Names of 190 sailors lost at sea during World War 2 to be added to RNLI lifeboat
In January 1940, the destroyer HMS Exmouth was hit by a torpedo, and sank with the loss of all crew on board. Now, thanks to the efforts of a team of divers, their names will be added to the sides of an RNLI lifeboat through the charity’s Launch a Memory campaign.
HMS Exmouth was escorting a merchant ship, Cyprian Prince, off the coast of Scotland when she was torpedoed by a German U-boat. One shot hit the ship’s magazine, and she sank within two minutes, with the loss of all 190 crew members on board.
The RNLI Wick lifeboat City of Edinburgh was launched to the scene but found nothing but some floating debris. Eighteen bodies were later found washed ashore, and were buried with full military honours in the cemetery at Wick.
Last summer, a team of divers conducted a survey of the wreck of HMS Exmouth as part of a project that aims to ensure the heritage of the site is preserved. Moved by the fate of the sailors, the team looked for a way to honour the lost crew, and discovered that the RNLI’s Launch a Memory campaign was taking submissions for names to be added to a Shannon class lifeboat – fittingly based at RNLI Exmouth in Devon.
The campaign has already seen over 10,000 names submitted, which will appear in the ‘decals’ – the lettering and numbering on the sides and wheelhouse roof of the all-weather lifeboat.
The leader of the dive project, Lieutenant Commander Jen Smith, said: ‘It seemed such a natural fit for the names of the HMS Exmouth crew to be added to the Exmouth RNLI lifeboat. There’s something very special about the thought of those sailors once again ‘going to sea’, whilst at the same time helping to save lives at sea today. Out of a tragedy has come hope and it’s as if the sailors are still fulfilling their duty of helping others.’
Ian Taylor, Lifeboat Operations Manager at RNLI Exmouth said: ‘We are honoured that our all-weather lifeboat will carry the names of the crew of HMS Exmouth – what a fitting tribute to those brave men. It will be hugely poignant to have them all with us every time we launch, joining the names of thousands of others whose loved ones want to remember them in this special way.’
Members of the public are still able to add the name of a loved one to sit alongside those of the HMS Exmouth crew by making a suggested donation of £50 and submitting that person’s name online.
Everyone who supports the campaign will receive email updates about the lifeboat, keeping them informed of all major developments. To find out more or to submit a name please visit rnli.org/launchexmouth.
The dive team has also set up their own fundraiser to honour the lost crew, with everything raised going to the RNLI. To find out more or to make a donation please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/hms-exmouth
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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