THAMES-Class submarine ordered from Vickers-Armstrong at
Barrow in Furness on 1st September 1930 and laid
down on 6th January 1931.
This submarine was launched on 26th January 1932 and was the first submarine to carry the name.
Since this name was introduced in 1758 for a
5th Rate it had been previously used for five surface warships. The last being
an 1885 Cruiser renamed GENERAL BOTHA in 1920 when sold to South Africa. for training duties. Build was completed on 14th September 1932. In November 1938 she was serving with her two sister
submarines with the 1st Submarine Flotilla in Malta.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
GUT OF GIBRALTAR 1801
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue, a profile head symbolic of Thames, Gold.
M o t t o
Nametsi:
'Notwithstanding'
S u m m a r y o f
W a r S e r v i c e
Deployed for patrol duties in
the North Sea after
the outbreak of WW2 she had a brief career. Whilst in patrol off Norway and
based at Dundee she was
sunk
by a mine on 3rd August 1940.
1 9 3 9
August Transferred
to 2nd Submarine Flotilla, Home Fleet.
September Deployed for
interception of enemy warships and mercantiles on passage in North Sea
based at Dundee with HM
Submarines OBERON, TRITON , TRIUMPH and THISTLE.
October Dundee
deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated for refit
December Taken in hand
for refit.
1 9 4 0
January Under refit.
to
May
June On
completion of post refit trials took passage to Dundee to resume Flotilla duties
July Deployed
at Dundee
22nd Sailed
from Dundee for interception patrol
25th Patrol
position changed and took passage to new area
26th Sailed
from patrol area to return to Dundee
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Cdr W Dunkerley RN
August On return
passage to Dundee.
3rd Sunk by
mine near position.
(Special Note: The circumstances of the loss and whether she was involved in an
attacks
on one of the escorts
of GNEISENAU are not certain
but the post war analysis suggests
that this submarine sank entering a
German minefield and subsequently detonating a
German mine. See ABOVE US THE WAVES
by AS Evans.)
P o s t W a r N o t e s
This name was reintroduced after 1945 when
borne by several Coastal Minesweepers which were
renamed when serving as a Tender attached to the London Division of the RNVR
for sea training.
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