Royal Navy submarine HMS Splendid. Imperial War Museum image: FL 3647. Description: a starboard side view of a surfaced submarine under way off a low coastline. Several large vessels can be seen in the background.

21 Apr 1943 // Submarine HMS Splendid was scuttled off Capri to prevent her falling into enemy hands after a depth-charge attack by German destroyer Hermes forced her to the surface. 18 of her crew were lost and 27 were taken prisoner. (Imperial War Museum FL 3647) #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

21 Apr 1942 // HM Trawler Jade was sunk in Grand Harbour, Malta, during an air raid. No lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

21 Apr 1822 // 18-gun brig sloop HMS Confiance was patrolling between Cork and Kinsale with HMS Gannet when the two became separated in bad weather. The Confiance was not seen again. Wreckage and bodies were found along the coast on the following day, but no survivors. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

Her guns were thrown overboard but water continued to pour in. She was soon awash and was abandoned after her stores and provisions were removed. No loss of life, but many of her crew were lost in HMS Mentor when that ship disappeared without trace at the end of April. [2/2] #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

21 Apr 1783 // 32-gun 5th-rate HMS Cerberus was taking part in the blockade of the Chesapeake when her captain fell ill. The ship disembarked him in Bermuda and was just leaving Castle Harbour to return to station when she struck a submerged reef. She could not be freed and began to flood. [1/2]

Whoops! I've done the same thing before, 'Forth' just seems to follow 'Firth' in my mind for some reason. Thank you for spotting it when I didn't, and living up to your name!

20 Apr 1941 // HM Trawler Topaze sank south of Cumbrae Island in the Firth of Forth after being rammed just before 1am by the battleship HMS Rodney, en route from the Clyde to Portsmouth. Only two men from Topaze's crew of twenty survived this tragic incident. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

20 Apr 1940 // HM Trawler Rutlandshire, in naval service as an anti-submarine vessel, was damaged by air attack while part of a group of armed trawlers covering French landings at Namsos, Norway. She was grounded and abandoned, and later scrapped. No lives were lost. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

20 Apr 1918 // HM Trawler Numitor (no. 3270) hit a mine off Orford Ness and sank with the loss of five men. The mine was laid by German submarine UC.4. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory

20 Apr 1917 // HM Trawler Othonna, a Milford Haven boat in naval service as a minesweeper, was sweeping off May Island in the Firth of Forth when she hit a floating mine and sank with the loss of nine of her crew. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory

20 Apr 1917 // HM Trawler Loch Eye, an Aberdeen boat in naval service as a minesweeper, blew up and sank off Hook Point on the approach to Waterford with the loss of 7 men from her crew of 14. It is likely that she struck a mine laid by German submarine UC.33. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory

20 Apr 1917 // Minesweeper HMS Nepaulin (ex Glasgow & South Western Railway paddle steamer Neptune, requisitioned and converted 1915) struck a mine near Dyck Sand in the Straits of Dover and sank with the loss of 19 of her crew. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory

20 Apr 1887 // HM Tug Escort, based at Malta, was returning to Grand Harbour at night when she ran aground near Filfla and was wrecked with the loss of three of her crew. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

Yes, must have been quite a bang! Officers being dazzled by searchlights during exercises seems to have been something of a problem.

20 Apr 1808 // Schooner HMS Widgeon, assembling a convoy off the North Sea coast of Scotland, struck a reef off Banff during a snowstorm and was wrecked. No lives were lost. The subsequent court martial put the blame for the loss on the negligence of the pilot. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

Thank you - he seems to have recovered quite well in career terms, until pneumonia intervened.

I did know but it is always a detail that strikes me !

19 Apr 1941 // HM Trawler Kopanes was off Coquet Island on the Northumberland coast when a lone German aircraft, in two attack runs, dropped five bombs around her. She lost power and began to flood, taking 25 minutes to sink. Her crew all escaped safely. #RoyalNavy #WW2 #NavalHistory

19 Apr 1917 // HM Trawler Star of Freedom, in naval service as a minesweeper, sank off Trevose Head, Cornwall, when she struck a submerged mine laid by German submarine UC.47 on the previous day. She sank with ten men lost from her crew of nineteen. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory

19 Apr 1917 // HM Trawler Lobelia II, in naval service as a minesweeper, was sweeping off Fanad Head, Co. Donegal, Ireland when she struck a mine laid by German submarine U.78. She sank quickly and eleven of her crew died, leaving just one survivor. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory

19 Apr 1915 // HM Trawler Rhodesia, in naval service as a patrol vessel, was wrecked on the south-eastern point of Tulm Island off South Harris in the Outer Hebrides. All the crew were rescued. #RoyalNavy #WW1 #NavalHistory

The photograph shows HMS Ariel probably around the time of her arrival in Malta in 1901. Public domain image: US Navy Naval History and Heritage Command, NH 63160. [4/4] #RoyalNavy

The court martial cleared Ariel's CO, Lt Turton, of blame, but the Admiralty disagreed, judging that he had been running too fast for the conditions. He was told he had incurred their Lordships' displeasure, and was barred from future appointment to destroyer commands. [3/4]

With no ability to manoeuvre Ariel began to drift towards the shore. Another destroyer, HMS Bruizer, attempted a tow but the line parted. Remaining alongside, she took off Ariel's crew except for one stoker who was drowned trying to reach the shore. Ariel then struck rocks and capsized. [2/4]

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Ariel, launched 1897, wrecked at Malta 1907. Public domain image: US Navy Naval History and Heritage Command, NH 63160. Description: a starboard side view of a small two-funnelled warship anchored in calm water.

19 Apr 1907 // Destroyer HMS Ariel was part of a group of destroyers testing the defences of Grand Harbour in Malta in a night exercise. Searchlights from the shore temporarily blinded her bridge officers and she ran at speed into a breakwater, buckling her bows and wrecking her steering gear. [1/4]

19 Apr 1778 // 16-gun brig HMS Hinchinbrook was captured in Frederica Sound, Georgia, by three American galleys. There was no wind so the British attempted to tow the brig to safety, but she ran aground and was abandoned, allowing the Americans to row up and take possession. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

19 Apr 1759 // 8-gun bomb vessel HMS Falcon missed stays while attempting to tack on approach to the Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe, and was rapidly carried inshore by a strong current. Unable to anchor, she ran aground and was wrecked. All her crew were saved. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

19 Apr 1757 // 10-gun brig sloop HMS Merlin was captured in the Channel by 30-gun French privateer Machault after becoming separated in poor weather from the convoy she was escorting from Falmouth. Unable to escape, she had to surrender to her more powerful opponent. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

19 Apr 1757 // 10-gun brig sloop HMS Merlin was captured in the Channel by 30-gun French privateer Machault after becoming separated in poor weather from the convoy she was escorting from Falmouth. Unable to escape, she had to surrender to her more powerful opponent. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory

19 Apr 1703 (O.S.) // 2-gun sloop HMS Swallow was chased and captured by two large French privateers off the Dutch coast. Her commander did everything he could to lighten ship but could not escape, and when overhauled and fired upon had no choice but to surrender. #RoyalNavy #NavalHistory