Second
THAMES-Class of Fleet Submarines ordered on 20th November 1932 from
Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow and laid down on 27th March 1933. This submarine
was launched on 16th January 1934 and was the first
submarine to bear the name that was used for the tenth time. It had been introduced in 1695
for a 4th Rate 50 gun ship and
had last
been used by a
River Monitor SOLIMOES purchased from Brazil in 1914 and sold in 1921. Build was completed on 12th January 1935. In November 1938
she was deployed in the Mediterranean with the1st Submarine Flotilla based at
Malta .
B a t t l e H o n o u r
s
ALGIERS 1816 - BELGIAN COAST 1914 -
KONIGSBERG
Action 1915 - NORWAY 1940 -
ATLANTIC 1940-41 - SICILY 1943
- AEGEAN 1943
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field
Blue, a leopard’ head Gold, in base two chevrons Red
between roudels Red, three
and one.
M o t t o
Fides invicta triumphal: 'Faith
unconquered triumphs'
S u m m a r y o f
W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
August Deployed at
Malta with 1st
Submarine Flotilla
Passage to take up allocated war station at Freetown
September Arrived in
Freetown and deployed for Atlantic convoy defence as part of the escort during
to
passage in South
Atlantic and Indian Ocean,
December
1 9 4 0
January Freetown
deployment in continuation.
to
Transferred to Home waters for interception patrol and convoy defence in North
Sea.
March Deployed in
North Sea.
Commanding Officer Lieut. Cdr Taylor, RN
April Nominated
for support of planned minelaying operations by ships of Home Fleet off
Norway to prevent enemy use of
Norwegian Leads for iron ore traffic (Operation
WILFRED.)
9th Took up station in North Sea for interception of German
interference to WILFRED.
Remained in North Sea for interception patrol and support of allied operations
after German
landings in Norway
HM
Submarines CLYDE, SEALION, SPEARFISH, PORPOISE, NARWHAL, TRIDENT,
TRUANT, TAKU, TETRARCH, and French RUBIS were also deployed.)
May North Sea
deployment for interception patrols in continuation.
Sank
mercantile of 1,786 tons.
June North Sea
interception patrols with HM Submarines CLYDE, SEALION, SPEARFISH,
to
PORPOISE,
NARWHAL, TRIDENT, TRUANT, TAKU, TETRARCH, and French RUBIS.
December
1 9 4 1
January North Sea
deployment in continuation
to
Nominated for service at Gibraltar
May Passage to
join 8th Submarine Flotilla
June Deployed
at Gibraltar with HM Submarine CLYDE and four Dutch submarines for convoy
defence in Atlantic and
interception patrols in western Mediterranean
(Note: Submarines on passage to join 1st and 10th Flotillas in eastern Mediterranean
were
also used for these patrols as
a work-up for operations.)
July Gibraltar deployment in continuation
28th Deployed
as part of escort of Convoy HG69 during Atlantic passage from
Gibraltar to
Liverpool.
August Deployed at
Gibraltar for Flotilla duties
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Gibraltar
deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated for transfer to Home waters.
December (Note: Refit
period to be confirmed.)
1 9 4 3
January Deployed in
Home waters.
to (Note:
On completion of refit - to be confirmed.)
March Nominated
for interception of German major units attempting passage into Atlantic to
attack convoys.
April
1st Sailed
from Clyde with HM Submarine STUBBORN and US Navy submarine USS BARB to
take up patrol station
in NW Approaches for interception.
May Home
waters deployment in continuation.
Transferred to Mediterranean for support of planned allied landings in Sicily.
June Passage
to Alexandria for interception patrol and support of Operation HUSKY
July
12th Deployed
for patrol to intercept enemy interference during allied landings.
August Resumed
interception patrols in eastern
Mediterranean based at Haifa
September Haifa
deployment in continuation
Nominated for support of military operations in eastern Mediterranean.
(Note: After Italian surrender military occupation of Cos and Leros had been
commenced.)
October
Deployed at Beirut to embark Bofor guns and ammunition for delivery to Leros.
For
details see WAR IN THE AEGEAN by
E Walker,
18th Sailed
for Leros with Bofors, ammunition and eight army personnel.
21st Arrived
at Leros.
22nd After
unloading completed sailed from Leros.
25th Arrived
in Beirut and prepared for further supply operation to Leros.
31st Sailed
with stores.
November Returned to
Beirut after serious machinery defect and operation abandoned.
On
completion of repair resumed operations in eastern Mediterranean
December Eastern
Mediterranean deployment in continuation.
1 9 4 4
January Interception
deployment in continuation
to
June
July
Nominated for transfer to Eastern Fleet based at Trincomalee.
August Passage to
join 2nd Submarine Flotilla
September Deployed for
Flotilla duties based in Ceylon.
to Carried
out interception patrol duties in
Indian Ocean.
December Transferred to
East Indies Fleet on formation.
1 9 4 5
January East Indies
Fleet duties with Flotilla in continuation.
to
Withdrawn from operational service
August
P o s t
W a r N o t e s
HMS SEVERN remained in Ceylon after VJ Day
and was placed on the Disposal List. The boat was sold for demolition by T
Hassan Ali in May 1946. She was towed later that year to the breaker’s
yard in Bombay.
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