Part of 3rd Group of T-Class Submarines
and ordered with six others of this Group from Vickers-Armstrong at
Barrow on 20th October 1941. Laid down on 10th November 1942 and to
be identified as P332 this submarine was launched on 25th February
1944
as HMS TIPTOE and was the 1st RN vessel to bear this
name. Her build was completed on
12th June 1944. Her commanding officer was Lieutenant R L Jay,
RN
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
MALAYA 1945
H e r a l d i c D a t
a
Badge: On a
field Blue, a female dance on tiptoe, the arms raised
Proper.
S u m m a r
y o f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4 4
June
Commissioned for service
Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
July
Carried out work-up in Home waters for operational
service.
to
August
September
Deployed in Home waters
to December
1 9 4 5
January
Nominated for service with 4th Submarine Flotilla based at
Trincomalee
(Note: Other submarines in Flotilla were :
HM Submarines THROUGH, TACITURN, TRUMP, TUDOR, THULE,
TRENCHANT,
TERRAPIN and TRADEWIND which still belonged to the East Indies
Fleet.
February
Passage to join Flotilla at Fremantle.
to
(Note: HMS MAIDSTONE was intended to transfer to Fremantle for
support of British
March
Pacific Fleet submarine operations in SW Pacific.)
April
Joined Flotilla at Fremantle and formally transferred to British
Pacific Fleet.
19th HMS MAIDSTONE sailed
for Subic Bay to commence
operations in conjunction with US
Navy submarines.
Took passage to Subic Bay
(Note: Submarine had not yet carried out a war patrol.)
May
Deployed at Subic Bay and sailed for first war patrol;
Sank two coasting vessels, probably by surface gunfire.
June
1st Sank
mercantile TOBI MARU of 982 tons in the Java Sea.
(See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
July
Carried out last war patrols with HM Submarine TRUMP of
Flotilla.
(Note: Five small craft were sunk, one with HMS TRUMP, probably by
surface gunfire.)
August
Carried out attacks with HMS TRUMP on convoy on passage from Batavia
to Singapore
(Note: Sinking of one mercantile is to be verified.)
21st Returned to
Fremantle with HM Submarines THOROUGH, TACITURN and
TRUMP.
P-o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS TIPTOE was retained in service on return from war
service. Before being placed on the Disposal List in 1970,
this submarine visited Barrow in 1969 to celebrate her
25th Anniversary. Sold to BISCO on 16th April 1971 for demolition
by HG Pound at Portchester she arrived in
tow at the breaker’s yard later that year. |