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H. M.
S. U N I Q U E
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
MEDITERRANEAN
1942 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941 - BISCAY 1942 - ARCTIC
1942
Third time of use by the RN and first by a
submarine. It was introduced in 1804 when given to a Schooner which was
taken in Prize by a French Privateer two year later,. Launched with this name she was deployed in
the Mediterranean after trials and work-up in UK
She joined the
10th Submarine Flotilla in Malta during early 1941 and carried out
patrols to intercept supply ships and escorts on passage to and from
North African ports. During patrols off Tunisia she sank the 2,500
ton ship FENICIA on 10th March 1941 near the Kerkenanna islands and in June whilst in the
western Mediterranean sank another supply ship. She carried out a
joint operation with the submarines P32 and P33 to intercept a
convoy of four troopships known to be on passage to North Africa.
The only one of the three to have success she sighted the convoy on
20th August and sank the liner ESPERIA eleven miles off the coast.
She returned
to UK for refit in September 1941 and on completion was deployed in
Home waters including patrol in the Arctic in defence of Russian
convoys against U-Boat attacks and for Atlantic convoys. She took
passage to resume Flotilla duties on 7th October 1942 and had been
ordered to carry out patrol off the Spanish coast. This submarine is believed to have been sunk
without survivors on 10th October following explosions heard in the
area However no claim was made by German sources for any sinking.
The Commanding Officer on build was Lieutenant AD Collett RN, who was relieved by Lieutenant A
Hezlet RN (Later Vice Admiral Sir Arthur Hezlet KBE, CBE, DSO, DSC) during
the patrol when ESPERIA was sunk, and at the time of loss Lieutenant
R E Boddington
RN. |
