilly Isles, in position 49º57'N, 05º42'W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Icarus and the British corvette HMS Mignonette. (see map) |