Charles Arthur de Winton Kitcat, RN
| Born | 13 Jul 1904 |
| Ranks
Retired: 1 Aug 1946 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Charles Arthur de Winton Kitcat, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Imperial (D 09) | Lt.Cdr. | Destroyer | 3 Jan 1939 | 29 May 1941 |
| HMS Eglinton (L 87) | Cdr. | Escort destroyer | 17 Aug 1941 | 16 May 1942 |
| HMS Intrepid (D 10) | Cdr. | Destroyer | Jun 1942 | 26 Sep 1943 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Destroyer HMS Imperial (D 09)
12 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Imperial (Lt.Cdr. C.A.de W. Kitcat, RN) is docked in No.3 graving dock at the Rosyth Dockyard. (1)
15 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Imperial (Lt.Cdr. C.A.de W. Kitcat, RN) is undocked. (1)
26 Feb 1940 (position 61.12, 3.08)
While escorting the Bergen-bound ON-series convoy ON-15 in the Skagerrak, HMS Imperial (Lt.Cdr. C.A.deW. Kitcat, RN) was in collision with the Swedish freighter Nordia (1316 GRT) sinking her. The mishap occurred about 70 nautical miles west-south-west of Feistenen in position 61°12'N, 03°08'E. HMS Imperial was out of action for 1.5 month.
29 May 1941
HMS Imperial (Lt.Cdr. C.A.deW. Kitcat, RN) sailed from Alexandria at 0600 hrs of 28/5 with CLs Orion, Flagship of Radm Bernard Rawlings, Ajax and Dido, DDs Decoy, Jackal, Hotspur, Kimberley, Hereward, tasked with evacuating British troops from Crete.
At 1920 hrs that evening, while the formation was transiting Kasos Channel heading north, there was an attack by Italian S.84 level bombers belonging to the 205? Squadriglia, 41? Gruppo Bombardamento Terrestre, led by pilot Lt. Giovanni Ghinazzi.
One of the bombs near-missed Imperial's stern, detonating in the vicinity of her propellers, with no immediately apparent consequences. Keeping station, Imperial arrived at Iraklion around 2030 hrs, embarked 300 troops and sailed for Alexandria at 0320 hrs, 29 May.
Shortly after 0345 hrs, while working up speed and already making 29 kn, the rudder, evidently damaged by the earlier near-miss, jammed, and the out-of-control destroyer cut across the bow of Orion, barely missing a catastrophic collision. After determining the impossibility of carrying out repairs, and unwilling to delay the retreat of the entire Squadron, Radm Rawlings ordered Hotspur (Lcdr. C. P. F. Brown) to remove crew and passengers, which was done by 0445 hrs, then scuttle the cripple. Hotspur therefore fired 2 torpedoes into Imperial, sinking her, about 55 nm east of Kasos island.
Sources
- Rosyth Dockyard docking register
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