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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2006

 

HMS TIGRIS (63 T) - T-class Submarine

 

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HM S/M Tigris (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Part of 1st Group of T Class Submarines and 1st of this Class to be ordered from HM Dockyard, Chatham on 12th January 1937 and laid down on 11th May 1938. This submarine was launched on 31st October 1939 as the 6th RN vessel to bear the name, introduced in 1812 for the 6th Rate 36 Gun ship HMS FORTH was renamed . The last to carry the name was Paddle vessel  built at Bombay and sold in 1904. Build was completed on 20th June 1940 and trials had been carried out at Portsmouth with the 5th Submarine Flotilla. in May 1940. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in Newbury, Berkshire in February 1942 the boat was adopted by the civil community of the Borough.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NORWAY 1941 - ARCTIC 1941-41 - MEDITERRANEAN 1942

 

H e r a l d i c    D a t a

Badge:  On a field Gold on s Pale wavy Blue between two Palm trees,

couped  fructed Proper a pallet wavy White.

 

S u m m a r y   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 0

 

May                        Commissioned for service and carried out Acceptance Trials at Portsmouth with 5th

                                Submarine Flotilla

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to N63.

 

June                        Worked-up for operational service.

 

July                         Joined 2nd Submarine Flotilla at Rosyth

to                            Nominated with HM Submarines CACHALOT, TALISMAN and TRIBUNE for Bay Patrol

August                  for surveillance in Bay of Biscay and patrol off Brest August

                                Commanding Officer Lieut Cdr Bone.

 

September

                1st           Sank trawler off Brest.                        

 

October                  Channel deployment in continuation.

 

November

                13th        Sank the barque CHARLES EDMOND during patrol patrol 60 miles west of Gironde.

 

December              Flotilla duties in continuation at Rosyth

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Bay Patrol deployment in continuation

 

February                During patrol sank two mercantiles totalling 3,704 tons

                                On a later patrol sank three mercantiles totalling 4,039 tons.

                                Transferred to 3rd Submarine Flotilla based in Clyde for interception patrols in

                                North Atlantic.

 

March                    Atlantic deployment in continuation

 

April

                2nd         Sank tanker THORN 5,486 tons by torpedo and gunfire off St Nazaire.

 

May                        Atlantic deployment in continuation.

to                            Commanding officer promoted to Commander.

June

 

July                         Deployed for interception of Italian submarine operating against Atlantic convoys

                               west of Gibraltar

                5th          Sank Italian submarine MICHELLE BIANCI in Bay of Biscay.

                                Transferred with HM Submarine TRIDENT for service in Arctic based at Polyarno.

 

August                  Deployed at Polyarno

                11th        Sailed for support of Soviet operations and patrol at Savaerholt.

                17th        Sank Norwegian coaster HAAKON JARL.

 

September             Polyarno deployment for patrol of Norway in continuation.

                15th        Sank mercantile RICHARD WITH, 905 tons off Bretsund.

                17th        Carried out unsuccessful attacks on two convoys off Norway.

 

October                  Polyarno deployment in continuation

                11th        Carried out unsuccessful attack on convoy off Norway in Svaerholthaven

                14th        Carried out another unsuccessful attack on Norwegian coast convoy in same area.

                20th        Took return passage to UK from Polyarno after relief by HM Submarine SEALION

 

November              Deployed in Home waters.

 

December              Nominated for support of planned Commando landings on islands off Norway

                                (Operation ANKLET).

                16th        Sailed for patrol .

                                Deployed for support of ANKLET.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

                9th          Returned from patrol

                                Took passage to Fro Havet for interception of  TIRPITZ.

                                Nominated for refit and took passage to Plymouth.

 

February                Under refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

to                            Commanding Officer Lieut Cdr G R Colvin, RN

July

 

August                  On completion of post refit trials resumed service with 3rd Flotilla and based in Holy Loch

 

September

                2nd         Sailed for Arctic deployment in support of passage of Russian Convoy PQ18.

                                During search for major German warships reported by HM Submarine TRIBUNE as a

                                threat to PQ14, TIGRIS fired five torpedoes at German warships KOLN, SCHEER and

                                HIPPER. These exploded astern of the German warships.

 

October                  Nominated for transfer to 8th Submarine Flotilla.

 

November              Passage to Algiers to join Flotilla

                                Deployed in Mediterranean for interception patrol.

 

December

                6th          Sank Italian submarine PORFIDO off Sardinia

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Deployed for interception duties in Eastern Mediterranean

                20th        Sank mercantile of 4,413 (?) tons.

 

February

                18th        Sailed from Malta to carry out patrol south of Naples.

                24th        Sighted in position south of Capri.

                27th        Under depth charge attacks by escort of enemy convoy SE of Capri.

                                Sunk by UJ2210 with no survivors.

                                (Note: Other sources record sinking in Gulf of Naples during March probably by a mine.)

 

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revised 28/11/10
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