4 Oct 1918 // Special service vessel HMS M. J. Hedley, hired and converted to act as a decoy ship, was written off after capsizing and sinking while taking on coal at Barry, South Wales. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory

4 Oct 1918 // HM Drifter Coleus, a Lowestoft boat in naval service as a net barrier tender, struck a drifting mine off Dover and sank at around 1am with the loss of four men. #WW1 #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

4 Oct 1912 // HM Submarine B.2, taking part in exercises off Dover at around 6am, was rammed and sunk while surfaced by German liner SS Amerika. Just one man from B.2's crew of 16 survived: Lt Richard Pulleyne was blown out of the sinking submarine by escaping air. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

On 3 October help finally reached the Hector, now awash with exhausted crew and no provisions, in the form of Dartmouth privateer Hawke. With great skill and courage the privateers took the men off, the last leaving on 4 October, after which the Hector was left to sink. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

As well as the Stirling Castle, four other vessels from the squadron were lost in the hurricane: 74-gun HMS Thunderer, 20-gun HMS Scarborough, 14-gun HMS Victor and 12-gun HMS Barbadoes. All vanished with no survivors. (Image of HMS Phoenix: National Maritime Museum) #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

4 Oct 1760 // 50-gun ship HMS Harwich was driven onto rocks off Isla de Pinos (now Isla de la Juventud), Cuba, in a gale. She was refloated after being lightened but was very badly damaged and was abandoned. All on board reached shore safely and the wreck was burned. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

4 Oct 1757 // 10-gun cutter HMS Hawke was attacked by a French 8-gun privateer off the Lizard, which crippled her with well-aimed shots that brought down spars and rigging. The cutter, already undermanned and having suffered two killed and six wounded, surrendered. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

4 Oct 1741 (O.S.) // 8-gun sloop HMS Tryall, part of Admiral Anson's squadron in the South Pacific, was found to be severely strained and leaky after chasing and capturing a Spanish merchant ship off the Chilean coast, and was scuttled off Valparaiso. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

4 Oct 1689 (O.S.) // 30-gun 5th-rate HMS Lively Prize, the former French l'Éveille, was recaptured by the French when she fell behind her two consorts while being pursued, and was overhauled and taken by two large French warships after a brief engagement. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

Grand Harbour Valetta in Malta – photo c1863

I’m just back from a research trip to Malta for my next book. Grand Harbour's defences seems little changed, although cruise ships now take the place of the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet.

#Ageofsail #RoyalNavy #Malta

3 Oct 1943 // Submarine HMS Usurper was lost with all 35 crew in the Gulf of Genoa on or around this date, possibly to a German anti-submarine vessel or through striking a mine, although the exact location and cause of her loss remain unconfirmed. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

3 Oct 1943 // HM Trawler Meror, part of the escort for a coastal convoy, struck a mine as she left the Humber Estuary. A tow was rigged but after a short time the trawler suddenly rolled over to starboard and sank. There were no casualties. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

3 Oct 1943 // HM Trawler Aracari, in use as a water carrier, was wrecked on Filicudi Island north of Sicily, with no casualties, after her anchors dragged in a gale. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

3 Oct 1943 // Midget submarine X.10 was scuttled in the Norwegian Sea. Part of the force used to attack the Tirpitz, she had failed to lay her explosives due to mechanical defects, was eventually recovered by submarine HMS Stubborn but was then damaged in a collision. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

3 Oct 1942 // Motor gun boat MGB.78 was heavily damaged by gunfire while engaging German armed trawlers off the Hook of Holland, then ran aground. The survivors set the wreck on fire and drifted on a Carley raft until picked up and made prisoner by the Germans. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

3 Oct 1918 // HM Drifter Lustring, a Banff boat in naval service as a net barrier tender at Kirkwall, was run into and damaged by HM Trawler Elvina. Beaching was attempted but she foundered close to the shore off Hellier Holm, Shapinsay. All on board were saved. #WW1 #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

Resistance then ceased and the Carnation surrendered, with 10 dead and 30 wounded. A series of courts martial followed: 32 of the Carnation's crew were convicted of cowardice and sentenced to transportation. Sergeant Chapman received the death sentence, and was hanged. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

Taking the schooner by surprise, they boarded and captured her, and continued on their way. Some days later two Spanish privateers sighted and chased them. Unable to resist, they were forced to surrender and were taken to Cuba as prisoners, where one man died in captivity. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

3 Oct 1796 // 20-gun 6th-rate HMS Narcissus was lying at anchor off Nassau when struck by a sudden and violent storm. Her cables parted and she was carried across the anchorage until she struck a sand bar, grounded, and rapidly broke up. Remarkably, no lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

Unfortunately the colours were Spanish. The frigate was the 40-gun Santa Sabina, and the lugger had managed to run straight into the Spanish fleet. Other ships were approaching, and escape or resistance were both impossible. When fired upon, HMS Experiment surrendered. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory