HMS Imogen ( D44 ) HMS " Imogen " was a built for the Royal Navy in the mid - 1930s . During the Spanish Civil War of 1936 – 1939 , the ship enforced the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides as part of the Mediterranean Fleet . After the start of the Second World War the ship was transferred to Home Fleet and participated in the Norwegian Campaign in April 1940 . " Imogen " sank two German submarines before her own sinking following an accidental collision in July 1940 . Description . " Imogen " displaced at standard load and at deep load . The ship had an overall length of , a beam of and a draught of . She was powered by Parsons geared steam turbines , driving two shafts , which developed a total of and gave a maximum speed of . Steam for the turbines was provided by three Admiralty 3 - drum water - tube boilers . " Imogen " carried a maximum of of fuel oil that gave her a range of at . The ship ' s complement was 145 officers and enlisted men in peacetime . The ship mounted four 45 - calibre 4 . 7 - inch Mk IX guns in single mounts . For anti - aircraft ( AA ) defence , " Imogen " had two quadruple Mark I mounts for the 0 . 5 inch Vickers Mk III machine gun . She was fitted with two above - water quintuple torpedo tube mounts for torpedoes . One depth charge rail and two throwers were fitted ; 30 depth charges were originally carried , but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began . Service . The ship was ordered on 30 October 1935 from Hawthorn Leslie at Hebburn under the 1935 Naval Programme . She was laid down on 18 January 1936 , launched on 30 December 1936 , as the seventh Royal Navy ship to carry this name , and completed on 2 June 1937 , at a contract price of £256 , 917 , excluding items supplied by Admiralty such as armaments and communications equipment . " Imogen " was assigned to the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla of the Mediterranean Fleet upon commissioning and was initially based in Malta . Transferred to Gibraltar , she patrolled Spanish waters enforcing the policies of the Non - Intervention Committee during 1938 . The ship was given a brief refit in Malta from 17 October – 28 November 1938 and another at Sheerness Dockyard in August 1939 . " Imogen " returned to the Mediterranean on 3 September , but was transferred to the Western Approaches Command for convoy escort duties two days later when Italy did not enter the war . Together with the entire 3rd Destroyer Flotilla , the ship was transferred to the Home Fleet in October . Together with her sister , she sank the on 13 October after the submarine attempted to sink the freighter . Whilst escorting the merchant ship to Barry , " Imogen " rescued survivors from the ships " Louisiane " and " Bretagne " . She was refitted at Liverpool between 20 October and 7 November and then rejoined Home Fleet . The following month , the ship came to the aid of the torpedoed battleship off the Butt of Lewis on 28 December . With her sister and the destroyer , " Imogen " sank after it had been spotted by the British submarine on 25 February 1940 . During the Norwegian Campaign , the ship searched unsuccessfully for German ships , escorted ships of Home Fleet and troopship s carrying Norwegian Army units from Kirkenes and Alta to Sjøvegan in mid - April . In mid - June , she escorted the aircraft carrier to Bermuda to work up . Off Duncansby Head during the night of 16 July , " Imogen " collided with the light cruiser in thick fog whilst bound for Scapa Flow . She was badly damaged , caught fire , and sank at position . " Glasgow " rescued 10 officers and 125 enlisted men , but 19 men were killed in the collision .